The moment I stepped through the understated yet elegant entrance of InterContinental Edinburgh The George, I knew I was in for something rather special.

The lobby was all quiet luxury, with cozy sitting areas dressed in taupe, cream and forest green, cleverly separated by pillars and open space to create intimate spots for guests to meet, mingle or simply wait for their car to whisk them away.

I found myself nodding approvingly and, using my inside voice, declaring, “Now this is a posh, old-money kind of hotel.” The sort of place where you half expect someone to offer you a sherry before dinner.

Check-in was appropriately pleasant and efficient. No fuss, no fawning—just as it should be. Before long I was off to see whether my room lived up to the lobby’s rather lofty first impression.

Street cred: It’s all about location

The George, not surprisingly, sits on Edinburgh’s George Street, in the city’s elegant New Town. Housed in five interconnected 18^th-century townhouses, the hotel is part of Edinburgh’s UNESCO World Heritage-listed Old and New Towns.

And what a location. With shops, restaurants and attractions practically on the doorstep, it’s an excellent base for exploring. Even the Palace of Holyroodhouse and the National Museum of Scotland are withing walking distance, although your feet may have a few choice words for you at the end of the day.

Who hangs here: Is this hotel for you?

Well, considering The George occupies buildings more than 200 years old, Sir Walter Scott and Robert Burns would fit right in. In fact, Scott once lived in one of the townhouses that now make up the hotel. Talk about literary street cred.

These days, the clientele is a little less quill-and-parchment and more laptop-and-luxury-handbag. During my stay, I spotted mostly business types and well-heeled visitors who looked as though they’d popped over for a weekend of shopping, dining and generally enjoying the finer things in life.

The straight goods: What’s in the room?

I stayed in room 455, an accessible king room that was generously sized and looked as though it had stepped straight out of an interior design magazine. Think soft creams, navy-blue accents, lovely artwork and a cozy reading nook with table and chair beside a window that opened. Fresh air! What a concept.

A table housing a welcome Nespresso machine was a handy addition, as it quickly became the unofficial headquarters for my purchases, random toiletries and assorted travel detritus.

One of the things that struck me most, though, was the copious storage. Two tall chests of drawers (one cleverly concealing the fridge) and two nightstands with drawers offered enough space to unpack for a good long stay. Or, in my case, to accommodate the spoils of a particularly successful shopping expedition. Not that I’m admitting to anything.

The bathroom was crisp and contemporary, with white glazed tiles, chrome fixtures and a dark taupe-tiled floor. Toiletries came from sought-after fragrance house Byredo, in its Bal d’Afrique scent. A nice touch, and considerably more glamourous than the mystery-brand shampoo found in less glitzy hotels.

As this was an accessible room, the shower was an open wet-room design, with two curtains helping to keep the water where it belonged.

My only quibble was the rather stingy ledge for toiletries and water glasses. A minor inconvenience in an otherwise spacious bathroom, but one worth mentioning if you travel with enough potions and lotions to stock a small pharmacy.

Good eats: Cocktails and cuisine

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served at Le Petit Beefbar, the first Edinburgh outpost of the international restaurant brand.

With cane chairs, white and black marble tabletops and black banquettes, the restaurant is every bit as lush and plush as you’d expect. And the food? Well let’s just say you won’t be leaving hungry.

I ordered the Wellington steak frites, served with the restaurant’s signature sauce, a decadent concoction rich with butter, herbs and truffle.

Now, I’ve always felt slightly queasy when people describe beef as melt-in-your-mouth. It’s meat, people, not chocolate. But I’ll eat my words (along with every last bite of that steak), because this description actually fits.

Tender, perfectly prepared and paired with that herby, sprightly sauce, it was a thing of beauty. My taste buds were doing a little Highland fling.

I also ordered the broccoli with ginger and chilli sauce, a tasty sidekick to the main event.

Breakfast is a buffet affair, with a good selection of continental offerings alongside made-to-order dishes such as hearty oatmeal (which I couldn’t resist), eggs Benny and pancakes. All very good, and enough variety to keep everyone happy.

For a quick caffeine fix, there’s also Burr & Co, the hotel’s onsite coffee bar, serving light bites and enough coffee to get your sightseeing legs moving.

Bragging rights: What else has it got?

The George has introduced a nightly bedtime ritual designed to help guests unwind and drift off to dreamland, because jet lag and jam-packed schedules can wreak havoc with our sleep cycles.

The ritual includes calming yoga and a bespoke fragrance that can be spritzed on pillows, around the bed or over a bath to soothe one’s frazzled soul.

It wasn’t offered during my stay, so I can’t vouch for its effectiveness. But frankly, anything that promises to help me catch a few more ZZZs without counting sheep—or even Highland cows—gets my attention.

There’s also a Club InterContinental lounge, although I didn’t have the opportunity to experience it.

A few of our favorite things: What stood out?

Location, location, location. The George puts Edinburgh’s shopping, restaurants and attractions within easy reach, making it a terrific base for exploring the city.

But what really won me over was the hotel’s atmosphere. Despite its 240 rooms, it manages to feel intimate and welcoming, with enough cozy nooks and crannies to find your own little corner, settle in with a good book and enjoy a proper cuppa.

It’s grand without being grandiose, luxurious without being showy and just posh enough to make you feel you’ve arrived. Even if only for a few nights.

Parting shot: If we could change one thing

Dinner service at Le Petit Beefbar was very slow the evening I visited. My reservation was early and the restaurant was almost empty, so I put it down to the staff not quite having found their rhythm yet.

Still, when you’re dining in a restaurant this lovely, you want to linger over your meal because you’re enjoying yourself—not because you’re wondering whether your server has taken an unscheduled holiday.

Fortunately, the steak was worth the wait. But a little more pep in the service would have made the experience every bit as polished as the surroundings.

Photos courtesy of Janice Tober.