Victoria Street is the candy-coloured curve that half of Edinburgh believes inspired JK Rowling's Diagon Alley - and right at the top, a red door gives way into the 1864 India Buildings. This is Virgin's first hotel outside the US, and the brand has poured its irreverent spirit into a maze of three listed buildings (excavations turned up siege weapons and a slice of the old city wall!). Inside are 222 bedroom "chambers", a circular lounge beneath a staggering Victorian cupola, a flagship restaurant, and a rooftop with the castle in full view.
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Step through the red door and let the building do the talking. A little is left of the original building, and the panelled walls, ceiling coffers, and snug bookshelf-lined reading room (aka the Funny Library) are beautiful, but best of all is the Oculus Lounge, a circular room directly beneath a historic cupola. Elsewhere, the flagship Commons Club spreads across two floors of cocktail-lounge calm, while Eve serves bold Italian plates under a glowing mural of Mary, Queen of Scots. If the weather permits, there's also a rooftop terrace with an unobstructed view of the castle.
There are 222 sleeping "chambers" in 15 categories and spread across 10 floors. Each is split into two: a dressing area with vanity and walk-in shower, then a lounge with that signature bed and red SMEG fridge. They are surprisingly zen , with neutral tones, original Victorian details and ethically woven Moroccan rugs underfoot. The signature suites are where it gets fun: Richard's Flat is Sir Richard's home-away-from-home, the Eve Branson Suite sits beneath the old church bell tower, and the Kasbah Tamadot Suite hides a tented second-floor lounge strung with lanterns.
You're standing on the most photographed street in Edinburgh, so start with a wander: browse the wand shops at Diagon House (once a 130-year-old brush shop), then climb to Upper Bow for the postcard shot. The castle is a four-minute walk, the Royal Mile a hop away, and Greyfriars Kirkyard, hunting ground for Potter tour name-spotters, is just behind. Back at the hotel, ask who's the artist-in-residence; you can often watch them work in the Unicorn Room. Then settle into the Oculus Lounge for afternoon tea under that cupola. Magic, basically.
The two-zone bedroom layout. There's a proper dressing room, then a sliding door through to a bed with a built-in sofa and a pillar-box-red SMEG fridge stocked with Scottish treats. Clever!
The hotel is built into a hill, so reception is on Level 6 (street level from George IV Bridge). Type the National Museum's postcode, EH1 1EW, into your Maps, or you'll end up at the wrong end of the street.
Some of the bedrooms face Victoria Street and the late-night bars below, and the windows don't hush the noise as well as you'd hope. If you're a light sleeper, ask for a room set back from the street.
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