Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh – The Caledonian

Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh – The Caledonian became the first Waldorf Astoria in Scotland on September 1, 2012, when it took the mantle from The Caledonian Hilton Edinburgh following a $32-million investment. The 241-room property first opened in 1903 as a railway hotel on Princes Street in the center of Edinburgh’s historic Old Town. Today it provides Waldorf Astoria’s ultimate standard from top to bottom, from its public spaces, accommodations, and health club to its meeting spaces.

Designed to uplift and inspire greatness at every level, the meeting rooms constitute eight flexible spaces with capacities for 10 to 300 people. The largest gazes over Edinburgh Castle, a hilltop fortress guarding Edinburgh since the first century A.D. and housing the twelfth-century St. Margaret’s Chapel, fifteenth-century Royal Palace, Stone of Destiny, and more. Its urban location furnishes unexpected rewards for golf-loving groups as well. Three of golf’s great courses wait within 90 minutes of the hotel: Muirfield, St. Andrews, and Gleneagles, host of the 2014 Ryder Cup.

Dining promises a highlight of any stay. The Pompadour by Galvin, for instance, offers a French culinary experience by Michelin-starred chefs Chris and Jeff Galvin. The offerings continue with the Galvin Brasserie de Luxe, which affords all the joie de vivre of a Parisian brasserie; the Caley Bar, a longtime favorite with hotel guests and locals alike; and Peacock Alley, synonymous with the Waldorf Astoria name and now a new social hub in the heart of an Edinburgh legend.