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4.5
#67 of 163 hotels in Edinburgh
Location
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Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
The Radisson Blu Hotel is located in the heart of the historic Royal Mile in Edinburgh's old town, just a short walk to major city centre attractions. Walk to the iconic Edinburgh Castle, National Museum of Scotland, the Scottish Parliament and Edinburgh's famous shopping thoroughfare, Princes street. The hotel is also within easy reach of Holyrood Palace and Holyrood Park. Arthur's Seat, the park's highest point, has stunning views of the Scottish capital.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
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The Radisson Blu Hotel in Edinburgh City Centre garners praise for its spotless cleanliness and prime location on the Royal Mile, which many guests find perfect for exploring local attractions. While the welcoming atmosphere and array of amenities, including a cozy spa and satisfying breakfast, are highlights for guests, there are mixed feelings about the hotel's value, with some concerns about room rates and hidden costs.
Travelers appreciate the friendly service, though it can sometimes be slow. Room experiences vary, and noise from the bustling street life can be a drawback for those seeking quiet.
Location
Central
Atmosphere
Inviting
Rooms
Uncomfortable
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Spotless
Noise level
Noisy
Service
Friendly
Amenities
Satisfactory
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I stayed for two nights at this hotel and I can't say enough about the location. It is in the middle of the Old Town Edinburgh Royal Mile, just a short walk (up hill) to Edinburgh Castle. Pubs and shops are at your doorstep. I love a soft bed and I can't say enough about how comfortable that was for me. I am sure if you prefer a firmer mattress it may not be your appeal, but I like to feel like I am in a pillow. I had a corner sofa that was surprisingly comfortable as well and make working while watching TV feel just like I was at home. My room was overlooking High St which surprisingly was not loud but it is February and things quiet down just after dark. Parking is directly behind the hotel with direct access and extremely reasonably priced considering the location.
Here are my things you should know. If you want something to eat in the area, there are pubs, American fast food (KFC and Pizza Hut) and some smaller restaurants. Finding a place to eat last minute during dinner rush will be a task. I ate in a pub directly across the street from the hotel doors and it was very good. I had the salmon in the hotel restaurant and it was delicious as well. Be sure to plan your meals in advance and make a reservation if they will let you, otherwise you will be scrambling and picking up a pizza. This is really a negative to the local and not the hotel but nonetheless. The one and only negative about the hotel that I have is that I stayed for two nights and my room was not cleaned after the first night. It was odd coming back to my room from being out all day, tired and wanting to change before heading out again and the bed was not made and the towels were still hanging on the ironing board (I didn't put it away because it was still hot when I left). It was a disappointing feeling to come into the room. Now I should say that the same thing happened at a very upscale hotel in Edinburgh two night prior but I had a very late checkout and assumed that they didn't clean the room until after I left so they would only have to do it once. Which I will say gave me the same feeling when I came back to the room. I would definitely stay at this hotel again. Oh another plus, if you book the Hop-on-Hop off tour busses they stop right near Edinburgh Castle, so need for public transportation.
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Date of stay: February 2020
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:Â The deluxe room should have a sofa and definitely makes a difference and gives you more room to...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from desireeradisson, Guest Relations Manager at Radisson Blu Hotel, Edinburgh City Centre
We spent three nights here. The car parking and location were the main reason for choosing the hotel. We expected it to be like others I. The chain that we’ve stayed at. To some extent it was. The rooms were functional but comfortable with great showers and comfy beds. The public rooms were very much those of ‘conference hotels’. The staff however, in reception, bar and restaurant were charming, efficient and friendly. We were impressed by the matter of fact way they dealt with Covid regulations. We felt protected and safe. Prices were fair for a city centre hotel. The site of the hotel was so central that we returned during the day for coffee and drinks rather than risking a less clean environment elsewhere. We ate out apart from breakfast as there are lots of reasonably priced restaurants nearby. The breakfasts were huge and freshly cooked with plenty of individually wrapped buffet items if you needed more. This was a very good city hotel. My main warning regards the car park. It is difficult to find, especially when a one way street was closed. The multi storey entrance/exit is quite tight so take great care. At hotel rates it costs £12.50 a day. Pretty fair for a city centre, but the hotel doesn’t give warning of this.
