InterContinental Edinburgh The George

Check in was straightforward, then we were asked what time we would be checking out? I replied probably after breakfast, we were told our room Cards would be disconnected at 11am, let them know if we were planning on being later!! There was no AC in the Room, there was a fan in the wardrobe which worked fine, we still had to open a window which looked onto the back of the hotel, during the day there were service trucks making deliveries & refuse collection & bottle collection, which was very noisy. from 6am the deliveries started again!! We had a Room next to the Cleaners Room, which again was noisy, 1st thing in the am, even at night. The carpet was quite stained & the bathroom was small & dated. On our last morning, we went down for breakfast & on our return there was a child’s travel cot & towels left outside our room, I felt they couldnt wait to get rid of us. The breakfast was Ok, Tea & coffee served from a thermos flask, not what you would expect from 5* Hotel. I asked for a fresh pot of tea which I got, the cold Continental Breakfast was served from the Bar worktop, nothing was in a Chiller, again not what you would expect from a 5* Hotel. We had a lovely time in Edinburgh, not the 5* experience from this Hotel.

We had a wonderful weekend in Edinburgh and this was for a large part thanks to the kindness of the staff at The Principal. Every staff member we interacted with was very friendly and helpful, and several of them went out of their way to make our stay unforgettable! Ros and Steve, who were working their night shifts, helped us with a late check-in and were unbelievably affable and welcoming. Much thanks to Steve for recommending the best brand of Haggis and directing us to the right person at the Printing Press bar to try out whisky! The waiters and waitresses were also incredibly accommodating in getting my girlfriend haggis in the morning for her breakfast, even though they don't officially serve as part of their menu. As for their breakfast- it was delicious! It is very good value for the amount you can eat, but also the quality is superb (as a Frenchman, I can tell you the croissant here was absolutely delightful, you can smell the butter from fresh pastry they serve). The hotel is ideally located, the rooms are very nice (although our bathroom was maybe a bit small), and the bar staff is very keen on guiding newbies through the immense range of whisky flavours ;) Credit must be given to bartender Bart for patiently guiding me through different taste notes, I have now found myself a new whisky to love! Overall, we enjoyed our stay immensely at the Principal, we will be coming back for sure!

The Intercontinental Edinburgh is a pleasant luxury hotel in the heart of the city, with easy access to many wonderful sights. We got the impression it was a grand hotel perhaps slightly past its prime. It could stand a tough of paint here and there, while the dirty carpeting in several locations could definitely use an upgrade. One note of caution when booking: try to determine the dimensions and amenities of a room when choosing it. We opted for a "room with a view", which was excellent, but a couple travelling with us chose the same category without specifying view. They wound up with a larger room, MUCH larger bathroom, air conditioning and still an adequate view. We would have traded for it in a second. While the overall experience was fine, we will likely opt for another hotel if we return to Edinburgh. Another nit was that repairs were ongoing on the first floor but guests were not warned where to go and not go. This resulted in our having to take a couple of different elevators to finally end up on the ground floor. Finally, the hotel seems to attract a considerably older crowd. Young couples may not feel they fit in as well.

Hotel was in general nice, but the rooms were small. Also when staying at any other 5* hotel we have always been asked if it was a special occasion. Usually it was , birthday anniversary etc. We were never asked this. It was our 30th wedding anniversary. The staff although friendly were just not on the ball . When my daughter tried to get some wine and chocolates put into our room as a suprise, no one seemed to know what she was talking about and she was told to call back the next day. When she did there was a total lack of understanding, as the receptionist wanted to charge the things to our room. One of the barmen in the evening was also a bit conceited as when ask about a pinot grigio blush he acted like we were asking for an obscure wine . This all may seem a bit picky. But when dealing with a 5* hotel things should run smooth, that said breakfast was lovely and so were the waiting staff there . The concierge was also very helpful and friendly. On the whole it was a great and enjoyable stay with a few small hiccups.

Overall a good hotel within walking distance to all the old town and new town attractions in Edinburgh. Even the Palace of Holyroodhouse at the far end is just a short 20 minute walk away. Location is definitely a major plus with the Edinburgh Waverley train station just 3 block walk away as well leading to no need for a transfer if you come in by rail. My stay was during the summer (Aug 2019) and the rooms can be uncomfortably warm as many rooms do not have air conditioning installed. With windows that only open just a narrow amount for safety, it's hard to get a cooling breeze in even though the temperature might be quite pleasant or even cool outside. I found once the outside temperature dropped past 15 or so the room would get cool enough to sleep reasonably comfortably (but as the windows are open you should not be a light sleeper as things in the street outside the hotel can be noisy at times). Furniture in room was in somewhat worn condition, but that didn't really bother me much. Room was in good cleanliness when I stayed which matters more to me. Next time I visit Edinburgh in summer, I will look at other properties nearby with air conditioning (or at least ones where you can actually open the windows up far enough to adequately cool the room).