THE TRANSATLANTIC MAGAZINE
THE TRANSATLANTIC MAGAZINE
6 & 10 Gloucester Place, Edinburgh EH3 6EF
Tucked away in Edinburgh's New Town, just a stone's throw away from the picturesque neighborhood of Stockbridge, sits Nira Caledonia in a calm area surrounded by cobbled streets and Georgian town houses. If you've ever been to Bath, England you might get a slight sense of déjà vu as you traverse roads that look like Great Pulteney Street and circumnavigate 'Places' like 'The Circus' in Bath (but bigger!).
We stayed in a Junior Suite, one of four rooms with two shared gardens which was a luxury at the end of a busy day, entering the room to the sounds of Classical FM. The eclectic furniture is homely yet otherworldly: large steamer trunks adorned with maps are placed around the Suite, glass cabinets filled with old books and artworks flank the television, and big tweed upright chests for bedside tables give an idea! It doesn't feel like you could find this room just anywhere, it isn't clinical like so many hotels now, and has a much appreciated personality.
The hotel provides complementary 'very fast' broadband. L'Occitane products adorn the shiny bathroom with shower bath. The bathroom was quite small in comparison to the rest of the Suite – I understand Nira is in an old town house and not a lot of rejigging can happen but it's worth consideration if you like the extra space.
For cooked breakfasts we opted for pancakes with fresh berries and maple syrup, which were crispy outside and fluffy on the inside with just the right amount of syrup, and a full Scottish breakfast with mushrooms, sausage, baked beans, grilled tomato, haggis, black pudding, potato (aka 'tattie') scone, bacon and egg – a hearty way to fuel a day's sightseeing! There's a variety of things for continental breakfast; patisseries, bread for toasting with marmalades and jams, cheeses, cold meats, fruits, yogurts, cereals and juices. It's a small breakfast space so you need to book a time for breakfast when you check-in and even then you may have to wait as tables are vacated, cleaned and reset. I suspect a knock on factor of this was the slightly rushed demeanor of the breakfast staff. Sadly the chef was on vacation so the hotel restaurant was closed and we couldn't have dinner.
One big positive about Nira's use of technology, text and email, was that after leaving our bags with the hotel before our 3pm check-in I received a text at 12:48 informing me that our room was ready early. Otherwise, I found favoring technology over conversation felt more impersonal, lacking rapport with staff and that personal touch.
The area surrounding Nira Caledonia is beautiful, tranquil and perfect to leave the vibrant, busy, bustling streets of Edinburgh behind for the night to re-energize, relax and regroup. There are many travel options to and from the hotel: a very quick walk from the hotel to a bus stop in Royal Circus where the 29 Silverknowes quickly takes you straight to Princes Street (and beyond!) – on the way back the 29 can be found throughout town from Surgeon's Hall up to Waverley Steps or Frederick Street, equally it's only 15 minutes' walk from the hotel to Princes Street, and pre-booked taxis are often seen in the area too.
