Recent Restaurant Visits Reviews

[Scouse Hibee]

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o/t - I am shocked and stunned to see the Caley is now Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh (the Caledonian). When did that happen? I had a summer job in the bit that's Grazing when it was "the Gazebo". Tidying up the sweet trolley was always good.

It’s been the Waldorf since 2011.

[JeMeSouviens]

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It’s been the Waldorf since 2011.

I’m keeping up as well as ever, then.

[Scouse Hibee]

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I’m keeping up as well as ever, then.

It will always be the Caley regardless of the name above the door.

[Mibbes Aye]

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It will always be the Caley regardless of the name above the door.

Yup.

[ACLeith]

Was at Chef Chi in Portobello last night. Heard a lot of good things about it so decided to try it. All round excellent. Having been battered by the wind and rain walking to it, received a very warm and friendly welcome.

Perusing the menu suggested nothing out of the ordinary, but when the food came it was excellent. Very reasonable prices, just over £50 for two of us, 2 courses and 4 beers - and that included the person I was with having one of the dearest mains on the menu! Does takeaways as well, so will definitely be back

[lord bunberry]

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It will always be the Caley regardless of the name above the door.

It’s funny you say that and I agree it will always be the Caley to me as well. Tourists however don’t know that and they will always call it by whatever it’s called now, this causes problems in the taxi. So many hotels have changed hands recently or fairly recently. The Caley is now the Waldorf, the Royal Terrace is now the Crown plaza, the George is now the Principal, the Roxburgh is now the Kimpton having briefly also been the Crown Plaza and the Carlton is now the Hilton. It’s an absolute minefield
The thing is locals will still use the old names.

[Mibbes Aye]

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It’s funny you say that and I agree it will always be the Caley to me as well. Tourists however don’t know that and they will always call it by whatever it’s called now, this causes problems in the taxi. So many hotels have changed hands recently or fairly recently. The Caley is now the Waldorf, the Royal Terrace is now the Crown plaza, the George is now the Principal, the Roxburgh is now the Kimpton having briefly also been the Crown Plaza and the Carlton is now the Hilton. It’s an absolute minefield
The thing is locals will still use the old names.

This post blows my mind. I grew up in Edinburgh, moved away in my thirties but am regularly back. sometimes to ER and more often for a treat eat out, TBH. I knew the Caley was Waldorf/Galvins whatever but had no idea about the others.

I guess you expect restaurants to turn over on a regular basis but assume the hotels stay relatively constant.

[lord bunberry]

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This post blows my mind. I grew up in Edinburgh, moved away in my thirties but am regularly back. sometimes to ER and more often for a treat eat out, TBH. I knew the Caley was Waldorf/Galvins whatever but had no idea about the others.

I guess you expect restaurants to turn over on a regular basis but assume the hotels stay relatively constant.

The hotels were always pretty constant until recently. Even if they changed hands the name stayed the same, but recently so many of the big chains have moved in. They don’t necessarily change the name, but they change the branding and they then become known to tourists as whatever that chain may be. When I first started doing the taxis there was one Hilton in Edinburgh, now there’s loads, it’s the same with Marriott. Don’t start me on the budget hotels which are everywhere and they all have ridiculous names. The Premier Inn central is in Lauriston Place despite the fact that there’s two others much more central.

[Mibbes Aye]

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The hotels were always pretty constant until recently. Even if they changed hands the name stayed the same, but recently so many of the big chains have moved in. They don’t necessarily change the name, but they change the branding and they then become known to tourists as whatever that chain may be. When I first started doing the taxis there was one Hilton in Edinburgh, now there’s loads, it’s the same with Marriott. Don’t start me on the budget hotels which are everywhere and they all have ridiculous names. The Premier Inn central is in Lauriston Place despite the fact that there’s two others much more central.

I can imagine

The website identifications for the locations for the chains don’t stand up to much logic, agree with that.

[Scouse Hibee]

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This post blows my mind. I grew up in Edinburgh, moved away in my thirties but am regularly back. sometimes to ER and more often for a treat eat out, TBH. I knew the Caley was Waldorf/Galvins whatever but had no idea about the others.

I guess you expect restaurants to turn over on a regular basis but assume the hotels stay relatively constant.

Just to confuse you further Galvins are no longer at the Caley, Mark Greenaway has taken over the bistro on Rutland Street and it’s now called Grazing. The Pompadour is now back in the hands of the hotel and no longer run by Galvins.

[Scouse Hibee]

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It’s funny you say that and I agree it will always be the Caley to me as well. Tourists however don’t know that and they will always call it by whatever it’s called now, this causes problems in the taxi. So many hotels have changed hands recently or fairly recently. The Caley is now the Waldorf, the Royal Terrace is now the Crown plaza, the George is now the Principal, the Roxburgh is now the Kimpton having briefly also been the Crown Plaza and the Carlton is now the Hilton. It’s an absolute minefield
The thing is locals will still use the old names.

I never thought of so many name changes until you pointed them out, I didn’t even know the Kimpton at all.

[pollution]

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Just to confuse you further Galvins are no longer at the Caley, Mark Greenaway has taken over the bistro on Rutland Street and it’s now called Grazing. The Pompadour is now back in the hands of the hotel and no longer run by Galvins.

