Stay at the Roxburghe Hotel

How Good Is This Elegant and Stylish Hotel in Edinburgh?

Are you considering a stay at the Roxburghe Hotel in Edinburgh? This award-winning hotel, part of the MacDonald Group of hotels, is one of the oldest hotels in Edinburgh and is located in a peaceful Georgian square close to the centre of Edinburgh. Offering refurbished accommodation and a full leisure suite with spa treatments, the Roxburghe could be a comfortable base for exploring the city. But is the Roxburghe a better choice than other 4 star hotels close to the city centre? And does it represent good value for money?

I've read hundreds of reviews from guests who have stayed at the Roxburghe 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 Roxburghe Hotel?

• There is an indoor pool, sauna, Technogym, steam room and spa with complimentary fitness classes and chargeable spa treatments.
• The award winning restaurant Melrose which serves Scottish and international cuisine, offers excellent quality food at a reasonable price.
• The hotel has recently undergone a full refurbishment and offers clean, stylish and comfortable accommodation.
• Location: Situated in the beautiful Charlotte Square, in the heart of New Town, the elegant and traditional Roxburghe Hotel is perfectly located for the attractions, shops and restaurants of Edinburgh.

Read Roxburghe Hotel reviews or check for discounted room rates.

What do guests really think?

• The vast majority of guests enjoyed their stay at the Roxburghe and would return and/or recommend to others. Several had already visited the hotel several times.
• Some said that it was too expensive and did not represent value for money, although these tended to be the guests who had paid full room rate.
• The guests who had booked special deals did, for the most part, feel that they had received excellent value for money.
• Several guests felt that there were too many expensive added extras on top of the room rate such as breakfast, Internet access, parking, credit card fees and late check-out.
• A few guests said that the hotel was not up to 4-star standard either due to the service, facilities or quality of the rooms.

My Recommendation

The Roxburghe Hotel is perfectly located for those who want to be in a peaceful location and yet to be able to easily access the centre of the city. Despite some negative reviews, you have to take into account that most people would recommend it to others or return again, so I would definitely recommend it. However, if you are travelling by car, be aware of the parking charges and book in advance.

If you are looking for a quiet room, make sure that you put in a specific request (and receive confirmation back). It is believed that all rooms have now been refurbished but check this when booking to avoid disappointment. And make sure that you pre-book the spa treatments before you go at these are incredibly popular.

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In Depth Review of the Roxburghe Hotel in Edinburgh

Stylish and elegant 4-star hotel. Located in Charlotte Square, West End.
Average room price per night: £83-£207 ($130-$325)

What is the Roxburghe Hotel like?

The Roxburghe, part of the MacDonald group of hotels, is an elegant and historic hotel, situated in a Georgian Square which is peaceful and yet very close to the city centre. The hotel website says that as part of a recent extensive refurbishment, all guest rooms have been redesigned and updated. Some guests were still reporting as late as October 2009 that not all rooms had been refurbished, despite the website info, although it is understood that this programme is now complete.

Building and room design

• There are 198 rooms: Classic, Executive, Family and Feature rooms, plus one suite. There are also accessible rooms available.
• The Feature rooms are decorated and furnished to a higher quality, with original features such as fireplaces and cornices, with balconies and views of Edinburgh.
• Most guests were extremely happy with their rooms and said that they were comfortable, stylish and spacious, although others found them too small.
• Many guests said that the beds are large and extremely comfortable.
• The majority of guests said that the guest rooms were spotlessly clean and well maintained, although some did report problems in these areas.
• A few guests said that the temperature of the water in the shower is very temperamental and varies from freezing to scalding.
• Many guests agreed that the lift was extremely slow.
• Some guests said that they could easily hear noise and conversations from neighbouring rooms.
• Other guests said that the level of noise from functions and theme nights is not acceptable and kept them awake.
• Many guests complained about the outside noise levels either from traffic or people, especially those rooms looking out to Rose Street.
• Some guests recommended asking for a quiet room facing the inner courtyard.
• There is Internet available but several guests felt that this was extremely expensive.
• Many guests said that having a leisure suite in a city centre hotel is a bonus, although some said that the swimming pool is in need of refurbishment and that the steam room is often out of action.
• Some guests said that the leisure facilities are functional rather than relaxing or luxurious but most agreed that they were a definite asset of the hotel.

Staff and level of service

• The reviews on the level of service were quite mixed but the majority of guests said that the staff were extremely pleasant, courteous and willing to help.
• Many people made special mention of the concierge who was particularly helpful and ready to assist (one concierge was awarded the 'Concierge of the Year' award at the 2009 Scottish hotel awards).
• Several guests reported that the booking and billing processes were very disorganised, with mistakes being made.
• A few guests said that the hotel made every effort to check them in early where possible at no extra charge.
• The reviews of the spa treatments were excellent, although several reviewers said that you should book well in advance as it gets very booked up.
• A few guests complained that calls to reception and room service are often not answered straightaway or even not picked up at all.

Food and drink

• The vast majority of reviewers loved the quality of food at the restaurant, Melrose, although some said that the service was too slow.
• The chef at Melrose won the Chef Medailles D'Or for Dinner Excellence at the 2009 Scottish hotel awards.
• Many reviewers said that the price of drinks in the bar is too expensive.
• Several guests who had ordered room service said that the service was very slow.
• A discount for breakfast is available if booked on check-in but many guests still said that the breakfast was far too expensive and took breakfast elsewhere.
• The ones who did have breakfast, though, said that it was excellent quality with a good selection.

Location and parking

• The Roxburghe is located in New Town, a short 5-minute walk from the shops and restaurants of Princes Street. The majority of guests agreed that it was very well located and that this was one of its main attractions.
• It is a 10-minute walk from Waverley train station.
• There is limited parking available on-site, which many reviewers said was too expensive and should be booked ahead as space is limited.
• Many guests said that it is very difficult to find the parking and recommended asking for directions from the hotel ahead of time.

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