I spent 18 nights in Apartment 2 during the last half of August 2023 and could not have been happier. I was booked up so solidly during that time -- mostly for the book fair but with some Fringe events as well -- that I sat down in a restaurant only once during my stay. I knew in advance that having a kitchen would be helpful but couldn't have guessed just how helpful. The location of the hotel is incomparable -- I walked everywhere with ease, and the street was quiet no matter how busy Grassmarket or Southbridge were. Just a short walk home to peace. There are Sainsburys every few blocks so you can pick up food easily, and don't miss Nando's for takeaway or dine in. The Edinburgh farmers market is just a couple of blocks from the hotel -- another reason to stay in one of the apartments if you'll be staying more than a few days. The bed was comfortable and the linens were high quality. Housekeeping was completely unobtrusive and thorough. All staff seemed to be as delighted to be there as I was. The bathroom was huge -- mine did not have a tub, but the walk in shower was luxurious and the toiletries smelled like heaven. The bath towels are thick and absorbent, and more like the size of bath sheets. If you will be staying here and are considering a massage during your stay, I strongly recommend the Lush Spa, just a few blocks away and a real value for the money. read more

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Popped to the bar for a drink early on a Friday night. The space is pretty swank, but not snobbish, and we snagged a nice table with armchairs by a giant window overlooking the castle, lovely. The drinks are surprisingly affordable for such a swish place, and there were some intriguing cocktails. The service was fine. I hate to judge a place on its clientele, but I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Near our table, another group was already completely hammered (at ten at night) and shouting, singing, slurring their words, deliberately pouring beer on the floor (!) and the staff only reprimanded them after the girl climbed into the guy's lap and proceeded to eat his face. For all of their fancy appearance, the Rutland Bar doesn't necessarily attract the classiest clientele, and they'll allow them to carry on regardless of the other patrons, as long as they'll keep buying (even though they should have been cut off long ago). read more

After trawling through many MANY reviews of small boutique hotels in Edinburgh, my partner and I decided to book a night at The Rutland. We definitely made the right decision. The Rutland is in an excellent location (just off Princes Street) with views of the castle from most of the rooms yet despite this, and having a bar and night club underneath it, you get a blissful night's slumber as you cannot hear a thing. This potential noise level is always a big concern for me when staying in any city centre hotel. The décor is lovely, very baroque yet modern and the rooms are well equipped with GHD hair straighteners, Jacuzzi bath tubs, ipod docks and surround sound TVs. The staff are very friendly and helpful and were more than happy to try and accommodate even our most bizarre requests, such as.....can we have 8 complimentary bottles of bubble bath instead of one because we'd like lots and lots of bubbles in our Jacuzzi?. When we asked where is the best Italian in Edinburgh, that isn't too expensive, serves good cocktails, is within walking distance and has more than one kind of focaccia, the receptionist didn't even need a second to think before giving us an answer! I told her she should get herself reviewing on Yelp! Have I mentioned the complimentary muffins that await you on arrival? They are sitting on your super king sized bed screaming......"don't go out and explore Edinburgh, run a Jacuzzi bath with 8 bottles of bubble bath and jump in with half the mini bar and DEVOUR ME!!! I had eggs benedict in the bar for breakfast in the morning and it was delicious, could not fault it. At night the bar and nightclub leave much to be desired. There were about 5 people in the nightclub at midnight on a Saturday night (including us) and although the bar was rammed it was a bizarre crowd. Everyone looked mismatched, like a works night out. All that said I don't think The Rutland is getting a fair deal from most of the reviews so far. Unfortunately most of them are for the bar and not the hotel itself which definitely deserves 5 stars. We paid £200 to stay on a Saturday night at a stunning boutique hotel in a central location in Scotland's capital city and I think that's pretty darn good! read more

