As Oscar Wilde once wrote, “nothing succeeds like excess” – a motto these dedicated purveyors of luxury take to heart. From the moment the concierge (more often than not in tartan trousers) opens the door to any one of our pick of the best five-star hotels in Edinburgh, you feel you’re in a place where nothing bad could ever happen and in the unlikely event something did, there will be someone to make it go away with a perfect martini, a massage, or both.
If you can manage to leave your room you’ll be assaulted by choice: which restaurant? Which bar? Will there be harps with your afternoon tea, or scones that float off the plate? Should you check out the spa first, before the malt whiskies? Whether it’s a great grande-dame or boutique beauty, once you’ve tried one of these hotels you may find that like children’s book character Eloise who lived in the Plaza Hotel, you may never want to leave.
