I Miss Haggis

Stephi
Dec 23, 2017
2 min read

Another year, another lovely trip Edinburgh. Earlier this year we got an offer with booking.com through Amazon so decided to try a hotel we'd passed a few times and liked the look of - Motel One Edinburgh Royal. It's in a fantastic location - a couple of minutes walk from Waverley station, which we found really convenient. I also liked that they had a fireplace in the hotel bar, looks really cosy and a lovely place to end a busy day exploring. I recently stayed in another Motel One in Manchester with work and I absolutely loved their lobby so I was quite excited to get to the Edinburgh Royal one.

Martyn and I have a bit of thing for escape rooms so we decided to book Operation Odyssey at Can You Escape Edinburgh. This is a great escape room with a really good variety of tasks and challenges that are very enjoyable. And, we got out!

Edinburgh Castle

This year we also decided we would go into the castle, we always have a wander up there, but we've never paid to go inside. The views are fantastic up there; there are also a number of indoor exhibitions and a cafe to break up your exposure to the elements. At £17 per person it's not something I'd feel the need to do again, but nice to do at least once.

It was a particularly windy day for us so we spent a couple of hours roaming the castle and then headed off for a cafe break. And where better than The Wall Coffee & Design House? Their espresso machine is a thing of pure beauty.

They have a really cool industrial style and a relaxing atmosphere. I absolutely love these stools, which is definitely what this picture is about, not my bag.

The Wall is a perfect spot for a break and a time-out. I enjoyed a delicious mocha while having a little colour-in and a flick through the World of Interiors magazines. Had to leave my mark of course.

Shopping

It really wouldn't be a city break without a little shopping and you get it all at Christmas time in Edinburgh; unique independent businesses, the Christmas markets and all the big high street stores.

Christmas Markets

We found some beautiful gifts, gorgeous new tree decorations and enjoyed lots of amazing food. Within an hour of getting off the train we were tucking into mac 'n' cheese topped with haggis and crispy onions. We had haggis at least twice a day while we were there and I plan on putting an order in with Crombie's so I can have the real deal at home.

On our last night we wandered along Rose Street looking for somewhere to stop for a drink or two and ended up spending most of the night in The Black Cat - awesome little bar, very reasonable prices, great atmosphere and quirky decor. We ended up staying for their pub quiz and came second - absolutely loved it.