True, the bank Hotel is not your average chain hotel incarnation. It's first impression is downright quirky, but in this case, first impressions are deceiving. We stayed at the Bank Hotel for three nights, using the Alexander Graham Bell room on the top floor: a wonderfully decorated and spacious room with a great shower, a comfy king-sized bed and reasonably quiet, the only really interfering sound coming from the adjacent Tron Kirk clock.

We had a great breakfast there, provided by a very friendly and helpful staff and cherish some great memories in the bar, which we also found to provide some very nice bar meals. The stairs within the hotel are really daunting, however, but if you take your time with them or look at them as a free extra workout and, they are really not that bad.

Our experience was excellent, but we acknowledge this hotel not being to everyone's taste. If you enjoy a very central location in Edinburgh as well as staying in a place with a lot of character, we would heartily recommend the Bank Hotel.

I stayed for 2 nights mid-week in early June. The rooms are above the Bank Bar. You pick up your keys from the bar staff and then go through a door at the back of the bar up some stairs to the rooms above. I was in Room 3 which has a "Robert Louis Stevenson" theme. Decor featured pictures of Jekyll & Hyde and framed tropical creepy crawlies including a spider the size of my hand. The location is superb on the corner of the Royal Mile and the Bridges. Local amenities (aside from the bar downstairs) include a taxi rank and late-night takeaways. The windows are pretty much original, don't quite shut and allow the sounds of Edinburgh to drift in all night long. The bed was firm but linen, shower and breakfast were excellent. Staff were exceptionally helpful.

If you want the outstanding location but not the quirks then try the Radission Scandic Crown which is next door. If you like the idea of sleeping above a bar in a unique room then why not try the Bank.

The hotel is in a great situation right in the middle of Edinburgh. Unfortunately that brings its' own problems in that it can be extremely noisy late at night. The room was ok but very gloomy, no central light and only 3 dim lamps. The bathroom was so so - the basin was cracked and stained and the extractor fan sounded like a helicopter landing so we avoided putting it on. The bed was huge and comfy and the room was expertly tidied each morning. Did not like the breakfast area which was above the bar on a balcony. It was gloomy, cold and uninviting. A bit like the breakfast which we eventually got on the first morning after about 50 minutes. Half the items on the standard menu were routinely unavailable - why have them on if you don't offer them? The food was a pretty poor standard and there wasn't much of it.
Wouldn't recommend it and wouldn't stay there again.
Val Wright
Leeds

Everything that I read lead me to believe that I was booking an ensuite room which I was extremely careful about. However, upon arrival I found out the bathroom was across the hall. When I complained and requested a different room, I was told everyone had checked in and there were no available rooms which was not true I later found out. This was just the start of a very, very disappointing stay in Edinburgh. The worst experience of my entire trip to the UK. Beware booking on the festival inns website!!