"The Edinburgh Grand, a hotel-turned-bank-turned-hotel, is full of exceptional details that have thankfully survived the renovation. The bank was inspired by Modernist American architecture, and the lobby is especially striking, with buttoned-up black-and-white marble floors, a playful raspberry-pink circular settee, and a stunning circular stairwell that's ripe for an impressive Instagram post once you reach the top. It sets the tone for the rest of the hotel, which is equally sophisticated but without pretension. There's an excellent outpost of the upmarket Hawksmoor steakhouse—the first in Edinburgh. Even if you're not staying here, it's worth a stop for dinner; the former marble bank hall that now houses the restaurant is a stunner, and yes, the beef is divine. But the true treat here is the Register Club, a reservation-only Champagne and cocktail joint run by the genius team behind The Bon Vivant. If you have something to celebrate, do it here—and dress to impress (there's a dress code)." - Krystin Arneson
