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Situated in the heart of Edinburgh's old town, adjacent to the Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh Marriott Hotel is one of the city's leading hotels. Whatever your reason for staying, visiting on business or visiting the fascinating city of Edinburgh, you'll find our bedrooms are some of the most comfortable in town, our Spa & Leisure facility is ideal to unwind in and our Restaurant and Bar is stylish and sophisticated. A meal, afternoon tea or champagne at the bar is certainly not to be missed.
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Set in the vibrant heart of the city, the Edinburgh Marriott Hotel Holyrood is lauded for its stellar location, mere steps from iconic attractions like the Royal Mile. Guests frequently commend the hotel's cleanliness, noting particularly the pristine condition of the rooms and the comfort of the beds. The array of amenities, including the exclusive M Club lounge and recreational facilities, receives positive marks, though some visitors have had less-than-stellar experiences with the spa and breakfast service.
While the value for money can be a point of contention, with some deeming certain services costly, the overall atmosphere of the hotel is celebrated for its modern and inviting vibe. Service at the Edinburgh Marriott Hotel Holyrood is generally met with approval, as staff members are acknowledged for their warmth and professionalism, even though there have been sporadic instances of disorganization.
Location
Convenient
Atmosphere
Inviting
Rooms
Comfortable
Value
Reasonable
Cleanliness
Immaculate
Service
Friendly
Amenities
Comprehensive
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We've stayed here several times now. The first was when we were going to the Royal Garden Party so chose this hotel for it's location near Holyrood. We had such a great stay that we've chosen to stay in the following months when in Edinburgh on business. In the summer the M Club wasn't ready so they gave us free drinks in the bar to make up for it which was much appreciated. We have tried the club room a few times since and have had mixed experiences. It is a very relaxing room and is big enough that we have always found space to sit for an hour or so. Sometimes there is a hotel employee there to serve, sometimes you can help yourself which we're happy with. What changes is the food supplied. It is just small bites (not enough for dinner) which are mostly delicious, but once there was only one choice which wasn't great. We've always chosen to have breakfast in the main dining room. Again this is mostly good with the usual buffet breakfast choices, only once it wasn't great but there was a large bus party in that day so that might have been why. The rooms however have always been fantastic. As Marriott members we have always been upgraded to a corner suite which is a good sized room with a sofa, fridge, and separate work area. I have enjoyed working at the table, looking out to Dynamic Earth and Arthur's Seat. We also really appreciate the little gifts that the hotel leaves for us, my favourite being the Scottish tablet! They have also given us free tickets for the bus tour of the city. I always enjoy staying at this hotel, it does feel special. We have tried lots of other hotels in the city and may stay at others due to price or location, but this is definitely my favourite now.
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Date of stay: September 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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Response from Reservations Team, Other at Edinburgh Marriott Hotel Holyrood
Responded 9 Jan 2025
Dear Valued Guest, Thank you for choosing to stay at the Edinburgh Marriott Hotel Holyrood and for taking time to provide us with such a glowing review of your recent stay! We are delighted that you enjoyed our newly renovated rooms and hotel, and were able to make wonderful memories of your trip to Edinburgh. We sincerely hope to welcome you back again soon! Kind regards, Reservations Team, Edinburgh Marriott Hotel Holyrood
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We stayed here as a couple for a Birthday treat. We chose here as it's out of the hustle and bustle of the City but all is within walking distance. On entry we were greeted by 2 very well mannered, friendly gentlemen who were very helpful and got us our room keys and explained a few things. On the way to our room, we were pleased with the lovely decor, carpeting and smells that were all around. So bright and fresh. Our room was exactly the same, clean fresh and tidy. Plenty of space, a large king sized comfy bed and a sofa for reading. Huge TV on the wall too that had a good selection of channels. We had booked the M club lounge with our room and headed along for a nosey. It was very quiet and peaceful, a good selection of drinks and snacks. Coffee, tea, soft drinks, and alcoholic beverages. We also had a selection of snacks brought to the lounge at 6pm which were of acquired taste but plentiful. We headed out for a day's walking and came back to the lounge afterwards. Again very cosy, homely and peaceful. One of the reasons we chose the Marriot was the leisure facilities. A good sized gym and a lovely pool which had the lights dimmed when we arrived around 7pm. We collected a towel and locker key from the pool reception. The gentlemen were very friendly and helpful. We really enjoyed our swims and a sauna in between. The changing areas were immaculate and towels were nice and soft. We had a lovely sleep in the bed, nice and comfy, quiet and the room temperature was nice. Can easily change to suit. The shower was also very good. Breakfast had a vast choice of bakeries, vegetarian, salads, hams, cheese, grains, muesli and a good selection of hot food, bacon, haggis, sausage, beans etc. Tea, coffee, fruit juice and iced water were all on offer too. The staff were all pleasant and friendly. I would recommend this hotel to anyone who loves the hustle and bustle of Edinburgh, but also likes to leave it where it is and retreat for some peace and relaxation. Thoroughly enjoyed.
