"A new vibe for Edinburgh’s Old Town A fabulous addition to Edinburgh’s UNESCO-listed Old Town—itself a place of great drama, with its mysterious lanes, moody shadows, looming stony facades and suddenly expanding vistas. The hotel occupies a prime spot on curvy, hilly Victoria Street. Though much of the 19th-century charm of the original India Buildings, as they were known, has been preserved—the three-tiered domed rotunda is especially lovely—the overall feeling inside is one of carefully choreographed postmodern mischief. The 222 rooms are thoughtfully configured, pale and creamy in tone with vivid red accents (in case you forget for a nanosecond that you’re in a Virgin-branded property). Each of the eight Grand Chamber suites has something delightful and/or unexpected about it—a mezzanine decorated in the style of a Bedouin tent, for example. In a city blessed with more than its share of excellent restaurants and bars, the Commons Club Restaurant and Bar more than hold their own—they’re outstanding. Though the hotel is by no means short on the kind of whimsical, self-referential touches for which Sir Richard Branson is famous, this is offset by an appealing sense of fun mixed with seriousness of purpose. —Steve King Address: 1, India Buildings, Victoria St, Edinburgh EH1 2EX Price: From around $402 per night"
