Classic Treasure of the Ancient City

From the Balmoral, walk westward along the lively Princes Street, and you will meet the beautiful Prince‘s Garden. The Prince‘s Garden is just below Edinburgh Castle, and there are many precious botanical treasures between the highlands and the lowlands. Coming up from the Prince‘s Garden, at the end of the west side of the street, stands a magnificent red Victorian building, that is the Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh. Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh was originally a railway hotel, opened only a year later than Balmoral. In the past 100 years, it has experienced two world wars and has received many national leaders and important figures.

Luxury Model ofa National Soul

The locals affectionately call it The Caley, as proudly as if talking about a palace. When it first opened in 1903, the poster slogan posted by the hotel read: ”with almost royal magnificence”. Built at Edinburgh‘s landmark Princes Street Railway Station, the hotel immediately earned people‘s curiosity and attention. After the opening, its elegant style and luxurious but unconventional design, brought a new luxury model to Edinburgh people a century ago.

In 2000, the Caledonian was taken over by Hilton Group. Two years later, the Waldorf Astoria Resort in Edinburgh was born. This centuryold hotel officially took a new step and became more international while insisting on providing quality services to local people. The grounds bring a Scottish royal experience to the world. It is worth mentioning that the hotel has a special Chinese welcome ceremony for Chinese guests, including Chinese reception, Chinese welcome tea, and Chinese welcome letter. The hotel‘s Chinese staff will also help recommend nearby shopping and eating places for the living experience. Great bonus points.

The general manager of the hospitable hotel arranged for us to taste the Scottish national cuisine, Haggis. After experiencing the ethnic flavor, the manager showed us the exclusive Scottish tartan designed by the hotel, consisting of four colors; the black represents the railroad tracks of Princes Street Station, the red represents the sandstone facade of the hotel, the gray represents the Scottish rock, and the green represents the garden next to it. All the doormen of Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh are dressed in such tartan to greet the guests from everywhere. Details such as this shows the hotel‘s Scottish vibe.

Elegance Polished by Time

The hotel has a total of 241 rooms and has the largest number of castle views rooms in Edinburgh. When I opened the curtains in the room, Edinburgh Castle, which I read on the tourist guide yesterday, was right in front of the window. The white fog floated on one side of the cliff like a dragon. The shiny brass floor lamp and the blue velvet leisure sofa bring me back to reality, a space where vintage flavor and modern lines blend. The rooms are in keeping with Waldorf‘s sleek, comfortable and elegant style, with carved furniture, Scottish landscapes and botanical wallpapers, adding the localness feel.

I especially like the corridors of the hotel. The ground floor of the old wooden floor has a creaking sound. The creamy walls are hung with the hotel‘s early design sketches, celebrity guest photos and station history pictures etc. Compared with taking the elevator, I also prefer to take the center staircase of the hotel. Its wrought iron carvings, gilt decoration and wooden railings are all preserved from a century ago. When it is handheld, you can feel the warm and moist texture that is sustained by time.

From the stairs down to the ground floor, you will arrive at the Peacock Alley, which continues the tradition of the first Waldorf Astoria in New York, provides guests with a perfect social leisure time. The Princes Street Station has ceased to exist, and its ticket office more than a hundred years ago has now become part of the Peacock Alley. The space is very tall and spacious, with a red brick wall on the station and a huge timepiece, dated back to 1890. Enjoy a sunny afternoon tea or a cocktail at night, and the hands of the clock seem to be stopping too.

Levelup Enjoyment

Michelin brothers Chris Galvin and Jeff Galvin are in charge of two restaurants in Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh — The Pompadour by Galvin and Galvin Brasserie de Luxe. The Pompadour offers traditional French fine dining with seasonal Scottish ingredients, the name is taken from the favorite mistress of the French King Louis XV, Pompadour. The beautiful light blue flowers and birds walls of the restaurant are all handpainted with the luxury of the French royal day life, a table with a castle view is to die for .

Galvin Brasserie de Luxe specializes in more casual, trendy and delicious French bistro dishes. Inspired by the urban pubs of Paris and Lyon, the restaurant presents a young industrial chic style that is popular on social media. Under the blessing of the Galvin brothers, the dishes combine classic French flavours with seasonal Scottish specialties, such as soft, stewed tender lamb chops, freshly flavored mackerel, and mellow cheese... If you come to Scotland and are worried about adopting to local food, Galvin Brasserie de Luxe will definitely satisfy you.