The Dunstane - Meet our Head Housekeeper - Laura Taylor

Another instalment of - MEET THE…..Head Housekeeper – Laura Taylor

Hi Laura, so you have been at The Dunstane for over 8 years now…. Tell us….

1. You have covered so many different areas of the hotel and learned so many different roles….what do you like the most?

I have enjoyed all my roles at The Dunstane, all of them are different but I love the guest interaction you get when working in the bar and restaurant. I do like helping out when I can in any department as I learn more about the hotel that way. But definitely my favourite department is my own as I am very passionate about maintaining the high standards of cleanliness throughout the hotel that we are well known for! The rooms are my babies! I have a great team too that also makes my job easier.

2. Did you like the guest interaction in your role at the Townhouse?

The interaction with the guests was definitely the best part of working a the Townhouse. Finding out about our guests and what they were doing her in Edinburgh - especially getting to know the regulars was great. I always had a story or two to tell them myself and I now have a long list of place son my list to visit as a result of their recommendations.

3. You briefly did Revive at the Dunstane, tell us about that. Was it a rewarding experience?

I am also a trained beauty therapist and I love working at the Dunstane so I thought it would be a great idea to combine the two roles! I transformed one of the bedrooms into a beauty therapy room for guests and outside clients. Although in the end it didn't work out at the time it was rewarding I am an so glad I had the opportunity to try it.

4. What is your favourite memory in the hotel?

My favourite memories from the Dunstane have to be the Christmas staff parties! Everyone who knows me knows I get a little excited as each one gets close. I have been to 9 parties now and every one has been so much fun! All staff here get on so well which makes them so much better. I think if I ever leave The Dunstane I will keep coming to the parties!!


5. What is your favourite room in the hotel?

My favourite room has to be room 108 the deluxe double room in the main building. Especially after the refurb - the colour scheme is just so me!

6. Do you prefer the Townhouse or the main building?

I love them both! they are both so different in style, but I would have to say probably the main building as that is where I started all those years ago!

7. What’s the funniest things that’s ever happened to you in Housekeeping at Dunstane?

Has to be when a young couple were staying for their honeymoon - they were obviously in high spirits and decided to play a practical joke. They went out for the day and left a plastic poo in the middle of the bathroom floor. One of the housekeepers came to get me armed with rubber gloves and bags etc and was absolutely mortified. you should have seen her face when she went to pick it up and realised it wasn't real!!


8. If you could make one change to the hotel, what would it be?

A lift! Although I actually don't think I would be as fit as I am now! I have always said I would love to have a conservatory built on to the front of the hotel for the guests to enjoy a glass of wine or two as well. If I had to pick though I would love a god run built somewhere so my dog could come to work with me and I would never be away from the hotel!

9. What is your Housekeeping worst nightmare?

Definitely running out of laundry when we have a full hotel and lots of arrivals! I have never made beds so fast in my life!

10. Describe your perfect day in Edinburgh.

My perfect day in Edinburgh would have to be a nice hot sunny day in August during the Edinburgh Festival. It would start with a walk down to the Royal Yacht Britannia and afterwards I would find a little restaurant with tables outside for a bite to eat and a nice chilled glass of wine. then a stroll up to the Royal Mile to soak up the festival atmosphere and see some street entertainers. Then in the evening maybe a show or two!!

Thanks Laura - its good to see a bit of Dunstane behind the scenes! We really appreciate all your hard work - it wouldn't be the same without you and I am sure our guests agree!

Celebrate New Year with us at The Dunstane

Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Come New Year’s Eve The Dunstane Hotel will be right in the centre of all the fun, excitement and fireworks. After all, it wouldn’t be a Scottish Hogmanay without the proper festivities and celebrations, would it?? The Dunstane proudly opens its doors every year to millions of visitors and guests and Hogmanay is no different. In fact, Hogmanay is more of a reason to open our doors and invite new people in, to share and enjoy the experience of our hospitality.

Four Star Service and a Friendly Smile

The Dunstane is proud of its placing in the local community and the ability to bring guests and new business to the area. After all, tourists who come for Hogmanay stay for the scenery, the excitement and the brilliant Edinburgh shopping. We can promise you elegance and boutique style accommodation, our award winning restaurant—Skerries—where we serve freshly caught Blue Shell Shetland Mussels, Arran Salmon and some amazing cuts of Orkney beef that will literally melt in your mouth.

Hogmanay Menu and More

Amuse Bouche and celeriac soup are just two of the incredible starters you will find on our Hogmanay dinner menu. If you fancy getting your teeth into a juicy Angus Beef Tartare with quail’s egg, then go ahead; or how about a Poached Halibut or an Angus Beef Fillet for your main course? It’s all there just waiting.  Oh, and let us not forget the whole reason for the meal—the dessert—and you can let your taste buds water with the idea of Chocolate and Highland Park Whiskey tart. If chocolate isn’t your thing, you can finish with a selection of world class cheeses, served with crackers, grapes and fig jelly. End the night with a lovely rich cup of coffee or tea, which are served with a tasty selection of Petit Fours.

