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Blending perfectly into the historic surroundings of the Royal Mile, Hilton Edinburgh Carlton is an iconic element of the city. The building dates back to 1900s and is part of the impressive North Bridge which links Edinburgh's Old and New town together, giving you easy access to countless shopping, dining and entertainment. Once one of Edinburgh's top department stores, the building was fully refurbished in 2016 to bring the décor back to its stylish best. Our modern accommodations offer complimentary WiFi access, ergonomic work area and Suite Dreams by Serta(R) beds with luxurious linens. Select an executive room or suite for extra space and amenities including access to the Executive Lounge, with complimentary breakfast and refreshments.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
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Nestled in the heart of the city, the Hilton Edinburgh Carlton stands out for its prime location that guests find perfect for exploring nearby attractions. Many travelers commend the hotel for its cleanliness and welcoming atmosphere, with special mentions of the stylish rooms and inviting bar.
However, opinions on the value are mixed, with some guests feeling the ongoing renovations detract from the overall experience. Despite occasional noise complaints, the friendly and helpful staff often receive high marks, although there are noted areas for improvement in service and housekeeping.
Location
Central
Atmosphere
Inviting
Rooms
Comfortable
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Mixed
Noise level
Mixed
Service
Friendly
Amenities
Satisfactory
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Had a 5-night stay here on the last few days of a tour. The room I had was very spacious and had all the amenities I'd expect from a Hilton. The bathroom was big, the drop from the bath to the floor wasn't too deep (my room had a shower over the tub) and there was a useful grab rail, and there was a very small heated towel rail that was perfect for drying socks and undies! The bed was comfy, though the pillows didn't have as much 'give' as I'd normally like. Also, no sheets, so you either had the doona on or off.
Currently (Oct 2024) the hotel is undergoing renovations (we didn't hear anything associated with this), which means some areas have been closed or moved. And some areas, such as the lobby, are much smaller than usual. While we were there, the lovely bar overlooking Edinburgh Castle was moved to the main restaurant area, losing that wonderful view. Cocktail prices were around 12 pound, which was pretty typical for everywhere we stayed in Scotland (this was the only Hilton we stayed at in Scotland, so it wasn't a standard 'Hilton price').
Full size desk, with a chair that wasn't really suitable for working. Lights in the wardrobe were a good idea as everything was very dark there. Be aware that one of the 2 light switches near the door is a master switch so if you turn it off, everything goes off (except perhaps the night light [mirror light] in the bathroom). Plenty of power outlets where you need them and at a suitable height that meant you didn't have to rummage on the floor to find one. Good air con that seemed to work as expected.
Staff were really polite and helpful - I dealt with front desk staff a couple of times, restaurant staff at breakfast and dinner, and bar staff. Concierge will weight your luggage too!
But the best bit is the hotel's location - you're in walking distance of the main Waverley train station, basically on the Royal Mile, close to the big-name shops across North Bridge, a few minutes walk from the National Museum of Scotland, etc.
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Date of stay: September 2024
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with friends
Room Tip:Avoid a room facing the Royal Mile - one of our group had a room there and said the noise from...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Check in was quick, friendly and informative. Stayed on the 5th floor, the room was lovely, spotlessly clean, beds and feather pillows were very comfortable, and it was very very quiet.
Breakfast was lovely, a nice selection on the buffet, and a menu incase you fancied something different.
The front facade of the hotel is covered in scaffolding because of some refurbishment works, and there are some interior works too, but honestly, it doesn't impact your stay at all. It's great to seen them reinvesting in the place.
Absolutely would return.
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Date of stay: October 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Stayed 23rd-24th December. Booked a king executive suite which we thought was quite good value for money. This was for 2 adults and 1 baby. The room was very large and spacious which was just what we needed as a family with a 6 month old baby. The room was fully equipped with shampoo, conditioner, body wash, bath toned and slippers, hair dryer. The shower was a lovely temperature. Large Samsung TV, fridge, coffee machine, kettle, sparkling and still water and 2x miniature bottles of Johnny walker whiskey! The view was beautiful overlooking all the Christmas lights, big wheel ect. Dispite their being some building works going on and scaffolding, we was on the 2nd floor so didn’t affect or spoil the view. The executive lounge was lovely. There were sandwiches and light bites and snacks such as nuts and biscuits, mulled wine and glass bottles of fizzy pop. The waitress IRYNA was very welcoming and well mannered. She could not do enough for us. She asked us what extra we would like to drink such as beer, Prosecco ect. We had 2 glasses of Prosecco. She brung us out some fruit kebabs on skewers as compliments from the chef which were lovely and fresh. Due to it being quiet, she spend time chatting to us for a short while which was really lovely. She spoke to our baby and was making her experience special also as she was full of smiles. The breakfast was lovely, full English, pastries, pancakes, cereal, meats and cheeses, fruits, honey on the block. Juices, tea, coffee. All included in the price. We paid no extra! Amazing value for money. Will definitely return next year!
