Dunstane Houses open 'hidden gem' gin and champagne garden

The boutique hotel in Edinburgh's west end has just opened a new outdoor drinks and dining venue - and it's ideal for gin fans.

Edinburgh s award-winning boutique hotel, the Dunstane Houses, has launched a new outdoor bar and dining venue, giving both guests and visitors a picturesque spot to enjoy sunny days and alfresco evenings under the stars.

The gin and champagne garden will seat up to 70, and will offer guests a range of Scottish beers, wines, craft spirits as well as Joseph Perrier champagne.

The Scottish summer is never plain sailing when it comes to the weather, so the garden is equipped with covers and heaters, and tables can be configured for different group sizes.

The new gin and champagne garden is open now.

The team said: “We have created, especially for you, this little hidden gem of a outdoors bar with our curated collection of craft gins and whiskys and wines without forgetting our cocktails. If you are feeling fancy, why not indulge and try our signature Joseph Perrier bar?”

On the drinks menu, craft spirits including small batch Orkney gins, Japanese vodka and Scottish whisky are teamed with premium mixers from Double Dutch.

A curated selection of wines are available by the glass and bottle as is a creative cocktail selection, including a rosemary-infused gin fizz and a whisky-spiked strawberry lemonade.

When it comes to food, the menu will focus on seasonal Scottish produce with contemporary takes on classic flavours - much like the meals available within the hotel.

There will be 'wee bites' such as haggis fritters and sriracha-slaked tenderstem broccoli tempura, as well as 'bigger bites', which include beer battered fish and chips, beetroot risotto, and sharing platters that will take guests on tasting tours of Scotland and Orkney.

The hotel's afternoon tea are also available from 12-5pm, and can be upgraded to include gin or champagne.

Speaking of the new garden offering, Shirley Mowat, owner, The Dunstane Houses said: "We are delighted to reopen our doors, welcome our guests back to the hotel and launch our gin and champagne garden.

"It's something we have been working very hard towards for a long time and we believe it'll become one of Edinburgh's most beloved outdoor venues.

"There are lots of exciting plans coming up for the garden and the hotel in the next few months - and we'll be sharing these with everyone very soon."

In the leafy west end of Edinburgh, and only a hop, skip and jump from Haymarket Station, Dunstane Houses are among the venerable piles you’ve probably eyed up whilst walking to a rugby match at Murrayfield. They were designed by Edinburgh architect William Playfair and date back to 1852.

Back in 2017, Dunstane Houses benefited from a multi-million renovation and re-brand, and last autumn the hotel started offering dog-friendly stays in its sister property Hampton House, which also has undergone an expansive renovation to introduce fresh interiors celebrating both the building’s neoclassical past and the owners’ own Orcadian roots.

The Garden at the Dunstane Houses is now open from noon until late, seven days a week, for both bookings and walk-ins, and available for exclusive hire for events and celebrations.