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Date of stay: September 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Flynn Fraser, Guest Services / Front Office at Radisson Blu Hotel, Edinburgh City Centre
Responded 20 Oct 2020
Dear Lesley S, Thank you very much for your review. Your feedback is important to us. We are really glad that you had nice interactions with the staff members throughout the hotel and that you enjoyed your stay overall. We hope to welcome you again in the future! Kind Regards, Kevin Ventura Guest Relations
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We opted to stay here due to its central location to attractions and shops in Edinburgh as my dad is elderly and cannot walk as far as he used to. we did not get off to a good start as I had upgraded both rooms to include breakfast and one room to a superior view of Arthur’s seat ( according to the description at least!!) when we arrived to check in I had to explain about the addition of breakfast and the room upgrade, the member of staff didn’t really understand what I was trying to explain but eventually we confirmed the breakfast and upgrade. When we got our keys, my Fathers room was only 2 doors away from our room and I realised that we did not have the view or upgrade requested, indeed we were looking out on to the Main Street at the Mitre pub and not Arthur’s seat! I decided to go with the flow rather than trying to explain it all again. The hotel itself is very nice, clean with spacious rooms, comfortable beds and the bathroom in our particular room had everything working as it should with a powerful shower, we didn’t really hear any noise from the Main Street below as the glazing is effective. We did eat in the Itchycoo bar on two occasions, we felt the menu was a bit limited (possibly due to Covid, not sure ) and it seemed a bit pricey for what you got ( I had a spiced chicken breast on one evening and it came with very little else! Fortunately we had had afternoon tea earlier in the day, so it was enough after that, but I would have felt hungry and disappointed if I was looking for a proper evening meal!) the staff in the restaurant were friendly and very attentive. Breakfast was lovely with a few options on the menu and continental options in another room within the restaurant, again all the staff we encountered were very pleasant. When we came to checkout I again tried to explain that the room had not been upgraded but had been charged to us, I advised that I would not be paying an upgrade to look at the pub opposite which was essentially the same view my father had two rooms away, I was assured this would be deducted from the bill but left the hotel with this not having been done. A few days later I checked my statement and noticed that the upgrade had been charged but then refunded back, this element of our stay was disappointing as it should have been a simple matter really. Overall I was very impressed with our stay and would stay here again as it is in a great location with a taxi rank right outside, I would however book the desired room and breakfast from the off rather than trying to do it at a later stage.
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Date of stay: October 2021Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Adrian Imach, Guest Services / Front Office at Radisson Blu Hotel, Edinburgh City Centre
Responded 27 Oct 2021
Dear 137nigel1965, Thank you for taking the time to post a review of Radisson Blu Edinburgh. I am very disappointed to read that your recent experience has not been in keeping with your expectations. Please accept my sincerely apologies for the confusion related to room upgrade . constructive feedback is very much appreciated, and I will personally look into the points of criticism which we are taking very seriously and as an opportunity to work on perfecting the services and products we offer to our guests. If you wish to contact regarding refund, please do so at adrian.imach@radissonblu.com. Thank you. Best wishes, Adrian Imach Guest Service Manager
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This was a fairly nice hotel, but certainly no nicer than your average well known budget chain hotel such as Premier Inn or Travelodge. I certainly don't think the price paid gave any appreciable advantage, especially as things like the pool were not open (through no fault of the hotel).
The room itself was nice, spacious with a very comfortable bed. There were enough plug points and even a USB charging port (Although it insisted on flashing blue the whole time). The carpet wasn't well hoovered however and it was very dusty, plus the shower head dripped, and the bathroom would get soaked every time you had a shower. The bath itself was very narrow, so narrow that you can't stand under the shower head without stepping on the plug and pushing it in so your shower becomes a bath as it fills up.
Regarding service, the check in was ok, although not sure it would count as contactless. When we requested pillows etc they were quick to bring them, however when we arrived our room was missing most of the soap, toilet roll etc that it should have. During the stay the maid service removed the card to say not to clean the room and cleaned it anyway.
There was little to no food available in the hotel, the menu at the bar was very small with few options, especially for a vegetarian or a child. We ordered food in, and was told off by the reception staff for daring to have food delivered. Apparently they aren't allowed to take food for guests. Well, Uber eats etc only do doorstep delivery and won't meet you so a little tricky in a hotel. Considering what we paid for the stay I wouldn't not expect even the slightest bit of attitude from staff and would expect them to be doing everything possible to make our stay comfortable.
The main plus of the hotel would be the location, but there are other hotels at a quarter of the price offering a comparable level of comfort and service but at a better price.
I wouldn't stay here again and not sure I would recommend to anyone else.
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Date of stay: August 2020
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Corporate Customer Care Corporate Customer Care, Owner at Radisson Blu Hotel, Edinburgh City Centre
Responded 22 Sept 2020
Thank you for taking the time to write a review. If I were in your position, I would feel just as you do. Your comments will be shared with the hotel management to ensure a similar incident won't reoccur in the future. We hope for another opportunity to make a more favorable impression in the future.
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Convenient location but very expensive for the tired appearance of the room and hallways. When we arrived we found that the bed covers had blood stains and a rip and the bathroom was mouldy on the shower screen and surrounding grout. Upon alerting the front desk to these issues, we were moved to a different room where the condition was better however scratches on the bed head and mould on the bathroom ceiling didn't leave us with a 5 star feeling and in our opinion, didn't merit the exorbitant price.
