LEFTBANKED.

12.12.2019

729. Edinburgh in November | Dean Village

Dean Village is a charming residential area, a short ~15min walk away from the centre of the city. The Water of Leith runs through it. The whole area is very peaceful and picturesque. It was pretty quiet when we went. Most of the people we saw were tourists, snapping photos at the bridge. The village is quite small so it didn't take us too long to explore. Afterwards we just walked around the city a bit and relaxed.

This is going to be my last Edinburgh post! Next up will be La Coruna.

Our breakfast that morning. We just went into a random cafe that didn't look too promising from the entrance..but the breakfast was so good!! We also got a delicious porridge to share in addition to these, which ended up being a ritual the rest of our breakfasts during the trip (the shared porridge).

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728. Edinburgh in November | Edinburgh Castle and The Witchery

At Edinburgh Castle! It was so cold and rainy when we were in Edinburgh that I thought visiting the castle would be a few hours of touring indoors but that wasn't the case. Edinburgh Castle is actually a series of separate buildings that make up the entire fortress. Each building is its own museum. To be completely honest I don't think the visit was worth the price of the ticket but at least we got a nice photo from up there!

The Hidden Life of Trees - I discovered this book before coming on the trip. I've heard really good things about it and as a nature lover, it seemed really interesting to me. There were only hardcover options available in Canada (I usually prefer paperback books) so I was really excited to find the paperback version at Waterstones here.

I'm making this post at the perfect time because I just finished reading it earlier today! I really enjoyed it - so much that I ordered the two other books by Peter Wohlleben (The Inner Life of Animals and The Secret Wisdom of Nature). But this Trees one is his most popular/most highly-rated. It is really interesting and I liked it so much I didn't want it to end.

On our last evening, we went for a nice dinner at The Witchery by the Castle. It is considered one of the best restaurants in Edinburgh, especially for the atmosphere. It was almost entirely candle-lit and very cozy.

Venison and duck

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727. Edinburgh in November | The Dunstane Houses Review

The Dunstane Houses is a luxury five-star boutique hotel in Edinburgh, set in a pair of Victorian houses across the road from each other in the city's West End. The stately Dunstane was built in 1852 and still retains many of its original features; open fireplaces, high corniced ceilings, a grand stone staircase. Traditional decor is seamlessly mixed with modern details, creating an opulent yet intimate retreat with style akin to a members-only club. As soon as you step in to the house, you are greeted with a sense of old-world splendour.

There are 35 rooms in total. Rooms are elegantly designed in a refined palette of navy blue, brown, coral, and cream. Our room was the "Dunstane Suite" which I believe is their largest/signature suite. It was very spacious and radiated coziness. We loved the peacock feather wallpaper and our favourite feature was the free-standing copper bathtub set in front of a bay window. The bathrooms have heated floors and towel racks.

The Dunstane Houses received the "Most Romantic Boutique Hotel of the Year" Award from the Scottish Hotel Awards 2019 and the previous year was named as the "Boutique Hotel of the Year"! The hotel is located on a fairly residential part of town. It's close to Haymarket Station and about a 15 minute walk into the old town. It is the perfect place to stay if you want an urban retreat, somewhere central yet not in the hustle and bustle of the city. We really loved our stay here and highly recommend it if you are visiting Edinburgh.

Gallery style artwork and photographs adorn the hallways, with vintage images and classic luxury car details.

The restaurant on site offers fine dining of Scottish and Orkney-inspired cuisine. Dishes were innovative and flavourful, and the service was impeccable. I loved the warm and cozy atmosphere in the dining room.