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Date of stay: December 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hubby and I booked the Executive King room for 3 nights to celebrate his birthday. I was aware that building work was going on after reading reviews on line but still went ahead owing to the hotel’s central location. We took the 100 airlink express bus from outside the airport at the cost of £16 return for 2 people. The journey took roughly half an hour and we got off at the last stop (Waverley Station). Check in at the hotel was slow and the configuration of the reception area was awkward owing to areas being blocked off. Room 247 was very basic for a 4 star hotel. There was a coffee machine, a kettle, a mini safe and a mini fridge where water was provided. However the room was incredibly dark despite room 247 being positioned on a corner with 3 windows. The curtains were just too tall and heavy to be pulled back fully. The only hooks provided were in the bathroom although there was a wardrobe. I, however, like to air my coat when returning from outside. The bed was comfortable but the fabric sofa had stains on it and the wipes I used to clean the leather armchair came away with lots of dirt. We spent our time sitting on the bed when inside. The shower needed replacing as did the floor tiles that moved owing to the absence of grouting. I rang reception but unfortunately they were fully booked. I looked through the websites of other hotels but they didn’t have any vacancies either. Breakfast was enjoyable with a good selection and our room rate meant that we had access to the lounge. The sandwiches were never covered so the bread was always hard.
This hotel is very central to shops, bars, museums and restaurants. The castle and Waverley station are only 10 minutes walk away. Would we stay here again? Sadly, no. It’s a tired building with broken hooks and locks on the back of toilet doors, stains on carpet and lifts that cannot be used because they’re either out of service or staff are using them with laundry trolleys. And although staff were approachable, friendly, knowledgeable and often apologetic, the price we paid was definitely not worth what we got. Not even a shower cap.
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Date of stay: November 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Starting with the positives, the location is great near the royal mile, the building is spacious and our executive room was the largest exec room we have experienced in any Hilton previously. The fitness centre is also large and well equipped with treadmills, exercise bikes, weight machines and free weights. The breakfast was good with a selection of quality fruits, pastries, hot food etc. plus the staff were friendly, attentive and efficient. On the not so positive side there is no onsite parking, so you need to use a nearby parking station. Our exec room had no bath which is the first time I have seen this in a Hilton exec room anywhere, although other rooms did have a bath. The service of the room itself was average, the second day of our stay the room was not serviced period and toilet paper was not replaced daily which I assumed was standard. The bathrooms themselves were also looking very tired with loose floor tiles, missing grout and mould in the showers. The executive lounge was stocked well during the day with fruit, still/sparkling water, snacks, tea/coffee etc so no complaints there. In the evening drinks and hot food were served between 6pm and 8pm but there was a very limited amount of food such as (either) spring rolls, samosas or chicken wings plus a cake of some sorts. The available drinks were also somewhat limited, to one type of beer, one red and one white wine plus 4 types of spirits. There were very limited options for alternative diets, however Shane who managed the lounge was most helpful and did organise gluten free and dairy free snacks for each night we were at the lounge. It’s unfair to criticise a free perk and I wouldn’t say the lounge was bad overall, but it was slightly limited when compared to other Hilton exec lounges. Saving the very worst for last is the Marco Pierre White Steakhouse which was a disgrace to the Hilton brand to be honest. Given it is a steakhouse we chose an eye fillet steak for our mains, and it was tough and the sauces tasteless. Even with a January offer of 50% off on mains, the steaks were disappointing at any price. Overall, the highlights of the stay were the location, large executive rooms, breakfast and the service provided by Shane in the executive lounge. Shane went out of his way to provide local knowledge of sites and attractions and made sure we were comfortable in the lounge. The lowlights were the bathrooms, and the onsite MPW steakhouse, the worst part of the stay by far.
