Edinburgh was our city of choice for a short family break between Christmas and New Year – we just had to find a decent hotel at a good price. We searched on the usual booking engines and as it was coming up to New Year the availability and cost were pretty high, so we opted to stay at the Holiday Inn Edinburgh as it was offering great value for money.
Location
The hotel is located right next to Edinburgh Zoo so if you plan to include this in your visit to Edinburgh then it is in a perfect spot – you can walk in from the hotel. It is outside the city centre but is only 10 minutes on the bus which stops right outside the hotel and takes you right up to Princess Street and then on to Waverley Station. If you are coming in on the train then it is best to get off at Haymarket and get the bus from there and if you are on a flight then again all the buses go right past this hotel.
Rooms
The hotel appears to offer two different room categories – standard with a choice of double, king or family (double and sofa bed) and an executive. Both are furnished in typical Holiday Inn and similar standard hotel décor. The rooms are clean come with tea and coffee making facilities, trouser press, flay screen TV, complimentary wi-fi. The room was a little cramped for the 3 of us but as with most city breaks we only ever seem to sleep in it so this was adequate for the trip. The bathroom was clean and a decent size with some amenities available.
The executive rooms come with complimentary water, chocolate and bathrobes.
Facilities
The hotel offers free parking which is great for those travelling by car.
The hotel ha the Spirit Health club which has a gym, indoor heated pool and offers beauty treatments. Even on a whistle stop tour we do like a pool as it can break up the journey and I am sure Ella only thinks she is on holiday if there is a pool!! The pool is open from 7.00am to 10pm but be aware that during busy periods they may be a booking system in place so worth checking so that you don’t miss out. The gym has all your usual equipment and is well stocked.
Dining
Holiday Inn Edinburgh offers the Traders Restaurant, Café Express and Gallery Bar.
Traders – this is where breakfast and dinner is served. We had opted for room only but chose to have breakfast on the second morning. We were advised in advance that there is a discount for booking this at check-in so make sure you take advantage. We only sampled breakfast at the hotel and there was a large selection on offer both hot and cold.
Café Express – This is a less formal area where you can enjoy a drink or light meal
Gallery Bar – again a less formal area to enjoy a drink and light snacks. They do show live sporting events on a large screen for those that don’t want to miss the action.
One great service that Holiday Inn offer is that Kids eat and stay for free. The stay is when sharing the parent’s room and eating from the kids menu when the parent orders a main meal.
Summary
Holiday Inn Edinburgh offers a great value alternative to staying in the city centre. The location, whilst not central is easy to reach by public transport and only 10 minutes away. There are plenty of rooms, decent leisure facilities and it is clean and functional. They offer a decent breakfast for a good price (particularly if travelling with children) are very family friendly and the staff were helpful and attentive.
If you want to read what we got up to then check out Edinburgh Mini Break.
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