Stayed here on a business trip, having heard a lot about it. Found it a different style from other hotels - this place does not feel like a hotel - much more understated. It is VERY central, and a great place from which to walk around the centre of Edinburgh.

My bedroom was comfortable, perhaps slightly cramped and oddly laid out for the price and reputation. Bedroom facilities are excellent, except the reception on the radio was useless - even after moving the aerial around. Air con was slightly noisy and the glass fronted cupboard doors opened in the night (causing the internal light to come on).

Rooms were clean and (mine at least) quiet. I stayed there midweek so would not have heard the noise other reviewers have mentioned. Breakfast was good and relatively extensive.

The decor of the hotel generally has that feeling of trying to be achingly hip and trendy (quite a lot of brown). While clean and not tatty, it does have a problem of feeling out of date or tired fairly quickly. Arty nude photos on the wall were also a little unusual!

Staff were very helpful and nice, but most seemed to be Eastern European or similar so some cultural differences sometimes. Would I stay there again - yes, but would not rush to say first choice.

Before booking this hotel as a present for my fiances birthday, i trawled through the reviews on here and found it most useful so it was only fair i added my reviews for others to look through.
This is an excellent hotel.
It looks stunning from the outside - there is a big leisure complex next door but this doesn't detract from the impression you get on arrival. I was concerned about the noise which i had read on some of the other posts but i asked for a garden view when i booked and i didn't hear any noise at all. It was quite strange seeing as we live in London and are used to sirens, aeroplanes etc. We stayed in room 10 and it was lovely. The flush on the toilet was very loud and similar to an aeroplane toilet but thats the only negative point i have. Every evening, we arrived back at our room to find candles around the bath and a thistle on the bed. Nice touch!
The staff were all really nice and not at all snobby which we have found with other 5* hotels (The Clarence, Dublin). Even when we came back from the rugby, all wind swept and slightly scruffy, they welcomed us!
Location is great. About 15 minutes from Princes Street and practically a stones throw from John Lewis and Harvey Nicks. I can see how the leisure complex next door could cause a lot of noise late at night but if you are worried about this, ask for a garden view. These are at the top of the hotel at the back. We didn't encounter any noise at all.
I will definitely return to this hotel...perhaps when we have more money though! Its not cheap but you definitely get what you pay for. We stayed over the Rugby World Cup so it may be cheaper at other times but for 2 nights, it cost us £490 for a double exec room. Worth it though, even if its just for the breakfast! To die for!
If you're after a traditional, fussy hotel, this is not for you. Try the Balmoral! If you're after a contemporary, swish but not snobby hotel, book the Glasshouse.

We stayed here for 4 nights in October 2006. We loved the location, right in the heart of Edinburgh near shops, restaurants and theatres. This is exactly what we wanted. The rooms were comfortable, we had a garden view room with a queen bed. The bedding was nice and clean, the bathroom was also updated and clean and the rooms were quiet. The staff was accommodating when we needed help, but were sparse when we did not. The nightclub on the lower level made significant noise after hours(till 3:00) as this was a major drawback if you wanted to sleep. Parking was close. Otherwise we had a pleasant experience and would recommend to friends really based on the location and comfort of the rooms and bed.

Really funky hotel.

The great stuff :-

The honesty bar - being trusted to pour one's own drink on the suite floor is great. I think I may have preferred a proper bar within the hotel though.

The garden - Situated on the roof, it's like having the countryside in the city centre. Really cool.

Service - Good - breakfast in bed was excellent, on time etc.

Location - Good location for Princes Street.

Rooms - Good, not perfect. We had a street facing view and paid £300 a night for a Suite. The room itself was contemporary and cool. Rotating Plasma TV, remote control curtains etc. The bathroom was a let down though - no underfloor heating and average shower pressure (only one shower head - should have body jets etc given the size of the shower cubicle). Normally, no big deal, but for £300 a night, everything has to be perfect!

In comparison to other hotels in Edinburgh, we liked the Glasshouse similarly to the The Scotsman (also reviewed by me - see my profile). I'm going to try Tigerlily next time though. We ate there one night and it was rocking. Staff were attentive, not at all prentious - over helpful if anything - great food and cocktails.

4 star review, not 5 due to value for money. Maybe that's not fair but the hotel whilst very good, isn't perfect.