It's safe to say that Edinburgh is filled with history, everywhere you look you'll find incredible relics of the past. From the castle which dominates the skyline, to the medieval cobbled streets of the old town, there is fascinating stories and architecture to be found.
Even in the elegant Georgian New Town, which is a mere 250 years old, you'll find historic buildings with fascinating stories waiting to be told.
One area that is always intriguing is how the city reinvents itself while preserving this history in a sustainable way. This has seen some incredible buildings given an exciting new chapter through careful restoration and conversion.
Known as ‘adaptive reuse’, the recycling of the built environment by giving older buildings a new purpose can generate a wide range of energy savings. This is part of its ambitious target of becoming a Net Zero City by 2030 and maintaining the UNESCO World Heritage status of several sites around the city.
We spoke to the expert team at Forever Edinburgh to find some of the best examples of Edinburgh’s most iconic repurposed spaces and what they have to offer as unique places to stay.
Virgin Hotels, 1 India Buildings, Victoria Street
India Buildings was built by architect David Cousins in 1864 in the Scots Baronial style, with a dramatic interior featuring a domed, balconied rotunda.
India Buildings was formerly Edinburgh’s principal Register Office and in December 2005, it hosted the first-ever same-sex civil partnership ceremony in mainland Britain.
The archaeological dig which preceded the conversion of India Buildings into the new hotel unearthed artefacts dating back as far as the 10th century, with jewellery, tools and footwear among the finds.
Made up of five Grade A and B-listed buildings, it’s now open as Virgin’s first luxury lifestyle hotel in Europe, with personalised ‘your stay, your way’ stays, bespoke murals and guest chefs.
The hotel’s flagship Commons Club Restaurant, under the leadership of executive chef Steven, showcases contemporary Scottish cuisine using the freshest produce from Scotland’s local larder. Private dining area, The Scarlet Room, offers intimate gatherings in a mirrored space with multi-level red velvet banquette seating. Meanwhile, The Rooftop Sanctuary, commands stunning views to Edinburgh Castle.
Due to open in phase 2 this autumn, the all-day Eve Restaurant and Courtyard on the Cowgate will host live music, serve brunch and even feature an in-house florist.
You can book here.
Gleneagles Townhouse hotel and members club, 39 St Andrew Square
The first urban outpost of the world-famous Perthshire ‘grand dame’ Gleneagles Hotel, this elegant 33-room hotel and private members’ club opened its doors on St Andrew Square in the heart of Edinburgh’s Georgian New Town earlier this month (June 2022).
With an all-day restaurant (The Spence) and Lamplighters, a rooftop terrace bar commanding magnificent city views, the luxury 5-star Gleneagles Townhouse has breathed new life into a former bank, with interiors specialists Ennismore Design Studio reimagining the building’s classical grandeur, featuring contemporary artworks to add a modern touch. The hotel’s gym and wellness studio is housed in the old bank vault, while the members’ club offers all-day dining and a bar.
The Spence restaurant features velvet banquette seating and a central bar with Art Deco glass panels under the building’s beautiful cupola in what was once the banking hall. The all-day menu celebrates world-class produce from all over Scotland and head chef Jonny
Wright works closely with local producers to create seasonally inspired modern classic cuisine.
You can book here.
Fingal floating hotel, Alexandra Dock, Edinburgh
A luxury 5-star floating hotel in a converted lighthouse ferry now permanently berthed on Edinburgh’s vibrant waterfront. A hotel with all the glamour and style of a super-yacht but with an old-world elegance that is totally unique. Fingal is now firmly anchored on Tripadvisor as one of the best small hotels in the world.
It is the sister ship to its near neighbour, the Royal Yacht Britannia, and is a must-visit spot for a decadent afternoon tea with a backdrop of exquisite Art Deco interiors and fabulous views. Guests can stay in unique luxury cabins and enjoy spectacular cocktails and Champagne star-gazing on deck with fabulous views to the Firth of Forth. The ship’s elegant ballroom can seat 60 for dinner and features a grand, sweeping staircase, a removable skylight and raised gallery for music and entertainment.
