There has been a hotel on the site where InterContinental Edinburgh The George now sits since 1881. Its prime heritage suites—as well as its popular Burr & Co café—are spread across five adjoining townhouses on George Street, diagonally opposite the Assembly Rooms. But the hotel is bigger than it looks from the outside. Thanks to two modern extensions that are almost invisible from the street, it comprises more than 200 rooms. Some of the loveliest views, in fact, are those from the upper floors of the modern buildings, which overlook a patchwork of Georgian rooftops and gardens, and, beyond them, the Firth of Forth.
A subdued palette has been employed throughout—neutral oatmeals and grays perked up here and there with liturgical greens, blues, and purples. Original architectural features have been preserved, and the interior design mixes contemporary and period elements—think Victorian-style leather armchairs and velveteen sofas alongside pendant lamps and geometric side tables. The George may not be quite as imposing as the Balmoral, and nothing as wildly quirky as The Witchery, but it occupies a superb location in the heart of the New Town and does what it does with modesty and grace. —S.K.
