Radisson Blu Hotel

Located between Blackfriars Street and Niddry Street, on the south side of Edinburgh's High Street, is the Radisson Blu Hotel. Giving the impression of being one of the older buildings of the Royal Mile, and certainly of the vernacular architectural style, the hotel was begun in only 1989 and completed the following year, filling a notorious gap-site. The hotel is sizeable, comprising some 238 rooms, including 10 suites, conference rooms, a leisure club and bar. The 'stone' exterior is actually formed from cast slabs which were attached to an entirely modern structure. Built as the Scandic Crown Hotel and later becoming the Crowne Plaza Hotel, it was the work of Ian Begg, well-known for restoring traditional Scottish buildings. The architecture has been criticised as a pastiche by some, although it has also been described as "the finest example of Mediaeval architecture built in recent times". It is certainly infinitely preferable to some of the 19th and 20th Century creations on a street desperately trying to retain its Mediaeval character.


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