The George Hotel, Edinburgh

Edinburgh remains one of the most desirable historic cities to stay in the UK and whether visiting on leisure or business finding an hotel that meets all your requirements and has the high standards and service that you would expect to find has always not been so easy, until now.

The recently renovated George Hotel in Edinburgh's new town is owned by the Principal Hayley Group who also own The Royal Hotel in York. The multi million pound refurbishment that has just been completed on The George makes this 4 star establishment a good reason for booking a trip to the Scottish capital.

Parking in Edinburgh it has to be said is not cheap, it is one of the most expensive places in Europe to park your car I have found, but with The George only a short walk from Waverley train station and excellent tram and bus connections from Edinburgh airport you really do not need a car.

Situated on George Street running parallel to Princess Street, which is two blocks in front, it was ideal to have the shops, tourist attractions and transport links on your doorstep. The flags flying outside the hotel make it easy to locate.

Check in was fast and efficient; professional yet friendly, the offer by the concierge (dressed in a kilt naturally) to take our bags to our room was confirmation that you had arrived in a hotel where top class service was paramount.

Rooms come in various standards from the entry level Town House through to Superior and Deluxe rooms right up to a Suite. The Superior Double I stayed in with my sister was light, airy and spacious with a fine view of the Firth of Forth. A 40 inch flat screen TV, tea and coffee making facilities, a fridge with milk and mineral water, a writing desk, ample wardrobe space, plenty of power sockets and even a drawing of Robbie Burns were all features of the clean and homely room. A small hamper is left for you too with locally produced products and also a plate of shortbread biscuits.

The beds were comfortable and the bathroom was well appointed with a range of toiletries. Wi Fi as the modern day traveller expects was free and exceptionally fast, download speeds were excellent.

Meals are taken in the Printing Press restaurant. The service was top class; our waiter Robert, originally from County Durham was knowledgable about the food on the menu, friendly and well trained. They seem to have recruited staff who see their job as a career rather than a stop gap to the next job and have employed staff who have people skills who can be as discreet or as visible as any guest requires. Smiles seem to come as standard.

Having looked at the menu on line one thing became apparent, if you are a vegetarian (as my sister is) then you might struggle to find something to eat.

Now this is where the service and personal attention to detail, which I mentioned earlier, comes into play. On mentioning the vegetarian options to the duty manager on arrival she arranged for the head chef to come out of the kitchen to discuss the options with my sister. He had the knowledge, experience and confidence to make a vegetarian meal cooked from scratch, to include all the ingredients that had been discussed. The vegetable pasta meal was described as "one of the best meals I have had." High praise indeed and it was typical of this individual approach where nothing seems too much trouble.

My steak was cooked to my exact liking and the Apple tart that followed was delicious. I was surprised that they did not offer Haggis on the evening menu but I am sure that it could be easily arranged if you were inclined to order it, however Haggis did make a welcome appearance at breakfast.

Breakfast was buffet style, again taken in the Printing Press restaurant. There is also a coffee shop, Burr and Co, which gives the impression of a stand alone bar and restaurant and yes, they do offer vegetarian cakes alongside the classic high tea you can take in this cosy atmosphere. This can also be taken outside on the south facing terrace if the weather is good.

It was hard to find anything wrong with this stylish, contemporary, homely and friendly hotel as they appear to have got everything right.

The George Hotel, 19-21 George Street, Edinburgh EH2 2PB. Telephone 0131 225 1251

www.thegeorgehoteledinburgh.com