Hotel restaurants are a funny lot. They open to great publicity then fade into nothing eg Galvin nonsense. If I were them, I would be deeply shamefaced

to have my name on this but I guess it is not a priority for them.

Never eat in hotel restaurants I was told when younger and I think that is still true especially in a city like Edinburgh.

[nellio]

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I never thought of so many name changes until you pointed them out, I didn’t even know the Kimpton at all.

I got married last year at this hotel. When we first viewed it it was the Roxborough, when we got married there it had changed to the principal then when we went back for our complimentary one year anniversary stay it was the Kimpton!

[JeMeSouviens]

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It’s funny you say that and I agree it will always be the Caley to me as well. Tourists however don’t know that and they will always call it by whatever it’s called now, this causes problems in the taxi. So many hotels have changed hands recently or fairly recently. The Caley is now the Waldorf, the Royal Terrace is now the Crown plaza, the George is now the Principal, the Roxburgh is now the Kimpton having briefly also been the Crown Plaza and the Carlton is now the Hilton. It’s an absolute minefield
The thing is locals will still use the old names.

I think the North British has finally become the Balmoral even to locals.

[Mibbes Aye]

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I think the North British has finally become the Balmoral even to locals.

Yes, but the Dragonara is still the Dragonara, at least to me.

[pollution]

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Yes, but the Dragonara is still the Dragonara, at least to me.

Princess Diana stayed there in 1982 or 1983.

[Mibbes Aye]

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Princess Diana stayed there in 1982 or 1983.

I understand it was quite a celebrity haunt.

In fairness, I never went there when it was the Drag. I first started going with my mates circa fifth year at high school, so we were just underage but not by much. The mum of one of my best friends at the time had worked there when it was the Drag, so we referred to it as that, though I think it might have become a Hilton by then or was something else and then became a Hilton.

Abiding memory was there were a couple of students who worked in the bar. They were in a relationship. He was a really nice guy and one time, when we had run out of money, gave us a lift up to Haymarket to go to a cash machine and come back to keep drinking. His girlfriend was gorgeous and we were just in awe of her!

They liked our music choices so they used to just open up the jukebox and give us free credits.

Glory days

[Scouse Hibee]

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Yes, but the Dragonara is still the Dragonara, at least to me.

Was that the Belford Road hotel?

[Mibbes Aye]

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Was that the Belford Road hotel?

Yeah, down on the Water of Leith. Think it burned down at one point but was rebuilt. It was definitely the Dragonara and later a Hilton, but I think it might have been something else in between, which frustrates me because that’s probably when I was drinking there! It’s not a Hilton anymore, think it is Britannia.

[Billy Whizz]

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Yes, but the Dragonara is still the Dragonara, at least to me.

When it opened it was a beautiful hotel, used to have a pianist on a Saturday night.
Used to go the pub underneath it was called the Granary, and it was always busy

[pollution]

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When it opened it was a beautiful hotel, used to have a pianist on a Saturday night.
Used to go the pub underneath it was called the Granary, and it was always busy

I was a porter there in the summer that it opened.

The Granary was good but was constantly damp. The river flooded frequently.

[Mibbes Aye]

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When it opened it was a beautiful hotel, used to have a pianist on a Saturday night.
Used to go the pub underneath it was called the Granary, and it was always busy

Aah, the Granary, that’s what the bar was called. The memories are flooding back now, cheers

[Scouse Hibee]

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Yeah, down on the Water of Leith. Think it burned down at one point but was rebuilt. It was definitely the Dragonara and later a Hilton, but I think it might have been something else in between, which frustrates me because that’s probably when I was drinking there! It’s not a Hilton anymore, think it is Britannia.

When I moved here in 92 pretty sure I knew it as the Menzies

[lord bunberry]

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When I moved here in 92 pretty sure I knew it as the Menzies

Yes it was the Belford Menzies, I’m pretty sure it then became a travelodge before becoming the Britannia.

[MagicSwirlingShip]

Really enjoyed that. Delicious Sunday roast. Would highly recommend

[Scouse Hibee]

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Really enjoyed that. Delicious Sunday roast. Would highly recommend

👍

[Billy Whizz]

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Aah, the Granary, that’s what the bar was called. The memories are flooding back now, cheers

I wonder why no major group has looked at this hotel and grounds. In a beautiful part of Edinburgh, right on the water of leith
Wouldn’t be surprised if property developers were looking at it
Used to go loads in the 80’s

[Scouse Hibee]

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I wonder why no major group has looked at this hotel and grounds. In a beautiful part of Edinburgh, right on the water of leith
Wouldn’t be surprised if property developers were looking at it
Used to go loads in the 80’s

They don’t come much bigger than Hilton.

[BroxburnHibee]

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The hotels were always pretty constant until recently. Even if they changed hands the name stayed the same, but recently so many of the big chains have moved in. They don’t necessarily change the name, but they change the branding and they then become known to tourists as whatever that chain may be. When I first started doing the taxis there was one Hilton in Edinburgh, now there’s loads, it’s the same with Marriott. Don’t start me on the budget hotels which are everywhere and they all have ridiculous names. The Premier Inn central is in Lauriston Place despite the fact that there’s two others much more central.

My favourite was the first time a tourist asked me to take them to "Leonardo Murrayfield"

When was the top of Clermiston road ever considered Murrayfield

[Billy Whizz]

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They don’t come much bigger than Hilton.

Sorry thought it was a Britannia?