Rutland Hotel - Complimentry Muffins - Hotels Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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Husband and I were only able to stay one night but what a fantastic boutique hotel. We arrived and were greeted by a friendly clerk and were immediately given keys to our room. Our room was decorated very cool. Bright, vibrant & modern. It reminded me of Alice in Wonderland. There's only 12 rooms here. Bonus, there was a muffin on the bed, which we inhaled. haha! Great location; easy access to everything from shopping, bars and restaurants in the city center to the Edinburgh Castle. Bonus, we had a fantastic meal at Kyloe steak restaurant (located in the hotel) and great drinks at the hotel bar, the Huxley. My only complaint is we were suffering jet lag and were too tired to continue partying past midnight, but the music was so loud that we could hear it from our room until 3am in the morning. However, had we not been tired, we would have been at the bar, joining the fun. read more

I've heard numerous bar people from around the city lay into the Rutland on more than one occasion and I really don't get it, I can only think that they must be jealous that they're not working in this fine establishment. Since it had a make-over a few years ago, The Rutland has been transformed into the epitome of a stylish city centre bar and boutique hotel. The interior feels opulent and elegant, but also accessable (I'm a bit of a scummy student, but I don't feel like I stick out like a sore thumb here). The bar people are skilled and can knock you up a lovely cocktail from their menu or freestyle according to your preferred tastes. I feel like this side of town is a bit of a desert when it comes to finding somewhere nice to drink, The Rutland's bar is a welcome oasis. read more

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This was to be a meeting point for my friend's hen do. We were away for the weekend but some were just coming to Edinburgh on the Saturday night. My friend thought this was the best place to get the other hens coming from Motherwell into Waverley Station. As there was many of us already staying in Edinburgh it took two taxis to get us there from our apartment. I was in the second taxi so when we arrived my friend (the bride-to-be) told us the staff had told them to hide all our hen night assessories and balloons. So under the table everything went. I had never been here before or even heard of it but looking around you guessed this was an uber posh establishment where "trashy hen nights" weren't welcome. I supposed we were lucky to get in and we were a very sophiscatied hen night I'll have you know and after all this was the first pub we'd be in. A waitress took our orders so I knew this was going to be an expensive place too. It is very modern with a dark minimalistic interior with fancy bubble lights. We couldn't get a seat for everyone so we were crowded round a table with some stools. After two drinks we had spent enough and enough time standing about. As nice as the place was I think it was too posh for us lot. read more

I think The Rutland gets a bad name because it was featured in Trainspotting. You know the scene where the guy throws a bottle down into a bar and he starts a huge fight? yeah, that's The Rutland. It's unfair that it's associated with this though, because it's such a damn cool place!! As the Yelpers have said before me, it oozes cool and belongs on George Street. The decor is brilliant and the staff are really friendly. I agree with Amy in that the food isn't the best, but this is the sort of place you go to people watch and sip cocktails I suppose. I wouldn't choose to eat here, but would most definitely choose to drink here. Don't mention Trainspotting though, it's like salt to an open wound... read more

Rutland Hotel - Hotels Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Wonderful, small boutique hotel. Of our entire UK Holiday, this was my Wife's favorite room. She said it was decorated just the way she would have decorated it. I'm not as into the decoration, but the bed sure was comfortable. And the location is top notch as well. Just a short, but steep, walk up to the Edinburgh Castle and all the touristy things of Edinburgh. And the view of Edinburgh Castle at night was nothing less than amazing! Definitely worth the extra cost! The breakfast downstairs was quite good. I had the Full Scottish Breakfast. Even the haggis was tasty! read more

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Not your typical stuffy, boring hotel bar, the Rutland is lovely to visit at any time of the day, with great teas and snacks in the afternoon, and reasonably priced cocktails in the evening. Attracts a chic urban crowd, so don't come in your wellies after about five o'clock! read more

Rutland Hotel - Who knew there was an upstairs? - Hotels Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

