17 Mayfield Gardens, Edinburgh, United Kingdom | (618) 248-8274
Housed in a handsome heritage building
Homey residential location near public transit
Family-run and reasonably priced
Attractive rooms, some with views of Arthur's Seat
All feature LCD TVs and tea/coffee-making supplies
Triple rooms and free cribs appeal to families
Special weekday rates for business travelers
Classy breakfast room with free morning buffet
Pretty furnished back garden
Free first come-first served parking
Free Wi-Fi throughout
In a southern suburb, away from the main sites
Not all guest rooms have en suite bathrooms
Basement rooms lack windows; all lack safes and minibars
No business center, fitness facilities, or elevator
The Allison House Hotel -- a family-run, three-pearl property -- occupies a gracious Georgian townhouse in Newington, south of the city center and within an easy bus ride of Edinburgh's big-tickets attractions. Like the common areas (most notably an elegant breakfast room where a free buffet is served daily), the 11 tastefully appointed rooms here retain some period character. All come outfitted with modern conveniences like flat-screen TVs, tea/coffee-making supplies, and free Wi-Fi, too. Unfortunately, there are also a few deficiencies that can be deal breakers: Certain rooms don’t have en-suite bathrooms while others don’t have windows. If you expect better-equipped accommodations -- or just want to be closer to the action -- it's best to shop around before committing as there are lots of mid-range alternatives in both the Old and New Town.
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Scene
Old-school style at an affordable price
This hotel is housed in a classic Georgian building, and its architectural pedigree is apparent in both the stately facade and the little lobby beyond, where period features (ornamental plasterwork, ornate moldings, and a gracious staircase among them) are accentuated by gilt-edged mirrors and peppy striped wallpaper. The look continues into the adjacent breakfast room: a genteel space with elegantly-draped windows that face the street. Allison House also has a charming back garden outfitted with the requisite lawn furniture, but aside from these there are no real common areas to speak of. Happily, that doesn’t seem to bother the clientele, which is mostly comprised of cost-conscious vacationers (who appreciate the family-run atmosphere) and business travelers (who are eligible for special weekday rates).
Location
Situated near public transit in suburban Newington
Allison House sits on a mainly residential street in the Newington neighborhood, south of the city center. From here, energetic vacationers can take in many sights on foot. For instance, it’s about a 30-minute straight shot to the gorgeous Princess Street Gardens, which essentially separate Edinburgh's New and Old Town (the very fit can hike up to Arthur's Seat in approximately the same amount of time). Travelers who would rather ride, however, can take advantage of the main-route buses that frequently pass by the property. These offer easy access to many top attractions, including the Royal Mile, with Edinburgh Castle on one end and the Palace of Holyroodhouse on the other. Public transit will also take you to both the main train station and the airport, but you can save considerable time on the latter trip by driving instead. If you have your own car, the hotel offers free parking (a big plus) on a first come-first served basis. - 18-minute walk to the University of Edinburgh
Rooms
Attractive rooms that sometimes lack the basics
Certain accommodations are better defined by what they don’t have, and such is the case here: only some of the Allison's rooms come with en suite bathrooms (others have private facilities a few steps away) and the basement options don’t have windows. Popular in-room perks, like safes and minibars, are noticeably absent as well. On the upside, all choices do include tea/coffee-making equipment, flat-screen TVs, and free Wi-Fi. Moreover, they have original architectural elements (an ornamental cornice here, a deep dormer there) that mix with calming colors and up-to-date accents (such as upholstered headboards and shapely side chairs) to create an attractive, traditional-meets-contemporary look. Size-wise, rooms run the gamut from twin-bedded digs to family-friendly triples.
Features
Expect a breakfast room and back garden but little else.
Befitting its small size, this hotel doesn’t boast any big facilities. There is no restaurant, business center or fitness room; in fact, there isn’t even an elevator (which could prove daunting for anyone needing to haul luggage up to the top floor via the curvaceous staircase.) What Allison House does include is a walled garden out back that guests are welcome to linger in and an elegant breakfast room right off the little lobby, where a free hot-and-cold buffet is laid out each morning. Stacks of tourist information and free Wi-Fi (a property-wide perk) are available in the lobby itself. In keeping with the family-run atmosphere, friendly staffers are on hand to recommend services and offer tourist tips, too.
