"Overall, the staff were very friendly and the communal areas were clean and well decorated. The hotel also benefits from an excellent location.
However, much of our experience fell well below what we would expect from a Marriott property.
Upon arrival, our shower and toilet were covered in black hair, and the towels were placed on top of the sanitary bin in the bathroom. The security latch on our door was broken, with visible damage to the surrounding frame. This gave the unsettling impression that it may not have been secure and that someone had previously forced entry. As a result, our first impression of the room was that it was both unclean and unsafe.
On our first day, we requested replacement towels at reception to replace those left on the bin. We were told they would be delivered immediately. However - after waiting over 30 minutes with no sign of them - I had to follow up again via the app.
Once we finally received the towels, we discovered the shower pressure was extremely poor. It was more of a trickle than a proper shower. The temperature also fluctuated significantly after a few minutes, turning uncomfortably cold and then hot. After a cold and windy day in Edinburgh, this was far from the relaxing experience we had hoped for.
Breakfast was equally disappointing. We encountered several dirty plates at the buffet, and the food quality was very poor. The eggs were tasteless, the sausages gritty, and the bacon cold and anaemic. Hardly the standard expected.
The day before check-out, we received a message from the front desk asking whether they had fallen short and inviting us to give them the opportunity to put things right if so. I responded with a detailed list of our concerns but received no reply. This made the request feel more like a box-ticking exercise than a genuine attempt to address guest concerns. If feedback is requested, it should at least be acknowledged.
In summary, while the waiting staff were excellent and the location is a strong advantage, the cleanliness of the room, maintenance issues, food quality, and lack of meaningful management response were all disappointing. Unfortunately, we would not choose to stay here again when visiting Edinburgh."
