The Edinburgh Grand

Opened in June 2018 in a former bank on St Andrew’s Square, the Edinburgh Grand is one of the Scottish capital’s most luxurious hotels consisting of 50 apartments. It boasts interiors oozing with opulence and views that are unmatched, especially in the penthouse which offers a 360-degree lookout over Edinburgh. Every detail has been carefully curated from the cushions to the lighting, with many original chandeliers, wood panels and door knobs that have been preserved from the bank that is used to be.

Thanks to the wonderful Zoe Stephen (all links below) and Iain Muirhead who organised the most incredible instameet at the Edinburgh Grand including a drinks reception in the sought-after penthouse. Myself and the other instagrammers were given a full tour of the hotel from the top floor balconies all the way to the basement where the doors to the old safes are kept.

We started in the penthouse with champagne on arrival and stunning views from the balcony. As gorgeous as the view was it was a little difficult to appreciate all its beauty when I almost knocked over on a couple of occasions due to the wind. After 10 minutes outside my hair was utterly knotted and all over my ace, not quite the sophisticated look I was going for inside a glamorous hotel. It was nice to mingle with new people and even though I was socially awkward at first, I made some great friends. We all took lots of photos including a massive group one on the balcony before splitting into groups for a tour of the building.

The atrium in the centre of the hotel is simply stunning. The carpets give it a slight feel of an optical illusion so you can’t look down for long without feeling a little bit dizzy. It’s perfect for photos and I’ve seen it all over Instagram since the meet. It’s the kind of building that you could look around for hours and still find new details at every turn.

The Director’s Suite was my absolute favourite. Don’t get me wrong, the penthouse is divine but the green, grey and gold colour palette of the suite made me fall in love, not to mention the wood panelling in the bedroom. Named after the board of director’s dining room that the suite used to be, the room was transformed into a magical space with the old smoking room now being home to a king-sized bed. I also adore high ceilings as they almost always come with chandeliers which add to the overall grandeur of a space. If I didn’t have plans to go interrailing next Summer I would most likely blow all my money on a couple of nights in the Director’s Suite and spend all my time in the huge bath.

We were also lucky enough to have a sneak peek in The Register Club, the Edinburgh Grand’s champagne and cocktail bar. Reservations are necessary as it is quite exclusive n order to maintain a quiet, intimate atmosphere. Rumour has it, the Register Club is a favourite of a certain Edinburgh-based author. I’d love to go back to the Edinburgh Grand and eat at Hawksmoor, the restaurant inside, after flicking through a book that features photos of all the food served (my mouth may have watered a little).

The consistent colours throughout the hotel interior were divine. As someone who loves green and warm metallic touches, I was in love with every room. The peacock motif that featured in most rooms from pillows to headboards was gorgeous and gave me so much interior inspiration. Overall, the bathrooms were my favourite. The large baths in every room that I could spend hours in and tiles in my favourite colour.

I’m not going to lie, I loved being surrounded by other photographers. I was really lucky to meet Tilly Wester who took some stunning portraits of me. It’s not every day that I get to live a life of luxury in a five-star hotel and I’m so happy she captured some of those moments.

I just want to thank the Edinburgh Grand and Zoe Stephen for organising such a wonderful event and for making us all feel so welcome. I had a fabulous time and felt so pampered. It’s not every day that I drink champagne in a five-star penthouse. I’m so happy to have met some of Edinburgh’s loveliest Instagrammers and hopefully, I’ll see some of them soon!

The Edinburgh Grand

Instagram – @theedinburghgrand

Website – Lateral City

Some of the Instagrammers I Met

Tilly – @tillywester

Lucy – @fedined

Zoe – @zoe_stephen

Iain – @iainmuirhead_photography

Paula – @_paularussell

Gillian – @albamum

Jamie – @jamiebrogan14

Ryan – @adventuresofascot