Hogmanay like no other

For the highly competitive price of £120 per night, per person, you can enjoy luxury accommodation and all the choices on the Hogmanay menu, plus so much more. You can’t beat Hogmanay in Scotland, so why try? Just come to the Dunstane, stay for the duration and have a Hogmanay that you will not forget for many years to come.       

Christmas and New Year Delights in Edinburgh

There’s never a bad time to visit Edinburgh but there are some times during the year when it is the perfect place to be. One of those perfect times is during Christmas and New Year and in truth there is no better place on earth to be than the City of Edinburgh. We at The Dunstane appreciate that we are right in the hub of the action and we love that we can share the New Year experience with our guests from all around the world.

Festive Season in Edinburgh

Our four star boutique hotel is the ideal place to be when the weather outside is frightful. We can offer you something so delightful, so if you have no particular place to go, it is more than likely to snow! See what we did there? Your warm, cosy room will have free Wi-Fi and late checkout options. You can also experience fine dining with a money-off voucher for our restaurant.

Happy Hogmanay!

Hogmanay is a big deal in Scotland and in some respects is more important than Christmas. It has grown in stature over the years because of the growth in media and TV coverage. Years ago, back in the 1970’s when Andy Stewart and Kenneth McKeller used to do skits on the Hogmanay Show on TV, it was seen all over the world. Those nostalgic days are recreated here at the Dunstane and while we have moved forward in terms of our services and technologies, we have also kept our hotel as traditional as possible so that you can appreciate the ideal taste of Edinburgh when you come and stay with us for Christmas and New Year.

When you join us, here at the Dunstane, this Hogmanay you can expect a delightful menu, including Amuse Bouche, Salmon, steak Tartare, fresh halibut, Highland venison, pumpkin and chestnut risotto, poached mulled wine pear and chocolate and Highland Park whisky tart. Now, that is worth coming and spending Christmas and Hogmanay in Edinburgh for if nothing else! How about it, come and join us, but book early!

Indulge your Artistic Sensibilities at the Edinburgh Art Festival

We’re getting excited about this year’s Edinburgh Arts Festival, which takes place throughout August.  It is the perfect opportunity to visit Edinburgh and to indulge your artistic sensibilities! Established in 2004, the Art Festival was conceived in order to pay homage to the visual arts and showcase new and upcoming Scottish artists as well as established ones.

A new festival emerges

So, how did the Art Festival emerge as a distinct cultural event? Essentially it continued the established pattern of the building of relationships between Arts councils, galleries and universities that took place during the larger Edinburgh International Festival taking place at the same time.  From 2005 to 2007 a festival guide was produced, which also included collaborative projects and commissions. This gave way to promotions and a marketing platform whereby artists could showcase their own artistic work. Visitors will find that the Art Festival has grown so comprehensively that there are now over thirty venues and forty-five exhibitions available to see at the Festival.

Image Courtesy of Edinburgh Art Festival

Highlights of this year’s Festival

When you visit Edinburgh during the Festival you will have the opportunity to see the fine exhibitions that they will be holding. This year, there are an estimated 45 exhibitions ranging from the modern and contemporary back to the historical art periods. The Ming: The Golden Empire is an exhibition covering the opulence of the imperial Ming court and illustrates the unique Chinese style.  There is also an exhibition called Alt-W, which gives a voice to new work Chris Helson and Sarah Jackets, among others. Aside from those, you will also experience the American Impressionists exhibitions, the Leon Morrocco exhibition and the Katie Paterson: Ideas exhibition.

What is your favourite style of visual art?  Let us know your opinion on the exhibits from this year’s festival

Book your early bird room offer

At the Dunstane we like to offer our accommodation and our boutique rooms to visitors attending the festival, but you must book early. Have a look at our website and check for our early bird offers and find out how to book your room for the entire festival to make sure you don’t miss out! We can guarantee that you will have the time of your life when you visit us here!

Stay in Edinburgh for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games!

The Commonwealth Games is a sporting competition held among the 70+ nations of the Commonwealth of the former British Empire. The Olympic style event was first conceived in the late 1800’s and took place for the very first time in 1911. Whilst the commonwealth games used to be static, held at Crystal Palace, it has since been taken from city to city around the Commonwealth itself, much like the Olympic Games. This year the Games will be held in Glasgow, Scotland.

Why stay in Edinburgh?

Given that Glasgow is about 45 miles away from Edinburgh, you might think that it is pretty impractical for someone to stay in Edinburgh during the Commonwealth Games, instead of right there in Glasgow. However, thinking about it, it actually makes good sense to be staying outside of the city that will be very busy and full of tourists. When you get back to the quiet of our boutique hotel, here at the Dunstane in Edinburgh, you will enjoy the peace and quiet and pure tranquillity away from that hustle and bustle.

