When we pulled up at Edinburgh Airport’s Avis counter, it was freezing cold, dark, and raining. We had a flight to Bergen in the morning, so an airport hotel was essential.
Thankfully, the Hampton by Hilton was a short walk away—and it turned out to be a comfy choice. You walk into a very large, well-lit, open foyer area that houses the restaurant, bar, and lounge.
Check-in was quick and easy, and our tiny room was nicely appointed and surprisingly well-equipped. We had a drink and dinner downstairs – basic pub food – the only annoying factor was the deafening and endless lift music. Pump shampoo and conditioner units in the bathroom seem the norm, so take your soap, folks. Happily, there were adequate USB and power plugs by the bed.
I initially thought it was the first room I had encountered without hanging space until I pulled back the sliding bathroom door to reveal the wardrobe—even an iron and board. It was quite clever. The walk-in shower was one of these hand-held jobs—usually, you fit it onto a bracket, push it as high as it will go, and then twist the gooseneck head to aim the spray.
Well, usually, but this one was fixed, so the spray went over your head and hit the opposite wall. Not clever at all. We enjoyed a hearty breakfast in the morning—you need it to face the long walk dragging your bags to the terminal. By the way, it is not recommended for anyone with a disability. One last memory—the view from our window in the morning was of a replica Spitfire (I think).
Written by: Ian McIntosh
