Stay at the Macdonald Holyrood Hotel
How Good Is This Modern Luxury Hotel in Edinburgh?
Are you considering a stay at the Macdonald Holyrood Hotel in Edinburgh? It's a tempting choice as this traditional hotel is located in a quiet area of the Royal Mile and offers clean, modern and comfortable accommodation.
With a well-equipped swimming pool and leisure suite, this could be the perfect hotel to stay in Edinburgh. But is the Macdonald Holyrood a better choice than other 4 star hotels in the centre of Edinburgh? And will it live up to your expectations?
I've read hundreds of reviews from guests who have stayed at the Macdonald Holyrood 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 Macdonald Holyrood Hotel?
- The hotel offers an exclusive Club Floor with a lounge area for relaxing and pre-dinner Champagne and canapés.
- There is a 14 metre swimming pool, sauna, steam room and gym, as well as a range of spa and beauty treatments.
- It serves an excellent traditional Scottish breakfast with special mention of the Black Stornaway Pudding.
- Location: Situated in a quiet location at one end of the Royal Mile and near to the Scottish Parliament, the hotel enjoys stunning views of Arthur's Seat and Holyrood Park.
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What do guests really think?
- The majority of reviews were extremely positive and most guests would recommend the hotel to others or return themselves.
- The overall opinion was that the guest rooms were spacious, clean, comfortable and very well-equipped.
- Several however felt that the rack rate was expensive and did not represent value for money.
- Some also felt that there were too many chargeable and expensive extras.
- Many guests said that it was worth paying the extra to upgrade to the Club Floor.
- Several guests agreed that the leisure facilities were well equipped and spotlessly clean.
My Recommendation
The Macdonald Holyrood received consistently good reviews, with few exceptions and it seems to perform well in many areas. For a good all-rounder the Macdonald Holyrood seems to be an excellent choice and if possible I would also recommend upgrading to a Club Floor for all those extra nice touches. It may not be suitable for those wishing to be right in the heart of Edinburgh as many guests felt that it was just a little too far out and with too many steep hills.
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In Depth Review of the Macdonald Holyrood Hotel in Edinburgh
Traditional, good value hotel. Located in the Holyrood area of the Royal Mile.
Average room price per night: £81-£193 ($127-$303)
What is the Macdonald Holyrood Hotel like?
The Macdonald Holyrood Hotel is part of the Macdonald chain of hotels. From the numerous reviews this traditional hotel seems to be consistently performing well in several areas including food, service, leisure facilities and room comfort.
Building and room design
- There are 156 guest rooms, Classic Rooms, Classic Junior Suites, Club Floor Rooms and Club Floor Junior Suites.
- The sixth floor Club Rooms and Suites offer exclusive services such as priority check-in, complimentary afternoon tea, Club Lounge area, butler service, and pre-dinner Champagne and canapés.
- Many reviewers described the rooms as spacious, comfortable, modern and clean, although a few said that the hotel lacked atmosphere.
- Some said that while the guest rooms were well maintained, they were in need of being modernised.
- Many guests said that the rooms were spotlessly clean, although a small percentage reported problems in this area.
- Many guests said that the old CRT TV was impossible to watch from bed due to the position.
- Chargeable wireless Internet is available, but some guests reported problems with the signal.
Staff and level of service
- Many reviewers thought that the staff were the hotels greatest asset and they described them as extremely helpful and friendly.
Food and drink
- There is a Steak and Grill restaurant, which some said was very good quality but rather expensive.
- Some mentioned the 'Early Bird' dinner special as being very good value and excellent quality.
- The reviews on the breakfast were mainly very good, with a traditional Scottish breakfast cooked to order as well as plenty of buffet items.
- Some guests recommended going for breakfast early as it gets very busy, with some citing slow service and a wait to get a table.
- Many reviewers said that the bar prices were very expensive.
Location and parking
- The Macdonald Holyrood is located at one end of the Royal Mile in a quiet area.
- It is approximately a 20-minute walk to Edinburgh Castle and a 10-minute walk to Princes Street.
- Some felt that it was slightly too far away for those wishing to be in the very centre of town, especially due to the hills.
- It is approximately a 10-minute walk from the airport bus stop.
- There is chargeable valet parking available which should be booked ahead, although several guests agreed that it was too expensive.
- Alternative parking is available at the Dynamic Earth just across from the hotel.
- Another guests recommended parking at St Leonard Street, a 10-minute walk away which is just over half the price of the hotel parking.
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