Offering a personalised plan for your big day at our Wedding Open Evening

Whether you’re newly engaged and looking for inspiration for your big day or already experiencing the well-known mix of excitement and near exhaustion from months of planning, we’re here with our super team of talented and trusted wedding co-ordinators to walk you through every step of your dream day and ensure all finer details…and loose ends… are perfectly tied up in a luxurious tartan bow.

Meticulous planning is second nature here at The Scotsman and we’re currently putting together the most inspiring and useful of events – our Wedding Open Evening. As a team we are always striving for perfection and understand that a wedding day not only needs to be the most seamless of celebrations but should also deliver everything you’ve always dreamt of. As opposed to a wedding fayre, the evening event will provide the opportunity to have a one-on-one with our wedding co-ordinators, focusing on how we can personalise every finer point.  We enjoy it as much as you do, especially when it comes to tasting menus and colour schemes – but we will ensure our eye is kept on the prize, delivering your wedding day exactly how you envisioned.

We have, quite rightly, decided that beginning your evening with a bubbling glass of Prosecco is definitely the way to go forward when considering all things celebratory and it will also come in handy when washing down the delicious canapés our Executive Head Chef Paul Hart is busy planning the menu for (which hopefully we’ll get to test in advance, hint, hint). Once suitably refreshed we’ll guide you around three of our suites and rooms, which will all be dressed to perfection from chair covers to centre pieces, by the team at Zenith Events. Creating the most stunning of decorations, their representative will be able assist us in painting you a picture of how perfect your day could be, down to every décor detail.

Award-winning photographer Philip Hawkins will be available to talk through capturing every moment of your big day in the way you’d always imagined – check out his website to see what he has created for other couples. Topped off by the dressed-to-impress Master of Ceremonies, Richard Grey, who will be fully attired and ready to receive your questions on the all-important vows and perhaps offer tips to reduce those nerves.

As a team we’re split between classic and contemporary – traditional tulle vs designer dress, tiered iced fruit cake or dotted dainty cupcakes, time-honoured vows or tear-inducing love letters and the all-important sticking point is what one wears under the kilt; personal preference we say! Whatever your tastes and needs, come by and visit on the 16^th of July 2014 between 6pm to 8pm where we’ll be waiting to start creating your personal dream day.

RSVP Nicole Hunter: Tel: +44(0)131 622 2818 Email: nhunter@thescotsmanhotel.co.uk

The perfect packages for the 12th Edinburgh Marathon

 We have the uttermost respect here for anyone taking part in any marathon – we think the commitment, the training and the determination it takes to compete, let alone complete, is outstanding. With the 12th Edinburgh Marathon later this month, we wanted to take part in our own way by offering the perfect pampering packages to sweep runners off their feet and help them rest and recuperate after such a hard slog. 

Knowing the uphill struggles we all face, those not running the marathon shouldn't feel they can’t join in – these packages can be the ease and escape from the everyday everyone needs…us included! So whether it’s battling the school run or the rush-hour wrestle, sit back, relax and let us do the hard work. 

Having tried and tested our range of relaxing remedies available at The Scotsman Spa and Health Club; from Salt Scrubs and Pedicure Pampering to the Back Me Up body massage, we know how to hand-pick and hone in on the best treatments for a little ‘me’ time, ensuring only the best are available for our deluxe spa and stay packages.

Spending one or two nights in the lap of luxury with full access to our spa, complementary treatments and a delicious dinner at the award winning North Bridge Brasserie, we couldn't think of a better way to unwind. The grand finale of the full Scottish breakfast will not disappoint either! With prices starting at £300 per room per night for two here or for a little more luxury, see what our £540 per package for a two night stay has to offer here.  

If, like us, the idea of a relaxing massage sounds very appealing to you, our Aveda spa is offering an Elemental Nature Massage with a Protein Shake for £60 per person for the month of May only. Designed to relax and repair; the combination of ethically sourced essences, the magic of a massage tailored to your needs and the support of a protein shake will ensure any tension or tiredness is replaced with energy and invigoration…which is just what the doctor ordered!

Meanwhile, for the health conscious who have back-to-back meetings, we’re offering delicious fruit platters and energising smoothies throughout May included in our Day Delegate Rates. With prices starting at £45 per person, we've ensured you can still experience the feel-good factor inside and out.

As one of the leading road races in the world, and with over 30,000 people taking part, we anticipate the marathon events on the 24th and 25th are not to be missed- it will definitely be the highlight of our Spring Bank Holiday!

Celebrating World Whisky Day at the Scotsman

World Whisky Day? We don’t think so! In true Scotsman style, we’re celebrating the whole month of May by dedicating a delicious three course menu to our favourite tipple.

Having spent many an evening, educating (ahem) and exciting our taste buds here at the Scotsman, we couldn’t allow the 17th of May to come and go so quickly when it comes to some of our country’s finest exports. With careful consideration, our Executive Head Chef, Paul Hart, has paired the most sought after malts with traditional Scottish dishes, ensuring connoisseurs, like ourselves (naturally) and newcomers alike can delight in the deliciousness of a dram or three at the North Bridge Brasserie.

The pièce de résistance? Jelly, that is, Glenfiddich Single Malt Whisky Jelly to be exact, which accompanies the Haggis starter…and it’s got our legs all in a wobble (please forgive us). While not forgetting the 'Auld Reekie' Whisky and Smoked Cheese Sauce, which pours over the 28 hung, Henderson’s Highland Beef, and if that hasn’t got you hungry, we don’t know what will!

