Dating all the way back to 1852 and designed by William Playfair, one of Edinburgh's most famous architects, the Dunstane House Hotel is a small, privately owned property managed by Derek and Shirley Mowat. In spite of its long heritage, the hotel is no museum piece. Rather, through careful and thoughtful design, new life has been brought to the interiors, while making the most of the many period features, such as intricate cornices, ornate fireplaces and stained glass windows. Decorated in restful tones, each of the 16 guestrooms is equipped with a four-poster bed and offers a fresh take on country house charm. The rooms also feature cool Egyptian cotton sheets, soft plaid throws at the end of the bed and rich tweed upholstery, as well as moisturising Molton Brown products in the bathroom. There’s even a tea and coffee tray complete with Orkney shortbread. The hotel's restaurant, The Skerries, brings a flavour of Orkney (the owners’ original home) to Edinburgh, as well as the freshest seafood and fish, finest Scottish meats and seasonal game. The Stanes Whisky Bar allows guests to sample the best of the distilleries of Scotland from the comfort of an armchair or grab a satisfying bite to eat.