Excellent Edinburgh

What was our room like? It felt like a suite with its own small foyer. The room itself was huge with 14 foot high ceilings and tons of floor space. We opened the heavy green curtains on the windows to take in the view of Edinburgh Castle perched on the hill above us. As the sinking sun turned the sky pink, we opened the bottle of wine the Hilton had left for us on a table as a welcome gift and ate sugar topped oranges. Our son was happy with the roll-away bed that was already prepared for him near a desk in our room. After walking through the freezing cold streets outside, I loved standing under a hot shower. The sound from the television in the bedroom was piped into speakers in the bathroom. There was also a separate tub. Water bottles were waiting for us on the nightstands after turn-down. There's a full service health club plus a pool and jacuzzi open until 8 PM.

How was the location? This is in the heart of where a tourist would want to be in Edinburgh. In the morning we had no problem taking a brisk walk up Princes Street to get to the castle where Mary Queen of Scots gave birth to the first monarch who would rule both Scotland and England. My son loved how close we were to a small festival taking place in the middle of a park as the city geared up for Hogmany. While the restaurant in the hotel is famous, we chose to eat elsewhere. A pub directly across the street from the hotel's main entrance accepted children in the mornings and offered a very nice breakfast. The only time we used a cab was to get from the airport. The train station was even close.

Bottom line? If your budget will withstand some splurging, you'll be very comfortable at the Caledonian. With incredible service in a stunning setting, I'd have to put this five star hotel in my "top five list" for best hotels I've ever personally visited.

Walking down a narrow flight of steps to the door, we were greeted by a smiling host who took our coats and welcomed us into the warm restaurant. The small room in which we were seated had a cozy, romantic feel to it. Tapestries hung across the walls, which lent a medieval atmosphere to the place. We took our time looking at the compact menu before ordering everything from a Ribeye of Scotch beef to a vegetarian artichoke risotto. My husband got some traditional haggis as an appetizer for us all to try.

How was the meal? We enjoyed dinner, but we weren't blown away by our food. It was very good but not as spectacular as the bill. With that said, if it's your poison, they had a wonderful selection of Scotch whiskeys to choose from. I also have to give a nod to the great service. Our waiter was the perfect amount of attentive, and the courses came out at a steady pace.

Bottom line? I liked Jackson's. I didn't love it. The location was great for us as we needed to walk to the Mercat Cross after our meal for the start of an evening ghost tour. Trust me. It was very good to have the warmth of a stiff drink still in our stomachs as the sky opened up and dusted the world with snow.

What was it like? With lots of yellows, greens, oranges, dark wood tables, giant mirrors, decorative mosaic tiles, and comfy couches, I could easily imagine this pub being a good place to hang out at night. The long brown bar was still wrapped in tinsel for Christmas, which lent an extra festive feel to the joint. In the morning, however, things were very quiet. An attentive waiter quickly brought each of us a menu. He had the kitchen cook my eggs to order. My son liked the croissants slathered with jelly. The coffee came quick. What can I really say about the quality of morning sausage?

Bottom line?The prices here were a third of what they would have been at the Hilton. Very reasonable. Good food. We obviously liked it because we ate here twice while in Edinburgh.

Bottom line? Stop by if you're running low on funds and you need to check your email.

Every time he asked for a volunteer, our son, the only child on the tour, raised his hand high in the air. The kid was absolutely thrilled when he got to stand in as a traveler who had his tongue cut out for giving a public toast in Edinburgh to the English queen. So, obviously, some of the tales were a wee bit... uh... graphic. Don't take young children or anyone who is squeamish.

With that said, our 11-year-old son ate it all up.

As for the adults, we were happy to get out of the cold and walk into the underground vaults. We have always loved haunted tours that give us some sense of history along with the ghosts. We did get some of this here as we learned how peddlers set up shop under the city. The vaults themselves were eerie, lit by candles.

With our tour running a little over an hour long, we skipped the drink afterwards and headed back to our hotel... our son looking for ghoulies around each corner.

Cost? This varies based on which tour you take and whether or not you go to a tavern afterwards. Kids get a price break, and the tickets we bought were a reasonable 7 pounds.

More information? Go to www.mercattours.com.

How much did it cost? Entrance into the castle was less than 10 pounds a person. An audioguide was available for an extra fee. It was well worth the money!

What was using the audioguide like? Throughout the castle small numbers are on display beside certain significant features. We punched these into our audioguides and heard wonderfully detailed narratives that added to our experience.

For example, outside of a tiny chapel dedicated to Saint Margaret, we learned how this eleventh century queen loved her husband so much that she died of a broken heart shortly after he fell on the field of battle.

Finding tales of war far more interesting than tales of love and woe, my son stared from dizzy heights across the battlements as he listened to a dramatic recounting of the "long siege" in which the supporters of Mary Queen of Scots were forced to surrender after a two-year-long hold out.

We couldn't listen to every story, however, because there were several museums to explore as well as the crown jewels to see!

What highlights are worth a mention? I liked standing in the tiny room where Elizabeth Tudor's cousin Mary Stewart gave birth in the 1500s to the boy who would eventually be the first king of Scotland AND England. American visitors will find it interesting to learn that some American sailors were held prisoner in the castle as evidenced by the carvings of a young nation's flag still preserved in a prison cell's wooden door. There is also a solemn memorial chapel to visit that honors all the men from Scotland who have fought to defend her.

Is there food here? There is a small cafe in which we got coffee and snacks. The warm drinks were especially nice because the weather is so brisk in December.

How much time should be alotted? We spent the better part of a day happily exploring the castle, but I would say you'd need at least a half-day to do the attraction justice, even if you went at a faster pace.

What ages does this attraction appeal to? This will be a hit with everyone in the family. Our son liked is as much as we did. With that said, I'm not sure how friendly it would be to people who have a hard time walking. Some of the fun is going up the narrow staircases and exploring. I may be wrong, but I didn't see a lot of handicap access.

Bottom line? A must see.