Is this a bargain Hotel... You Judge

[Jacqui Harvey]

We are going to have a weekend trip to Edinburgh as we do in December.  We usually stay at the same place which is near the castle and has free secure parking.   My daughter was telling me about another Hotel on Prince Street that take your car away and park it for you.   I noted on T.A. it had a special 33% off deal.  I wrote to the Hotel.   This is the reply.  
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Dear Ms Harvey

On the dates requested the offer up to 33% is unavailable. Due to rate and room availability.
The offers we do have are as below.
I am delighted to confirm availability  for the two nights you requested.  I would like to offer you a choice of the following rooms:

A Christmas Celebration
Rate description Enjoy a night of luxury with a bottle of Champagne, a Christmas welcome amenity and breakfast in the Restaurant or in your room.
Minimum one night stay
Daily breakfast for two adults
Bottle of Champagne to enjoy anywhere in the property.
Complimentary welcome Christmas amenities.
The rate is based on one or two people sharing and includes a full breakfast for every day of your stay and a Bottle of Champagne per room per stay to enjoy anywhere in the hotel. The rate also includes complimentary use of the hotel's leisure facilities (where applicable). Please note the number of rooms and suites sold with this offer is limited and is available only on selected room types.


Price information
£285 GBP per night for an Executive room and £305 GBP for a Deluxe room. This rate is based on double occupancy.
 

All rates quoted (unless otherwise stated) are per room per night, and include VAT at 20%. Full Scottish breakfast is available for an additional £21 per person

Valet parking is available at the hotel, and this is charged at £27 per 24 hours.

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So, £385 for the room plus £27 per day to park our car plus £21.00 each per day for breakfast, if you don't take up this offer, but there is no alternative.   What a bargain!!  Needless to say we have booked at our original place which, incidently, is No.1 on T.A and for two nights is less one night at this place.   I find it very strange that an offer is made on T.A. and this Hotel says it's not available but does not give a reason.   No wonder people in the U.K. choose to go abroad for a holiday weekend.

[screamlead]

Rip off Britain strikes again!

[Toky]

I'm just back tonight from Edinburgh and the place is jumping. All hotels seemed packed out over the weekend. I travelled by train because the price of parking is through the roof in the Capital. I fortunatly can stay with my daughter who lives inthe city centre, as I would grudge the hotel prices Jacqui was quoted. Their idea of a bargain is a joke.
Christmas markets are great again and the shops are decorated beautifully. Fantastic choice of restaurants and a great buzz about the place.
Enjoy Jacqui.

[Scunner]

We kept putting off the trip to the Edinburgh Christmas markets because of the bad snow last year - then the snow didn't shift before Christmas at all. Looking forward to seeing it for the first time this year hopefully. Won't be staying at Jacqui's latest bargain find though  

[Jacqui Harvey]

Scunner, can recommend the Knight Residence, (great if you have kids).  They are serviced flats with one or two bedrooms and when you arrive there is breakfast food in the fridge.  They also have Sky T.V. and DVD player with a selection of DVD's at reception also a small library.   The bonus is, there is free parking.  They give you an electronic key to use to open and shut the doors around the back of the place in their car par.
It's an easy to walk to the shops from there and we found some great restaurants in the area A lovely Italian and next door a great Chinese.  Or, if you are tired you can order in, there are lots of Restaurant brochures in the kitchen.
We have always stayed here when we go to Edinburgh and can recommend the Christmas Markets and also a trip to the shopping centre where the Royal Yacht Britannia is moored. Some really nice shops in this place, plus last time I sat and had a pedicure which was just the job when I had been walking so much.
Thanks Toky, looking forward to our trip, hope the weather keeps fine.

[Toky]

That's Ocean Terminal shopping centre at Leith Docks. They do a good choice of cocktails on the top floor with views over the River Forth.
Tom Kitchin's famous restuarant is within walking distance from the centre. My daughter lived above it before moving to city centre. Worth a try
http://www.thekitchin.com/kitchin/home

Sunny and cold today in Edinburgh, heavy snow in the west on my return.

[Scunner]

All sounds superb but I can get return train tickets for £20 for the 4 of us so it's Scunner Hotel for us  

[Toky]

That's the way to do it Scunner. Set off early by train, £3.50 for a hop on and off all day ticket with Lothian buses too if you fancied going to Ocean Terminal and you've got to walk to George St (paralel with Princes St) and have a look at the lights in the Dome.
http://www.thedomeedinburgh.com/introduction.html

It's beautiful

[marina]

I love Edinburgh, has to be a weekend from Yorkshire! We went a couple of years ago to the Christmas Markets, it was excellent, and the lights were beautiful.

Think it's time we had another trip!