Taking a city break and enjoying the company of your dog is so much easier and pleasurable now, thanks to hotels like The Stair Arms Hotel near Edinburgh.
Living in Cumbria, Scotland is our favourite place to visit, just a short journey up the quiet M6 with stunning scenery and historic charm.
We often take our Collie Mr Arthur Weasley (Mr AW) on holiday with us to rural locations, and especially like our weeks away on the Isle of Mull, however for the first time we took him on a city break to explore Edinburgh.
On our way up we stopped off at Cairns Lodge Service – as you may know, if you follow us on Instagram and Facebook, this is our favourite services, owned by the same farming family who created Westmorland Services at Tebay and Rheged at Penrith.
Here we turned on to the Edinburgh road and easily reached our destination without having to drive through the city.
We received a warm Scottish welcome as we entered the family-owned and managed The Stairs Arms Hotel. The Ramsey family have been at the helm of this former coaching house, commissioned by Lord and Lady Stair in 1830, for more than 25 years. We were greeted by Carolyn Ramsey, mum of the family who is a dog owner and lover. Mr AW spotted a friendly face immediately and felt quite at home.
The hotel has recently been completely refurbished, and the muted greys, greens and mocha colour scheme is light, warm and contemporary, and works beautifully with the traditional style and design of the building.
Our twin room was spacious and light, with a modern bath and shower room, with the attention to detail down to stunning taps and quality toiletries.
We felt instantly at home, as did Mr AW as his new thermal bed fitted perfectly in the corner – though the room was lovely and warm, so we did not need to worry about thermal beds.
Carolyne gave us directions to the nearby Park & Ride where for 50p for the whole day we could safely leave the car and let the train take the strain into Edinburgh Waverley. The regular service, a train every 30 minutes was just a 10-minute ride away for the city centre, and at just £4.20 return great value for money.
As we left the train behind there was a lovely welcome sign for dog travellers, which was a great photo opportunity for Mr AW – and a tourist even asked if they could take a selfie with him by the sign! It was a great welcome to the city for this collie-dog.
We walked up the hill to the old town where we enjoyed the street entertainer, braving the autumn icy winds – thank goodness they were fire jugglers, so something to keep their hands warm! Even out of festival season, there is plenty to see and watch on the streets of the city. Mr AW was a happy member of the street theatre audience – though he did think the applause was for him, not the juggler.
It was amazing how welcoming people are to a dog in the city. On the street, in cafes and on the station platform people came up to talk to Mr AW and tell us how lovely he was and how nice it was to have a dog around.
The new ‘dugs welcome’ signs make it easy to see where we were welcome inside, and the Fig Tree Bistro where we had a late lunch was one eating place that proudly displayed one.
The Neon Sheep shop also welcomes doggie shoppers – though Mr AW was more interested in the life-size pink sheep at the entrance.
After a walk through Princess Street Park, we headed back to our hotel. Just 11 miles from the city centre it was so convenient, and perfect for us. After his walk and tea, Mr AW was ready for a nap while we headed off to the restaurant downstairs. We could have eaten with MrAW in the reception bar area, however, he did look like he needed a rest after his day exploring the city and journey up.
The dining room is cosy and contemporary, with little nooks and crannies to sit in as well as a more open space in front of the warm, welcoming fireplace. You can tell great care has gone into redesigning the hotel, choosing the arts and crafts inspired wallpaper and lovely light fittings. The design, especially in the dining room enhances the original features of this traditional, single-story Scottish building, and is a lovely setting to enjoy the seasonal menu created around local produce.
Complimentary fresh homemade bread and dips were served while we digested the wonderful menu and specials.
For my starter, I enjoyed the lightest tempura batter on succulent mushrooms with a sweet chilli sauce – delicately crisp and delicious.
The main course, Chicken Lady Stair took the traditional haggis and raised the bar – using this tasty national dish as a stuffing within a chicken breast. The combination is sublime, the spicy, textured haggis with the soft, juicy white meat with creamy pepper sauce, seasonal vegetables and the chef’s double-cooked chips.
Dessert was a mouth-watering chocolate Brownie served with famous local vanilla icecream – the Brownie had a thin, delicate crisp outer coating that gave way to the rich, soft, sticky heart of the sweet treat.
My dinner guest Katie May shares her delight with her dinner choice on ktmy.co.uk – haggis for starter, pea and mint risotto for main and luxurious chocolate gateaux for dessert.
When Carolyn is asked where she found her amazing chef, it’s a simple answer, ‘I gave birth to him!’ as Grant is both her son and head of the hotel kitchen, while her daughter and daughter-in-law Amanda and Clare specialise in running the functions and wedding side of the business.
Though situated on the main Edinburgh to Borders A68 route, our room was quiet and we had a brilliant night’s sleep in very comfortable beds. The early morning dog walk couldn’t have been easier, with more than an acre to enjoy in the tree-lined field next to the hotel. There are other rural walks to be enjoyed from the hotel, with a country park not far from where we were staying, making this the perfect location for a dog-friendly city break.
The golden autumn sunshine and walk across the fields was the perfect start to the day, which was added to by our traditional Scottish breakfasts – we went for meat and a vegetarian options, and there were plenty of other choices on the menu. Everything was freshly cooked, using quality, local produce.
Sitting in this lovely independent, family hotel, without the distraction of rolling news on a TV or radio blaring out, it was lovely to start the day in peace.
We had the opportunity to see the elegant Hall used for functions and weddings which leads out from the french windows onto carefully designed gardens which make the perfect backdrop for the wedding party photographs.
A lovely children’s play area is also outside, so guests whatever their age can enjoy the fresh Midlothian air.
The restaurant and bar are open to non-residents and it’s a great place to stop off for coffee or lunch especially with a beer garden to enjoy in the summer months.
The great advantage of staying near Edinburgh is that you can take in a coastal walk as well as exploring the city centre. To ensure we made the most of our night away we headed to Musselburgh on our way home, just a 10-minute drive away to visit an old school friend and discover the Edinburgh seaside.
Mr AW was joined by her two collie dogs, Jess and Dexter for a walk along the beach and back along the racecourse. We didn’t notice the three hours pass as we took in the sea view of Fife, Edinburgh’s Portobello Beach and beyond.
This is a spectacular place to visit, with a coastline that captures the imagination, and the birthplace of the John Muir also known as “John of the Mountains” and “Father of the National Parks”. Muir was born in Dunbar and was a naturalist, author, environmental philosopher, glaciologist, and early advocate for the preservation of wilderness in America. You can follow the John Muir trail along the coast here.
A night away at The Stair Arms Hotel is such a treat – a warm welcome, chic, quality accommodation, excellent food and the perfect location for a stay with pets to explore Edinburgh.
I can see why this is such a popular venue for weddings, with stylishly designed rooms, gardens and wedding ceremonies in the historic coach house hotel itself it offers everything a bride and groom could wish for on their big day.
The Stair Arms Hotel is also a venue for festive parties, Christmas Day and Hogmanay dinner – and on the night after we stayed, they were hosting Medium night with Ada Donaldson. The event was so popular with have arranged another mystic evening with the medium on 29 November (more details are on their Facebook page).
We loved our night away at The Stair Arms Hotel and thnk Carolyn, Amanda, Grant and Clare for inviting us to stay – a perfect place to stay when visiting Edinburgh.
By K – This was a gifted stay in return for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
