Carved into the former Royal Bank of Scotland headquarters on St Andrew Square, the Edinburgh Grand is one of the buzziest places to stay in town. There are 50 rooms in total, ranging from studios to one- and two-bedroom suites and each comes with a proper, fully-equipped kitchen and sitting room, so you can come and go as you please in the thick of the New Town however long you're staying. In the lobby, a dazzling art deco foyer opens up into a grand circular staircase and a clutch of in-house bars and a steakhouse - actually, one of the best in town. The tram to the airport also stops right outside, making connections flawless.
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That classical grey facade hides a real gem of a hotel, not least the opening surprise of the glossy art deco lobby of marble, brass and sharp 1930s lines. Take the lift to the fourth floor and you'll find the Register Club, where cocktails are served by a hot-shot team of mixologists with views over St Andrew Square. The basement is for Lady Libertine, a black-and-white brasserie and bar, and there's also a branch of the famous Hawksmoor steakhouse for excellent Scottish beef. There's also a small, treatment-led spa (but no pool) and a gym tucked into one of the former bank vaults.
The apartments were designed one by one, from compact studios to a three-bedroom penthouse, and each keeps a few original bones: tall, Edinburgh-esque windows, generous proportions, and the odd cornice. Kitchens are properly kitted out with Nespresso machines and dishwasher and even Bose speakers, while bathrooms have rainfall showers and, in some, freestanding tubs. In mezzanine apartments, bedrooms are reach via a glass-fronted staircase. Splash out on the penthouse and you'll get 194 square metres and a terrace gazing straight at the Castle.
You're spoilt here. Harvey Nichols and the designer racks of Multrees Walk are a 30-second stroll, as are the many restaurants on buzzy St Andrew Square. If you've exhausted them, George Street's bars are one minute further, and the Royal Mile's wynds and closes are just up the hill. Climb Calton Hill at dusk for the postcard view back over the New Town, or take the tram (it stops outside) down to Leith to see a different side of the city. Edinburgh Castle and the Scottish National Gallery are both a short walk, and Waverley Station puts the Highlands within easy reach for a day trip north.
Padding down each morning into a dazzling foyer of marble and brass that the bank's old clerks once crossed on their way to work.
Book a private dinner inside an original walk-in bank safe in the Lady Libertine bar and restaurant in the old basement vaults. But book well ahead – there's only one!
The studios are on the petite side – lovely, but compact once you've spread out. For longer stays, or if you're travelling with bags or kids, opt for a one-bedroom.
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