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Review collected in partnership with Hilton Hotels & Resorts
Date of stay: January 2023
Value
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Location
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Michael Maxwell - Fraser, Other at Hilton Edinburgh Carlton
Responded 9 Mar 2023
Thank you for your review. We are thrilled to read that you had a wonderful experience with us. Looking forward to seeing you again
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Had a wonderful time. Arrived into Edinburgh train station and was just a quick 5-6 min walk. It was around 10am when we arrived and though our room was not yet ready (understandably since check in was not till 3pm) we left our bags with concierge which delivered them beautifully to our rooms when we were still out. A very central location and easily walkable to any number of touristy and non touristy locations. The rooms were very clean and the check out process was hassle free. We even left our bags with concierge after check out to wander some more and felt very happy to be able to leave our things in such a safe place. Would recommend to anyone regardless of why they are visiting Edinburgh. Thanks again!
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Date of stay: December 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The hotel is poorly maintained, dirty, depressing and smells bad. Corridors dirty with rubbish and bottles all over as you make it to the room. When I wiped part of the headboard the wipe came out grey from black marks on it., I don’t think it has been cleaned in a long time. There were hairs and dust bunnies on the inside of the bathroom door, dust bunnies on the bath room mirrors and the shower stall. The baseboard was all covered with dust bunnies, a lot.! I don’t think it has been vacuumed or wiped either for months. The room smelled stuffy and dirty and windows could not be opened. I asked for house keeping and was not available, so they send one person with an old vacuum cleaner with no attachments to vacuum and one little wipe to cover all the areas, no désinfectant or separate wipes for headboards or sink or toilet. And asked me what he should do. We ended up booking a room at the virgin hotel on Victoria street, cheaper price , and impeccable, wonderful customer service and spectacular place We are abandoning Hilton from now on even though we have been members for at least 20 years but is not the fort time we have had bad experience with the Hilton So from now on we are switching to virgin hotels. Bye bye hilton , never again!!!
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Date of stay: April 2024
Value
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Michael Maxwell - Fraser, Other at Hilton Edinburgh Carlton
Responded 17 May 2024
Dear Mariasilvina214, Many thanks for taking the time to write your review on the Hilton Edinburgh Carlton. I was surprised to read your feedback on cleanliness, as the vast majority of recent customer reviews point on this platform to the high level cleanliness of all rooms. I would very much like the opportunity to discuss this with you further, to allow the Executive Head Housekeeper and I to investigate further. Please contact me if you wish to discuss your experiences further.
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Stay here at least 6 or 7 times per year sadly the hotel standards are declining. In executive twin room there are now no tea bags only coffee we noticed this on our stay on December 10th 2023 as well. The shampoo bottle in our room was broken we used to enjoy the small complimentary toiletries & a tiny amount of rubbish was in the bin. We also noticed that the a la carte menu at breakfast is no longer offered as standard. The last 3 visits we have noticed a decline but this time due to refurbishment it was very obvious. Also toilets next to restaurant on 1st floor filthy the smell was shocking & ladies not clean. The room itself was clean but it’s not a budget hotel I wanted nor the standard expected from Hilton overall it’s disappointing to see the obvious savings being made spoiling what used to be an enjoyable visit
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Date of stay: January 2024
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Michael Maxwell - Fraser, Other at Hilton Edinburgh Carlton
Responded 10 Apr 2024
Hi there Thanks for your review. I am glad you enjoyed elements of your stay, many thanks for your feedback on other areas. Looking forward to welcoming you back very soon
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I picked the Hotel because of the location near the Royal Mile and the HIlton brand name. There was something to be said for the former reason and nothing to be said for the latter. The arrival at the hotel was a nightmare. We were driving a rental car for which the only provision for a garage was approximately 1/2 mile at the train station, but that was not the worst part. The entire street in front of the hotel was under construction and while the property had no control over that, it had made absolutely no provision to assist guests in loading and under loading vehicles. You were told you could stop for literally “one minute”, you “could not use a hotel trolley,” and there “would be no assistance from the hotel staff. You were told that you could park in the train station garage or “perhaps” around the corner 1/2 block away and carry you luggage to the front door despite the fact that there were four people (two of whom were seniors and one handicapped). The hotel staff made it clear that it was up to the guests to get their luggage inside the front door. We managed with some difficulty without any help from the hotel to get unloaded across the street and move the luggage between the traffic to the front door. During our stay, the room service and support was totally lacking — it took hours to any response from the staff. The front door arrangement allowed anyone to walk in off the street walk to the elevators largely out of sight of the front desk and follow a guest with a card key on to any elevator. Front door screening or even monitoring by a concierge was almost non-existent. There was a fire alarm while we were there and as we entered the stairwell there was an employee vaping on one of the landings which might account for the lack response to room requests — who knows. The location is good — 1/2 block from the royal mile, but the Radisson around the corner is better — on the Royal Mile — with support for loading and unloading vehicles. The staff left the clear impression that they were relying on their location to attract guests and did not feel any necessity to provide even average service. I am a member of Hilton Honors and I complained to them — they gave me a free night pass (with a list of conditions — a full moon was not one of them but I was surprised) — and an email expressing how important customer satisfaction was to the chain. I was so moved by the email that I am considering printing it out and framing it. Frankly I was far more interested in the hotels “real” response to the complaints — but I think I know what that was. Should I ever return to Edinburgh I will not be staying at that location and I strongly advise seniors, the handicapped, and people with vehicles to try other options before staying here.