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Date of stay: January 2025Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Parking at Dynamic Earth. Just across the road. You get a discount when you show them your...
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Response from Reservations Team, Other at Edinburgh Marriott Hotel Holyrood
Responded 20 Jan 2025
Dear Sarah, Thank you for taking the time to provide us with such a thorough and glowing review of your recent stay with us! We are absolutely delighted you were welcomed so wonderfully to our beautiful, newly renovated hotel. We would like to extend our gratitude for your notes on our facilities, food and beverage services, staff and convenient location - we are very fortunate to be situated in such a rich, historical area of Edinburgh. We are overjoyed you were able to make wonderful memories while visiting Edinburgh and sincerely hope you will choose us again for your next visit! Warmest regards, Reservations Team, Edinburgh Marriott Hotel Holyrood
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Where do I start? What a wonderful hotel! Just checked out after my second two night stay with my daughter and it was even better than the first time. The staff are absolutely fantastic, every single one of them, so friendly and helpful and literally cannot do enough for you from the concierge, to reception, to the restaurant team, to the housekeeping, lovely people, all of them and a real credit to the hotel. The bedroom was nicely heated, generous size (room 1), beds very comfy, room quiet, toiletries were Elemis, big fluffy bath towels and water and tea/coffee/biscuits in the room. I used the gym here and that was clean, modern and have a good range of fitness equipment, I’ve yet to try the spa facilities but will next time. Located about ten mins walk from Waverley train station so nice and quiet but nearby if you want the busy stuff. Hotel is currently undergoing renovations and becoming part of the Marriott chain so I’m looking forward to seeing how that looks. Would 100% recommend a stay here but probably not if you’re not fully mobile or have a struggle with hills as it’s downhill there but uphill obviously the other way!
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Date of stay: December 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
My cousin had arrived on a surprise visit from Canada, I had not seen her for 18 years. So we wanted to cram as much as we could into our stay and chose a central hotel from a well know chain Macdonald Hotels, just off the bottom of Royal Mile, easy access to centre of town and historical sites. I am Scottish and live only a few miles away and really was hoping to give my relative a memorable stay in the town. I am sorely disappointed and disgusted at the state of the hotel. It was more of a 2 star in respect of decor our room was shabby and marked walls, with blankets that I think had last seen a wash at the last supper. Very poor standards in the room none of the soap dispensers (3) in the bathroom had anything in them - hotel -remove them if you don't want to fill them, We asked for an extra pillow which never arrived. As it was my daughters birthday my cousin had also arranged strawberries and champagne for the room this was not there and never arrived after complaining. We had forgotten the no to the safe and asked the concierge to assist us on arrival to the room, he never uttered one word, couldn't open the safe just walked away bringing a maintenance man back. We expected at least a courteous hello or bye. I stood at the reception desk for 5 minutes before. member of staff appeared so I could ask a question about a local restaurant she had no clue either did the concierge nor did he offer to call and ask the question to them. No offer of help with our luggage although luggage trollies were lying in the hallway. For the money that was paid for this city centre hotel I would not recommend, for a visitor to my city I was embarrassed with so many other beautiful hotels nearby for a few pounds more this hotel needs to up its game and redecorate and have its staff on a training course of how to treat the guests. Only good thing was leaving. added note we then went onto Glasgow to stay in the Voco Grand Central Hotel which was only £20 more was night and day abject luxury and very helpful staff.
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Date of stay: July 2022
Value
Rooms
Service
Room Tip:Choose another Hotel
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Fiona Milligan, General Manager at Edinburgh Marriott Hotel Holyrood
Responded 4 Aug 2022
Dear maryyarm, Thank you for your review. This is disappointing to receive and im sorry that your stay was not as you had expected. Service from each team member is always positive from our guests as you can see from previous reviews so it is unexpected to receive your comments however i will address them with each department to review moving forward. Best wishes, Fiona
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So as any hotel stay is half bed and half breakfast I could not score this stay any higher than an average as I only enjoyed a part of it.
On the positive side, the room is of a good size and the bed is comfortable. There is tea/instant coffee and kettle available. The room is on the warm side, and as the window is tied to prevent you opening too much, it closes during the night, however you can get a reasonable night sleep. My only suggestion for the housekeeping staff is to ensure the shower gel is topped up - since the bottle is tacked to the wall.
