Hampton by Hilton Edinburgh West End, Edinburgh, Scotland

A friend had recommend the Hampton by Hilton Edinburgh West End as a place to stay in Edinburgh and that's where Gord and I stayed from last Tuesday morning until this morning.

Here was our room ...

The bed was really comfy. The TV had lots of channels, including local and American shows. Sometimes a channel would get weak and disappear but eventually would come back. WIFI was complimentary and I found it was strong. Every morning until 10am during the week and 11am on the weekend there is a complimentary buffet breakfast with a good variety of hot and cold items. We would have a big breakfast before we headed off for the day and didn't need to eat again until suppertime.

The hotel is off the beaten path a bit but is just a 10 minute walk to Haymarket area where you can catch trains across the city or elsewhere (we caught a train to Glasgow and back one day and also to Queensferry), trams and buses. There are buses that pass by the hotel on a regular basis. Transit seems really efficient. It's about a 20 minute walk to the Royal Mile, Edinburgh Castle, etc.

There is no restaurant in the hotel but strangely (but it was handy) you can order drinks (wine, beer, mixed drinks, etc.) from the end of the reception desk. You can either drink them in the lobby or take them to your room. There is small menu of foods you can order from them too. We ordered a chicken and bacon pizza one night (it's all they had left for pizza) and it was really good ... the crust was stuffed with tomato sauce, which was fun.

It would have been nice to have a mini fridge in the room as I like having cold water handy. I also like having a morning smoothie but didn't take any ingredients because of the lack of fridge and the powdered greens I mix in with my smoothie need to be refrigerated.

The towel situation was a bit odd ... there was one hand towel and two HUGE bath towels and that was it. I'm sure if we asked we could have gotten more hand towels and perhaps face cloths but we managed without.

We hadn't thought about outlets being different than in Canada but were able to buy a couple adapters at the front desk. If you are just plugging in your phone, etc. there are ports near the power outlets (we had laptops so needed to use the outlets).

The Sheep Heid Inn, Edinburgh, Scotland

Gord and I had supper this evening at the Sheep Heid Inn because it’s apparently the oldest pub in Edinburgh … established in 1360! 

Gord ordered Battered Line-caught Cod & Chips (minted pea pureé, chunky tartare sauce, lemon) and I ordered Steak and Ale Pie (creamed potato, beef-dripping. Plus Gord ordered a black currant mousse. All were good.

Arthur's Seat, Edinburgh, Scotland

Arthur's Seat is an ancient volcano which is the main peak of the group of hills in Edinburgh, which form most of Holyrood Park. The hill rises above the city to a height of 250.5 m (822 ft). And that's where Gord and I headed this afternoon! It was a tough climb (it took me 1.5 hours to get to the top) but the views were fabulous!

Getting ready for the climb

Down the Hatch, Edinburgh, Scotland

Gord and I had supper at Down the Hatch. 

An authentic Canadian diner focusing on diner style food with a fresh locally sourced twist, big flavours, huge portions and all things Canadian!

We went because I thought it would be interesting to check out a Canadian pub in Edinburgh and see what is considered "Canadian" food. Apparently the owner and the chef are Canadian. 

The Edinburgh Dungeon, Edinburgh, Scotland

Gord and I headed to the Edinburgh Dungeon this afternoon. We thought we were signing up for an actual tour of dungeons but it turns out it was a theatre production.

The Edinburgh Dungeon is the ultimate underground journey through Edinburgh's darkest history, using live actors, theatrical sets and thrilling rides.

• Full-on immersive 360 sets  
• Live actor shows from a professional cast 
• An underground journey through Scottish history 
• State of the art theming and special effects 
• A thrilling DROP RIDE 
• Scary fun for all!

Despite it not being what we thought we'd be experience, we enjoyed it. The actors played their parts well and it was was fun, interactive and entertaining.

The McCowans Brewhouse, Edinburgh, Scotland

Gord and I had supper this evening at McCowans. It seemed less of a brewhouse and more like a Canadian or American chain restaurant. I was surprised that we had to go to the bar or use their app to order drinks and/or food rather than have a server come and take our order ... I guess it's more efficient for them as it a pay as you go system. It makes it a very impersonal experience. We ordered on the app, which did work well.

Gord had a steak and ale pie and said it was good. I ordered chick ‘n mix where you choose 2 styles of chicken, 2 sides and a sauce … I chose chicken wings and fingers, mac ’n cheese and garlic bread, and chili sauce. Despite looking bland, it was good.

The Beehive Inn, Edinburgh, Scotland

Gord and I enjoyed a beer at The Beehive Inn, apparently the fourth oldest pub in Edinburgh.

The Wee Pub, Edinburgh, Scotland

Gord and I enjoyed a beer at the Wee Pub because it is apparently the smallest pub in Scotland.

Greyfriars Bobby, Edinburgh, Scotland

Greyfriars Bobby (4 May 1855 – 14 January 1872) was a Skye Terrier or Dandie Dinmont Terrier who became known in 19th-century Edinburgh for spending 14 years guarding the grave of his owner until he died on 14 January 1872.

Grassmarket, Edinburgh, Scotland

Gord and I checked out the market at Grassmarket, which is just below Edinburgh Castle. 

I bought a bag of Scottish tablet (similar to fudge) for my sister who loves fudge from Campsie View Kitchen.