FlyerTalk Forums - The Caledonian, Edinburgh {GBR} [was the Waldorf Astoria] (2024)

Pretty similar to my experiences, although the breakfast was hot and amazing, there were some clear service issues, people waiting for ages to get coffee, tea and toast. As someone on a great P&M deal with free HH breakfast I was laid back about it, but people come to this hotel for a genuinely special weekend and have high expectations. If I'd paid north of £200 for a castle view room for a weekend away with someone then I'd be mightily miffed if I have to flail my arms around to get a cup of tea.

The management responses on the Trip Advisor page are dismissive saying as ChrisH did that it must have been an off day. There are enough comments to indicate that "off days" are at least as common as "on days"

I'm going to Edinburgh this Christmas and already booked into the Radisson Blu hotel with their 442 offer. Just out of curiosity I checked the rate of the Waldorf hotel as well, and found this interesting "Amex 3For2" rate.

There's not much info in the rate details, but from the name I guess you qualify for the rate as long as you pay by an Amex card. Breakfast is included in the rate as well.

Even more interestingly, the actual rate is much better than the alleged 33% off in the case of 3 for 2. I made a dummy booking for Dec. 24-27, and
1. For a queen classic room, BFR is £175 and AMEX rate is £97, that is almost 45% off.
2. For the Caledonian suite, the BFR is £1,425 and AMEX rate £474... This is a crazy 67% off!

Anyway, if you are heading off to Edinburgh in December it might be worthy of taking a look.

I cannot see this rate. I can see a 3for2 rate which includes 20% off which makes each night £140. It wants to charge £420 for all three nights so there is no indication it will only charge for two nights. But there is an advance purchase of £131.

There is also a confidential Virtuoso rate.

Which means they are all booked or Hilton found the bug in their system and fixed it..

Hmm but 3for2 with 20% is hardly 3for2 is it? Misleading.

I and the OH was at the Caledonian Waldorf-Astoria, Edinburgh recently and got full, free breakfast they said it was a promotion for Gold and Diamond HH members. I did not question anymore, I was just grateful (and pleasantly surprised).

Does anyone know how long this is going on for, or had experience of this at other WAs?

Stayed at 'The Caley' recently on a points & cash 20K + £55 deal - great value ^

The hotel was fully booked on the night we were staying, so no upgrades expected.

So much to my surprise, on checking my account on the morning of checkin I noticed we had been upgraded to Junior Suite, confirmed when we got there ^^^ No idea how we blagged that one!!

Breakfast was uneventful. We got it, and had no issues getting a full hot buffet, rather than just the continental you are supposed to get.

Good stay overall, particularly for the price!

Gold welcome letter, apologies for the quality;
http://offonone.co.uk/external-conte...rgh-letter.jpg

glad to hear your stay was good one, maybe I caught them on a bad day?.......was the full hot buffet actually hot?.....mine was stone cold when I was there.....again maybe a one-off.

Bad news from the Caley. I was with a colleague (Gold Card) who was checking in there earlier this week. When checking in they didn't get the above letter, so I asked about the complimentary breakfast.

Apparently they are "changing things" again so they aren't offering complimentary breakfast by default. The girl who was checking them in seemed embarrassed on their behalf and offered to comp if for them without anyone asking which was good. But if I hadn't asked they wouldn't have got. So their 'promotion' must be over.

They need to stop messing with this and just make their mind up.

Sorry, didn't notice this.

Emm, I think so? Uneventful was definitely the word ;)

I stayed here at the end of the week and I received the breakfast vouchers as normal (Diamond). Nothing was mentioned that it was finishing and I discussed with the FO Manager how the hotel was providing a code for faster Wi-Fi. I tested it at 38mb down.

