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One of the great Castle Mansion Houses of Scotland, Carberry Tower is a multi-award winning, luxury 4 star Castle hotel with an award-winning Bistro, situated just outside Edinburgh in beautiful East Lothian countryside. Standing regally in 40 acres of stunning, private Estate parkland and widely recognised as Edinburgh's 'Castle in the country,' Carberry Tower is a place of intimate grandeur and to arrive here, is to weave your own story into a history that goes back to 1480 when our first foundation stone was laid. Since then, we have been a gathering place for Kings and Queens, Princes and Princesses and over the centuries, the great and the good have all come to warm themselves by our fires and feast from our banqueting tables. And with 30 en-suite bedrooms, ranging from elegant classic rooms to larger family rooms, well equipped executive rooms and luxurious Suites, we are able to accommodate up to 70 household guests in comfort and style.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is officially classified according to VisitScotland standards.
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Carberry Tower Mansion House and Estate provides a stay that is met with mixed opinions. While the cleanliness and historical charm of the hotel are commended by guests, some feel the value doesn't live up to the high prices, particularly noting the quality of rooms and dining options. The atmosphere and amenities have their admirers, especially for those seeking character and comfort, yet there are remarks about certain areas needing rejuvenation.
Room experiences vary, with some offering lovely views but others criticized for being outdated. Service quality also sees fluctuations, ranging from commendable to disappointing.
Atmosphere
Mixed
Rooms
Mixed
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Mixed
Service
Inconsistent
Amenities
Well-appointed
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Like many guests I was staying to attend the Scottish Open Golf at the near(ish) Renaissance Club so room tariffs were correspondingly high. The hotel is billed as 4* so with that, plus the cost, my expectations were higher than usual.
The building itself is magnificent with suite of armour in reception, large library, music room etc. to relax plus a light and airy bistro for dinner. The dinner was very good indeed - budget for £50 per head upwards, depending on choice of wines. Breakfast was all buffet, with a decent choice of continental or cooked.
The staff were lovely and didn't quibble about any of my requests.
There's free Wi-Fi throughout, I was getting 100Mbps in my room which is excellent. The only tech which wasn't so good was the TV which relied on an old skool aerial feed and the picture pixelated quite badly.
Bed was really comfortable with soft pillows and the room, although petite, had wardrobe, desk, club chair. The en-suite was shower only with a good supply of hot water for an invigorating shower, but if you want a bath then best ask. The window did have shutters, but no curtains. Personally I'd have liked a net curtain as the window was overlooked by others in the building.
Plenty of free parking at the front of the hotel.
Definitely a great experience to stay at this hotel. Overall, I was very happy albeit with a lighter wallet.
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Date of stay: July 2024
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Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I have been twice recently for a wedding as a couple end of October and for a Birthday lunch with my friend yesterday. I cannot speak highly enough of the venue, staff, food and general ambiance of the place. We stayed over at the wedding and the rooms were beautiful, still keeping the original decor, shutters on the windows, etc. but still with with the usual 'mod coms'. The food was second to none and the bar staff were knowledible and patient even although it was a busy bar. Lunch yesterday, was still in an older part of the hotel but had been modernised very tastefully, The Campaign Room offered a seasonal menu without being 'stuffy' you could call in anytime and have lunch, although I would book to be on the safe side, but a great stop either before you 'hit' Edinburgh or after you have made an escape. Staff friendly and not too expensive, we had the fish shared platter as a main and there was more than enough for us both, we added haloumi fries with mint yoghurt, amazing although not needed as we got a bowl of chips each anyway. We shared a carrot cake pudding with beautiful ice cream, 2 coffees, 2 glasses of champagne and all for £65 ish - thoroughly recommend, we were also invited to have a look around the ground and fist floor as there were no other events on a truly stunning venue. We will be back!! Thank you.
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Date of stay: November 2023
Value
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Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Try and book lunch if going to the Campaign Room, phone hotel direct, I did the day before and...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Just one night but felt like a week, fabulous atmosphere. From arrival with Lynne, our excellent meal ( haddock chowder was first rate by the way) served by John and Dean on the bar who really knows his whisky, the staff are friendly and welcoming. Breakfast was nice and a walk round the grounds (we spoke to the groundsman/ maintenance guy who was also helpful) before heading off to Edinburgh, the park and ride suggested by another member of staff. All in all a fabulous stay in this amazing building. Well done all.
