Just had the most wonderful time at a wonderful hotel that thought couldnt live up to the hype.And what was also pleasing the staff seemed to enjoy working there also giving us a guided tour of the various rooms and a bit of local knowledge before showing us to our room which was grand plush airy and yes very posh well it is 5 star after all, And at this point i must say the beds were the comfiest ever. I have a passion for seafood and wasnt let down with the hand dived scallops cooked to perfection. All in all this is somewhere to relax unwind and enjoy and if you can extend your excertions to some putting and croquet then all the better.

Prestonfield must surely represent the ultimate triumph of aggressive marketing over substance. We found the place smothered in velvet and tassles, fancy carpets and over-the-top furnishings. Although publicity material suggests the place is a top celebrity hang-out, reality is rather different. In truth, it's not especially glamorous - just threadbare and rather grubby.

Prestonfield is certainly not the most expensive hotel in the world - it's not even the most expensive hotel in Edinburgh. But standards in service, in guest amenities, and in housekeeping all fall short of what one should expect of a five-star property. Although paying just £225 (inclusive of champagne), we still felt cheated.

This hotel most certainly does NOT deliver the last word in luxury. Our bathroom was microscopically small, and poorly equipped. No bidet, and no separate shower. The bath tub itself was far from generous - and, worse still, marked. The cushions and other soft furnishings in our room were soiled and stained. The lighting levels have been set by someone who misses the dark days of the Blitz. (My partner dropped an earring, and I had to fetch a torch from our car to find it!) Shame on Prestonfield's proprietors, management, and staff for their total misunderstanding of what constitutes an exceptional hospitality experience.

This place promises to be so much more than it actually is - on first glance it is an opulent Baronial castle but look closer and you can see that it is a poorly put together facade for what passes for eclectic bohemian grandeur.
Perhaps a good thing then that it is so dark in the rooms that you hardly notice how shabby they are. Dusty nick-nacks are everywhere and what could be thought of as curios are in fact just basic poor taste.
But I realise that is a little subjective; however the service can be judged objectively as being supercilious and erratic both in the hotel and the restaurant. Staff seem to be constantly looking over their shoulder and [--] about the management (within earshot of clientelle) whilst ignoring the wants of their customers above those of the proprietor (who they seem to be scared of). Not a luxury service at all. In fact, being a guest there is like being an unvited gatecrasher.
This place could be so so fabulous if it was not trying so hard. And for £225 per night for the cheapest room it certainly is not good value.

I experienced Prestonfield as the venue for my very small wedding reception (7 people) in April 2007. I had arranged everything via e-mail with a really helpful woman who couldn't have done more to help despite me not having finally sorted my plans out until the day before we were due to be arriving.

Upon arrival we were met by the men in black kilts. They were very helpful but not over attentive and we were shown toward the room which had been set up for us. I had booked private dining in the Stuart Room and before that drinks on the lawn in the Tea House, however communication had somehow broken down and a totally different room had been orgainsed. After a ten second conversation with the manager all was sorted and the booking which had been placed was honoured, perfectly.

Lots of men in black kilts appeared as if by magic and the Tea House was transformed into the perfect place for a small reception. Drinks were taken on the lawn with the peacocks who were very tame and playful. Staff were only present when they needed to be and judging by when they arrived they were keeping a very good, but discreet, eye on when we needed more champagne. Some people may have expected not to have to pour ones own drinks in such an establishment but this in my view would have been severe overkill on service.

On into dinner at 7pm with the menu which was second to none for choice and in my view value too. Expensive but worth every penny. Private dining really is the way forward and the men in kilts once more did a fantastic job. Food arrived perfectly to allow conversation and wine appeared when it was needed. I did a bit of the wine waiting, but that was through choice. Had I not wanted to a man in a kilt would have been there every so often discreetly bringing more booze and doing the honours. Dinner was a total joy. Everyone there had a really good meal and in my view fault could not be found with any single part of it. Nothing was too much trouble, every note was hit, perfectly.

Yes the place does have gilt and velvet, it is dark, brooding and pure theatre. That's why in my view it is perfection.