On our way to the Shetland Islands for Up Helly Aa, my parents met me in Edinburgh, Scotland for Burns Night. This national night celebrates Scottish poet Robert Burns, most well known for Auld Lang Syne. With only one night, we stayed at the luxurious Prestonfield House in Edinburgh and attended their gala Burns Supper. If you have already been to Edinburgh and seen the sights, this is a great hotel to relax at. However, for travellers keen to get out and explore town, it’s a bit removed.
Prestonfield House
Prestonfield House is not a Virtuoso property, but it is a five star boutique hotel. It is located at the base of Arthur’s Seat, behind Holyrood Park, about fifteen minutes drive from the Royal Mile. I arrived in Edinburgh a day before my parents, but stayed elsewhere. Upon their arrival, their driver took them straight to Prestonfield, where I had arranged early check in, and I met them there after my meeting at The Balmoral.
My parents have stayed at Prestonfield House three times now. They inform me its very different than it was their first two times. This is mainly because it is now owned by James Thomson, Scottish hotelier who also owns The Witchery by the Castle and the Tower Restaurant in the National Museum. He’s often described as “indulgent,” and he’s both well-known and well-liked in Edinburgh.
The current house was built in 1687 following a fire. According to the concierge who chatted with me, the first building on this site was a monastery known as Priestfield. It changed hands multiple times, and was burned to the ground by Protestant students in the 1670s. The Catholic family commissioned architect Sir William Bruce to rebuild it. They also changed the name to Prestonfield House, but the road remains Priestfield. It became a hotel in the 1960s, and Thomson bought it in 2003.
Arriving at Prestonfield House
Approach to Prestonfield House is like arriving at your friend’s country estate. While the drive is through a typical Scottish residential area, once you turn in the gates the lawns open up and the house stands before you. It’s perfect. The entry is adorned with cosy looking chairs, old, worn flagstones, and a pair of white French doors that lead into the house. Peacocks roam freely, as does a rather adorable black cat. She has the run of the place, according to the concierge, and is quite cuddly. There is a concierge desk just inside the entry, and a restaurant desk beyond it. Check in takes place at the rear of the house in a dark red room filled with antiques.
I left my bags at the reception desk and went in search of my parents. This proved to be a bit of a scavenger hunt, as one concierge showed me into the whisky room where they were having tea while the other was taking them to their room! Reunited at last, we returned to the main floor to enjoy lunch.
Dining at Prestonfield House
My friends, this is where Prestonfield House excels. Lunch, or tea, or whisky, or coffee, or perhaps even dinner, can be enjoyed in any number of rooms. As this is a former country estate, there are nooks and crannies galore to while away an afternoon in. The Rhubarb Restaurant is on the main level, and yes, you can eat here too. We chose to go upstairs into a small room with a peat burning fireplace. The bar menu is available here, which honestly is more than enough food. We ordered some wine (they have a Martinborough pinot noir on the list!) and a few soups and appetisers.
Throughout our meal, people were coming in to check on the fire. The afternoon sun was coming through the large windows, and it was all very cosy and warm. My parents told me that when they were first here, the guest rooms were above us, rather than closed off as the upstairs appeared to be this visit.
Rhubarb is also open for dinner, and as we left to walk to the stables for the Burns Supper there were plenty of people enjoying a pre-dinner tipple in the various nooks and crannies.
With some time to work after a brisk walk through Holyrood Park (and back to Prestonfield House via the secret garden), I found myself in the yellow room, ensconced in a rich brocaded chair with flickering candles and my computer screen the only source of light. The woman that escorted me in took my coffee order; it was delivered minutes later along with a healthy dose of tablet. Tablet, for those that don’t know, is basically all sugar and its very nice dipped into tea or coffee.
Rooms at Prestonfield House
There are 18 rooms and 5 suites at Prestonfield House, 18 more than there were on my parents first visit. The part of the house in which our rooms were this time didn’t even exist then. Some rooms have double beds, others have king beds, but all are decorated in rich textiles, dark woods, and dark red and gold colours. Mine had at least six chairs, some larger than others, heavy curtains across both the windows and the entrance, and a dark red velvet bedspread over crisp white sheets. It was sumptuous and inviting.
A table underneath the window had a large bucket with a complimentary bottle of Prestonfield champagne, a bottle of sparkling water, and a bottle of still water. I opened one, and later in the evening found that staff had given me a new unopened bottle. Evening turn down included four more smaller bottles of water as well!
In the early afternoon, the empty jar on the table was filled with chocolate chip cookies, and what I had originally mistaken as an ashtray mysteriously filled with truffles. I never saw a soul.
Staying at Prestonfield House is like staying in a house whose occupants have accumulated exotic and interesting things – art, books, photographs, sculptures – over time. There were piles of books artfully displayed around the house, as well as all sorts of other objets d’art. The result is warm, welcoming, and cosy.
The bathroom is lined with a red-gold mosaic tile. A large, deep, clawfoot tub takes up an entire half of the bathroom; it has a powerful rain shower head.
Events at Prestonfield House
The roundhouse, just to the left of the main house, plays host to a variety of events. We attended their gala Burns Supper, but Prestonfield House is also the host of Taste of Scotland. The venue is also a popular spot for weddings, and with only 23 rooms is perfect for an intimate destination wedding!
While the property has clearly changed over time, it’s one of the most recognisable Edinburgh hotels. For pure, five star luxury in a country home setting, Prestonfield House is definitely where to go.
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