Has the new series of BBC’s The Traitors got you yearning for a Scottish staycation? We took a history-filled trip to Edinburgh and found a surprisingly affordable hotel
Looming over the city from up high and lit up in dramatic red lights at night, Edinburgh Castle looks like it could be straight out of a Traitors scene. Tickets (£21.50 for adults) get you access to all parts of the 900-year-old site, including the Scottish crown jewels, St Margaret’s Chapel (the oldest building in Edinburgh, dating back to 1130) and the Prisons of War exhibit.
It’s off The Royal Mile, however, that we found our favourite tourist attraction in Edinburgh: The Real Mary King’s Close. This guided tour takes you back in time through some of the city’s former residential streets, which were built over in 1753 to construct the Royal Exchange above them. Interesting for adults and older children alike, the guides are engaging and it’s fascinating to see how people lived here over 400 years ago, including through devastating plague years.
Where to eat in Edinburgh
When it was time to rest weary feet – and Edinburgh’s streets are notoriously steep – and fill up rumbling stomachs, we loved Ka Pao for its delicious Southeast Asian sharing dishes (don’t skip over the fried Brussels sprouts, which even had our party’s sprout-hater converted). Booking is essential, as there was a two-hour wait for walk-ins on the Friday night we visited.
For traditional pubs, head to the historic Grassmarket area and nearby Rose Street. For fancier cocktails served with flair, we loved Commons Club (part of the Virgin Hotel), Panda & Co, a cool, speakeasy-style establishment posing as a barber shop, and The Last Word, a romantic, candle-lit gem with an impressive whiskey list in Edinburgh’s upmarket Stockbridge area.
Where to stay in Edinburgh
We stayed at The Bruntsfield, about half an hour’s walk from the city centre, or a cheap taxi ride. Although the hotel could do with a bit of an update (we’re told there are plans for this), the rooms are very big for an affordable city hotel, and come with a complimentary dram of whiskey and square of crumbly Scottish fudge. There’s also a bar and kitchen downstairs serving casual pub-style dishes.
Perhaps the highlight of our stay, however, was the warm and friendly reception staff that welcomed us, pointing out a bowl of help-yourself Tunnock’s Teacakes, handing us a map of the city and, later, helping us successfully locate a bag we’d left in the back of a taxi.
The Bruntsfield Hotel
An excellent value hotel near to Edinburgh’s city centre with spacious rooms and friendly staff.
How much does it cost to stay at The Bruntsfield?
Rooms at The Bruntsfield start from £90 per night.