Well where to start, got there at about 2.30pm for check in staff very friendly and helpful, got to our room and was not disappointed what so ever the bath room was very nice a modern with a walk in shower and a bath tub, the bed was huge very clean and comfortable also pillows were awesome, 42inch tv too and dvd player, the view from our hotel was nice to full view of Edinburgh castle, the room was cleaned every day we were there which was 2 :) the breakfast in the morning was very nice :) bit pricey on the drinks but where isn't in Edinburgh, also just ask the staff for anything and they will help as much as they can my gf had a bottle of wine and chocolates already in the room before we got there :) would defo go back 2 minutes from the train station

After an excellent stay at the Apex International 14 months ago, it was natural that when we returned to Edinburgh that we came back to Apex. The most daunting thing for us was that we were returning as parents on our first time away with our 4 month old. Trying something different, we opted for the Apex City and we really weren’t disappointed.

The rate that we got was excellent. It is worth noting that Apex will match any rate you can get through the likes of Expedia etc. I looked direct and found another rate cheaper on line. After one call to reservations and they matched the rate with absolutely no fuss. As an added bonus, they give you a £10 voucher to spend in the bar or restaurant – so its worth looking and then booking direct.

I consider the location of the hotel to be good. I appreciate that it can be a bit of a walk to the West End or to Princes Street– but Edinburgh is arguably the best city in the UK and you’ll never be on the doorstep of everything. Also, the walk is nice (look out for shortcuts, but the steps and hills can be a killer). In return for the investment in walking – you’re paid with having the castle view in the window and having Grassmarket on the doorstep (though we didn’t hear anything from outside).

The room was comfortable and due to the size of the room we had (to accommodate the cot etc.), we were located further back from the front of the hotel, but could still clearly see the castle from the window. The room had everything you’d expect, including Sprout, the limited edition Christmas duck. There was a DVD player, a large TV, reasonable hairdryer and a thoughtfully stocked tea-tray. The bathroom contains elemis toiletries, a decent (separate) shower and the ability to dim lights (good for baby bedtime baths). There was also a fan in the wardrobe, which I would imagine is welcome in the summer, given that the windows only open very slightly,

One thing that sets this (and the International) apart from other good hotels is the staff and they really do make an effort. The check in was genuine, warm and efficient – even leaving a birthday card in the room as I was celebrating a milestone. There was an issue with a fire alarm being set off mid-morning on one day – and we were delighted with the way this was handled when we reached the ground floor: As it was a false alarm and we had a baby asleep (yes, still), we were led into the restaurant, sat down and given a coffee and pastries whilst we waited for it to be rectified. Fixed after ten short minutes, the duty manager came to sit with us and after apologising (again), she struck up a genuine conversation about our break away and our son (who only woke up when the alarm was switched off). I’d challenge any other hotel to match that for genuine care.

Unusually for us, we dined in the restaurant for dinner on the first night. We opted for a set menu, which was naturally limited in choice (probably only an issue if you’re fussy). The food itself was really good – tasty and well presented. Again, in the restaurant, the staff were excellent. They took the time to make room for the pram and sat us in a darker, quieter corner as our son was asleep. Sometimes the service is a bit muddled, but this is because they’re falling over themselves to help you and make sure you’re content (even when the restaurant is fairly busy) – and you can’t complain about that. We were given a drinks voucher for booking our table at check in and still had the £10 voucher for booking direct, so with some extra drinks – the bill came in at a shade under £40 in total, which given the quality, attention and the fact that it was three courses on a Saturday night – it is excellent value.

If you’re a parent of a young child, you’ll be glad to know that Apex pretty much covered everything we needed. Unlike a lot of hotels, we arrived to find that the travel cot was already constructed (in a convenient spot) and lined with sheets (You’d be surprised how many don’t do this). After a call to the hotel before we arrived, we were given a steriliser for bottles as well as a bottle warmer. This is standard care for Apex and these two items really helped infinitely.

In summary, this is a good hotel in terms of hardware and excellent in terms of the people – well located in one of the best cities in Europe. When we checked out we weren’t asked if everything was ‘OK’ with our stay - we were asked if we ‘enjoyed’ it (I presume that ‘OK’ isn’t good enough). The answer is yes, absolutely, we did. Again, we left delighted and when we come back to Edinburgh, we’ll be back here.

An excellent hotel with extremely friendly and helpful staff. The rooms were clean and comfortable, the Scottish breakfast cooked to order.

An ideal location for the Old Town - even though nowhere's too far to walk. The Grassmarket is THE place to be!

Lovely rooms very comfortable great TV's great location. It was a little pricy at £88 per night without Breakfast but staff very helpful and friendly and we got Breakfast for a special offer of £10 extra.