The W Hotel, Edinburgh: a modern icon in Auld Reekie
Making its debut in 2023 – seven years after plans were announced – The W’s first Auld Reekie outpost comprises three distinct structures: the 12-storey Ribbon Building, the historic James Craig Walk, and the newly constructed Quarter House.
Designed by renowned London-based studio, Jestico + Whiles, it’s a trifecta of modernity and tradition, with top-floor terraces offering panoramic views over the city’s storied spires.
Where?
Just two minutes’ walk from Waverley station, The W is a go-to for weekend getaways. Its prime position puts Princes Streets’ bagpipes and the dizzying heights of Calton Hill within touching distance, while leafy Stockbridge and the buzzy port district of Leith — with its curio boutiques, coffee houses, and Michelin-starred haunts – are an easy taxi ride away.
If rain stops play (and, let’s face it, the odds aren’t always in your favour here), then you needn’t reach for the pac-a-mac just yet. St James Quarter – a glitzy galleria for shopping and dining — sits adjacent to the hotel, with brands such as Aesop and BOSS for browsing, and the sprawling Scottish food market, Bonnie & Wild, to warm your cockles while waiting for the storm to pass.
Style
The Jestico + Whiles interiors take inspiration from the area’s volcanic geography, with asphalt wood panelling vying for attention against bold copper details, and bespoke artwork by local artists Jodie Mann and Craig Black taking centre-stage.
Often, global hotel brands miss the mark when it comes to acknowledging the locality, but the W makes thoughtful nods to Caledonia throughout — even the lift announces floor numbers with a (rather twee) Scottish accent.
Extracurricular
After scaling Arthur’s Seat (or one too many “wee” drams at Holyrood Distillery), hotfoot it to the hotel’s Away Spa for some well-deserved R&R. Journey through the element treatment rooms — Water, Fire, Earth, Air and Elements — before indulging in a Hebridean seaweed wrap using organic Ishga products, or a full-body massage incorporating hot volcanic basalt stones. Bliss.
Food & Drink
With the best of Edinburgh’s dining scene on your doorstep, you’d be forgiven for filling your itinerary — and your boots —at the likes of Timberyard, Heron, and Aizle, but the culinary offering here is one of the hotel’s main draws.
SUSHISAMBA is the undisputed star, marking the group’s first foray on Scottish soil. Here, you can expect its signature whistle-stop menu, voyaging through Japan, Brazil, and Peru, but with a reassuringly Scottish lilt (think: Loch Fyne oysters topped with sweet teriyaki and Highland wagyu fresh from the robata’s fires). Linked by a copper-blossom tree (designed by the creative brains behind the Harry Potter sets, no less), you’ll find W Lounge for all-day dining and unfettered 360-degree views — better still from the W Deck rooftop bar or Joao’s Place terrace, where fire pits and equally ardent nitro palomas make this the city’s best spot for sundowners.
Which room?
The best room (the ‘Extreme WOW’ suite) spans 1,600 square foot, complete with a dining room, rock bar, and wrap-around windows leading to a private terrace overlooking the Castle. A spherical super-king, private sauna, and walk-in wardrobe only sweeten the deal.
Smaller rooms – falling under the categories of ‘Wonderful Double’ and ‘Cool Corner Suites’ — are comfortable and thoughtfully designed, though some sacrifice the view in favour of The Everyman Cinema’s spectral shadow. That said, on clearer days (unlike the dreich day we checked in), you can catch glimpses of the Firth of Forth.
The details
Room rates start at £299; suite rates start at £549. marriott.com
