Delight down under

Old and new collided in stunning style as Michael Alexander and his wife spent a weekend on Edinburgh’s Princes Street

There’s another fair city on the far side of the world and this Perth has plenty to recommend it.

Edinburgh – the city of Trainspotting, trams tourism and Rebus.

I’m no stranger to the Athens of the North. Whether it’s day trips to museums and shops, away days to watch a football club that never seems to win, or, in more distant times, crashing on a friend’s floor for student parties, I’ve been a regular visitor all my life.

Fast forward to the present day, however, and it’s only as I’m making the short journey by train from Fife to the capital that it dawns on me I’ve never stayed in the city as a tourist.

Expectations were high then by the time my wife and I – making the most of a weekend free of the children – made our way up Waverley Steps against the flow of homeward-bound Friday evening commuters and into the eternal bustle of Princes Street.

From the outside, Hotel Indigo Edinburgh – Princes Street (to give it its full title) has an air of faded grandeur about it and its sandstone exterior and bay windows contrast with the modern health food shop on the ground floor below.

Step inside the new 64-bedroom hotel, however, and it’s clear things have moved on from the days of its more traditional predecessor, the Royal British.

The venue has been rebranded following a multimillion-pound refurbishment and features a mix of modern and vibrant design, effortlessly blending its Victorian heritage – the grand staircase leading up to reception on the first floor is lined with paintings of Burke and Hare and Bonnie Prince Charlie – with contemporary style.

Our room on the second floor did not have the Princes Street view we’d secretly been hoping for – instead backing on to a scaffolding-clad back alley leading towards a local night spot.

However, the interior itself was impressive with a mix of design styles reflecting the rich local culture, with a nod to the city’s literary history.

A luxurious king-sized bed and walnut

Street. The day was rounded off with a trip to the cinema to see Trainspotting 2 – an experience made all the more realistic by a real-life drug addict who had infiltrated the audience and was eventually thrown out by police during the movie after causing one disturbance too many. He chose not to watch the film. He chose something else.

From there it was back to the hotel for a second night of bed and board.

Hotel design director Robert Matthews explained that with such a rich history and creative contemporary culture to draw on in Edinburgh, interior designers Matthews Mee were spoilt for inspiration when the venue was being revamped.

“We spent over a week in Edinburgh researching, photographing and interviewing locals,” he says.

“Our inspiration came from total immersion and a real understanding of the neighbourhood. Then we applied our experience to make it work practically.

“I hope the hotel’s design makes visitors feel a connection with the city and the local neighbourhood.”

Hotel Indigo Edinburgh – Princes Street, can be found at 20 Princes Street, Edinburgh, EH2 2AN, 0131 556 4901 www.hiedinburghcity.com. Rates from £115 B&B www.hotelindigo.com/Edinburgh

Clockwise from left: looking out on to Edinburgh from the restaurant Twenty at Hotel Indigo; one of the hotel’s bedrooms; more shots inside Twenty and the hotel’s entrance in the heart of Edinburgh.