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The Kimpton Charlotte Square in Edinburgh Opened in 2019 as Kimpton's second hotel in the UK, following the Kimpton Fitzroy in London. Since then Kimpton has added hotels in Glasgow and Manchester.
Kimpton Charlotte Square Location and Check-In
The hotel is located at 38 Charlotte Square, just a couple blocks from Princes Street, Edinburgh's high street, and walking distance from Edinburgh Castle. It's about a 20-50 minute drive, depending on traffic, to get to Edinburgh Airport (EDI). We arrived around regular check-in time of 3pm, so we were able to go straight to our suite.
The foyer and reception is in a rather dark part of the hotel:
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Walk through this area, however, and you reach The Garden, an inviting, light-flooded and airy atrium lounge that serves lunch and light fare 11am-2pm, and also doubles as the hotel's fine dining restaurant Aizle, which serves dinner Wednesdays-Sundays.
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We enjoyed complimentary infused water before heading to our suite.
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Kimpton Charlotte Square Suite
The hotel has 184 guest rooms and only 15 suites, so we were happy to have been upgraded to a suite, thanks to our IHG Luxury & Lifestyle preferred partner benefits. We were even upgraded to a larger One Bedroom King Suite with Living Area, which range from 538-721 sq. ft. (50-67 sq. m.). Smaller King Bed Suites with Living Area are 301-473 sq. ft. (28-44 sq. m.), while Premium Rooms are 207-290 sq. ft. (19-7 sq. m.) and regular suites are 269-334 sq. ft. (25-31 sq. m.).
Even with the One Bedroom name, keep in mind that it's not a true suite, as there isn't a fully enclosed bedroom separated by the living area; there's a partition but essentially this is one large room.
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The sofa bed had already been made up for our teen, with extra towels placed on his bed.
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The bathroom is on the small side, with just one sink, by virtue of the building's historic nature. As a Specialty Suite, there is a soaking tub and separate walk-in rainfall shower (regular rooms and suites have a bathtub/shower combo).
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Later on that afternoon, some nice welcome amenities were brought in: a bottle of wine and olives for my husband and me, as well as chocolate covered strawberries and macarons. Two glasses of juice were provided for our teen, which he appreciated.
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Here's our Kimpton Charlotte Square video review:
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Kimpton Charlotte Square Breakfast
Breakfast is served at BABA Restaurant, but unlike lunch and dinner, it's more traditional breakfast food, set up as a buffet with the option to order a hot Scottish breakfast (regular or vegetarian) and porridge. This daily breakfast is complimentary for TravelSort Clients. There's also the option to order Breakfast Specialties such as eggs benedict, pancakes, etc. for an additional charge. The buffet was good although some items such as certain fruits and individual yogurts ran out and weren't replaced, at least during our visit, and the buffet isn't as high quality or as extensive as breakfast at The Balmoral. I did enjoy my vegetarian Scottish breakfast.
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IHG Luxury & Lifestyle Benefits for TravelSort Clients
- Daily breakfast for up to two in-room guests in the hotel restaurant
- Upgrade to next room category, subject to availability
- Bottled water and fresh fruit/snacks in room upon arrival
- No walk policy
- Value-added amenity specific to hotel ($100 value once per stay)
- Guaranteed 2pm late check-out
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The Verdict
We appreciated the central location of The Kimpton Charlotte Square, close to Princes Street and walking distance from Edinburgh Castle. We also liked the airy and light-filled lounge space of The Garden, the high ceilings and lovely high ceilings and fresh flowers in the suite, the uncrowded swimming pool, the complimentary glass of wine during the nightly wine hour, and most of all, the fantastic lunch and dinner in BABA Restaurant. It's an ideal base for couples who want the feel of a boutique hotel. It's less ideal for families, however, since the suites are one large room, without a completely separate bedroom for parents.
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