The Rutland Hotel, Edinburgh, Scotland - Explore & Book

"There’s plenty to catch your eye at this glitzy hideaway, set in a Georgian building bang in the centre of Edinburgh’s West End and just a walk from bustling Princes Street. At the front door you’re greeted by a model cow on the pavement; raise your eyes and you’ll spot a heifer emerging from a window upstairs. Cows are a bit of a theme here, not just as decorative amusement but also in the form of top-quality Aberdeen Angus beef - the Scottish capital’s first "gourmet steakhouse". The rooms and apartments exude a similar sense of vibrant fun. Expect ornate beds (some of them four poster), perhaps an outrageous orange or bright lime coloured chair, and the odd quirky lamp or sparkling chandelier. Furnshings and wallpapers are especially bold in the apartments, with their arresting pop-poster artworks, statement lighting, retro bar stools and in-suite kitchen islands. Overall the effect is bright and glamorous, without being completely OTT. A couple of rooms offer dreamy views of Edinburgh Castle, too. Downstairs there's a bar and basement nightclub, making this buzzy hotel the perfect bolthole for city slickers, couples and night owls alike. Highs A plum central location, with bars, boutiques and dining dens at your fingertips Food in the restaurant is impeccably sourced: the beef comes from local farms, the seafood from Scottish lochs - and much of it is seasonalIdeal for girls' weekends - the bar and basement club are gorgeously glamorous, there’s a long cocktail list, and you’ll find GHD hair straighteners in your room to help you get ready Surprisingly family-friendly, too, with cots, extra beds and a special menu for littl’uns. The apartment can sleep 4 adults, 2 children and a baby, and a couple of rooms interconnectWelcoming, helpful staff Lows Some might find the décor glitzy - but we loved itNote the apartments are in a nearby buildingThe double-glazed windows don’t open, so rooms can get stuffy, but air-con and central heating helpThe club can throb into the wee hours, so if you’re a light sleeper request a top-floor roomNo car park, but there’s an NCP car park 10 minutes’ walk away at the Sheraton Hotel" - Clare Hargreaves