The Witchery by the Castle

Magnificent. I felt like royalty. Stayed in the Guardsman Suite which is across from the Witchery Restaurant. Entrance is next to the store through a little gated alley. Everything is beautifully designed and lit. The champagne and chocolate every day was a treat. I swear elves must’ve managed our room because i never saw anyone but whenever we returned to the room, the shades were appropriately up or down, our bed tidied, water replenished… On the last day we had to leave early and they offered to supply a hamper of breakfast delivered to our room at 5:30am-nice. Breakfast a la carte was wonderful. The avocado toast was the best Ive had and breakfast by tall lit tapers was a delight. Service was perfect. The heated tiles and towel warmer in the bathroom were a nice touch. The towels were delicious, as you’d expect. The soaking tub was a delight for me as it was the deepest Ive ever experienced and I love soaking. Water temp was fine. My husband had difficulty with the shower aspect as getting in and out was really tough and there was no place to set your essentials (eg phone, facial wash, etc) so that was tricky. Anyone with mobility issues will find this suite difficult as the tub and walking up the many stories of narrow windy stairs are a challenge. My only suggestion is related to the unpleasant odor. Its noticeable as soon as you arrive, though you adjust. I realize it is an ancient building but this could easily be managed with some lovely scented potpourri. The worst emanated from the toilet which constantly smelled unpleasant. It made it difficult to perfectly enjoy soaking . Otherwise-perfect!

I have the good fortune to live in Edinburgh and have walked past The Witchery many many times and never entered. Tonight we laid that particular ghost to rest. I could bore you with countless adjectives with regard to the food, staff, ambience, location and history of the place but I won't, if you haven't been you can do your own research. What I will say is it's been my immense good fortune to eat in great restaurants all over the world and The Witchery is most certainly up there, very possibly in the top 3, perhaps, just perhaps number 1. If you're in town and feeling flush, go, for once it's actually better than the hype.

Arriving at the Witchery on a cold winters night in December was like stepping into a book. The taxi dropped us at the end of the narrow lane and through the gap we could see the twinkling lights of the real Christmas tree. Our bags were taken up the windy staircase and we were welcomed into the most stunning room lit with warm lights and classical music playing on Alexa. We had a bottle of champagne waiting on ice and enjoyed exploring the hidden nooks in the suite especially the large bathroom with a roll top bath and bath oil on offer. We had dinner in the restaurant which was also wonderful, although really we couldn’t wait to get back to our room. In the morning they arrived with a breakfast hamper full of warm pastries and a beautiful fruit platter. We enjoyed fresh coffee with a beautiful view of the city. Needless to say we stayed until the last possible moment and they were kind enough to keep our luggage for us whilst we explored the cobbled streets of Edinburgh. The entire experience was magical and we will most definitely be back

I was at the witchery in 2024 lovely this year January 2026 it was very different the fillet steak £28 was just ok nothing special nothing but a potato rosti with it nothing else carrots just ok cauliflower just ok l was £100 no starters or sweet no drinks only a soft drink was so disappointing as it was my birthday a waste of money much better places I’ve never complained but this was just a complete rip off

My wife and myself stayed in the sempill room..we had save for this night and knew it was going to be a one off experience .. It was all worth it. From the communication via email to the moment we checked out..we felt like.celebrities What a wonderfully cleverly designed place to stay... everything about it from the decor to the music transports you back to another time.. so you forget exactly where or when you are and can completely relax.. The extras left for us make the experience even more magical and the breakfast was 5 star. There is nothing more I would add...it was perfection