08/08/12 - 0 Comments
Luxury Destination: The Atholl in Edinburgh
Edinburgh’s heritage and architecture make this city one of the most interesting and intriguing tourist spots in the world. The old town takes visitors back to medieval Britain with its cobbled streets, haunted vaults and secret passages. Moreover, the city is overlooked by one of Scotland’s most impressive castles and is a fantastic mixture of antiquated and contemporary, boasting both a fascinating past as well as a lively nightlife with a vibrant cosmopolitan community.
Perhaps most intriguing to the luxury traveler however, is what is located In the very heart of the city, amongst Georgian houses, consulates and fashionable offices: namely the UK’s most expensive hotel. This is how The Atholl is known by most people—not by where it is or what it offers, but by how much it costs.
The Atholl is the creation of property developers Alison Davies and Malcolm Gray and is a gift to contemporary Edinburgh. It has attracted the attention of luxury-seekers the globe over and given the city an opportunity to be in the spotlight during the London Olympics.
The property is managed by award-winning hotel management company Inverlochy Castle Management International and offers a unique concept in accommodation—calling it a hotel is possibly an understatement.
There are four suites available, each of which has a Bulthaup-designed kitchen and Gaggenau wine refrigerators already filled with some of the finest wines available. One of the suites has a grand piano and private garden, while another has a fully-stocked whisky room. Guests have their very own private chef preparing dishes designed by the renowned culinary expert and chef Albert Roux. The hotel offers the pinnacle of privacy and exclusivity and the level of service is the highest one could expect. Still, It’s very much a Scottish property, with both a contemporary and an international feel to it.
Rates per room range from £1000 to £2500 per night, making The Atholl officially the most expensive hotel in the UK. Yet it has been keeping busy, meaning it fills a certain a gap in the market and is definitely the place to stay in if you’re after ultra luxury and the best of the best when it comes to accommodation.
Edinburgh has a number of luxury hotels and Scotland is well-known for its friendly and welcoming people. If you’re looking for the type of experience you would only find in a very small number of hotels in cities such as New York, Paris and Milan, though, then The Atholl in Edinburgh should be the next on your must-visit list.
Photo credit: The Atholl