Games Travel

Edinburgh offers so much in the way of entertainment, gastronomy, sightseeing and historical delights that you can spend most of your time wandering around the city and forget to go to the games altogether! Although, most people only tend to buy tickets for specific events, so therefore if you get a hotel room in Edinburgh you can enjoy being away from the centre of the action until it is time for you to go and join it. Travel is very easy and fast between the city of Edinburgh and Glasgow, taking approximately one hour on the train.  Alternatively, you can hire a care—or bring your own if you drove here in the first place! Whichever way you choose to get to the 2014 Commonwealth Games, it is sure to be a wonderful sporting event, as always. 

The Royal Highland Show

Edinburgh; the city of history and romance, of excitement and year-round entertainment.  If you are considering coming for a weekend break, Edinburgh has a range of festivals and events to suit every taste.  Throughout the year Edinburgh is a source of romance, entertainment and joy and visiting us at any time of year is a treat that no one will ever look back on with anything other than wonderful memories.

Image Credit: Creative Commons

A touch of Royalty

With summer well and truly arrived the City is filled with anticipation and excitement about the upcoming start of the Royal Highland Show, this year taking part on the long weekend of 19^th- 22^nd June. The Royal Highland Show—as it is known now—began in 1822 and was, in those days, a nomadic show which travelled between various cities in each year. Only in 1959 did it finally become static in Edinburgh, putting down roots as the Royal Highland Show, after it was bestowed the title in 1948 by King George VI.  Some of the main attractions of the Royal Highland Show are the Livestock shows, where people exhibit their cattle, sheep, ponies, horses, goats and many other breeds, hoping to win prizes.  There is also the Rural and Agricultural part of the show where visitors can view the huge variety of machines used in the farming world. There are equine supplies, sporting goods for outdoor sports, apparel and so much more. The weekend—Thursday through Sunday—is a plethora of exhibitions, food, music, children’s events, entertainment and so much more to entice all visitors.

An Event for all Seasons

If you intend to visit for the entire Royal Highland Show you will probably want to book a weekend break in Edinburgh, starting from the Wednesday night, through to the Sunday night or Monday morning.  One of the best places to stay is the Dunstane Hotel; right at the centre of all the action! Our boutique hotel is stylish, classy and offers spring breaks from as little as £75 per night. Even if you are not staying just for the Royal Highland Show, but want to extend your stay for shopping, golfing or rugby breaks, you can arrange your stay there. How about a romantic weekend in Edinburgh to celebrate a milestone anniversary? You can spend the night in a period four-poster with room service and breakfast in bed. Give us a call today and book your room for a weekend to remember.

One Direction Come to Edinburgh

Picture courtesy of Eva Rinaldi

If you haven’t heard of teen heart throbs One Direction you have probably been hiding your head under a stone for the past four years. The third placed X-Factor contestants from the 2010 series of the show have in the ensuing years become a global phenomenon. Hits such as ‘Kiss You’ and ‘Live While We’re Young’ have become bona fide bathroom mirror classics for teenage girls the world over; as well as being a guilty pleasure for even the stuffiest of the ‘parental generation’.

The Fab Five Come to Murrayfield

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

On June 3^rd Niall, Zayn, Harry, Liam and Louis are going to be rocking out Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh, as part of their worldwide ‘Where We Are’ tour 2014.  Tickets to see the ‘Fab Five’ go on sale on May 25^th and are expected to go like hot cakes. To beat the crowds, fans are advised to have their fingers on the dial as soon as the sales lines open at 10am next Sunday. As the only Scottish gig in their current tour, demand is going to be huge, drawing in fans from all over the UK. Let us know if you were one of the lucky ones who got tickets!

A hotel for the discerning 1D fan

If you are coming in to see One Direction from outside Edinburgh, we’d like to invite you to treat yourself to a night at our four star boutique hotel on the edge of town. The Dunstane is one of the most unique small hotels in Edinburgh, occupying two historic Victorian properties. Located within easy distance of both Murrayfield Stadium and the city centre attractions, we ideally placed for an overnight stay. What is more, after the hectic atmosphere of the concert there is no better place to unwind and enjoy a good night’s recuperation in one of our 38 unique and stylish bedrooms.  Come and enjoy an excellent dinner at our Skerries Restaurant where diners can choose from a wide range of fresh seafood dishes from Orkney and Shetland. Or simply burn off some of the adrenalin over a cocktail at the Stane Bar.

For the discerning One Direction fan, or for their parent, there can be no better conclusion to a great night than in our contemporary and welcoming surroundings. Double, Single and Family rooms are still available for 3^rd June but are booking up fast so head over to The Dunstane website to book your room today or give us a call on 0131 337 6169.