We certainly don’t scrimp when it comes to our drink, so whether you’re as divided as our team between sweet or savoury, we’ve covered every base – from the intensely peppery palate of the Talisker 10 with the meaty main, to the raisin notes of the Aberlous A’Bunadh swirling with the rich butterscotch and toffee dessert, these dishes won’t disappoint.

Come and whet your whistle with us and celebrate the Scotsman way!

Check out the menu for the Whisky Pairing Dinner here.

£45.00 per person, 5:30pm-10pm.

Over 18’s only.

Don’t miss out! Call +44 (0)131 622 2900 or email Scotsman-northbridge@thescotsmanhotel.co.uk to book now.

Burn’s Night Supper at the Scotsman Hotel

The celebration of our national bard is fast-approaching and we’ve all been swapping stories about our various family traditions. Some of us go all out, with bagpipe music and songs, whereas others prefer a low key affair, but there was one thing we all agreed on – it’s the time for a big, traditional feast!

The Burn’s Night Supper is something every Scot looks forward to because it reminds us of home. It’s guaranteed that you’ll get some timeless dishes like haggis, neeps and tatties, and of course, a little bit of whisky. 

This year, we’ve decided to celebrate Burn’s Night at the Scotsman with a grand feast. Paul Hart, our Executive Head Chef, has been busy thinking up the perfect menu for the occasion. And, of course, Burn’s Night wouldn’t be the same without whisky, so we have put together some whisky pairings to go with each dish. The event is sure to be a very extravagant – and very Scottish – celebration, and we look forward to lauding our country and its art on the evening. 

The menu for the event is here. Join us in the Brasserie on the 24^th, 25^th or 26^th January between 5.30pm and 9.30pm or dine privately in our banquet room throughout the month.

Make a booking here...

St. Andrew’s Day is Nearly Here

If you know anything about Scotland, you’ll know that we don’t need much convincing when it comes to celebrations. St. Andrew’s Day is coming up and we’re all very excited. The atmosphere on St. Andrews is great, with everyone in high spirits – especially us here at the Scotsman!

If you’re not Scottish – St. Andrew’s Day happens every year on the 30^th of November. It’s a bank holiday (so lots of people get the day off work!) and Scotland’s national day. So, as you can imagine, all things Scottish are celebrated including our traditional food, drink and music.

At the North Bridge Brasserie, our chef Paul Hart will be using plenty of proper Scottish ingredients to create lunches and dinners. Most of us here at the Scotsman are fairly local, so if you don’t have a clue about some of our more traditional foods, like haggis, neeps and tatties, then just ask one of us. But, we promise – they are delicious. There’s also our new Whisky Tasting Experience which is proving quite popular already. We tried it out and loved the dram from the Highlands, although all of them were very nice, and there’s something very special about knowing that all the whiskies come from Scotland.

Just up the road, the Palace of Holyroodhouse will be open to visitors. There will undoubtedly be more whisky and Scottish food here, if you aren’t already full. In the evening, there will be people performing and concerts. We’ll be listening out for the ceilidh bands, because wherever there is ceilidh, there is dancing!

Taking Another Look at Edinburgh Castle

Sometimes, when you walk past something every day, you forget that it’s actually a world-famous castle filled with stories and history. That’s sort of how we feel about Edinburgh Castle, because when we catch a glimpse of it while we’re on one of the balconies, we’re always taken aback by how magnificent it is... and that it’s just on our doorstep.

We’re pretty lucky to be able to look out of the window and see the Castle, especially when there are big events taking place outside it. During Hogmanay and the Fringe Festival, the Edinburgh Castle is usually the focus of attention as fireworks go off all around it, and we get a prime viewing position.

You can find out loads about the Castle on the internet, but we decided to see if we could find out some lesser known facts from the Scotsman Hotel team. As you can imagine, we were told some interesting stuff, like some University of Edinburgh students believe that passing through the castle gates will mean they fail their final exams; and that there’s a secret prison hidden below King James’ birthing chamber which remains a mystery to this day.

People had ghost stories to tell about it too – but as Halloween has just passed, we thought we better leave those ones out and avoid putting people off! The Castle really is an amazing attraction, and the next time we walk past it, we will definitely think twice.

A New Lunch Menu for the North Bridge Brasserie

We don’t know about you, but just looking at a menu makes us hungry. So, as you can imagine, it’s been a pretty tough month for us with the development of our new lunch menu. Our Executive Head Chef Paul Hart put the menu together earlier this month, and we’ve all been in and out of the kitchen enjoy sneak previews every since.

Paul is a pretty creative chef and while some of the ingredients are traditional and very Scottish, there are some we are less familiar with like Lapsang Souchong-infused grapes and, umm, Hedgehog mushrooms. Curious as we are, we set out to find a little bit more about all of the more inventive additions to the menu and discovered that while the aforementioned mushroom does usually inhabit woodland, it is not in any way prickly. Things like Great Glen venison also caught our attention, and with a little research we found out that it is extremely local indeed – hailing from just outside Inverness.

We get to test out all of the new menu items before they make the final cut, and one of the things we most enjoyed sampling was dessert. The pumpkin and orange cake caught our eye, especially since it includes an intriguing butternut panna cotta and gingerbread ice cream! The seasonality of it is very tempting, and very typical of Chef Hart, who loves to gets creative with the most relevant ingredients of the time.

We’re getting ready for Christmas now, so if you come in for lunch you might see us hanging up holly here and there or maybe decorating one of our many trees!

As always, you can ask us anything about the hotel or the lunch menus here.