I have a few meetings in the bar here a month and must say that they're pretty decent for it. It's never that busy, has some good seating that's fairly comfortable, and has PLENTY of natural light which is ace in my books. I'm a big fan of natural night as it makes a lot of difference when you're sat chatting to someone. The bar itself is a bit eclectic and sometimes a bit annoying as they shake cocktails etc and it's a bit loud but I can't complain too much. The food is good, although I've had a few issues with slow/forgotten delivery. They really need to have the food on the table fairly quickly as most meetings are going to be 1 hour max. Coffee is good (beans) but variable (temperature) and a wee bit on the small side. Staff friendly. Yet to go there in the evening but it might be a nice place to take your mum or something.Can you tell I lost the will towards the end of this review. It's a pretty standard place. Not to much to say. read more

Echoing many of the sentiments already posted, the Rutland was a great find. Really well appointed rooms, KING SIZE beds (which was somewhat difficult to find the UK), great restaurants both in the building and just outside. Excellent location for sightseeing. Oh and the price was such a deal for the level of luxury afforded by the rooms. Corner view room with huge windows that looked out at the castle and down onto Prince st. Could have spent 3x as much across the street at the Waldorf but was probably similarly comfortable here at the Rutland. Stayed in a "castle view room" (#5). Anyway, could not recommend the Rutland hotel more. Also, breakfast at the Huxley was great, healthy options and with a 20% discount from the hotel making it extremely affordable. read more

A great little bar, they'll get you served quick but the smiles are rare but it doesn't matter. The fact that trainspotting was filmed there doesn't put me off. In fact you'll catch me in the bathrooms on a Thursday nights shooting up and picking fights with the blind. read more

Rutland Hotel - Hotels Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

The Rutland is a very central bar with today's standard boutique-ey wallpapered posh look. The drinks are definitely on the expensive side, the cocktail pricing is what you would expect, and lordy have you seen the champagne list?? It's massive. What kind of bar has 15 different types of champagne, ranging from £50 to £450, goodness. I've had mediocre experiences with the staff there, often feeling like they very much wanted our table to move along, despite the fact that we kept ordering new drinks. Overall I personally feel pretty meh about this place, but that's because it's not my style. read more

The Rutland: A plush bar with substance. Sporting a slightly eccentric interior: studded leather, a mishmash of materials and some seating akin to a royal throne, The Rutland certainly looks the part. The bar houses all the usual alcoholic attractions and behind lie some creditable staff. Thus, every time I've had a drink here, it's been a thoroughly satisfying affair. The beer, cocktails are all top notch and possess crisp, clean and mouth watering qualities often completely missing from substandard bars serving exactly the same. You'll find nothing revolutionary here, but you will find quality. read more

Rutland Hotel - Hotels Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

The Rutland Bar is incredibly stylish and oozes cool. It bypasses all the George Street bars in the class factor, and creates a superb ambiance. In my experience, as more of an eater than a drinker the food doesn't live up to the razz mataz of the bar. The menu is very nice written and has the ability to make your mouth water. Then the food comes out and it doesn't live up to your expectations. I so wanted to enjoy my meal but perhaps I had built it up too much. My Caesar Salad was caked in dressing, which is a pet hate of mine and ruins the salad. My Mum had the fish and chips, which she said were enjoyable but were nothing special. The staff were a little stuffy also, which has come to be the norm in these stylish establishments. read more

If I were hiring a place for a swanky party, it would definitely be here. It's beautiful. Not in an-in-your-face, slightly tacky sort of way that a lot of George Street places are, but more of a sort of "we don't need to shout about how good we are because you'll notice straight away" sort of way. I popped in with my boyfriend for a cheeky cocktail on our way to somewhere, and I really wish we could have stayed longer. Although my credit card was quite happy to leave after the first one... it's definitely on the pricey side. That said, the little things go a long way to make up for that. When my boyfriend's beer arrived, the glass had just been taken out of the freezer. Because let's face it, there's nothing worse than that last room-temperature mouthful of beer. I can't remember the name of what I ordered exactly, but it was essentially a Bloody Mary with basil infused through it. I'd never tried one before and my curiosity got the better of me, and it wasn't disappointed (although it did almost feel like more of a starter in a restaurant than a cocktail). For those two drinks we paid just under £11. But perched on the sumptuous velvet stools, people-watching through their panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows whilst listening to the pianist, I really didn't care. Why not five stars then? The loos. They were clean and tidy and all the rest of it, but I have never ever smelt a set of ladies' loos like that in my entire life. And hopefully I never will again. Sort it out Rutland, because if you did you'd be perfect. read more

