21212, Edinburgh

Reviewed by Morag & Ross Bootland from Edinburgh

There’s something really special about not going home after work on a Friday night. Maybe it’s because there are no grumpy children to put to bed, tired after a long week of school. Or maybe it’s the anticipation of meeting up with your husband (the person with whom you have chosen to spend the rest of your life, but who you seem to spend precious little time with) in luxurious surroundings.

In this case it was definitely the prospect of dining at Paul Kitching’s Michelin starred restaurant. But first it was time to check in to one of only four rooms at 21212 on Royal Terrace. The decor is contemporary, with little quirks joyously setting it aside from the norm. The bath was a lake and proved impossible to resist. Despite our late dinner reservation and grand plans to head out for a drink, the comforts of our room proved too many to forego, so we sipped wine and looked out over the garden and onto Calton Hill behind.

Dinner didn’t disappoint. The five-courses can be taken with, or without, a matching wine flight but we were in for a penny and a pound and jolly glad of it. The menu changes weekly and the descriptions of the dishes are sparse, leaving much to the imagination. And there was certainly plenty of that in dishes like 3 Little Fishes, Cheesy Chicken and Egg Risotto, Shellfish Ragout and A Pear of Strawberries. All of this interspersed with soup and cheese and served up with matched wines chosen by the informative sommelier. Dinner here is not just about eating food, it’s a feast for the senses, indulging your culinary desires and embarking on a journey that takes a few fabulous hours, and one that is made all the better for only having to saunter up the stairs to bed once replete. Prices from £110 per room per night