The location was excellent for viewing the Hogmanay procession down the Royal Mile and the Scottish staff were very friendly and welcoming.
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Date of stay: December 2019
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Aeb0624, Guest Relations at Radisson Blu Hotel, Edinburgh City Centre
Responded 2 Jan 2020
Dear Cruiser52430229365, Thank you for your review about your recent stay. I sorry to hear that you left disappointed with your overall experience with us. Please accept my sincere apology about the issues you faced due to the cleanliness of the room. I have recorded and forwarded this feedback to our house keeper for review and action for improvements in the future. I am happy that you were happy with our location and the view from the room. We hope to welcome you back to our hotel in the near future! Warmest regards, Angela Barreto Guest Relations E: angela.barreto@radissonblu.com
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Wonderful hotel in a great location as you are in the heart and middle of the Old Town on the Royal Mile. You are a few blocks to the entrance of Edinburgh Castle, the Grassmarket area with the wonderfully two tiered street of Victoria, a few more blocks (but walkable) to the rail station and short drives to many other areas including Hollyrood, the wonderful parks and Arthur’s Seat which is a hill our rooms looked out upon.
The Lobby registration area is a bit small, but is abutted by a nice bar (we had drinks and relaxed there after travels and sightseeing) and comfortable sitting lounge area. The elevator bank with three elevators can be slow at times, but there is another elevator in the back almost no one knows about that is primarily used by staff and accesses the garage/car park.
Traveling with elder parents, we had 2 (Arthur’s Seat view) rooms that were on the 2nd floor limiting the view a bit. One room had a fuller view and my room at the end of the floor had a nicer view to the water, but Arthur’s Seat was a bit more obscured.
The rooms are modern and have wonderful LED lighting effects. The Bed was firm but pliantly comfortable and supportive. My wife likes firm, I like plush and we were both satisfied. The pillow menu where you have 5 options to choose from was nice, but we did not avail ourselves of it even though she wanted a firmer pillow.
The towels are thick and soft, but as Americans we are used to what we call washcloths or facecloths, but seems to be a novelty in Europe judging from the 3 countries and hotels I frequented on this trip.
I had advised the hotel in advance that each room had a someone celebrating a birthday. We had a plate with 3 excellent tasty cupcakes in our room with no note and nothing in the other room. It was too late when I realized they were meant for both birthday celebrants. It was a nice touch, but I wish the execution were a little better.
I got a good rate online for the room just after the festival time and felt satisfied. Service was good, housekeeping was good but for the washcloths. One issue was seeing leftover room service trays linger in the hallway for at least a full day that seemed unhygienic and uncharacteristic for an otherwise well tended hotel. The building has a cool castle like exterior that brought a smile upon returning from adventuring around the City and beyond.
The concierge helped us arrange a car and driver and suggested a wonderful itinerary for a day trip out of the city that included Loch Lomond (with a wonderful lakeside restaurant for lunch) and Sterling Castle.
In sum, this is a fantastic hotel in a great spot for walking around the Royal Mile and surrounding area. Highly recommend.
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Date of stay: August 2019
Rooms
Service
Room Tip:Â Arthur's Seat views are cool but better if above 2nd floor
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Fabio Angelino, Guest Services / Front Office at Radisson Blu Hotel, Edinburgh City Centre
Responded 15 Aug 2021
Dear sternfan, Thank you very much for your stay at Radisson Blu Hotel, Edinburgh City Centre and for your lovely review! We are glad to read that you and your family had an amazing experience. We invite you to visit us again in the future! Regards, Fabio
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Booked for a family break & the hotel is central for all the main attractions.
We parked in the hotel car park which is on Blackfriars Street & was really easy to find. We checked into the hotel at 3pm and staff were all wearing PPE and there were plenty of hand sanatizing stations everywhere.
The room was big and clean and perfect for the three of us. We booked into the swimming before we went by phoning the hotel & it was easy to do.
Breakfast was included in our stay & there was a hot menu you could order from (no extra cost) and a selection of cold items. My toddler loved the pancake machine. Tables were well spaced out and at 9am it was quiet which was great.
Thank you to the staff for making our stay so welcome and for making us feel safe.
