One Royal Circus
Edinburgh, United Kingdom[view map]
Comments from members who've stayed at One Royal Circus
The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth: the only people who can contribute to a hotel Guestbook are Smith members who have just stayed there, so everything you read below is honest-to-goodness fact. We even credit members’ Vault accounts with cash for each comment we publish. To learn more about membership, click here.
We dined at Number One at the Balmoral on the Friday night and it was fantastic. Well deserving of its one star, and in our eyes should have made it onto the list for two in 2009. My top tip for those staying at One Royal Circus is to let them know what time you are planning to arrive. We turned up and there was no one there to let us in and we had to wait outside in the cold and rain for an hour. Mr and Mrs Smith eventually helped us track down the owner though who was really apologetic. We loved this place!
On the second day of our stay we ventured into the Old Town to find somewhere for lunch. Although I'd spent a long time researching restaurants on the internet prior to the stay, we came across a place called The Mussel & Steak Bar, which I'd not seen on any of the 'recommended' lists of eateries. It was great! My fiancé started with oysters and then had the seafood platter and I had the tempura fish and chips. The food was seriously fantastic, but the service was outstanding. Our waiter was relaxed and friendly – as you would hope – but it was his attention to detail that made what was going to be a quick bite to eat into a memorable, really lovely lunch. Finger bowls and hot towels appeared at exactly the right moment and for people who dine out a lot, we were especially impressed. The house wine turned out to be a delicious Chilean Merlot which at £8.95 a bottle was an added bonus.
That evening we had a table booked at The Kitchin in Leith – having seen Tom Kitchin on The Great British Menu over the last week or so, it was quite nice to actually see him in the kitchen while we dined. The food was fantastic, and, although there were a lot of staff waiting on us, they were all very good. We were especially impressed with the sommelier who was so enthusiastic about a dessert wine he'd recently discovered that my fiance tried it and is now trying to find somewhere he can buy a bottle. The puddings were truly beautiful and mouthwatering – a brilliant finish to the meal.
A must-visit activity at Edinburgh International Climbing Arena; book in advance to go on the aerial assault course – it is absolutely terrifyingly fantastic
We would recommend the Witchery for a great location, great food and staff that can't do enough for you. Perfect!
An amazing building, set in one of Edinburgh's beautiful crescents. We had one of the basement rooms, which was functional - if a little cold. We stayed in early March and it snowed on that particular weekend! The rest of the 'hotel' was stunning. It felt like you were staying at a wealthy uncle's house, and the feel of the place reminded me of a cross between a luxurious bed and breakfast, with a youth hostel element thrown in. (Have breakfast and you'll see what I mean! It's a good thing, honest!)
If you're looking for a quiet, exclusive getaway location whilst you tour Edinburgh, then you won't be disappointed with One Royal Circus. We loved it!


