InterContinental Edinburgh The George

Character and identity

Set across five interconnected Georgian townhouses on stately George Street, the oldest dating to 1775, this is Edinburgh's grande dame at her most theatrical. A recent multimillion-pound refurbishment has refreshed the oak, marble and leather interiors with a palette drawn from 19th-century Scottish landscape painters, preserving the Old World bones while pulling the property firmly into the present. The ground floor anchors the action: the Printing Press Restaurant, a steakhouse with speakeasy lean built around a Josper grill and 28-day-aged Scottish beef; the Printing Press Bar, strong on whisky-led cocktails; and Burr & Co café. The King's Hall, with its Corinthian columns and blown-glass chandelier, hosts weddings beneath ornate moulded ceilings.

Who's it for

Bottom line

The headline draw here is the building itself, a quintet of historic townhouses that no new-build can replicate, paired with one of Edinburgh's better steakhouses on the ground floor. Spend the money if Old World atmosphere and central walkability matter more than resort-style amenities. Request a north-facing room for quiet, book Printing Press in advance, and reserve months ahead for August or Hogmanay.