The breakfast on the other hand is awful. The quality of the cooked breakfast ingredients is very low. The coffee was disgusting. The yoghurts all fruit (high in sugar) no natural yoghurt on offer.
So my recommendation would be to book the room without breakfast if you can, and head out for breakfast. I was certainly on the hunt for decent coffee straight after breakfast.
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Date of stay: September 2022Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Fiona Milligan, General Manager at Edinburgh Marriott Hotel Holyrood
Responded 5 Oct 2022
Dear TravellingTigerlily, Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts on your recent stay with us. Im pleased to read that some aspects of your stay were as you had expected and we will take your feedback on board for the areas we need to improve upon. Kind regards, Fiona
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We were really excited about our upcoming stay in the MacDonald hotel but unfortunately it’s just not possible for us to write a positive review!
On arrival, everything seemed fine. We arrived too early to check in but left our bags and went off to explore the city. When we returned, we checked in, went to our room and continued exploring. We were woken up at 8am by a very loud banging and drilling noise, which continued for 20 minutes, so decided to call reception to ask them to find out why there was maintenance happening so early! The noise didn’t stop and then 10 minutes later, at 8:30am we had the housekeeping team knocking on the door asking if we wanted housekeeping!! Surely 8:30am is a completely unreasonable time to have your room cleaned!
The duty manager was absolutely lovely and immediately came to our room and informed us that he would be moving us to the top floor away from any noise! The next room was nice, but I would not say it was a 4* room; the bathroom door had lots of scratches and chips and the shower area had chipped tiles! We were also informed that the new room would have a balcony - this balcony was about 1m X 1m and was just not fit for purpose! There were also only 3 plug sockets in the room that we could use!!
Breakfast was very poor and absolutely not worth the £18 each that we paid; anaemic and poor quality sausages, overlooked and grainy haggis, watery scrambled egg and very dry scotch potato cake! After breakfast we enquired if there were any buses that could take us to the castle and were told no, that we could walk. So we did just that - only to find out on the last day that there is a hop on and off sight seeing bus that stops 1 minute away from the hotel and would have been perfect for us!
We decided to try out the ‘spa’ and swimming pool; i would be hard pressed to call this a thermal spa! The steam room was out of action, which no one informed us of and the pool area itself was very shabby and in need of a good refurb. The spa consisted of a sauna and treatment rooms!
We decided to go elsewhere for breakfast on our last day and had an incredible full Scottish breakfast in a local cafe! I would definitely not pay £180 a night for this hotel again and unfortunately would not recommend it to anyone.
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Date of stay: October 2022Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Myself and my partner came for a weekend away as an early birthday treat, we have loved every part of it.
From the minute we arrived staff were very attentive and helpful. The concierge came outside to show us where we could park and helped me in with the bags whilst my partner went and parked across the road. It was a very nice welcome.
Our room was absolutely amazing! The bed is probably one of the best beds we’ve ever slept on. Being 7 months pregnant I’ve been struggling to get comfy and haven’t felt this rested in a long time, I will be looking up this mattress when I get home! Everything was spotless when we arrived and then when we came back after a day out. The individual thermostat in room is a great touch.
Breakfast is very good with a good selection of hot and cold food. The hotel is in a great location, about a ten minute stroll from the main attraction's, but just far enough from them to make for a peaceful nights sleep.
Overall very happy with our stay and will definitely be staying again the next time we come to visit this beautiful city.
