The Thistle Hotel, Edinburgh (Thistle Hotel Edinburgh)

Member Name: Tail_Feather

Product:	Thistle Hotel Edinburgh
Date:	07/07/09 (16 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good location, clean, modern

Disadvantages: Not much of a view, distant staff

On first glance, the Thistle Hotel does not look good; on the outside it's a dated, monstrous looking building attached to the St. James Centre (a shopping mall described as 'a modern abomination' by one of my bus tour guides), but after stepping inside you can breathe a sigh of relief as you are greeted with a very modern hotel.

After being unable to book my preferred Edinburgh hotel, The Royal British, I decided on the Thistle which is located on Leith Street (just around the corner from Princes Street) and is still very close to all the tourist spots and transport links.

Although I was staying alone I was given a twin room with all the mod cons; tea, coffee, shortbread, hair dryer, spacious wardrobe, ensuite bathroom, wireless internet connection, and a nice big flatscreen TV with plenty of digital channels to choose from. The room's only downside was the view; there's nothing I like better than waking up in the morning, pulling the curtains and staring at the back of what looked like an abandoned building. And while we're speaking of downsides, an alarm somewhere outside the hotel (car, burglar?) kept going off in the middle of the night; now it wasn't loud enough to really annoy me but still was slightly irritating.

The Thistle is reasonably priced as it's in such a great location; turn right and head for Princes Street, the Royal Mile or Edinburgh Castle or turn left and go shopping in the huge John Lewis next door, catch a show in the Edinburgh Playhouse, or visit the Omni Leisure Development; a great complex which houses a Vue cinema, Jongleurs comedy club, and several other bars and restaurants, all under one roof.

Overall I had a satisfying stay here however it was lacking a certain something; the atmosphere in the hotel was just a little cold (perhaps due to the staff, who were pleasant enough but not all that friendly) and didn't exude that nice homely feel that I have experienced elsewhere in the city.

Summary: Recommended, but there are still better hotels around