Hotel Review: InterContinental Edinburgh The George

The Scottish capital has a lot of hotels – so which one to choose? The InterContinental Edinburgh The George hotel offers low-key luxury with a smile. 

Hotel Review: InterContinental Edinburgh The George

STAY

Step off bustling George Street through ornate pillared doors, and you’re greeted by a haven of luxury and calm in the heart of Edinburgh.

The hotel, today known as InterContinental Edinburgh The George, has been welcoming guests since 1881. Behind its grand city centre façade, it comprises five townhouses hosting 240 rooms and suites.

All of these are decorated with elegant simplicity, using muted, relaxing hues and natural materials such as wool and leather. Thoughtful touches, like the carefully chosen artwork on the walls (often relating to Edinburgh or Scotland), will make you stop and look twice. Bathrooms feature Byredo products and marble-walled walk-in showers; if you’re lucky enough to check into a suite, then you also get a claw-footed bathtub to sink into as well.

DO

In the hotel’s chequered floor lobby, complete with velvet sofas and more pillars, is its kilt-wearing concierge team. They can sort you out with everything from hire cars to restaurant tips, so make their desk your first port of call.

There’s so much to see and do in Edinburgh, whether you’re staying for a night, a weekend, or even longer. Cultural hotspots include Edinburgh Castle; its many museums and galleries; Holyrood, with its eye-catching Scottish Parliament Building (designed by Spanish architect Enric Miralles) and palace; the historic Royal Mile for shopping, and so much more.

The Scottish capital’s cultural calendar of events is also jam-packed, from Hogmanay on New Year’s Eve, to The Fringe, which comes to town every August.

EAT

The InterContinental Edinburgh The George has two in-house options for when you get peckish: The Printing Press Bar & Kitchen and Burr & Co. The former is a stylish all-day restaurant showcasing the best of Scottish produce in a menu of crowd-pleasing favourites, like braised pork belly with black pudding, North Sea salmon, and Aberdeen Angus burgers. It gets its name from the link to Scotland’s prestigious publishing house, Oliphant, Anderson and Ferrier, which was founded by renowned writers from the late 1780s who were also residents at the address where the hotel now stands.

Meanwhile, Burr & Co is just the thing for your coffee-and-croissant fix. A snug café selling sandwiches, pastries and homemade cakes, it’s ideal whether you’re in need of a quick pitstop or a quiet corner to read your book.

THE FINAL WORD

Ideally located a stone’s throw from Waverley Station and Princes Street Gardens, in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle, the InterContinental Edinburgh The George makes a restful and quietly luxurious base for your next city break in the Scottish capital. Attentive service and friendly staff also make it stand out from the crowd.

BOOK IT

Rooms from £370 for two people, bed and breakfast. ihg.com

READ MORE

Where to Eat in Edinburgh / Best Hotels in Scotland