New 50-bed hotel planned for Edinburgh's West End

Application submitted to Edinburgh City Council

A NEW 50-bedroom hotel could be heading to the heart of the West End with plans drawn-up.

London-based Cityroomz want to turn a vaping shop and offices above on Shandwick Place, backing onto Queensferry Street Lane, into a guesthouse.

The firm already runs a hotel on the same street and its new plans will be subject to a decision by Edinburgh City Council’s development management sub-committee.

Plans are for another Cityroomz on Shandwick Place

“Cityroomz have considerable experience of similar conversions having successfully completed to a very high standard Princes House across the street in Shandwick Place,” the firm’s agents KBA+D state in the application.

“The whole of the buildings on both Shandwick Place and Queensferry Street Lane will be fully occupied which will secure their future use for the years to come.”

Neither of the two five-storey Georgian buildings at the centre of the plans are listed but are located in the New Town Conservation Area.

Plans detail converting the upper three floors into bedrooms, wit the ground and basement

floors used for storage and the Vaporized shop into a reception area.

The 50 rooms will include three accessible for disabilities, three suites, 13 family rooms, and 31 double rooms.

Cityroomz owners aim to attract business and leisure travellers with comfortable budget rooms in city centre locations.

Plans talk up the proposed hotel’s location and public transport links, including bus, rail and tram, with very few guests expected to arrive by car.

Those that do drive to the hotel will be directed to use the pay and display

parking bays in surrounding streets and the multi-storey on Castle Terrace.

“We do not believe that the proposed development will increase private car use on the road or add to the current traffic levels,” reads the application.

Although few guests are expected to arrive by bike, the hotel will install five bike racks in the basement for any staff cycling to work.

Agents believe the building to be generally in a “reasonable condition externally” with timber windows fully refurbished and repaired where required.

Secondary glazing is expected to be needed on the Shandwick Place side windows to block-out traffic noise and keep heat in.

Owners expect to keep the existing ceilings and cornicing to the new bedrooms with a dropped ceiling for fire and noise separation between floors.

With no on-site food preparation or cooking, rubbish will be generally limited to bedroom guest waste bin collections.

Maintenance work will include rot repairs, re-slating, replacing rotten downpipes, new roof coverings along with pointing to stone work.

“These works are extensive and indicate the commitment of both landlord and tenant into

bringing the fabric of the building up to a standard which we hope will last long into the future,” states the application.