The Radisson Blu Edinburgh has been a fixture in the centre of the historic cities Royal Mile for as long as I can remember. Not before time however the hotel has been subject to a massive £12million investment project which set about upgrading its 176 bedrooms, meeting spaces and public areas with a fresh new masculine look.
Just before the completion of the overall project I was invited through to have a peek (and sleep) in one of the freshly madeover bedrooms. I checked into a business class room on the third floor with a view overlooking the Royal Mile. I couldn’t quite see the castle unfortunately but did have a rather nice view of the rooftops along the streets ancient buildings which was nice to stare out over.
The rooms themselves have been treated to a very pleasing (to my eye at least) cool monochrome colour scheme with just a tiny touch of colour to break things up. The bold feature wall behind the comfy corner sofa in my room was a particular favourite addition of mine but the thing I loved most of all was the bed. As with many Scandinavian chains the bed was huge, really huge in fact and perhaps one of the biggest that I have slept in. Comfy too!
The health and fitness area although not yet completed at the time of my visit was privy to a massive overhaul too with a delivery of fresh equipment and a completely new look promised just in time for springtime.
“We are delighted to unveil our new-look hotel. This is a very significant investment and the entire look and feel of the hotel now feels very different – it’s a contemporary style with a local, Edinburgh flavour! We feel confident that this enhanced product offering, combined with our unique Yes I Can! service spirit, and Royal Mile location; will help to reaffirm our position as one of Edinburgh’s leading hotels,” says Richard Mayne, General Manager, Radisson Blu Hotel, Edinburgh.
The use of contrasting warm and cool tones, with splashes of bold colour, and the addition of stylish new furnishings; has evolved the hotel’s rooms and public areas. Throughout, bold feature walls pay homage to the heritage and roots of the destination, with various nods to Edinburgh and its famous landmarks on prints and walls.
Meanwhile, as well as offering some of the best views and the most spacious rooms in the city, the newly designed bedrooms, now sporting a Naturally Cool style, boast new: carpets, curtains, soft furnishings, mood lighting and furniture. Media hubs have been added to support the needs of guests looking for the latest in in-room technology. Superior rooms bring the outside in with bold graphics depicting Edinburgh emblazoned on the walls as a stand-out feature.
The project has also seen the hotel’s meetings and events space restyled. Meeting rooms now have a fresh, modern look, complete with colour-splash walls, additional sky-like lighting and new audio and visual equipment. Stylish break-out areas are flexible and adaptable to suit a range of event and conference set-ups. Guests and meeting delegates also benefit from upgraded WiFi lines into the hotel, delivering fast and free connections for all.
The refurbishment is being carried out in three phases, with the first two phases, the largest and most significant; now complete. Phase three, which begins in January 2016, will complete the hotel’s transformation by refurbishing the remaining 62 guest bedrooms, along with a full remodel of the health and fitness area.
