Hilton Edinburgh Grosvenor, Edinburgh

I actually stay near Edinburgh, so do not need to use hotels. Occasionally I do though, if I am on a night out as it can be more convenient that waiting for a taxi, so I do know Edinburgh fairly well.

I did get the hotel room for a discounted price as an unnamed hotel on lastminute.com, but I do not feel this should influence the quality of my experience, though I have taken it into account to a degree.

I was optimistic when I checked in, with the helpful gentleman at the desk making it a smooth process. He advised me my room was across the road (I did not realise at the time, this was effectively an inferior hotel) and even advised the rooms had recently been refurbished and that my room was one of the better rooms and one that he would choose if he was a guest. This is not a complaint against him. He is right to be positive about the hotel he works for, it was misleading though.

The room was probably the smallest hotel room I have ever stayed in, even allowing for the fact it was a single room. It was also very disappointing, and it amazes me, that according to staff it was one of the better rooms.

I did raise this and the hotel kindly moved me to a different room in the same part of the hotel. This too was very small, but did not seem as bad as the previous room, so I accepted on the basis of the price I paid (though this really should make no difference). Certainly if I paid the inflated full price, which like many Edinburgh hotels, is a ludicrous amount, I would not have accepted it and would have looked for a further room or checked out with a refund request. It is just as well I had only a small ruck sack, as a large bag or case would literally give you no space to move.

I left to go out for a while and arrived back to go to bed. I must say, it is one of the most uncomfortable beds I have been in. The bed was rock hard, rather like a slab of concrete. It did not stop me sleeping, but it did take a while to get there.

Since I paid £60.00 for the room, I suppose it was almost acceptable, but certainly not good value and I would not dream of paying even half the normal price for it, which can be up to £160.00 for room only (can be more). The unchilled mineral water is around £4.00 also.

I did not have breakfast so can not comment on this, other than it costs almost £20.00, plus a further £6.00 if it is brought to your room, so it would have to be spectacular (certainly better than the breakfast at the hotel's more expensive sister, where I have had breakfast and it was not better than a greasy spoon cafe).

The only real positive is the location, but there is a Premier Inn and a Travelodge within five to ten minutes of the hotel. Both are normally significantly cheaper (especially if they have their sale) and both are significantly better and more comfortable, based on my experience, and it is likely I would use them again before here (even if the price is the same).