Edinburgh - Renaissance City
- Where to Stay and Where to Eat

There's every style of accommodation in Edinburgh, from 5-star luxury to backpackers and Youth Hostels. And Edinburgh is famous for its quality restaurants.

Where to Stay and Eat
From the grand Victorian Balmoral Hotel at No 1 Princes Street - voted fourth best Business hotel in the UK, to intimate townhouse properties and budget family hotels, there is a suite or room to suit all tastes and pocket.

Scotsman Hotel
But in spring 2001 the city was proud to present the spanking new, paint-still-wet, 5 star luxury Scotsman Hotel. Located on North Bridge, within the impressive red sandstone former Scotsman newspaper building, (built in 1905), an exceptionally stylish 68 room hotel has been designed blending contemporary furnishings and technology, within the original baronial features of fireplaces and ornate cornices. There are 12 spacious suites, including the split level Penthouse with sauna, open air terrace and breathtaking views over the city.

All rooms have TV, computers with printer, DVD player, Edinburgh Monopoly board and elegant marble bathrooms. There are three restaurants - Breakfast room, the Club Room for fine dining and Scoop!, a brasserie located in the Marble Hall. The Room 399 cocktail bar is so called due to 399 malt whiskies on offer. The Scotsman also provides a private cinema, conference facilities and, to chill out, a health club and spa with a stainless steel swimming pool.

In contrast the ultra-chic Ricks restaurant*bar*rooms, is the new "Hot & Sexy" place to stay, bang in the centre of the New Town, where a lively office crowd fill the chrome and stone cocktail bar after 5. Good restaurant within a covered courtyard serves imaginative Euro-asian cuisine. The ten bedrooms are in cool minimalist style, dark wood against soft neutral grey and taupe fabrics. CD and DVD players. Young and friendly staff.

As an alternative to hotel living, the Royal Garden Apartments are proving very popular for families as well as business people, appreciating the privacy and space in one or two bedroom suites, and a sofa bed, [ sleeping up to six people], lounge and kitchen, with room service available from a nearby restaurant.

To suggest where to eat in Edinburgh is a rather impossible task with literally hundreds of restaurants to choose from - Sudanese, Thai, Indian Vegetarian and not least Martin Wishart - Edinburgh`s only Michelin star restaurant - to prove that Edinburgh is a truly cosmopolitan and international city.

Two new quality eateries Lafayette, an elegant and very French restaurant, within an attractive mock-Tudor house and run by three Frenchmen. Classic cuisine but with a simpler, lighter touch - velvety soups, foie gras, delicious truffle risotto, succulent seafood and game. Special lunch menus and a la carte.

Garibaldi`s is a very Mexican bar/restaurant run by an authentic and friendly Mexican team, Les Amigos Ltd, offering a hot `n spicy classic menu - nachos, ceviche, tortilla, and enchiladas, with generous portions. Likewise giant tumblers of margaritas and imaginative Tequila cocktails shaken [not stirred] with great panache. Bright and buzzing fiesta ambience, with music and salsa dancing till the wee small hours.

Where to Stay - Links
Balmoral Hotel

Where to Eat - Links

More Good Restaurants - even though they don't have a Web site:

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