As you will have seen if you saw my 24 Hours In Edinburgh blog post, I always enjoy travelling through from Glasgow for a little overnight stay in the Scottish capital. However, many will be coming from much further afield this month to enjoy the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. But I took a trip through just before it all kicked off.
I was invited along to the opening of the new Point A Hotel in Edinburgh Haymarket. This is the eighth hotel in their portfolio, with London Kensington opening this week as well. My overnight stay was complimentary but as always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
The hotel
152 Morrison St, Edinburgh, EH3 8EB
If you didn't know already, Point A have hotels in London, Glasgow and now Edinburgh. And they offer rooms at really affordable prices. The new Edinburgh and London Kensington hotels are also the first to debut their new generation five design. This fifth generation design has the hotels looking modern and new without a big price tag. And considering the fact that the Point A brand is only a few years old, to see them constantly updating and upgrading when it comes to the next hotel that they open is really exciting, particularly as they are a budget hotel.
I don't know about you but when I'm exploring a bustling city like London, Glasgow or Edinburgh, I don't spend a lot of time in the room. Which is why I am more than happy to opt for a purse friendly option. And Point A certainly falls within that price bracket, without having to compromise on comfort or style.
The lobby and restaurant area are bright and welcoming. And there are plenty of places to relax before or after you check in. Despite being completely brand new, it immediately felt cosy. And there's even a few nods to the Scottish capital dotted throughout.
The room
The rooms have everything that you could possibly need for an overnight stay. There are comfy Hypnos beds (they even do twin rooms), a power shower, a smart TV with Chromecast connectivity, air con and free wifi. You'll also find the usual hotel room suspects like a hairdryer and a safe. But with some well thought out design.
For example, the vanity folds out into a desk and the chair which is strapped to the wall beside it, can be folded out if you've got some work or your hair and makeup to do.
I also really appreciated the amount of generously sized mirrors in my room. Sometimes it's tricky to find one decent mirror with good lighting in a hotel room. But I counted four large mirrors packed into this room.
And who doesn't love a bit of mood lighting too? Check out my Instagram stories to see which colour I picked when I stayed there. The smart technology doesn't start and end there either. You can control everything from the lighting to the room temperature all by touch screen.
The bathroom is bright and white and looks very Pinterest-esque. I am a big fan of the subway tiles, as well as how clean and modern this bathroom is.
One of the things that I was not expecting, was just how energy efficient and eco-friendly this hotel was, which really surprised me. I think I assumed, like many may, that this is a 'cheap and cheerful' place to stay. But the hotel design really feels much more luxe than the price tag.
When you exit the lift at your floor or leave your room, you might find that the lights are dimmed. But as soon as you start walking they turn on, making the hallway illuminate with each step.
I also had a great night's sleep and didn't hear anything from outside. And to me, that's the sign of a good hotel room.
The breakfast
Then it was time for breakfast. And I could not believe how great a selection or how cute the setup was! The continental breakfast is £9 and includes hot drinks, juices, cereals, yogurts, fruit and the most incredible freshly baked pastries.
I had to restrain myself from going back for another massive pain au chocolat that morning. And look how adorable the little glass bottles of milk are!
Point A Hotels also work with partners in each city and they have a nice variety of Edinburgh partners. As there isn't a gym on-site, they have partnered with The Gym to offer guests free gym access during their stay. Other partners include Edinburgh Gin, who offer 20% off all gin tours, Wildwood where you'll get 20% off the bill and Barbarossa boutique barber shop who also offer 20% off and are located nearby.
This hotel is ideal for festival goers, business people (Edinburgh International Conference Centre is right next door) and those looking to explore the Scottish capital without allocating all their money toward a hotel room.
I really enjoyed my stay at Point A Edinburgh and I will be sure to bear them in mind when I next visit either Edinburgh or London.
You'll currently get 20% off all bookings between now and September 8th 2019, with the code LAUNCH. And you can also sign up to their A-List community to receive 10% off all future bookings as well.
Have you ever heard of Point A Hotels before? Would you like to visit Edinburgh one day? If so, what would be at the top of your list of things to do/see first?
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