Dark elegance & luxurious intimacy

We had never visited Scotland before, but we had heard so many great things about the people, the culture and the beauty of the country. We were especially curious about Edinburgh, or Athens of the North, as it's called. We decided to pay a visit, and wanted to stay somewhere with that Scottish cosy vibe. After having looked through the options we found our clear winner - Nira Caledonia.

Nira Caledonia is a romantic boutique hotel in one of the most sought-after locations in Edinburg - Gloucester Place. This 24-room boutique hotel spans across two Georgian townhouses that have recently been refurbished, which really makes the hotel stand out compared to many of the older hotels in Edinburgh. Its style is dark, elegant and utterly sophisticated, and the atmosphere luxuriously intimate. Traits that will make any guest feel like royalty. 

We arrived late at night, drove down the peaceful cobblestone terrace and stepped out of the cab to look at what was going to be our home away from home for the weekend. The Georgian windows were lit up and the beautiful Georgian lamps by the main entrance made the whole place look like something from a bygone era.

We checked into our fantastic room, the Gloucester Suite, which was incredibly spacious and had the most amazing floor to ceiling windows overlooking the cobblestone terrace in front of the hotel. The decor blended in perfectly with the architecture of the building - sophisticated and decadent. This suite is the epitome of Georgian splendor and the large chandelier hanging from the high ceiling makes you feel like you’re actually living in the Georgian era.

We were starving when we arrived, and therefore were absolutely delighted with joy when room service suddenly delivered a tray of delicious cheeses, fruit compote and crackers to our room, along with a beautiful letter to welcome us. Who doesn't love such gestures of hospitality. That, the fresh flowers and the relaxing atmosphere that is Nira Caledonia, made us feel refreshed and reenergized again.

The bathroom was spacious and had a fantastic bathtub. As you know all of the small things can really make a hotel standout. Also, you’ll find a Nespresso machine in all rooms so that you can always make yourself a tasty coffee (three different variants), various teas and Scottish shortbread. There’s also a huge flat screen TV, free wifi and an iPod docking station (if you should want to play some tunes).

We kicked off our Friday with a filling breakfast and then hit the town. A fine buffet with plenty of choice. In the evening, after a day full of walking, we decided to try out the hotel’s restaurant - Blackwood’s Bar & Grill. We were told that all of the produce used at the restaurant are from the best Scottish producers and that all dishes were revamped regional favorites. You can get poultry, fish or beef here, but the beef is the real pride and joy of Blackwood’s.

We tried their boar ravioli as a starter and their dry-aged angus beef for mains. We both had a fillet with sides of hand-cut chips, a green leaf salad and cauliflower smothered in Scottish cheddar. The restaurant was dimly lit which made for a really intimate atmosphere. We had a marvelous and romantic time, sitting by the window of the restaurant overlooking the terrace of Gloucester Place. 

During our stay, we were lucky to see some of the other rooms in addition to ours. To our delight, every room is uniquely decorated. What they have in common is their warm, elegant charm. Falling asleep at Nira Caledonia felt like being rocked to sleep by a big, soft bear. Heavenly! To give you an idea of the other rooms, below are some images we took. 

ATTIC SUITE

DOUBLE ROOM

JACUZZI SUITE

SINGLE ROOM

Nira Caledonia is situated in a really peaceful neighborhood surrounded by beautiful houses and a couple of picturesque parks. It’s only a 2 minute walk to get to the main street in Stockbridge, a lovely area full of restaurants and cafés, and only a 5 minute walk to George Street, which is full of Shopping. The staff at the hotel was always ready to cater to our needs and were great at recommending things to do in the city, which made the stay really very pleasant.

We want to thank Nira Caledonia for an amazing stay. If you're interested in the Nira experience, check them out book your stay on their website.