Stay at the George Hotel
How Good Is This Traditional Hotel in Edinburgh?
Are you considering a stay at the George Hotel in Edinburgh? You will not be alone as this historic hotel has been tastefully refurbished to restore its original architectural features and is on George Street in the heart of the city centre, perfect location for the bars and restaurants of Edinburgh. But is this a better option than other 4-star hotels in Edinburgh and does the George Hotel offer good value for money?
I've read hundreds of reviews from guests who have stayed at the George over the years and the following is a clear and unbiased summary of what these guests really thought of their stay at this hotel.
What's special about the George Hotel?
- The George Hotel was voted Best Hotel in Edinburgh at the Scottish Hotel Awards 2009.
- It offers clean, comfortable and well maintained accommodation with some rooms enjoying incredible views of Edinburgh Castle and the Firth of Forth.
- The George has a lively bar and restaurant, Tempus which is popular with locals and visitors alike.
- Location: The hotel is situated on George Street which runs parallel to Princes Street, a fashionable street famous for its shops and restaurants.
Read George Hotel reviews or check for discounted room rates.
What do guests really think?
The reviews of the George Hotel were very mixed on several issues.
- Many guests were extremely happy with their stay at the hotel, and some felt that it had the wow factor, while others were disappointed with one or more aspects of their stay.
- Most reviews agreed that the staff were very helpful, professional and friendly, but there were many others who said that some staff members were rude and inefficient.
- Many reviewers loved the quality of the breakfast and dinner while others were very disappointed.
- Many guests did agree, though, that the hotel did not represent good value for money at the full price but it is good value accommodation at discounted rates.
- And just about all reviewers thought that the location was perfect.
My Recommendation
It is unusual to find such mixed reviews of any hotel, especially one which has been named Hotel of the Year. The inconsistent reviews clearly indicate that there are some issues which do need to be addressed. However, the George is in an excellent location and the majority of reviewers said that they would stay there again or recommend it to others, which has to be the deciding factor.
I would, therefore, recommend the George Hotel but you must be very clear on the type and the size of room that you will be staying in as some are clearly better value than others. I would also recommend trying to find a discounted room rate as many guests said that the full price does not offer value for money.
Book the George Hotel or find other luxury hotel deals in Edinburgh.
In Depth Review of the George Hotel in Edinburgh
Clean and well appointed traditional hotel. Located on George Street, just behind Princes Street.
Average room price per night: £74-£244 ($116-$383)
What is the George Hotel like?
The George Hotel is a historic and elegant hotel, part of the Hayley Hotels and Conference Venues group, which recently underwent extensive refurbishment in 2007 to restore many of the original architectural features. It is a large and busy hotel and caters towards both business and leisure travellers. It offers extensive conference facilities and is also a popular wedding venue.
Building and room design
- There are 249 rooms: standard, executive (larger with king-sized beds), deluxe (larger again, with king-sized beds bathrobes and slippers, a cafetiere and bottled water) and premium (the same as deluxe but with views over Edinburgh Castle and the Firth of Forth).
- There is a new wing in which many of the guest rooms are located and some described the new part of the hotel as soulless with very long corridors, but very modern and comfortable.
- Most guests agreed that the rooms were well decorated, clean, comfortable and well-appointed.
- There seems to be different room sizes even within the same price bracket as some guests described the rooms as spacious while others said that they were tiny. It is understood that as the 200-year old building is listed there is nothing that can be done to make the rooms larger.
- Some guests also said that the bathrooms were very small with a lack of storage space.
- A few guests said that they needed to use stairs to access some rooms which would not be suitable for the less mobile.
- A few reviewers complained that the bathrooms smelt musty and that the showers were not very powerful.
- Some found the rooms far too hot due to a lack of air-conditioning while others said that they were too cold.
- Many guests complained of noisy rooms, saying that the walls between the rooms were very thin and also that due to the lack of double glazing the street noise from party-goers kept them awake.
- Some rooms are also next to a noisy generator or air-conditioning unit and others next to a bottle bank.
- Many guests complained that that the quantity of tea/coffee and toiletries in the room was extremely stingy. From a response posted on one of the sites by the manager this seems to be a group decision made by headquarters.
- Several guests would have preferred to have a mini-bar or fridge in the room. Many were also disappointed that there was no complimentary bottled water.
- Many said that the price for internet access was very expensive compared to other hotels.
Staff and level of service
- Many guests agreed that the staff in general were extremely polite, helpful and charming while others found them indifferent or even rude.
- Some said that the reception staff were helpful and efficient but there were several who said that they were abrupt or impolite.
- There were some reports that the check-in and check-out queues were often unacceptable.
- There were even a few comments that the duty manager was unhelpful and rude.
- Some also criticised the level of service in the Tempus Bar, saying that the service was slow and unfriendly.
- A few guests said that they had pre-booked special packages with inclusive items and that the hotel had forgotten to include them.
- A small number of reviewers said that when there are wedding receptions at the hotel it is very noisy and the staff are overworked.
- A few reviewers who had booked the Treat your Partner package were disappointed and did not feel that it was value for money.
Food and drink
- There is a restaurant Tempus, which also attracted different reviews. Some guests said that it provided excellent quality food while others found it disappointing.
- There were very mixed reviews on breakfast too. Some guests thought that it was varied, excellent quality and presented good value for money while others said that it was over-priced and low quality with the cooked food greasy, unappetising and often cold.
- Many said that there were long queues for breakfast each day, that it was disorganised and that the buffet often ran out without being replenished.
- There were few reviews of the room service but they were mostly negative.
- The bar Tempus is lively and popular with local people. Many guests loved the buzzing atmosphere while others said that it was too busy and noisy and would have preferred somewhere to have a quiet drink.
Location and parking
- The vast majority of reviewers loved the location on George Street, amid shops and restaurants and just a 10-minute walk from Princes Street.
- The hotel is a 5-minute walk from Waverley train station.
- There is no parking on-site but the hotel offers guests a 20% discount on an NCP car park which is a 10 to 15-minute walk away. Many guests said this was the biggest disadvantage of the George, but others accepted it due to the central location.
Nice touches
- Many guests reported receiving a complimentary glass of cava on check-in.
Book the George Hotel or find other four and five star hotels in Edinburgh.
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