When the 160-year-old Lady Glenorchy Church was converted into The Glasshouse Hotel in 2003, Scotland exchanged one iconic piece of history for another. With 77-bedrooms, this is a standout among luxury boutique hotels and is considered one of the best places to stay in Edinburgh.
This historic hotel in Edinburgh features cosy-contemporary interiors, warm Scottish service and consistently spectacular views of the city centre, Calton Hill or the hotel’s two-acre rooftop garden.
HISTORY
On arriving at The Glasshouse Hotel, there is something immediately distinct about the Category C Listed weathered stone facade,.
With an elegant crenellated tower and Gothic-style arch-shaped windows. This is because of the hotel’s history — once a church, then in 2000, demolished to leave only the front of the building.
What was constructed in its place is a hotel near Edinburgh Castle with 77 rooms and the city's most secret rooftop garden. Stay in an iconic Edinburgh hotel with a unique 230-year history, within easy reach of Edinburgh Playhouse and the Castle.
An iconic Edinburgh hotel with a unique 230-year history.
There are no other luxury 5-star hotel rooms and suites in Edinburgh with views this dramatic, with nearly every room benefitting from floor-to-ceiling windows.
Some have private terraces only a few feet smaller than the rooms to which they are attached. Others have direct access to the two-acre lawned roof terrace beneath historic Calton Hill.
Whether you are here for business or leisure, hotel's spirit is individual enough to make your stay feel like a retreat.
Enjoy extraordinary rooftop garden, city rooftop and Firth of Forth views.
In Edinburgh, four Deluxe Suites stand out for their size — including baths and showers designed for two.
Two of the four headline Deluxe Suites are located on the corners of the building, which provide a wall of windows to soak the rooms in light.
The fourth of hotel's suites in Edinburgh does not (Auchentoshan) but is by far the largest; next door is The McClelland Suite which can be interconnected via a private closed-off corridor.
All but The Glenturret Suite have baths big enough for two, or even four.
Design details include a woven checkerboard-effect in wood veneers behind the bedheads, elegant ebony-like screens between the living and sleeping areas, outsize Plasma TVs, plum leather corner sofas (or a tweed dogstooth sofa in the Auchentoshan Suite) and waterfall showers.
In these suites, you can take in Edinburgh from outsized balconies with enough room to throw a private party, or choose a suite that takes advantage of the direct access to the hotel’s roof terrace sitting beneath dramatic Calton Hill.
The rooms are accented with silver-coloured textured walls, purples and plums, with chestnut wood veneers and contemporary-designed wool rugs. Bathrooms have double vanity sinks.
16 luxury Studio Suites give a real sense of Edinburgh, not just in the artwork that speaks to the Scottish heritage, but in the huge views of the city.
These rooms are named after favourite single malt whiskies.
Walnut veneers gives the clean-lined furniture a cossetting warmth, while by day, the floor-to-ceiling windows flood these well-priced, peaceful rooms with Edinburgh’s unique East Coast sunshine.
Book 5-star hotel accommodation in one of the 32 Deluxe Rooms, either with a queen or twin beds and contemporary interiors accented with poppy reds and plums.
Hotel has 14 of these Executive Rooms, and with a few added extras, like a complimentary mini-bar, offering a selection of snacks and soft drinks, this room choice feels like a bit of a treat — if you are here for business or leisure.
Some of these rooms have direct access through glass doors on to the calming haven of the hotel’s two-acre lawned garden. Others rooms have large private balconies overlooking the city rooftops to the Firth of Forth.
More than hotel rooms with garden views, these accommodations provide direct access to a two-acre lawned rooftop in Edinburgh.
Hotel's 32 Garden View Rooms are positioned in a U-shape on the third floor of the hotel, flanking The Glasshouse’s pièce de resistance: a lawned rooftop located beneath the heath-covered Calton Hill, which makes one feel like one is staying not in city centre Edinburgh but the historic wilds of Scotland.
All have floor-to-ceiling windows and direct access to the garden. As to the room design, it is similar to the Deluxe Rooms.
Simple, fresh and local — that’s the approach to food at The Glasshouse Hotel in Edinburgh. Dine in an elegantly designed glass-walled dining space, The Brasserie, in view of dramatic Calton Hill.
Hotel's seasonal menus bring something new to the Edinburgh dining scene, with afternoon tea & dinner available at the discreet locale in the city centre.
The Roof Garden at The Glasshouse Hotel is one of Edinburgh’s true hidden gems, where a feeling of nature can remove you from the urban energy that bustles a few metres away (yet you can’t see or hear it).
Stroll across the tranquil lawn and settle under a pergola, or sit on your terrace overlooking the garden as you dine al fresco. This is a very popular venue for weddings and private events.
If the weather allows, dine al fresco on either your balcony or on your terrace facing the large roof garden and Calton Hill.
Comfort food classics include Steak Frites, as well as hearty, seasonal soups, salads, sandwiches and local specialities like the dual Ox & Venison burger, or 'Scottish Supper' pizza.
Nearly all hotel's rooms benefit from these outdoor spaces and all have dining tables for at least two people.
24-hour
Here you can relax among warm, contemporary tones while retaining a feeling of intimacy with upholstered forest and Paris green armchairs and benches. Historic Calton Hill can be seen through the floor-to-ceiling windows, letting the outside flow in as you dine.
An Edinburgh restaurant in the heart of the city with iconic natural views. Offering seating for just over 50 diners, the Brasserie at The Glasshouse Hotel feels like a retreat from the bustle of Edinburgh.
17.00h - 21.30h
Positioned in the physical heart of the hotel is the cosy Snug, a perennial favourite among regular guests of The Glasshouse as the place to unwind and hold informal meetings. Just inside from the rooftop garden, the room is centred by an open fire.
Both afternoon tea and dinner can be eaten here. You can also choose liquid refreshment from the well-stocked bar.
Enjoy relaxed dining in the Snug at The Glasshouse Hotel.
12.00h - 23.00h
The Glasshouse Hotel sits at the confluence of the main shopping area on Princes Street and the entertainment district, with the hotel’s neighbours including The Playhouse Theatre on one side, and the Vue Cinema at the Omni Centre on the other.
Hotel is right in the city centre, making hotel well placed for guests working in Edinburgh’s financial services sector, as well as tourists interested in the city’s historic attractions, including Edinburgh Castle.
The UK’s largest theatre is where to catch all the blockbuster shows when they come to Edinburgh.
Set in 82 acres of land just west of the city centre, this zoo contains over 1,000 rare and endangered aninals.
At The Glasshouse is offered a range of different spaces for events and meetings in the heart of central Edinburgh. Hotel's style is warm, professional and fluid — hotel's team can adjust to your needs, whatever the occasion — while always giving you a sense of where you are, in the capital of Scotland.
An experience like no other, enjoy a delicious picnic in the heart of Edinburgh, where you can escape the hustle and bustle, and relax, taking in the breathtaking views of Calton Hill.
The distinctive Scott Monument, reached by 287 steps, commemorates Sir Walter Scott, one of Scotland's greatest novelists.
Deciding on The Glasshouse Hotel for your wedding in Edinburgh means you get to experience the best of both worlds: vibrancy in the heart of Scotland’s capital, with the breathtaking backdrop of historic Calton Hill and luxury Edinburgh accommodation for the wedding party and guests.
THE GLASSHOUSE, AUTOGRAPH COLLECTION
2 Greenside Place EdinburghScotland United Kingdom