Personally the hotel doesn't really appeal that much. I do not understand the justification for rates that are a 2-3x the Doubletree. It is a fine Hilton, but there is nothing W=A about it. That is, my understanding that W=A is supposed to be something special. There is nothing special about the breakfast, I thought it might not be a buffet like the (Hilton) Waldorf was/is in London. Despite it being a W=A the same low quality bacon and sausages you find across the chain in Scotland. Smoked salmon yes, but not very good quality either. There was nothing Galvin Brothers about my omelette, dry and tasteless. Yoghurt and pastries were both better quality than usual but they seemed like the frozen kind.

The rooms (upgraded to Deluxe with View) are small with a small TV which is locked out to HDMI as per the norm at the older Hilton hotels and the usual crap TV signal. I couldn't open the wardrobe door fully as the main doors opening mechanism protruded out. Bathroom is small too and the combo shower/bath is annoying as there is no way to use the shower when in the bath as the cord is too short. Water pressure was poor and there was an odd mechanical noise from some sort of unit near the room that would come around every 30 minutes that kept me awake.

Compare with the DT where I received a large Junior Suite with a full size bathroom with separate shower and bath. The breakfast is basically the same. At the Caley my late checkout to 2PM was begrudgingly approved "the latest possible" but the hotel was wide open the next night.

There are a few more beers on tap than usual in the chain but a pint is £6 so thankfully I was given two vouchers. The staff in Peaco*ck Alley were attentive and friendly. I noticed on the menu that club sandwich doesn't include chips, they are extra...and the same Greek seabass you find across the chain in the Brasserie.

I do note its popular with taxpayer owned banks like RBS who are probably keeping it going just as they always have :D.

So its a fine (clean) hotel, but nothing special, nothing that would make me go out of my way to stay there and nothing "Waldorf-Astoria" about it if you take the brand to mean something. If I appear to be more picky than some might agree with one needs to remember this is a £250+ "Waldorf-Astoria" the only one in the UK, therefore surely the brand flagship for the entire UK portfolio but you can find better Hiltons and Doubletree's for a fraction of the price. I stayed here when it was a Hilton and I cannot say its any better other than just a rebrand to charge more money. It would probably be a truly excellent hotel if it were in the right commercial hands.

I noticed a comment to a diamond members review on Tripadvisor who talks about breakfast in her review;

"As you may be aware, breakfast is not one of the Hilton HHonors benefits at Waldorf Astoria Hotels and Resorts. However, this was indeed included in the room rate that you booked and I am very sorry if there was any misunderstanding upon check-in. Please accept our sincere apologies.
Thank you again for sharing your observations and we hope that we can have the opportunity of welcoming you back in the not too distant future.
Yours sincerely,
Dale MacPhee
General Manager"

Confirms to me free HHonours breakfast is indeed no more. Shame as we're there this Friday!!

For UK with cooked (English Fried) breakfast, which I miss being out of UK a lot, I will choose hotels here in UK where I get full brekkie, I know not a Gold/Diamond bennie (contnental is the bennie) and all London Hiltons I use always volunteer a full breakfast in Restaurant bar WA.

Outside UK in Europe , where cooked breakfasts are far less substantial (often not too my liking, eg no nice bacon, hashbrowns, tomatoes etc) I will still book WA on occasion, I can grab a coffee/croisant outside easily enough.

Just completed a stay at WA Caley from 12/28-1/2 using points. I booked a Queen room and received a Queen room with a view of the castle. I'm a Diamond and I received a voucher for breakfast and a free drink. My welcome gift was a plate of clementines, a couple of mini bottles of whiskey and a small box of chocolates.
The room was perfect for a solo traveler. I got a lot of use out of the Nespresso maker and the bed was very comfortable. It was a great location for me as I was in town to enjoy Hogmanay, stroll the royal mile and a couple of day trips around Scotland. Check-in around noon was quick and my room was ready. The only negative as with many Hilton hotels is the wicked slow internet.

I felt I got a good deal on points (used 200K) compared to the rate they were charging for New Year’s. I would pick this hotel again if I’m back in Edinburgh.