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Date of stay: October 2020Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Flynn Fraser, Guest Services / Front Office at Radisson Blu Hotel, Edinburgh City Centre
Responded 8 Nov 2020
Hi Leann2910! Thank you so much for you excellent rating and feedback! We are delighted that you and your family were feeling safe staying with us and had a lovely time despite all the restrictions currently taking place. We really hope that you enjoyed Edinburgh and look forward to welcoming you again in the future! Best Regards, Kevin Ventura Guest Relations
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For a start the location is bang on the middle of the Royal mile! The hotel itself is designed and furnished to a great standard & is kept immaculate throughout. Rooms are very spacious & the staff left lovely cakes & marshmallows on arrival. Bathroom is excellent also. The place is similar to anything in Dubai in regards to quality & high standards. Food and drink was top drawer. Location though trumps everything! Pubs, restaurants, boutiques & castles galore! So fill your boots & go have a ball!
Reception assistant manager Michael was first class in his attentiveness and manner, he even came to our room to show us how to work the shower! Katrine in the breakfast area was outstanding in dealing with high demand from customers & making us feel welcomed despite the place being very busy. The girls in the Melville Spa were helpful and were a pleasure to speak with. Paul in reception has a great manner & nothing was a problem. Again all the staff we dealt with over the 2/3 days were a credit to the Radisson chain so no issues whatsoever.
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Date of stay: January 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from desireeradisson, Guest Relations Manager at Radisson Blu Hotel, Edinburgh City Centre
Stayed 14/3, the hotel is very easy to find on the Royal Mile and a short walk from the Tram Stop which goes to the airport. The hotel is a Castle like building which is unique but inside is very modern and up to date, with the bar and restaurant to the right when you enter. There is also a small lobby area past reception. Downstairs there is a pool and breakfast area. All of these were very modern. We didn't use many of the facilities but they all looked very clean. We were given a warm welcome at check in and given an in depth guide to what to do during our stay. We booked a twin superior room with a view of Arthurs Seat, the view wasn't that good as you had to lean round the window to see it. The room was very spacious, clean and functional. The beds were large and extremely comfortable. The bathroom was a decent size with a good range of amenities. We had a room service meal which was quite reasonably priced of very good quality and was prompt to arrive. We stayed at the start of the current COVID-19 crisis and there was lots of hand santizers and notices about the hotels response to the crisis which was very useful. Overall a great stay and I would definitely return.
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Date of stay: March 2020
Location
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:Â Not worth upgarding to a room with a view of Arthurs Seat because the view is not that good
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Fabio Angelino, Guest Services / Front Office at Radisson Blu Hotel, Edinburgh City Centre
Responded 15 Aug 2021
Dear raficke2016, Thank you so much for your great feedback and for staying at Radisson Blu Hotel! We hope to welcome you again in the hotel very soon! Best Regards, Fabio
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Spent three nights in a 'suite' but was extremely disappointed with the lack of service and amenities on offer. The first thing which greeted us was the sofa bed pulled out (leaving the sofa was out of use) We had to put this away in order to sit down. Once folded away, the sofa itself was very grubby. Suite very small. Shower in bath had moldy grout. No minibar, no bottled water/soft drinks , no robes, no room service.
Staff on the first night (Wednesday) were not very obliging in any area of the hotel.
Housekeeping on Thursday took all the used towels and only left one fresh towel between the two of us. Didn't change the bedding.
Breakfast, however, was good and service was attentive. Particular compliments to Daisy, who was a wonderful and friendly face each morning.
Location great, but I think they should be more upfront on the website regarding what is currently available/not available for guests who are not from Scotland and don't know which "quirks" are COVID measures and which are simply failings in standard by the hotel.
At over £1000 for three nights in very spartan conditions, our stay was very poor value for money.
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Date of stay: June 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Fabio Angelino, Guest Services / Front Office at Radisson Blu Hotel, Edinburgh City Centre
Responded 10 Jun 2021
Dear Clarabelle1983, I am sorry you have felt disappointed by your stay, we are currently suspended Room Service but we hope to reintegrate the service soon. Your comments will be taken on board. I will pass your compliments to our lovely Daisy who will be pleased to receive them. Best Regards, Fabio
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Porthcawl, United Kingdom101 contributions122 helpful votes
We visited Radisson Blu in Edinburgh in February. At that time, there was no extra charge for pancakes. The breakfast was excellent. All those little extras you mentioned have not been cut and all were available during our stay. Hope this helps.
There are more places to choose from in the Edinburgh area.
PRICE RANGE
₹21,688 - ₹38,080 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
radisson blu hotel, edinburgh hotel edinburgh, radisson edinburgh, edinburgh radisson, radisson hotel edinburgh
LOCATION
United KingdomScotlandEdinburghCowgate / Old Town
NUMBER OF ROOMS
238
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect average nightly room rates, including taxes and fees that are fixed, known to our partners, and due at time of booking. Please see our partners for more details.
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Is Radisson Blu Hotel, Edinburgh City Centre accessible?
Yes, it offers wheelchair access, reduced mobility rooms, and facilities for disabled guests. For specific enquiries, we recommend calling ahead to confirm.