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Date of stay: October 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I'm assessing against the standards of a 4* hotel and found some aspects of Carberry Tower excellent, like the dinner, and some not so good such as the small attic room with single-glazed windows running with condensation (see pic).
On the positives, staff were all very helpful and the dinner was excellent. Breakfast was good, but continental options rather limited. The bar is very comfortable with a good range of wines and cocktails served, however draft beers were very limited which was odd as their plenty of breweries around Edinburgh.
OK, what wasn't so good? Firstly, the room was a good deal smaller than I expected, tucked into the attic with no space for a desk or easy chair so the options were sitting on the bed or on the floor. The petite en-suite has a shower and shrunken hand-basin. If allocated a 'Classic' room do check whether it's got the facilities you expect. Also, perhaps due to building Listed status, the bedroom windows were single glazed and running with condensation and could do with a good clean to remove the mould. Fortunately the radiators did keep the room warm even on a cold night.
Staying the room, the small TV was setup for Freeview but reception wasn't great with several channels breaking-up.
The WiFi in the hotel was very unreliable, with Internet connection dropping out and the WiFi signal itself fading away at times. The WiFi is needed at there's next to no 4G signal within the hotel. On the plus side, there was a booster access point in the room so that helped but I wouldn't rely on the Internet for conference calling.
The public access parts of the hotel such as library and music room are very impressive and available to sit in when there's no function booked.
Overall I was left with the impression the by going for a cheaper rate (I paid £87 for B&B) you do risk being allocated one of their attic rooms so buyer beware.
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Date of stay: January 2025
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Location
Cleanliness
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Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We spent two nights in the Royal suite. It is huge, spectacular, and well renovated. Bathroom is magnificent. Other suites are beautiful too. On the other hand, note that Classic rooms are minuscule and to be avoided. The grounds are beautiful and we walked a lot in the beautiful estate and the adjoining ones. The old public rooms on the first floor take you back centuries ago.
However, there are many negatives. Service performed by mostly-untrained young staff. Some among other examples: At reception, we were greeted by a young lady who gave us the keys and simply pointed us to how to reach our room. When we asked about the history of the castle, she simply pointed to a QR code on the reception desk. There was no one waiting behind us, so no reason to rush us. We paid a lot of money and expected a more “castle” welcome as we get in other such Scottish residences. We travelled hand luggage and did not bring toothbrush. There was only one in the suite amenity, so we requested another. Then we went down to the reception and a young guy wrote it on a post-it, but we never got it during the two days. Late afternoon, I asked for an adaptor for my European shaver that could not go on a British plug. The receptionist apologized that guests had borrowed them all and that she would give one the next morning when guests checked out. We never got one.
The dinner and breakfast are served in modern rooms that are very unattractive and have the feel of cafeterias. Dinner is expensive, the dishes have an ambitious description but the food is mediocre. Two of us ordered some lamb, rare. Came three minuscule slices, badly overcooked. Just like six mouthful. When we left, we noticed that guests had the same dish with three times the size of meat. Again, poor service which I will not detail. Scottish Breakfast is a disgrace. It is buffet style, with limited hot choices. Only scrambled eggs, which are heated for hours and very mushy. The ham is completely dry given its reheated treatment and floating in fat. As mentioned before, the room looks like a cafeteria and the only positive is that coffee is served in silver pots. However, that coffee is completely diluted with water. To summarize, the stay is worth it for the beautiful suite and estate. However, service and food is very far from what is expected in such a 4* hotel or what we experienced in our stay in all other castle hotels.
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Date of stay: August 2024
Value
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Location
Cleanliness
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Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Avoid the classic room and some executive rooms
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The estate is beautiful, wildlife everywhere. Mulberry Lodge was nice, light & spacious with four good sized bedrooms, two of which are en-suite.
The hot tub was a lovely addition, clean and very well maintained throughout the week we stayed.
The negatives with the cottage are that it needs a good deep clean and some of the furniture is on its last legs. The dining room chairs are getting rickety, the sofa’s are a bit worn and the kitchen needs gutting, the oven and microwave are disgusting.
Simple little things like only one oven glove, one tea-towel and sponge left (no dishcloth) were frustrating for a ‘luxury’ cottage.
However, these were only tiny issues compared to the very unexpected news when we arrived Saturday afternoon. The cottage was ready for our arrival around 3.30pm, which was fantastic, however, when we were checking in we were advised that the hotel had an exclusive use booking and we would not be able to access any of the facilities (bar, restaurant etc) until Tuesday! On top of that, we were then told that if we were going to walking in the grounds we must keep to the very outer edges!
