Edinburgh hotels: West end set for new boutique hotel after couple transforms 'squint' empty offices

The former office building has been restored and will open as a luxury hotel in November.

An Edinburgh couple are set to open a boutique hotel after restoring a ‘squint’ former office which had been lying empty for years.

The early 19th century Georgian townhouse at 11 Stafford Street has been transformed by property investors Caroline and Nick Claydon, after the council granted permission to convert the office block into new overnight accommodation. Due to open by mid November, the high-end hotel will have a ‘house feel’ with keyless check-in, bespoke products in the rooms and signature rooms offering views across the New Town.

The couple are marketing the quirky, B-listed building as the ‘perfect blend of classic and contemporary style’. A stay in one of the 15 en-suite rooms will start from £175 a night. Each one is named after an architect who designed buildings in the West End.

Original features of the b-listed townhouse have been restored

Caroline, 46, said they wanted to keep the original character of the building while giving it a modern twist. She said: “We own a B&B down south and we wanted to do something similar on our doorstep. This is a beautiful, historic building. It had a lot of interest. We were one of 11 bids. It’s interesting to see an old building that lay empty for years transform. It’s still squint so it has so much character.

"It’ll have a Waldorf feel but without the price tag. We kept traditional features and added a modern day twist. We’ve restored all the original cornice, panels and ceiling roses. Rooms have intelligent heating so can detect if someone is in the room sleeping and adjust the temperature so it’s eco-friendly too. We’ve also designed bespoke products for the rooms and these are available to buy. I wanted to have lots of little extra touches like that to make it feel special.”

The mum-of-two added: “There’s so much on the doorstep around here. So we are collaborating with businesses like Voyager of Buck, Green Room and West End Brasserie. We’ll make sure guests get discounts on breakfasts, a welcome drink and other offers. We are really looking forward to opening our doors in the coming weeks and welcoming our first guests.”