Brand new luxury Edinburgh hotel offers fabulous castle views and free drink perk

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WHAT’S the best cure for the winter blues? Well, as far as I’m concerned, it’s enjoying a weekend away!

Having spent the month of January fighting against the weather, no booze and healthy eating, my wife, Nikki, and I headed to Edinburgh for a much-needed break.

Our visit coincided with Scotland taking on Ireland in the Six Nations and the city was jumping.

In the midst of all the action we discovered the utterly fabulous The Resident hotel, in elegant Drumsheugh Gardens.

The location was ideal, just a five-minute stroll from Princes Street, meaning we could enjoy everything the city had to offer and never feel too far from our cosy base.

The Resident was everything we could possibly have wanted — and then some.

The friendly team were attentive and paid exceptional attention to detail which made all the difference. We even received a handwritten card welcoming us to The Resident — a thoughtful gesture and one that instantly made us feel welcome.

Our room was spacious, comfortable and seemingly kitted out with everything we could possibly need.

The kitchen area included a fridge and microwave, glasses, silverware, and a Nespresso coffee machine.

The coffee machine, in particular, was a lifesaver as I waited for Nikki to get ready in the mornings, while she excitedly explained how rare it was for a hotel to have a GHD hairdryer in the room. I’ll take her word for it.

As our trip marked the end of a self-imposed dry January, we wanted to ensure our first pint was perfect, and so, naturally, we went to our favourite pub in the city, the charming Café Royal.

I had thought that I may have built up that first pint in my head too much, but it was as enjoyable as I had hoped, so much so that a second one was needed!

After a beer, there is not much better than a curry, and so off to Dishoom we went.

With the atmosphere always bustling, it is a favourite for us to visit, and of course, the food never disappoints!

Back at The Resident we fell into a deeply peaceful slumber and enjoyed a rare and very leisurely long lie next morning.
Macabre experience

Being frequent visitors to the capital we had done many of the tourist spots, so opted for a different, more macabre experience on this occasion when we ventured to the fascinating Surgeons’ Hall Museum.

We’d booked the Blood and Guts walking tour of the Old Town. The mix of history, storytelling and crime was a fascinating insight into Edinburgh’s role in the history of surgery and medicine.

Heading to the hotel to freshen up, Nikki was delighted to find that her outfit for the night, which had been left on the edge of the bed, had been carefully laid out to avoid creases by one of the thoughtful housekeepers.

That’s a fitting example of next-level service you get at The Resident.

As she got ready for dinner that night, I ventured to the lobby, where I was told by the team the hotel offers their patrons a complimentary drink between five and six pm, with a chance to mingle and learn more about the area’s rich cultural history or just enjoy a drink by yourself.

Now that dry January had become wet February, how could I refuse?

Finally, to round off our weekend, we treated ourselves to dinner at the nearby Gleneagles Townhouse, where we were taken aback by the sheer size and opulence of the restaurant.

Over the beautifully crafted food, we deliberated our favourite parts of the trip.

And we both agreed, that after two busy days of exploring, eating, and soaking up the Six Nations atmosphere, returning to The Resident each evening was a real highlight.

The hotel was a peaceful retreat for a weekend needed to shake those January Blues, and we have no doubt we will return to long before they have time to set in again.