Located next to North Bridge, rising above Market Street in Central Edinburgh, the 5-star Scotsman Hotel occupies the splendid offices built for The Scotsman newspaper by Dunn & Findlay, 1899-1902. The newspaper moved to a new headquarters on Holyrood Road and this building was converted to a hotel in 2001. However, high on the outside wall is an immense carving taken from the masthead of the newspaper, giving the hotel no possibility of an alternative name!
Inside, a palatial entrance hall with original swags of fruits and flowers carved in oak leads to an equally original grand marble stair with a full-height stained glass window. One of the hotel's two restaurants lies at the foot of this staircase, while the other, the North Bridge Brasserie, occupies the former Public Office, which retains its marble piers, mahogany panelling, gallery supported on ornate brackets and moulded coffered ceiling in the style of the late 17th century. The hotel has its own private 47-seat cinema and a health club including a strikingly modernist stainless steel swimming pool, together with a spa, sauna and steam-rooms. The newspaper theme is continued in the Publishers Suite, together with twelve premium editor's bedrooms. The decoration of the rooms combines traditional elegance with contemporary design. The penthouse suite, located on the 10th and 11th floors of the hotel, has its own dining room, lounge, private library, sauna, terrace with barbeque area and a bathroom with views over Edinburgh Castle.
The Livingston Development Corporation had their offices on the top floor of the Scotsman Building in 1963, before they were able to move to an office in the New Town itself.
