You step inside to find Doric columns and five-foot candelabra in the reception hall and that’s just the start of it. This is a quirky, designer B&B in the centre of town, with Leith Walk to the north, Edinburgh Castle to the west and Arthur’s Seat over the hill to the south. Hilary looks after her guests in great style, spills local secrets and offers a glass of wine ‘on the house’ every evening. The sitting room doubles as the breakfast room and comes with a bust in front of the wood burner, a long sofa that encourages idleness, then Chinese wood carvings and beautiful art. Bedrooms are scattered about, all filled with beautiful things. The garden suite is huge, a great base for families; the cute snug is perfect for those who travel light; one sweeps you back to a graceful past with dark walls and flamboyant curtains that fall from on high. All have coffee machines, flat-screen TVs and robes in excellent bathrooms. Breakfast is a treat: strong coffee, freshly squeezed orange juice, porridge, the full cooked works. Excellent restaurants wait on your doorstep. Parking on London Road is £4 a day.
