Recommend a place to stay?

Critique · Mon 21 Feb, 2011 21.24

Evening all,

I'm off to Edinburgh for a research/business task in a few days, and I've not yet booked somewhere to stay for the duration, which is from Wednesday to Friday. Can anybody recommend a good hotel or something in or near Edinburgh before I make a booking? Preferably with paid or free internet connection, but with no worry about food and breakfast facilities, although having them would be excellent.

Thanks,

James

Gavin Scott · Mon 21 Feb, 2011 22.53

Google Apex hotels. There are three, all very nice, but the one in the Grassmarket is lovely. Inexpensive, fairly luxurious, and all the amenities you could ask for.

Gavin Scott · Mon 21 Feb, 2011 22.58

Ha, they've opened a fourth, also in the Grassmarket. The one I was thinking of is at No.31.

89 quid a night - not as cheap as I remember, but it is very nice. Alternatively there's a comfort inn, or maybe a premiere inn (I forget which) at Greenside Place. Very central and probably less money.

It's out of season so there's a myriad bed and breakfasts, but it's never nice pitching up somewhere without booking in advance.

Critique · Tue 22 Feb, 2011 10.46

After considering them all, I've gone for Apex, the Edinburgh City hotel. £198 for two nights, and I'm adding in a three course meal and what-not too. I'm not paying for my room, as I've been given an accommodation budget by the workplace, where I have up-to £225 to spend on it.

Thanks very much Gavin, that's very useful, and it looks lovely.

It's been booked, and now I'm just consulting Brasseries to go to during the day, along with Evening entertainment. After all, I'm there for a culture/environment research task.

Gavin Scott · Tue 22 Feb, 2011 12.40

Search facebook for Edinburgh Arts. The profile literally started today, but they might have some useful information by the time you arrive.

Critique · Tue 22 Feb, 2011 18.08

Thanks for being so helpful Gavin! That looks to be very useful too, and I've got some meetings with local people too. Everything looks to be planned out smoothly.

Gavin Scott · Tue 22 Feb, 2011 19.24

Pleasure. Mind if I ask what it is you're doing? A pal of mine is arts editor for the Evening News (edinburghnews.com), and they publish the arts pull-out section on a Thursday - called The Guide - worth a look. I may be able to put you in touch with him, but he's a busy chap so it might be a little short notice.

He tweets incessantly, and there will be a link to it via the website.

Critique · Tue 22 Feb, 2011 20.19

Well, I work as a researcher for the local daily newspaper, and after a journalist supposed to be going to Edinburgh pulled out, I got invited to fill in for him. The section in the paper is called the Country out of the County or something to that effect, and it just reports on how other area's of the UK differ from ours. For example, instead of a quiet town centre, the hustle and bustle of Edinburgh, supposedly. I'm just there to research what's on, what the people are like, differences between Edinburgh and Suffolk and so on.

As for your Arts editor friend, whilst it's very kind of you to offer to put me in touch with him, I've got a pretty tight schedule, with all I've got lined up. Local dining, entertainment, countryside and all. Thank you very much for offering to put me in touch with him, though.

I've got the train from here, Ipswich, leaving at 10:00am tomorrow, and I'll arrive at the Haymarket station just after 4:30pm. Check into the Apex hotel, and I've got some dining lined up at a local restaurant. Looks to be a lovely trip. Now I just need to pack!

Gavin Scott · Tue 22 Feb, 2011 20.37

Tell me about it. Have a flight back to uk tomorrow and haven't thought about getting a *preposterous* quantity of purchases into my cases. Thinking about leaving some crummy old clothes here. Screw it.

Critique · Tue 22 Feb, 2011 20.43

I'm just dreading the journey tomorrow, as although it's only one transfer, it's more than a six hour journey. Whilst I'm at it, I must remember to buy a 3G dongle so I've got internet access on the train tomorrow. So many last minute details.

Critique · Thu 24 Feb, 2011 19.09

I need to thank you at this point for suggesting such a wonderful hotel! The staff are all very pleasant; the rooms are splendid and the food is excellent. Really is a wonderful place to be.

As for Edinburgh itself, I've had a rather nice day today here too. Went to the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art today, which was very interesting and had some wonderful pieces. Talked to some locals, all very pleasant, with a feeling of being more local, compared to the sometimes too cold and formal atmosphere you sometimes get in London. Also visited Hadrian's Brasserie today, lovely food and some very nice staff there too. Going to see a show at the Edinburgh Playhouse tonight too.

Tomorrow, I'm going for a bit of hiking, along with a look down the Royal Mile, and maybe a bit of a look at the shops. I then travel back not long after 5pm.