Glam new Scottish hotel’s divisive look has earned it a rude nickname
The place
W Edinburgh, Scotland
Talking point … the new W Edinburgh has been likened to a British sweet and has also prompted some ruder visual comparisons.
Check-in
Boasting a braw (fine) central location, this hotel is a beacon of the new St James Quarter, a $2 billion retail and leisure district anchored around a glossy mall that has replaced a brutalist shopping arcade and offices. It’s just five minutes on foot from both Waverley, Edinburgh’s main station (which has rail links across Britain), and St Andrew Square for trams to and from the airport.
The look
W Edinburgh’s swirling bronze ribbon design is completely unique.
Rest assured, you’ll have nae bother (no worries) locating W Edinburgh. Looking like nothing else in the city, the hotel’s landmark 12-storey “Ribbon” building has a swirling bronze-hued steel exterior, its curling top already earning it several nicknames, from the “Walnut Whip” (after the popular British confectionary) to other, let’s say, ruder ones. Also comprising a neighbouring restored Georgian block and a stone new-build, W Edinburgh has the uniform slickness and multinational staff you’d expect from a luxe Marriott hotel with some distinctive Scottish touches (and accents). Tartan is a regular feature, notably in the lobby’s deconstructed tapestry. Unicorns, Scotland’s national animal, appear as faux hunting trophies by the elevators, while the spa offers treatments with Hebridean seaweed.
The room
The Extreme WOW suite.
There are 244 rooms and suites, from 23-square-metre retreats with views of Edinburgh Castle to the 149-square-metre “Extreme WOW Suite”, which has a round bed, private sauna and sweeping skyline vistas. That’s in the “Ribbon”, where most options have a balcony or terrace, including my 27-square-metre “Fabulous King”.
Its standout feature is the rocky mini-bar table, carved to evoke the extinct volcanic crags of Edinburgh (and topped with complimentary bottled Gaelic-themed cocktails).
Complimentary Gaelic-themed cocktails in the Fabulous Suite.
Meanwhile, the furry copper cushions on the curvaceous sofa remind me of highland cows. Away from the living/sleeping area, there’s a separate toilet and walk-in shower with citrusy Momo gels. All rooms have buttons to control mood lighting, wardrobes with 100 per cent cotton robes and coffee machines.
Food + drink
Eye-catching … the entrance to SushiSamba.
There’s a handful of choices high up the “Ribbon” that let you savour Edinburgh as you tuck in. On the 10th floor, SushiSamba offers Peruvian-Japanese-Brazilian fusion cuisine for lunch and dinner, and also serves an excellent breakfast (perhaps you’ll fancy a “full Scottish” with haggis or a rabanada – a south American twist on French toast). On the next level up, the W Lounge has all-day dining with an onus on modern Scottish fare, and Joao’s Place is an intimate bar that stays open until 3am (Wed-Sun) with Sao Paulo-inspired cocktails, bossa nova vinyls and a terrace with firepits. You can also imbibe on the rooftop, which has all-weather igloos and incredible 360-degree views, with Edinburgh’s rugged peaks, castle, spires, domes and seaside jockeying for your camera’s attention.
Out + about
A prime location for exploring the UNESCO-listed Old and New Towns.
The sights and festival venues of the UNESCO-listed Old and New Towns are a stroll from the hotel. So is Leith Walk, a cosmopolitan tram-lined strip that slopes almost two kilometres down to Edinburgh’s gentrified port enclave. To appreciate why the “Ribbon” is a controversial addition to the Scottish capital’s skyline, scale nearby Calton Hill, a panoramic vantage point dotted with neoclassical monuments.
The verdict
Cosy Joao’s Place stays open until 3am (Wed-Sun).
Its architecture may not be universally adored locally, but W Edinburgh certainly elevates the city’s high-end accommodation scene. And those rooftop views? Wow.
Essentials
From £269 ($511) a night. 1 St James Square, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH1 3AX. Ph: +44 131 388 8000. See marriott.com
Our rating out of five
★★★★½
Highlight
If you’re a musician, you’ll love the hotel’s instrument-laden recording studio. For everyone else, the rooftop rocks. Do a complete circuit and you’ll be in no doubt this is Britain’s most bonnie (beautiful) city. You might get lucky with a blazing sunset.
Lowlight
A small thing, perhaps, but a little too much keycard tapping. You must tap in the lift to go upstairs, then again for the corridors, and finally to enter your room.
The writer stayed as a guest of Visit Scotland (visitscotland.com).
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