Channings Hotel

A pleasant surprise

What a lovely hotel! The bed and room were very comfortable. My favorite part was separate comforters for each side of the bed. The breakfast each morning was also very nice. I would definitely stay here again!

so charming

Such a wonderful gem; a boutique hotel! excellent service and quite close to the Mile--walking distance. Great restaurant, too. Our room was large and charming.

Great hotel!

The Channings is wonderful, a short walk from city center, (10 mins) and away from noise. The staff is wonderful too, always trying to help improve your stay. if I go back to have friends go to Scotland, no doubt I’d stay at this place!

Loved It

Perfect location for sight seeing. Near the castle. Convenient walking. Service more than adequate. Comfortable. Relaxing. Homey. This is the kind of place that makes you want to come back for more.

Charming

Extremely friendly service makes you feel welcome. Stately yet comfortable atmosphere. We had problems with out TV/Internet for a day or so; it was technologically not user/friendly in my opinion and I found it difficult to understand how to get it to operate. The room lighting seems designed more for atmosphere (which it has in spades) than for activities like reading. Very large, comfortable bed. The location is not in town center but not too far from it. Very picturesque area. Expensive restaurant/bar with a somewhat limited dining menu - which, because of its location away from the center of things is somewhat important - but the food and drinks were excellent and the fine breakfast comes with the room. Overall, we were very pleased with it.

Traveler's tip on local attractions

Not very far from the wonderful Scottish Gallery of Modern Art and the Dean Gallery. Also, ask the hotel clerk for tips on to how to get to the path along the scenic Water of Leith which runs very closeby.

Charming, Great Find

We stayed 3 nites here and were surprised at the charm, cleanliness and great staff. Located within short 10 minute walk of Dean Bridge and bus stop, this charming renovation is quite a find for Edinburgh. Wonderful staff, concierge helped set up a coach trip to the Highlands. Nice pub/cafe and good breakfast.

Traveler's tip on getting the most out of your stay

Would highly suggest for couples or business travelers.

Worst shower experience of a lifetime

I was satisfied with everything about the hotel...except for the shower! The water barely trickled out of the antiquated shower head, and at oscillating temperatures! I finally had to resort to taking a good old-fashioned bath! Otherwise the hotel had a nice view, was very quiet, nice rooms, pleasant staff. But for the reason of the shower alone I would never consider staying there again.

Terrific Boutique Hotel

Stayed over a week. First room was small with no internet access. Moved to larger room, very satisfied. Hotel has great bar with fireplace. Within walking distance of all the tourist attractions. Excellent breakfasts. Would definitely stay there again.

Traveler's tip

Bring rain gear for walking into town.

Our favorite hotel

We took a trip to the UK and stayed in three different hotels, this was by far the best. Set on the top of the Hill in a nice residential area it has a great view and is just a nice quaint hotel. The rooms were decorated very nicely and there was plenty of room for my daughter and I. The bellman (he was more than that) walked us half way to town when I asked him directions. Breakfast was nice and the hotel was just roomy and the people were great. I would go there again in a hearbeat.

don’t buy the hop on hop off tickets. Edinburgh is small enough that you can see everything by foot.

Channings - Great with just a few flaws

Four of us stayed at Channings for 10 days. Overall a great experience. Very helpful and friendly staff members. The room was reasonably spacious and the bed bed very comfortable. Initially there was a bedspread which had a foul smell, reportedly the result of the dry cleaning fluid. The maid removed it after I complained and it solved the problem. The hotel offers free Internet access via the in-room TV connection, but it does not work very well. The available regular PC works fine (also free). My only other complaint is that the TV uses some sort of cable box with a corresponding remote. The remote will not change the TV volume or actually turn the TV on or off. That has to be done manually. That’s quite annoying since the volume levels on the various available channels differs from each other. The Channings is actually a converted set of row houses which have been linked together. It’s quite quaint, but can be a bit noisy if there are people tromping down the halls. The restaurant food is good and well prepared, but overpriced for what you get. The food in the pub (which comes from the same kitchen) is actually better and costs less. We were amazed at how universally (not just at the hotel) good the food was in Edinburgh. It is a considerable walk to the main part of town, but do-able. Buses run every few minutes on Queens Ferry, only a couple of block up from the hotel. You can get an all day pass for 2.5 pounds.

Traveler's tip on getting the most out of your stay

Driving on the left in the UK can be scary and we did not even try. However, there is no need to rent a car. The buses,trains and taxis are excellent. Check for off-hour rates on commuter trains -big price difference.

A classy home away from home ...

After enjoying this beautiful city, my husband and I would say to each other, are you ready to go home? We meant back to Channings, but it felt more like a beautiful home than a hotel. It is located in the center but is still very quiet. The staff was so friendly and helpful. We highly recommend staying in this hotel on your next trip to Edinburgh. And thanks to Expedia for the great rate!

Beautiful Neighborhood

Sophisticated hotel in a quiet neighborhood with a full-service breakfast. Has a cozy bar with good bar food.

Traveler's tip on local attractions

Not as close to the center of Edinburgh as often stated. About a 15 minute walk to Ryan’s Pub at the end of Princess Street and another 10 to the Burns Memorial.

A Wonderful Place to Stay!

The staff were all extremely amiable and helpful. Everyone was more than willing do a little more. The lobby, the room, and the bar/restaurant area were all very comfortable. I would stay there again anytime I visit Edinburgh.

An Exceptional Hotel!

The staff was super friendly and helpful. I stayed in a lovely room on the first floor that looked out to their gardens. The room, in my opinion, was spacious and had an equally spacious bathroom (large for most hotels I have stayed at in a standard room). It was a 10 minute walk to Princess Street, and it is situated in a lovely quiet residential area. I wish I had spent more time here than in London.

Wish I were there.

So thoughtfull. We enjoyed the time we spent there. Wish it had been longer.

Loved it!!!

Channings was even better than we hoped for. Everyone on the staff made us feel welcome, tending to our every request with good cheer. Scott, the general do-everything young man, was especially engaging and helpful. The public rooms are warm and lovely, the breakfast room much nicer than other hotels we’ve visited in Europe...but what we will remember most is the charm and helpfulness of the staff. The hotel is a healthy walk from town, but we loved the location. It was always a pleasure to return to Channings at the end of the day. I recommend this hotel very highly!

Traveler's tip on dining

Time 4 Thai (45 No. Castle St., Edinburgh) was superb. Serene, attractive atmosphere, and the best Thai food ever! We dined there twice in a week.