Experience Edinburgh’s festive season in style

It’s not too late to book a festive city break in Edinburgh: the city’s top hotels have put together some fantastic deals for Christmas and Hogmanay, combining the best in stylish accommodation with the highlights of the winter season, including the world-famous Royal Bank Street Party on New Year’s Eve.

Edinburgh is a city truly made for the festive season: its elegant squares, cobbled closes and dramatic skyline sparkle with lights, while the shop windows in George Street, the Grassmarket and the Royal Mile are bright with colourful displays and decorations.

The city’s two winter festivals, Edinburgh’s Christmas (now until 24 December; edinburghschristmas.com ) and Edinburgh’s Hogmanay (29 December to 1 January; edinburghshogmanay.com ), offer visitors a full programme of enticing events and activities.

And a trip to Scotland’s capital needn’t break the bank: there’s a wide variety of accommodation to choose from, to suit every taste and budget.

Hot boutiques

2006 has seen the opening of a host of stylish new boutique hotels in Edinburgh’s New Town; each with their own distinctive character and unique design.

Tigerlily (125 George Street; 0131 225 5005; tigerlilyedinburgh.co.uk ) is a stunning venue, glittering with chandeliers and disco balls.

It’s offering Hogmanay packages based on two nights’ accommodation, two tickets to Edinburgh’s exclusive Hogmanay Ceilidh, and passes to the Royal Bank Street Party and a Champagne breakfast on New Year’s Day. Prices start at £575 for a double room, based on two people sharing.

Tigerlily’s sumptuous restaurant is also offering Christmas and Hogmanay lunches and dinners, with mouth-watering dishes such as roast pumpkin and cumin soup, and the bellini breakfast, which includes a peach bellini and Inverawe smoked salmon.

Across town, you’ll find The Scotsman (20 North Bridge; 0131 556 5565; thescotsmanhotel.co.uk ). Once the home of Scotland’s most famous daily newspaper, this magnificent turreted building is now a five-star hotel.

Here, you can choose from The Editor’s Room or The Publlisher’s Suite, which include original features from the building’s journalistic heritage.

At Christmas time, the hotel has a fantastic view across the Gardens to the glittering Edinburgh Wheel and the Christmas markets.

Scotsman rates at Christmas time are £200 per room per night, including a full Scottish breakfast and use of the hotel’s Escape fitness centre.

At Hogmanay, the Scotsman offers a three-night minimum stay including spa use, breakfast, and an Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Party Pack, worth £20, which includes not only a pass to the Royal Bank Street Party, but a selection of Hogmanay-themed goodies.

A three night costs £330 per room per night, based on two people sharing, and includes a full Scottish breakfast.

If a stay at The Scotsman is a little beyond your means, make sure you go along to its Cowshed spa, the only one of its kind in Scotland, for a spot of pampering to get you in the mood for Hogmanay. Choose from treatments such as the Cowshed Massage or the Cowshed Facial (both £60). For appointments, call 0131 622 3800.

Traditional glamour

If it’s a traditional Scottish festive experience in a hotel full of history and character that you’re after, then Edinburgh is the perfect place.

There are plenty of five star options if you have the budget to match, with roaring fires, Christmas lights and carol singers aplenty.

Overlooking Princes Street Gardens and Edinburgh Castle, The Balmoral (1 Princes Street; 0131 556 2414; roccofortehotels.com ) is in the perfect position for you to enjoy both the Christmas and Hogmanay festivals. The Christmas Winter Wonderland and the Royal Bank Street Party on New Year’s Eve are on its doorstep.

Rates at Christmas time start £155 per double room per night, available from 2 December onwards. Children staying at the Balmoral also get the VIP treatment, with the ‘five star kids’ service which includes a visit from Santa Claus on Christmas morning.

There’s also a two-night Hogmanay package on offer, which includes a black-tie ball in the hotel’s magnificent ballroom, a four course dinner, bagpipers and a live band, complimentary use of the award-winning Balmoral Spa – and the best view in town of
the 7 Hills Fireworks at midnight. Tickets for the event are £225.00 per person, and room rates at Hogmanay start at £555 per room per night.

