We stayed here for two nights (family of 4 with teenagers) and found the room to be OK - a bit small for 4. Our main problem with the room though was even though the weather was quite cool, the room was way to hot. We tried opening the window but then we had very loud street noise. There was no other way to cool the room so we had to put up with being hot. The location was good - we were able to walk from the train and could walk to the castle.

We arrived at out hotel at approx. 8.00 am & left in our bags.
Having been up from 4.30a.m., we returned from shopping shortly before 2.00pm, looking forward to having a rest. We were told our room was not ready (as were several other people) & were offered a complimentary drink in the bar.
At 2.40 I enquired again about the room & was told it would be ready in about 10 minutes. It was near 3.30 before we finally got the key to our room.
The next day, I asked the receptionist to order a taxi. She said she would ring us to let us know when it had arrived. We got a call after 10 minutes or so. The taxi driver asked us if the receptionist had only just let us know he was there. He said he had arrived 2 minutes after being called & went straight to reception. When we didn't come down after he had waited a while, he went back to reception again. Only then did she ring us. As a result, there was a charge of £4.75 on the meter.
Later that evening, I ordered a red wine, but was given a white wine. I told the barmaid I had ordered red. Twice she insisted I had ordered white, but reluctantly changed it for red. Her manner was not very pleasant.
Overall, the hotel & the breakfast were very nice. It is in a good
location & offers good value for money, but staff don't seem to be interested in customer service.

I thought this hotel was great, price etc considered. Stayed three nights in a twin room, two by myself and one night shared. The room is fairly sparse, but considering one is paying for Holiday Inn Express you get what you expect. I found the room to be a little more spacious than I would have originally thought, which is a plus. The beds were comfortable and the bathroom was clean and decently sized. Work desk was of adequate size. The lack of a mini bar/fridge was quite inconvenient though.

The breakfast buffet was a filling continental breakfast. Having the bar onsite was handy, especially as opening hours for guests are quite late. Being able to take drinks back to the room was a plus, especially when wanting to have a wind down drink after a long day/night. Staff were friendly and attentive, and were excellent when I required help with lost baggage issues (resulting from flight), directions, etc. there were continual problems with the hotel’s wireless internet functions, which proved to be quite an inconvenience. However staff attempted to help where possible.

Recommended for travellers who want a clean, dependable hotel in a fairly central location. Sure the rooms are completely soulless, but its the trade off for the reliability of a chain sometimes.

I stayed here for 2 nights with my Dad and Uncle (in their 80s), my cousin and his wife. Situation is perfect - all the main sights of Edinburgh within walking distance. For a budget hotel I was very impressed with the decor, cleanliness, great design of en-suite facilities (love the loo / bathroom door!), superb continental breakfast - the area for collecting food could be better designed as it becomes congested at the busiest time, or get up a bit earlier! The hotel is immediately opposite the Playhous Theatre, so perfect for concerts etc. The Moody Blues were on while we were there.
There are 10 free parking spaces beneath the building available on a first come basis. Otherwise the parking is expensive in Edinburgh.

As an architectural technician, I know how difficult it can be to retain a listed facade and rebuild from the back, while meeting all safety regulations etc., but Holiday Inn have managed this perfectly.