Gleneagles Townhouse

Character and identity

Set across two grand, slightly mismatched townhouses on the east side of St Andrew Square, this 33-room offshoot of the Perthshire original is part members' club, part hotel, and entirely Edinburgh. The look runs broadly Victorian with Art Deco flourishes and scalloped pastel velvets, scaled across attic Nooks, mid-sized Houses, and roomier Masters. The Spence, the cavernous ground-floor brasserie under columns and a cupola, is the headline act; Lamplighters, the rooftop bar, is the nightcap. The spa adds Technogym kit, cryotherapy and infra-red sauna. Service is warm, youthful and notably present, with senior staff who actually remember your name.

Who's it for

Bottom line

What defines a stay here is the cooking at The Spence and the unusually engaged service, set inside two genuinely handsome townhouses on one of Edinburgh's best squares. Spend the money if you want a small, characterful base within walking distance of both Old and New Towns; book a House room for the sweet spot on size and view, and angle for a quieter aspect.