Dominating the other end of Princes Street, the Caledonian Hilton (Princes Street; 0131 222 8888; hilton.co.uk/caledonian) is an Edwardian hotel popular with visiting VIPs – it’s rumoured to by Sir Sean Connery’s favourite Edinburgh hotel – and city breakers.

The Caley, as it’s affectionately known by Edinburghers, boasts a spa, and a top-floor health club where you can swim in the 15ft heated pool which admiring perfect views of Edinburgh Castle.

You can also enjoy a feast in one of the hotel’s top-class restaurants, including the brasserie-style Chisholm’s Restaurant, which is ideal for Sunday lunches, and the Pompadour Restaurant, which focuses on Scottish dishes such as scallops from the Isle of Skye.

The Caledonian is offering a Christmas shopping break, based on two nights’ accommodation, breakfast, dinner in Chisholm’s Restaurant and use of the Living Well Health Club. The rate is £249 per couple, in either a twin or double room, and the package is available now, right the way through Christmas.

There’s also a sumptuous black-tie Hogmanay Ball on New Year’s Eve, guaranteeing that you see in 2007 in style.

Begin the evening with Champagne and canapés in the hotel’s lounge, then enjoy an eight-course meal, complete with a toast to the haggis, and dancing into the wee small hours along to a live band in the Castle Suite.

Tickets for just the ball are £185 per person. With accommodation, the rate is £315 per person on New Year’s Eve, then £220 per night for two nights, or £180 per night for three nights. Prices are based on two adults sharing a twin or double room, and include full Scottish breakfast.

Four star luxury

There’s also a fantastic range of stylish four star hotels in Edinburgh, particularly in the elegant Georgian New Town.

The George Hotel (19-21 George Street; 0131 225 1251; principal-hotels.com ) is a beautiful Grade II listed townhouse, which has just been transformed by a £12 million refurbishment.

It now boasts a superb restaurant, a stylish bar – Tempus – which is ideal for cocktails and Christmas drinks, and a magnificent domed banqueting venue called the King’s Hall.

These new spaces are the main venues for The George’s Christmas and Hogmanay celebrations.

Make your way to Tempus for Christmas and Boxing Day dinners and lunches, and a Hogmanay party on New Year’s Eve.

And to see in 2007 in truly memorable style, push the boat out and go along to the Hogmanay Ball in the King’s Hall, which at £119 per person includes the champagne reception in the library, entertainment from top ceilidh band The Picts, and a five-course banquet including Scottish dishes such as venison and smoked salmon.

The George is offering Hogmanay accommodation packages at £199 per room per night, and a Christmas shopping break package – George Street is often called the Bond Street of the North! – at £79 per room per night, including full breakfast.

The Townhouse Company owns a range of stylish four star hotels across the New Town, including The Bonham (35 Drumsheugh Gardens; 0131 226 6050); townhousecompany.com ) which combines the feel of a boutique hotel with old-style comfort.

Set in an elegant sweep of Georgian townhouses, The Bonham is full of character and features a number of unusual features, such as a freestanding cooper bathtub in one of its superior rooms, and walls hung with paintings by up-and-coming Scottish artists.
The Bonham’s Christmas package is available between 24 and 26 December, and is based on a two-night stay for two people sharing in a boutique-style bedroom, full Scottish breakfasts, and dinner on Christmas day. The rate is £235 per person.

There is also a New Year package, which is based on a three-night stay in one of The Bonham’s individually designed rooms, with dinner on 30 and 31 December, passes to the Royal Bank Street Party, a well-deserved brunch on New Year’s Day, and a full Scottish breakfast each morning. The rate is £435 per person.

For more information about visiting Edinburgh, either during the festive season or at any other time of the year, log on to visitscotland.com/citybreaks or call VisitScotland’s booking and information line on 0845 22 55 121.