scotlib

Hi, these three hotels are on a tour prospect I'm reviewing: the Royal British Hotel in Edinburgh, Elmbank Hotel in York, and Sidney Hotel in London.

Of course, the first thing I do is a search of the hotel name for reviews. Ack! All have some scary reviews.

Anyone stay at any of these recently? I do thank you for any input you offer.

If you have a hotel to offer as an alternative, that you think would work well for a tour group better than these, the common factor is ease of walking distance from the rail stations for each location (Waverley, York, Victoria).

janisj

what budget range -- and how many folks on the tour?

I haven't been inside the Sydney but have walked past it many, many times. Seems to be a typical tourist hotel like the many that are near Victoria/Paddington/Earls Court etc. Better than some. Would be an OK location and looks reasonable

From the reviews - I'd avoid Elmbank like the plague. I personally don't rely on TA all that much. But in a case like this - I'd take them seriously. Too many common threads to be exaggerations IMO.

The location of the Royal British is great - but the reviews are amazingly "mixed". I haven't been in Edinburgh for a while but it did use to look a little shop worn . . . .

scotlib

Hi janisj,

I am not sure on people numbers, maybe 20-30?

It is quite odd to look at these hotels. Imagining to myself if I were to book them and putting in the same dates on the hotels' pages directly, the Royal British wants 195 GBP and Elmbank is 140 GBP.

I would have thought a tour would more likely look at a 80-100 GBP for a double. Like the Premier Inn York City Centre, or I've read nice things about Hedley House in York.

The Holiday Inn Express City Centre (Picardy Place) has had some nice comments right here on Fodors and all 3 of those have much better TA ratings (pause to add the grains of salt).

Thank you for the reply!

sheila

I think you're right Scotlib. I'd farther rather be in the Holiday Inn Express than the RB. Janis has it right on the button.

alanRow

They are all hotels for tour companies so they are never likely to be what people would choose for themselves

Why are you considering a tour for these three places as they are all on the same train line and getting between each of them is only a few hours by train - and substantially quicker than by coach.

scotlib

Train is actually part of the plan, alanRow: fly into EDI, 3 nights, train to York, 2 nights, train to London, 3 nights, fly home. Time for a taste of things, though not really long enough (never will be ), I know, but it is the length of school vacation for us.

Thanks for the replies. It does help a lot. This tour was more at idea stage, and may never actually happen, so on to threads for people whose plans are more concrete. Cheers!