Thank you 🙏🏼
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Date of stay: January 2024
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Damir Muslic, Other at Edinburgh Marriott Hotel Holyrood
Responded 26 Feb 2024
Dear Georgiana, Thank you so much for your lovely feedback! We're thrilled to hear that you and your partner enjoyed every aspect of your weekend away with us. It's heartening to know that our staff's attentiveness, the welcoming gesture from the concierge, the amazing room, and the comfortable bed made your stay special. We look forward to welcoming you back. Warm regards, Damir
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Could not really fault this overnight stay The hotel is clean/tidy The valet parking for £25 was worth it they take your car at the door and drop it back off at check out The room was clean with a comfy bed and a powerful shower A mini fridge water and toiletries are provided Used the pool/sauna good facilities Breakfast was tasty the staff were pleasant Location was ok 10 minute walk from Edinburgh Waverley and the shops etc Only two things were they provided tea/coffee facilities but there was nowhere to plug in the kettle in the room. Also the breakfast was a bit disorganised and I think they don’t utilise the space correctly Overall a lovely place to take in the sights of Edinburgh would 100% stay again
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Date of stay: December 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Use the valet parking £25
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Reservations Team, Other at Edinburgh Marriott Hotel Holyrood
Responded 9 Jan 2025
Dear Valued Guest, Thank you for choosing to stay at the Edinburgh Marriott Hotel Holyrood and for taking time to provide us with such a glowing review of your recent stay! We are delighted that you enjoyed our newly renovated rooms and hotel, and were able to make wonderful memories of your trip to Edinburgh. We sincerely hope to welcome you back again soon! Kind regards, Reservations Team, Edinburgh Marriott Hotel Holyrood
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The reception staff are very friendly and efficient, we had booked car parking at the hotel in advance and as soon as we arrived the gentleman in charge of parking the cars David ,unpacked our car, took the cases into the hotel and labelled them. David is very friendly and a credit to the hotel so friendly and informative. When we got to our room the baggage had been taken up. The room number 203 was large spacious and clean. The bed was very comfy . The bathroom was large, a few issues in there, the toilet flush handle didn't really work properly, the sink taps were a little difficult to use, the shower head was dirty . The breakfast area in the hotel was very nice and the staff very friendly. The breakfast itself was ok, but not as good as I expected, I am vegetarian and would have had to ask for vegetarian sausages to be cooked, a lot of hotels have these ready to eat, also no tomatoes available and some of the food was only tepid. The location is very good next to holyrood palace and close to the Royal mile. I am only mentioning the areas I feel need improvement because we did pay £611 for our room for 2 nights with parking and for that price expected perfection. We go to Edinburgh twice a year our first stay in this hotel, it is ok but most likely won't stay here again because of the points we mentioned above.
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Date of stay: August 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Fiona Milligan, General Manager at Edinburgh Marriott Hotel Holyrood
Responded 30 Aug 2022
Dear Johnboy1965, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback on your recent stay with us. Delighted to hear that our location and team were a highlight for your trip during the Fringe Festival. Im sorry that some maintenance areas in the room and breakfast were not as you had expected. I have shared these comments with each department to ensure they are actioned and rectified. The hotel is about to undergo a full refurbishment in the coming months so i do hope we can welcome you back at a date in the future to enjoy your time in Edinburgh again. Best wishes, Fiona
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If you are planning to book a spa day here, please do not waste your money.
Very very poor service from start to finish.
I am getting married soon and my sister planned a spa day as pat of my hen.
The facilities were very poor, just a simple outdated pool and a steam room. We booked a massage at the spa for 1:30 pm and the staff was late. When I entered the room, the towels I was supposed to lie on were wet, making me wonder whether they had even changed them from the previous massage. The massage itself was painful, I requested medium pressure, but I am pretty sure that was hard pressure and at no point in the massage did she check with me if I was happy with the pressure.
My sister also had a massage, she had a better experience, but instead of getting 25 minutes she paid for, she only got 15 minutes.
After the spa, we had prepaid and pre-booked cream tea at the restaurant.
We sat and ordered our coffees, 10 minutes later we were told the machine was broken and somebody was on the way to fix it and it shouldn't be long before we were able to get our coffees. Another 10 minutes pass and we are told, it might be a while before the machine is fixed and to order something else in the meantime. We order some tea and wait for the scones to arrive. Scones arrived with 2 jams, and there were 3 of us, not even one each and with a small portion of whipped cream. I asked for clotted cream and was told there was none. The tea was served with no milk, and no sugar on the table.
During the tea no one came to check on us, we still wanted to order our coffees and no one bothered to tell us whether the machine had been fixed or not. When we left, again no one checked on us and no apologies for the extremely poor service provided. Not even a goodbye before leaving.
I have worked in hospitality, so I appreciate that sometimes things don't go as planned, but the staff could not care less. This was so disappointing.
Waste of money! Will not be coming here again.
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Date of stay: August 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lee, United Kingdom231 contributions129 helpful votes
You do not need transport unless you are going out if the main centre the hotel is a 15 minute walk to Wakerley train station the trams and buses are good if you're going further afield
Glasgow, United Kingdom170 contributions117 helpful votes
Hotel doesn’t have a car park. We used Dinamic Earth car park a 2 minute walk away. It’s £21 for 24 hours but you get a 20% discount as a hotel resident. We were £33.60 for out 2 night stay
There are more places to choose from in the Edinburgh area.
PRICE RANGE
€127 - €364 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
macdonald holyrood edinburgh, hotel macdonald holyrood
LOCATION
United KingdomScotlandEdinburghOld Town
NUMBER OF ROOMS
160
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