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Date of stay: July 2023Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:See the review.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Michael Maxwell - Fraser, Other at Hilton Edinburgh Carlton
Responded 28 Aug 2023
Hi there Many thanks for taking the time to review our hotel and for sharing your experience. Please contact me directly to discuss further. Thanks for staying with us, hope to see you again under better circumstances
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Please note this review is completed knowing the staff has very little recourse to correct some of the issues. With a three day stint coming up from T.Swift, however, I thought this would be good info for other travelers: The hotel is under refurbishment and one side is covered in scaffolding. It obscures the front entrance to the lobby from the street. Staff were not forthcoming with us with needed information; so, please remember that there is no valet parking if you are driving, you must use a car park. If you ask explicitly, you will receive a map as to the best place to park from front desk staff; however, they don’t ask if you drove or offer that information if you don’t directly request info on where to park. We really felt that we were simply bothering them by asking any questions at all. There is good information online about where to park if you search—-if you don’t have much luggage it may be best to park in advance and walk to the hotel versus drive up. You can temporarily pull up to the building in a car to drop luggage; however, there is very little room to park and the street is extremely busy. One block of elevators is under repairs and not available for use. The other two are very narrow and cannot fit many people…especially with luggage…at a time. During our stay, only one elevator appeared to be functioning well. The other one did not appear reliable. The hotel was completely out of wash cloths during our stay and we did not receive any initially. We requested some and Reception said they would try to find some but they were short and could not make any guarantees that they could provide wash cloths. It took several hours, but we did eventually receive some to use. By that time, however, we’d purchased some from a local Boots pharmacy. Navigating around the hotel is confusing. It took two staff people to explain to me how to find the fitness center…it’s a bit of a maze. You get a work out trying to get to the place where you work out (and the fitness center is not really worth your time). The hotel appears understaffed compared to the volume of guests. The staff are trying but they appear completely worn out and overworked. We’ve stayed in several different accommodations while traveling Scotland and I would not choose to stay here again.
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Date of stay: June 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Michael Maxwell - Fraser, Other at Hilton Edinburgh Carlton
Responded 11 July 2024
Hi there Flyer Thank you for taking the time to review your stay. I regret to read that we did not meet the high standards of service we normally uphold. The issues you have raised are all very valid, some were unfortunate, but most should’ve been avoided or rectified. Regarding parking, there are a number of parking options around the hotel. One of which is the New Street Carpark (EH8 8BH). Which the hotel website directs guests to if they research parking facilities prior to arriving to the Hotel. Guests will receive 20% off their parking at the New Street Carpark if they validate their parking tickets at the hotel reception. Further, car valet service is not a hotel offering, nor is it advertised as a service. In relation to the Scaffolding, this is in place for essential maintenance on the hotel façade. Most buildings of this age requires preservation, however once guest arrives and inside, all facilities are on offer and remain the same. Finally, many thanks for bringing your concerns to my attention, as it is through these learnings that we can improve our operation and service standards to those of which are commensurate of Hilton service standards and our guests expectations.
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No, I wasn't aware of any free drinks in the evening. But if you are a member of Hilton honors (free to join), you got a voucher to spend at the bar - a complimentary drink of your choice.
There are more places to choose from in the Edinburgh area.
PRICE RANGE
AU$227 - AU$449 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
barcelo edinburgh, carlton hotel edinburgh
LOCATION
United KingdomScotlandEdinburghOld Town
NUMBER OF ROOMS
211
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect total costs of the stay, including all taxes and fees known to our partners. Please see our partners for more details.
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