Vacations Blog

Edinburgh hotels within the city are steeped in history and wherever you choose to stay, you’ll only be a short stroll from the enchanting Edinburgh Castle and the world renowned Royal Mile. You’ll find literary, cultural and architectural history hiding around every street corner, so it’s definitely worth taking a day or two to explore it all.

Aside from historical landmarks and bustling metropolitan city life, you’ll soon notice that this is a really green city, full of parks and surrounded by open space and woodland. The picturesque rural area around Edinburgh, as well as the rugged landscape of the nearby Lothians is the ideal backdrop for adventurous outdoor activities.

The Lothians have many great spots for sailing, cycling and climbing, so are a great place to go if you’re feeling fit and like the wind in your hair. There are many hotel deals that assist you when booking these activities.

For a fun family day out, or just a peaceful escape from city life, head towards the coast, where the beaches around the East Lothians are perfect. For a livelier seaside adventure, the beach by the village of Gullane has a growing reputation for great surfing, and is only about twenty miles from Edinburgh. If you spend the day here, wait until the spectacular sunset, rumoured to be one of the most beautiful in all of Scotland.

If you dont want to exert yourself too much, then head back up the hills to the dramatic Lothians, which offer some of the best of the great outdoors. Look down towards the city and surrounding landscape, by walking up to Arthur’s Seat, the summit of the extinct volcano.

The world famous Edinburgh Festival takes place throughout August each year, so if you’re planning on visiting the capital around this time, ensure you book your hotels early. Theatrical productions, temporary arenas and street performances can be found on every corner of the city, in celebration of all types of arts and culture, so the festival is a real must.

Edinburgh is a city with so much to offer, so enjoy a city break to Scotland’s capital. There are Edinburgh hotels to suit every price and taste, so wherever you choose to go, it will make your trip even more memorable.

Enjoy an amazing holiday to Edinburgh, where you’ll be guaranteed to leave enriched by the sights, sounds and tastes on offer.

There is an endless array of attractions and sights to visit during your time there too. Why not climb Edinburgh’s own volcano, Arthurs Seat? Or visit the many historical attractions, including Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Mile, the journey through medieval Edinburgh that links the Castle with the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

There are so many Edinburgh hotels in and around the city that will suit your tastes. Designed by Italian fashion house Missoni, the Hotel Missoni is the destination for fashionistas. Or stay in one of the most prestigious Glasshouse Edinburgh. It is a much more traditional and authentic Scottish hotel which prides itself on its exquisite glass architecture and attention to detail. Ideal for whisky fans, as each of the hotels suites are named after the scotch beverage, and contain a decanter of that whisky for guests to sample.

There are plenty of great restaurants in Edinburgh offering a wonderful array of dishes including Cantonese, Indian, French, and even modern Scottish cuisine. A top choice is Chisholms, a brassiere style restaurant found in one of the most elegant and historical Edinburgh hotels, the Caledonian Hilton. Although Chisholms has Edinburgh’s heritage in its foundations, the food consists of modern day Scottish dishes with international influences. Although the menu sees regular changes throughout the year, some dishes remain the same, namely one of the most popular dishes; pappardelle with butternut squash, pine nuts and rosemary.

Whether you want to relax, take a walk or find out more about the city, there is always so much to do in Edinburgh. After a day of walking the cobbled streets and seeing the sights, relax and unwind in one of the city’s fantastic spas. The Balmoral Spa is situated in the Balmoral Hotel and was voted the ‘best urban day spa’ in Condé Nast Travellers’ 2007 awards. It is the perfect place to escape to for a relaxing and peaceful break.

If you’re looking to enjoy the uplifting mood of the Christmas holidays why not stay in the UK? You’re spoilt for choice about where to stay in Britain over the Christmas period. Manchester and Edinburgh are two of the top destinations in the UK, offering everything you could want from a festive break. Think about staying in Manchester or Edinburgh hotels to enjoy a very traditional Christmas break.

During the festive period Manchester is more vibrant than ever. Stay in one of the Manchester hotels around the city centre so that you can be within walking distance from the festive activities on offer in the city. The most popular festive activities include a visit to the North Pole bar, something of a modern take on the traditional Christmas market. The bar has various attractions over Christmas such as carol singing, a brass band and a silent disco.

For one of the biggest New Year celebrations in the world visitors should take a trip to Edinburgh for Hogmanay which takes place between the 30^th of December and the 2^nd of January. The celebrations start with the light parade, a procession of thousands of revellers that turns the royal mile into a ‘river of fire’. After the procession there is a midnight fireworks display followed by a huge street party featuring some of the world’s biggest acts. During the day, wander around the Christmas market sipping on mulled wine or whizz around the ice rink just in front of Edinburgh castle for an unforgettable festive experience. Be sure to book your Edinburgh hotels in advance as around the New Year hotels book up very quickly.

There are dozens of cities all over the UK, that embrace Christmas wholeheartedly making them a great place to visit during the Christmas holidays, with Manchester and Edinburgh among the best. Away from Manchester and Edinburgh hotels, most towns and cities have open air ice rinks, Christmas markets and light shows, but these two cities will provide a festive experience that would be hard to forget.

Edinburgh is a fabulous vacation destination for couples, but it can be a confusing process for couples to decide where to stay. There is ample choice of a variety of Edinburgh hotels that can be sure to provide travellers with a wonderful stay.

Apex Hotels Edinburgh
The Apex has four different hotels in Edinburgh, including the Apex Waterloo Place, Apex City, Apex European and Apex International. There are the more centrally located hotels, the Apex European and Apex Waterloo Place or there is the Apex International and Apex City hotels which are located in Edinburgh’s historic Grassmarket. All four restaurants offer comfortable furnishings and serve delicious cuisines, allowing couples and hotel guests to relax in style.

The George Hotel
The George Hotel is another popular Edinburgh hotel that couples who desire a stay of luxury choose. When it comes to Edinburgh hotels, this one is first-class. At the Scottish Hotel Awards in 2009, the George was voted Best Hotel in Edinburgh. It is centrally located to the airport, business and shopping districts, and cultural attractions. City leisure attractions like Edinburgh Castle, Princes Street Gardens, and Palace of Holyroodhouse at the foot of the Royal Mile are all a short distance apart from each other.

Radisson Blu Hotel
Located on the Royal Mile, the Radisson Blu is a four star, luxury hotel right in the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town. Couples will stay in elegant rooms and suites close to the Edinburgh Castle. The hotel offers two restaurants, The Restaurant, which offers the Super Breakfast Buffet every morning, and the Itchycoo Bar and Kitchen, which specializes in Scottish dishes and seafood. The Pace Health Club offers a gym, swimming pool or hotel sauna, a perfect way for couples to spend time together.

Barceló Edinburgh Carlton Hotel
Located on the Royal Mile is one of the finest Edinburgh hotels, the Barcelo Edinburgh Carlton Hotel. It has 189 rooms with delicious food served at the Bridge Restaurant and Bar on the first floor. Additionally, couples can spend quality time together at the Bodysense Health and Leisure Club where they can play squash, visit the gym, take a swim in the pool, or relax in the steam room and sauna. Champagne and chocolates, or afternoon tea, are also additional amenities that couples can enjoy.