Carlton Hotel, Edinburgh - fantastic location, fantastic staff, fantastic hotel. (Barcelo Edinburgh Carlton Hotel (Edinburgh))

Member Name: edindave

Product:	Barcelo Edinburgh Carlton Hotel (Edinburgh)
Date:	05/06/09 (5 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Location is very good, Staff are incredibly friendly and the bar is fantastic.

Disadvantages: Rooms at the front would probably be a little noisy because of the road.

This hotel is situated on North Bridge in Edinburgh, equidistant from both the Royal Mile and Princes Street, the main shopping street in the city. Reaching the castle takes about 5 minutes on foot and Holyrood Palace and the Scottish Parliament are about the same distance in the opposite direction. It is clearly therefore in a fantastic location - in fact, it could not be more perfectly situated if you are a tourist, coming to Edinburgh for the tourist attractions.

The hotel itself is what you might expect from a city centre hotel. The staff are friendly at the reception and the rooms are clean, airy and spacious. The staff are happy to help at all times and the housekeeping team are non-intrusive and will happily return to your room later if you are just on your way out and need just a few more minutes.

The bar is very well stocked and will stay open as long as residents are in the bar area. The bar staff are helpful and were willing to make me cocktails that were not on the menu - and they were made with a high level of skill. The restaurant is on the same level as the bar and the food is of a high standard. Breakfast is served buffet style with waiting staff helping out where necessary. Dinner is always very nice and indeed local people from Edinburgh were eating in the restaurant every night that I was there so it must have a good reputation.

I would recommend this hotel to anyone coming to Edinburgh. It is easily accessible by train (the station is a few hundred metres away) and there is a valet service for cars from the front door. Once at the hotel, getting around the city could not be easier. As I said above, some of the main attractions are within walking distance and others can be accessed either by walking a little further or by catching one of the many buses stopping near the hotel or indeed by catching a cab from the rank outside the front of the hotel. I would stay here again.

Summary: Stay here if you're coming to Edinburgh as a tourist but ask for a room at the back.