Fingal was originally commissioned by the Northern Lighthouse Board (NLB) in 1963 and was the last ship to be built by the Blythswood Shipbuilding Company in Glasgow. Registered in Leith, she was stationed for 30 years in Oban and then for six years in Stromness, Orkney, ferrying lighthouse keepers, essential supplies and maintenance staff to lighthouses, as well as undertaking repairs to navigational aids throughout the West Coast and the North of Scotland.
Fingal was retired from NLB service in 2000. The hotel conversion took more than two years to complete and involved fully hollowing out the ship to create 14-bedroom cabins on the main deck, including four duplex rooms. The funnel was removed to allow two new decks to be built behind where it once stood, the lower of which features eight larger bedroom cabins and a Presidential Suite, while the upper deck houses The Lighthouse Bar and a small private dining room, The Bridge.
You can book here.
The Inn on the Mile, 82 High Street
The Inn on the Mile stands proud at the end of North Bridge, offering a boutique hotel and dining experience in one of Edinburgh’s most prestigious historic landmarks. Built back in 1923 as the British Linen Bank, the handsome Greek revival building has been preserved and renovated into a place where guests feel at home. Based in Edinburgh, the British Linen
Bank was the only British bank to be “formed on the basis of an industrial charter”, with its roots firmly tied to the linen industry.
Evidence of the hotel’s banking heritage is clear throughout its cosy pub and restaurant – the front of the bar is covered with thousands of old pennies!
You can book here.
The Scotsman Hotel, 20 North Bridge
Home to Scotland’s national newspaper for nearly a century, this grand Edwardian (1905) building in the Baronial style is now a luxury hotel that retains many original features, including its magnificent marble staircase, stained glass windows and floor-to-ceiling wood-panelled rooms. Bedrooms and suites take their names from the newspaper trade, such as Reporter rooms and the Publisher, Feature and Headline Suites.
The Penthouse Suite is set over two floors, linked by a beautiful spiral staircase, and boasts a personal sauna and its own private terrace with stunning views of Edinburgh Castle.
Modelled on the ‘grand cafes of Europe’, the hotel’s Grand Café serves up a modern, seasonal menu of food and drink in a welcoming and relaxed setting showcasing the authentic charm of its interior dating back to 1905.
Meanwhile, film-lovers flock to the intimate 48-seat The Scotsman Picturehouse to be transported to a bygone age of cinematic opulence, with special screenings and events alongside a varied film schedule featuring classic masterpieces and modern cult favourites.
You can book here.
Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh – The Caledonian, Princes Street
This illustrious hotel with its landmark red sandstone facade dates back to 1903 and was once part of an active railway station run by the eponymous Caledonian Railway Company. By the mid-20th century, it had become one of the city’s most esteemed hotels, playing host to some of the world’s biggest stars including Marlene Dietrich, Gene Kelly, Judy Garland and Laurel & Hardy. Roy Rogers even rode his horse, Trigger, up the grand staircase during a lively performance.
Now a member of Historic Hotels Worldwide, The Caledonian continues to be an internationally respected luxury hotel, with 241 sumptuously furnished rooms and suites, including the Queen Carriage rooms which celebrate the building’s rich railway heritage.
Peacock Alley offers cocktails and afternoon teas in the beautifully refurbished station concourse, while acclaimed Edinburgh chef Mark Greenaway creates mouth-watering meals in his award-winning ‘Grazing by Mark Greenaway’ restaurant.
The Caledonian is also home to the UK’s only Guerlain spa and was crowned ‘Best Luxury Hotel Spa in the UK’ at the 2017 World Luxury Spa Awards.
You can book here.
Hotel du Vin, 11 Bristo Place
Now a luxury boutique hotel on the boundary between the Old Town and the city’s university quarter, the Hotel du Vin occupies an 18t h century building that was originally a poorhouse and has since been home to a psychiatric asylum known as Edinburgh’s ‘Bedlam’, a science laboratory and a blood donation centre.
The characterful Hotel offers 47 stylishly designed rooms and suites and guests can choose from a selection of wines in the Laroche wine-tasting room, sample the amber nectar in the Whisky Snug or even head outside to the heated Cigar Bothy for a cigar.
It's cosy and welcoming Bistro du Vin serves breakfast and dinner every day, with lunches available Friday and Saturday, with a special Roast du Vin on Sundays.
You can book here.
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