Reviews of The ESKBANK hotel - Rathan House 4 stars

Access to garden is possible but right now we have 2 bitcehs on heat and so access for dogs isnt until our dogs finish their heat period. Low score on location is an odd one. We are in the leafy conservcation area of Eskbank and Newbattle Abbey ( a favourite area of Marie De Souci , Queen of Scots) Ideal for anything in Dalkeith and Midlothian. For those who choose us on price or because we accept well behaved dogs - if you dont want to be in the Lothians and want to be in the city of Edinburgh - then obviously the guest would be free to choose accomodation in the city. So low score on location is ??

Access to garden is possible but right now we have 2 bitcehs on heat and so access for dogs isnt until our dogs finish their heat period. Low score on location is an odd one. We are in the leafy conservcation area of Eskbank and New… Show more

Sorry we had not noticed someone had loosened the shower head. Twisted it now fixed. Your room was complately renovated in 2024. The ensuite shower room renovated in 2020 & almost no usage in Covid period . So not all aged... new deep pile wool carpet, mattress, decor. The brief to the designer was " Make it calm / totally dark when curtains closed and remember to respect the 1852 built / victoruan house . So it looks victorian but isnt. apart from the chest of drawers. IKEA stuff would look odd in a victorian house.

Sorry we had not noticed someone had loosened the shower head. Twisted it now fixed. Your room was complately renovated in 2024. The ensuite shower room renovated in 2020 & almost no usage in Covid period . So not all aged... ne… Show more

Why would you expect an english breakfast when we have advertised hebridean cuisine for 20 years? As a guest you are faced with amarket in midlothian where 42 small B&B's and small hotels have closed in 12 years leaving 4 and the big corporates( Prem Inn etc) . It should be useful to you to know why. It isnt all Booking.com's fault but BC and Ptrem Inn are the reason prices have more than doubled in 5 years. Just thought you might be interested in knowing why.

Why would you expect an english breakfast when we have advertised hebridean cuisine for 20 years? As a guest you are faced with amarket in midlothian where 42 small B&B's and small hotels have closed in 12 years leaving 4 and … Show more

You are right but although the TV works fine... but that is the sort of facility you find in a corporate hotel. I am afraid we swither about whether TV's are at all appropriate in our sleepy conservation hollow temperance retreat. Apart from anything else most guests, given our marketing bias, are from overseas ( english not 1st language) and our surveys show 95% of guests never switch the TV on.

You are right but although the TV works fine... but that is the sort of facility you find in a corporate hotel. I am afraid we swither about whether TV's are at all appropriate in our sleepy conservation hollow temperance retreat. … Show more

Imagine that you invite 12 nice international people to your home for an u[pmarket diner party. They arive sit and 8 of them whip out Iphones and start texting. Now there will be mixed views but 9 out of 10 would think it poor manners rude. Certainly it wouldnt make for great conversation. I do understand that some have never been taught good manners Good manners cost little and our late leisurely breakfasts are set up to showcase hebridean cuisine and to be like an upmarket international diner party. To mildly suggest mutual introductions and no mobile phones in our house at breakfast is, I hope , reasonable. Certainly not a few aplaud this. I am sorry if you felt embarrassed but that can only be because you yourself know there is something not right about ariving half an hour late for breakies - ignoring those around you and texting. Our excellent wifi ensures you can text and focus on an i phone in all partst of Rathan House. Caertainly I see people having fun and interesting conversations with strangers daily. The matresses ( "Medium Firm Hybrid Mattress" ie memory foam with springs ) had only had one prior guest sleeping on it. It is brand new! I am afraid we have to disagree on the matresses. ( we got 6 new mattresses including one for my wife and myself ,,,.... and we think it is very comfortable indeed). The person who slept on that bed the night before you came - and the person who slept on it last night noted the brand new mattress to be "Fab" and "Really comfortable". You are of course entitled to your opinion. ( To our mind an odd one) Breakfasts are an optional extra and you booked bed only. Breakfast is served daily at 08.45 or 08.30 by request ( How did you get the impression it was 9.30??) . Bread straight ffrom the oven can not be obtained until 0810 . ...so 08.30 - 0845 breakies makes leisurely sense as Most holidaymakers are bussing it to Edinburgh. Makes a lot of sense to delay bussing it till the rush hour is over because post breakfast at 09.15 the rush hour is over and earlier buses will take longer. Business persons have time agendas and leisurely wont suit. I am guessing but you probably booked in here on business because we have free off st parking and are materially cheaper than central Edinburgh hotels where your party was based. You mentioned the time it took to get out of and into central Edinburgh and that obviously did not please. you. We have a very small hotel and can not be all things to all men. Our focus has always been on the tourist holidaymaker not the business person. Those business people who book in here have to make allowances and would often be beter to stay in corporate staffed up hotels. ( Paying £50-200 more per night.) 5 days before you arrived Julia Ladbrook of KIWI DESIGN had just completed a total refurb of that room. Yes overall costs just under £6000. I dont see how you could not give 10 out of 10 for Cleanliness although I do accept that when you dont get waht you want - (early breakfast and an alcohol drinking buddy) you are not getting what corporate hotels provides. Iam sorry you did not enjoy your stay. Almost all people do. AS I say our focus is on families and couples seeking quiet / birdsong / lovely garden . On the question of Mobile phones at a dining table. It is clearly bad manners not to pay attention to those left and right of you when you join a dining table. Conversation and introducing yourself is normal. Can you imagine 10 people at a dining table all just focussed on their mobile phones? Can you imagine going to a diner party and not engaging in conversation. To politely ask for no mobile phones just seems a prety normal and how do you get to 10 people engaged in conversation without mildly asking for no mobile phones. I completely get it that business people have an agenda and dont want to converse. In this case the reviewer arrived at breakfast at 0910 hours when breakies had been on the go for 25 mins. He was than called by his bos and he promptly disappeared to his touring party - half an hour away. Yes methinks he would have been happier in amore expensive hotel nearer hos tour party. On trying to enter his room at 9 am - I actually thought he had left the hotel early as he had on the previous day. I was going in to switch light and fan off. Since he was still there I dntget that right sorry.

Imagine that you invite 12 nice international people to your home for an u[pmarket diner party. They arive sit and 8 of them whip out Iphones and start texting. Now there will be mixed views but 9 out of 10 would think it poor manne… Show more