Deacon Brodies

Walking up the Royal Mile (because it's definitely uphill both ways) you can't miss Deacon Brodies, so stop by for a pint and some exceptional pub food, you won't go wrong.

A bit pubby downstairs, since it's a pub afterall, some tables out front for smokers, nice quiet atmosphere upstairs where we settled in, and we could've been served by a ghost for all we remember, but the food was very memorable.

As you'll notice I photographed our own food much to Andy's embarrassment and yes I had all the surrounding tables staring at us curiously, but within minutes after it they broke out their own cameras and started photographing each other and their plates and things got very lively. I just broke the ice ;)

I'll keep it brief. Near the top of the Royal Mile, Castle Hill.

You think you're going in for a wee nip of the whisky samples, but suddenly you discover there's a restaurant downstairs, and you forget all about the Scotch. You find a seat... the service once again is nearly invisible, but here they are there going about their business, and you order something tasty-sounding from somebody. Let the pictures tell the rest of the story...

In the heart of Edinburgh, an affordable, pretty secure, very basic room directly on the Royal Mile, only a 5 minute walk (downhill!) to Waverley Station (or 5 minutes uphill FROM Waverley, DOH!!!)

Right on Hunter Square... oops wait that's not a plus. Can you say "ASBO"? I couldn't, until the Mercat ghost tour lady mentioned it enough times that I had to ask... so oh, you mean those pink-haired kids out in the square all night shouting and laughing from dusk to dawn and constantly climbing on the infant tree right in front of our hotel? The Anti-Social-Behavioral-Order kids? Yeah, that's the ones.

Aside from that it's a good basic hotel, tidy, very polite, helpful and almost apologetic staff, you might want to ask for a room toward the back instead of overlooking the square. Opposite the ASBO's to your left, you'll find a nightclub to your right with plenty of police action and all-night puking on the front step, and that's only on a weeknight. Back side of hotel people, are you listening?