Our Zoo'd Awakening

Reviewed by Le Grand Chocolatier On June 20, 2009

The Holiday Inn at Edinburgh Zoo was in all fairness a nice surprise and really outlives its starchy 60's exterior.

The hotel is a lot larger than expected although navigating your way from the nearby bus stop through to reception resulted in us walking through various random fire exits before finally landing at the welcome desk.

Check in was smooth and we were even presented with a complimentary bottle of wine (only just enough for a glass each between two people, but it was free! One criticism would be to get rid of the plastic bags in which they give the wine to you as this makes it feel cheap!)
The room itself was probably large enough to fit another double bed in and have enough space for a sofa too and had more than ample space for 2 people to survive in for the weekend. So far a great start!

We ate in the restaurant that night (there is a variety of food available to eat from various small 'eateries' in an area that reminded me of a shopping centre food hall; we opted for Traders which serves a selection of classic dishes.) The welcome was nice and as soon as seated we were offered drinks and the water was opened and poured.
The food and service were excellent and the view over the Pentland Hills was amazing at sunset. It was when receiving the bill we realised that the actual water that had been given to us was chargeable - at nearly ?4 per litre! Something they neglect to tell you when you sit down, after they automatically open and pour the water for you without asking. That said the charge was removed by reception the following day after we realised.

The following morning was an amazing experience - we left the window open and all the sounds from the Zoo at 7am made waking up a really great experience. Breakfast was the usual standard of breakfast expected from a large hotel chain, good selection of continental available and some good hot breakfast options available too, although the cost of buying breakfast if its not included in your package seemed very hefty (approximately ?15 per person) - we went to a greasy spoon in the city centre and skipped the hotel breakfast so not much comment can be passed on this. On our way out we told reception about a broken light in our bathroom, returning a few hours later we found the light replaced and the room made up, surpassing our expectations.

Local transport links are great with buses every 10 minutes or so from right outside the front of the hotel right into the heart of the city centre.

That evening we used the leisure facilities available and found them to be well maintained and easy to use. The pool is well watched from the health centre reception via floor to ceiling panoramic windows into the pool, great for parents who don't want to swim but whose children keep demanding to do so. Peak times can be busy so ensure you try and avoid the periods in early evening and weekend afternoons.

Checkout was straightforward and hassle free although the room bill information on our screen was not available after around 7.30am, we found this to be as reception had logged us as checked out before we had left as it was 'easier for them to do it that way'. This opens up all sorts of legislative nightmares and problems, not least person counts if the hotel is evacuated. However this aside the stay was enjoyable overall. The room was comfortable, staff friendly and welcoming and the hotel was well positioned to be a quiet retreat, but close enough to be a stones throw from the hectic city life.

Overall the Holiday Inn Edinburgh Zoo was an enjoyable experience and is somewhere that would come fairly highly recommended by this reviewers standards as not only a great romantic break hotel but also great for families and business visitors alike, something that is not often found in this modern travellers world