Yes indeed, there is nothing Hyde-like whatever about the marvelous Stevenson House. My partner and I were uplifted in so many ways by our stay here this New Year, and we dream of our return...
Our room on the first floor - the very master bedroom of Robert Louis Stevenson's parents - was magical: a four-poster bed, a cathedral-like bathroom with the original fittings from the time Robert Louis Stevenson would have used it - I noted the bath made locally in Stockbridge - and even some wee drachms of whisky kindly left for us by the Macfie family. The room was, despite its venerable history, also remarkably clean, warm, and dust-free.
Somehow John and the family manage to have an immensely welcoming and a light touch, so that we felt both looked-after and free.
In terms of the locale, it would be impossible to better: set in the heart of the graceful New Town, it is nonetheless still very close to Princes Street and hence the rest of the city - we were easily able to walk everywhere, including from Waverley Station.
This is a truly magical place to stay, especially if you love RLS! You are living within a remarkable family's home though, and for us this added to the charm and specialness, but may not be for everyone. My top tip? Read something by Stevenson first and think about how the house he grew up in might have influenced his understanding of space. Then go and sleep in that house... Life might have better experiences than this, but I have yet to discover them.