Went to a Rutland Bar with friends for some drinks one evening. Prices here are a bit high for me but it has great atmosphere and nice staff. A very classy place! If you're thinking of chatting while in a classy place with a street level view of princes street, it's not a bad place to go for some drinks and just chill out. read more

Good and atmospheric place just in the town center. Spacious, nicely decorated and with lot's of seats. Food and beverage in reasonable prices and in generous portions (a very good place for a long lunch if you have a day of). Menu is not the biggest but it offers the most famous meals so there is something for everyone. As for alcohol there is a lot to choose from so no problems there. The only real problem is the service - if you're unlucky you can be served by a waitress that doesn't care about nothing. Lucky for me it only happened once but it was a very nast expirience (we've waited 30mins to be served altough the bar was 1/3 full!!). Nevertheless a nic place especially to eat and drink. read more

It's a shame most of the reviews for the Rutland Hotel seem to be about the bar - was the hotel bar previously called Rutland as well? Regardless, my partner and I stayed here for two nights during a recent trip to Edinburgh and what a fantastic little hotel in the city center! We booked room number 5, which afforded us a castle view. Stunning! The room itself was tastefully and whimsically decorated, and for a very small operation (about 12 rooms total, plus an apartment) the staff does a great job of maintaining the quality of the rooms. The king size bed was one of the best we've slept on in recent memory - our most peaceful nights during our 10-day journey were in this bed. And the room was surprisingly quiet despite the construction happening on the street below. The en suite bathroom was a good size and, although we didn't take advantage of it, included a jetted tub. The location is fairly prime if the more touristy sections of Edinburgh are on your itinerary. We walked from Edinburgh Waverly to the Rutland upon arrival and even with our luggage in tow it was only about a 15 minute walk. The Royal Mile, Edinburgh Castle, the Scott Monument, Rose & George Streets, and Calton Hill are all walkable from the Rutland. The best part of our experience, however, was the staff. Friendly and helpful, everyone we came into contact with was engaged and ready to assist. Kudos to the management team for hiring such great employees. If our travels ever bring us back to Edinburgh, we will definitely stay at the Rutland again. read more

I really like the Rutland Hotel, it has a great bar, the decor is vintage and comfortable to be in. The huge windows right the way around it make it a place you can spend two, three or four hours and think you've been there no time at all! The only thing that for me lets the place down is the menu. It's not even that the food is bad, but it is limited. The menu is small so that after having been there just a few times I found myself thinking well I guess I'll have to have that again! If they gave their menu a revamp this place would be perfect! read more

The Rutland is always busy at the weekends and most of the week, the drink is edinburgh prices but there's ample seating and a good mix of clientele. ideal pub to visit if it's your first time in Edinburgh. if you're looking for somewhere to hold a function the upstairs bar is available for private functions and they can arrange for buffet to be provided by the kitchen (highly recommend doing this) read more

After having been to the Rutland on two occasions for breakfast, we are unimpressed with the service and food we received. On both occasions the food was very slow to arrive - and when we arrived today we were told we would have to finished the with the table by 11.30. Our eggs benedict, crossiant and toast took 30 minutes to arrive after ordering, and the food and plates were cold. No waiting staff asked if the food was okay. Our experience was tainted by first being asked to rush our breakfasts and then the slow service. The slow service would be understandable had the place been busy, but there were about 4 other tables busy in the restaurant. read more

Been a couple of times since it was refurbished and really like the place - nice decor, good food and the restaurant is lovely. Was there at the weekend and was so surprised that it was more than half empty in the restaurant - real shame as it is really good, brilliant views and lovely ambiance. Once the word gets out hopefully it will pick up trade as it deserves to be much much busier. Would recommend. read more