Decadent Edinburgh hotel draped in red velvet and gold

House of Gods / Edinburgh / Scotland / UK

My friend Fanny spent a year in Edinburgh some years ago when she working there. During that year I tried my hardest to squeeze in as many visits as possible and during these visits I fell, hook, line and sinker for the Scottish capital.

Something that is easy to forget with Edinburgh is that it is a small town with around 500,000 inhabitants and it is a town that attracts loads of tourists each year. This combination makes it difficult to find SbRG worthy hotels here that doesn’t cost a small fortune to stay at. But now I’ve finally found one, with the humble name, House of Gods.

This 22-key hotel is located just down the road from the Royal Mile, smack in the middle of the action. House of Gods is part of a small chain, currently they have two properties in addition to this one, one in Glasgow and one in London.

The look and feel here is all about sinful, indulgent, opulent decadence. The color scheme is a rich red combined with gold and excessive amounts of velvet. I read somewhere that it is a hotel made for misbehavior which I think is a fun description. That might be the case, but it also works as a hotel to stay for us normally behaved people, as long as you don’t mind sharing your snug quarters with the person you are staying with. The rooms are small and so are the beds so this is a hotel I would best recommend if you want to sleep really close to your travel companion.

But with this said, what is the case, not only for this city hotel but for all, is that when going on a city break you end up spending most of your time outside the hotel anyhow, just coming back to your room for sleep. And this is for sure the case when in Edinburgh. Even though it is a small town, it packs a punch.

When entering the hotel you step right into the bar.

The feeling is very sensual, sumptuous boudoir with the subtle lighting and all the red and gold.

The reception is hidden in this whole in the wall.

Directly upon check in a glass of Prosecco magically appears in your hand.

The fab wall paper in the public bathrooms next to the reception.

Heading up to our room. Feels like walking into some kind of quirky David Lynch movie.

Our room. The color scheme is red, red and more red.

The invention should be mandatory in all hotels. You just press the button of your choice.

I am always waking up early. Found this great coffee place, the Milkman, down the road that served great coffee.

Luckily my friend Malin is an early bird just like me. Enjoying Edinburgh and the Royal Mile all to ourselves.

Returning to the hotel just in time for breakfast, that is delivered to the room in a cute basket.

The famous Arthur’s Seat. Perfect for a hike if you want to escape the city.

There are some great coffee places around town. This is Room Rumours, not too far from the station.

If you want a great night out I can recommend The Ivy on the Square. Great drinks…

RG inside info

This place is perfect if you…

…are looking for a centrally located Edinburgh hotel with a bit of a cheek. If you don’t mind small space living (or if that is what you are looking for, to stay really close to your travel companion) and you love rich reds and gold, you should check out House of Gods.

My favorite thing about this place…

…is the location. This is an actual stone’s throw from the Royal Mile. But also the clever remote in your room where you can have milk and cookies or Prosecco delivered to your room by the push of a button.

What not to miss when staying here…

…is to book a table at the restaurants you want to visit. Edinburgh is a small town with a lot of tourists so if you have any special restaurants you want to eat at, make sure you book well in advance since the best places fill up fast.

If you like this hotel you might also like:

Provocateur / Berlin, Germany

Hotel V Nesplein / Amsterdam, Netherlands

The Pilgrm / London, UK