Special feature: Rutland Apartment, Rutland Hotel, Edinburgh

Last weekend we stayed at the Rutland Hotel in the heart of Edinburgh but not in one of their rooms; instead, we were just a short way down the road from the hotel in the beautiful Rutland Apartment which offers so much more than a hotel room. We were warmly welcomed by Liz who made a fuss of our two boys before showing us to the accommodation. Pictured below is the living area of the apartment.

And just off from the living area is a small kitchen and breakfast bar with everything youd need if you wanted to cater for yourself rather than eat out.

The apartment has two bedrooms, beautifully decorated with bright colours and bold wallpaper print, both with a flatscreen TV, and both pictured below.

Space is of a premium in Edinburgh City Centre so it comes as something of a surprise to find that the Rutland Apartment even comes with its own small garden, perfect for those summer evenings where you can relax with a glass of wine before ambling up the road for the dinner.

On the Saturday morning we had breakfast at the hotel and both opted for the Eggs Benedict on a bed of ham, spinach and muffin. The eggs were cooked to perfection and provided ample fuel for the day ahead.

Later in the day, after a little retail therapy, we ventured into Edinburgh and had lunch at The Hub, a historic Grade A listed building anda bustling caf very close to Edinburgh Castle. You would need to reserve a table in advance if you dont wish to queue on arrival.

After a hearty brown seeded roll with prawns, lemon, dill mayonnaise and an avocado salsa, and having done Edinburgh Castle and the Camera Obscura on our last trip to Edinburgh a couple of months ago, we decided to head toOur Dynamic Earth. Itsounded like the perfect attraction to take our inquisitive children to and it didnt disappoint! First we were taken in a time machine which took us back through the ages

we learnt about volcanoes, glaciers, evolution and more. Since I have a PhD in glaciology, I cant say I learnt too much about glaciers that I didnt already know(!) but it was nevertheless engaging and enjoyable, especially for children, and with some great effects thrown in.

There were plenty of hands-on exhibits and some interesting insights into how we know about certain subjects such as ocean currents.

There was even a simulation of a rainforest towards the end, as well as a 4D film experience.

Back at the Rutland Apartment, we went out for dinner at the hotel restaurant which offered amenu created by head chef David Haetzman and his team. I was due to run the Edinburgh Marathon the next morning so the choice for me was easy I was going for pasta. So, after a starter of mussels steamed with cider, leeks and cream,I chose the homemade tagliatelle with fresh peas, broad beans, courgette, peas and crumbled goats cheese which tasted as good as it looks.

We really enjoyed our stay at the Rutland Apartment and would recommend it to anyone visiting the city particularly families or guests travelling on business who appreciate a little more space, privacy and independence.

Sadly, I cant say I enjoyed the marathon quite as much! The views on the way out of Edinburgh were lovely, as we passed a number of picturesque beaches which I hadnt realised existed so close to the city. But by mile 22, having turned back into a horrible headwind on my way back towards Musselburgh, my legs decided they had had enough! At one time it had looked like I could have been on for a personal best but instead I struggled to the finish in a time of 4 hours and 8 minutes. On the plus side, though, I did raise around 600 for the British Heart Foundation!

If youre ever thinking of a trip to Edinburgh, log on to This is My Edinburgh for information on how to get there, things to do, etc.

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Special feature: Rutland Apartment, Rutland Hotel, Edinburgh is a post from A Luxury Travel Blog