£1.4m refurb sees luxury hotel rising from ashes

A LUXURY hotel badly ­damaged by fire has completed a £1.4m refurbishment.

Filip Boyen, CEO at Small Luxury Hotels of the World with General Manager Chris Lynch reopen the Nira Caledonia on Gloucester Place.

Nira Caledonia was ­substantially hit by the blaze last August – but painstaking work has been carried out to carefully restore the original period cornicing and plasterwork and revamp the bedrooms. The fire and the resultant water damage catastrophically damaged Number 6 townhouse, which housed the reception, 14 bedrooms, the Blackwood’s restaurant and the hotel bar.

The hotel had to be entirely stripped back and a ­programme was established to save as much of the original flooring, plasterwork and ­cornicing as possible.

Restoration and preservation specialists from Edinburgh-based GLM and Bell Building Projects of Glasgow were contracted to recreate the building’s Georgian elegance.

The restoration involved the installation of 3000m of cabling, 300 litres of paint and 2000 sq m of carpets.

The 28-bedroom hotel in Gloucester Place has now ­re-opened marking the end of a complex and intricate renovation programme.

General manager Chris Lynch said the transformation will certainly not disappoint.

He said: “Nira Caledonia is a hidden gem in Edinburgh’s hotel scene.

“As well as mixing quirky Georgian splendour with 21st Century comforts, Nira Caledonia aims to take guest comfort to new levels.

“Stiff formality goes out the door – and you won’t find any tartan nor prints of Bonnie Prince Charlie. Instead, expect an easy-going style blending bohemian chic with contemporary living. We love the fact that we are a secret find for travellers looking for a special place to stay in our Capital.

“We think, in no time, Nira Caledonia will be seen as Edinburgh’s premier boutique hotel.”

Nira Caledonia is one of only three hotels in Scotland to be a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, which promotes only those which meet 730 exacting quality standards. Every one of its 525 members is inspected every year and must reach a minimum score on each standard.

Filip Boyen, CEO at Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH), said: “We are delighted that Nira Caledonia will be fully open once again offering our guests the very best welcome and hospitality in the heart of Edinburgh.

“The hotel and its relaxed elegance characterises the independently minded spirit on which SLH is built and ­perfectly complements our other two hotels in Scotland. We encourage guests to use this reopening as a reason to visit, or revisit, this wonderful city.”

The reopening of Nira ­Caledonia, part of Shanti ­Hospitality, a hotel and ­leisure company. also sees the relaunch of its popular Blackwood’s Bar & Grill and its ­signature ‘Home of the ­Chateaubriand’ steaks.

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