So having had no knowledge that this was even possible, or warning before we arrived, our plans of unpacking and heading to the bar / Bistro for a snack and drink to relax whilst we waited for our Tesco delivery to arrive was out of the window. Having had no notice, we did not have anything to eat or drink until the shopping arrived around 6pm.
As starts go, this was very bad. We felt very unwelcome and frustrated that there was nothing in the cottage for us, no welcome basket with basics that would have helped. Had we known, we would have brought some things with us or even paid for something if this was an option.
It is a beautiful place, but you should be warned about limited access, and the cottage needs a really good clean. I have never cleaned away so may spiders and webs in my life, my husband must have cleared 20 in the first hour of arrival and when I hoovered, I cleared loads of webs. There were also a lot of wasps and bees trying to get into the house, not bothered about the bees, would just have popped them back outside but I did not want wasps getting in so we kept the windows closed.
The patio area also needs a good clean, the patio furniture is looking tired and uninviting.
Give the cottage a freshen up, warn people if access is going to be limited and consider offering welcome baskets and you will definitely have a ‘luxury’ cottage, but right not it’s just missing the mark.
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Date of stay: August 2022
Value
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Service
Room Tip:Check if you have access to the hotel before you travel
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
A word of caution for anyone who uses a wheelchair - please think twice about staying here. I was very clear that my dad uses a wheelchair before I booked for our party of four to stay for two nights. I felt reassured that the room booked was close to the lift. What I wasn’t told was that the lift wasn’t big enough for his standard wheelchair with him in it! So every time we used it, we had to help him out of his chair, hold him up and transport him up and down. It was pretty disheartening. Rather bizarrely, the lovely chap we bumped into on our way out told us the hotel did in fact have a smaller wheelchair to fit into the lift. It would have been helpful to know that when we first checked in! I take the receptionist’s point that this is a historic building that is limited on new features it can add (I understand the lift was once the dumb waiter) but the hotel really needs to be upfront at the time of booking on its limitations. All that aside, it is a lovely hotel brimming with character but if you do use a wheelchair the stable rooms might present a better option.
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Date of stay: May 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Impressive yet disappointing considering the review that it is one of the most romantic hotels in the U.K. The drive in is impressive as is the castle but once inside the carpets are extremely worn and dirty. It was a shock. Our room on the third room was comfortable enough and carpet was ok and view of the gardens was lovely. We accidently went to the first floor going to the Bistro and discovered beautiful sitting rooms where tea is served. They were lovely. The Bistro is cheerful and the food is outstanding. The elevator took us to the first floor in the morning and again the horrible carpet greeted us. Breakfast was buffet and enough with standard Scotish's food. Waffle was coated with sugar and too sweet . Upon checkout we discovered that a major renovation was to take place in the winter so they are indeed aware of what must be done. Probably would have been a good PR to tell us that when we first came. Beautiful grounds and great location.
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Date of stay: June 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Covid took a toll on this hotel so in 2024 after renovations, this hotel will be stunning. ...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We spent two nights at Carberry Tower on our very first trip to Scotland, and it did not disappoint! From an easy checkin to assistance with ordering a taxi from the train station, Lynne at the front of house was an absolute gem, and she and the staff were just wonderful the entire time we were there. Our room was comfortable and clean, and the grounds are absolutely gorgeous - we spent a lot of time wandering around in the morning just exploring nature on this lovely estate. Breakfasts were excellent, and a great way to start the day before going off for adventures in Edinburgh, which is just a short train ride away.
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Date of stay: April 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
To begin, the location and building was absolutely stunning, with beautiful gardens and characterful communal spaces only adding to the charm.
The room we stayed in was quite snug, but was clean and nicely furnished, with gorgeous views out onto the estate. We had a twin room, and whilst I think the bed would have been fine as a double, it felt rather small when split into two singles. The bathroom was also very small, and could have used a touch up in various areas.
The staff were exceptionally friendly and helpful, and were very happy to accommodate for a vegetarian alternative at breakfast. The food itself was also very good, with a wide range of pastry, fruit, cereal, and cooked options.
To conclude, Carberry truly has all of the ingredients for a 5* stay; it just needs a little TLC here and there.
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Date of stay: October 2023Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Falkirk, United Kingdom78 contributions58 helpful votes
Scotrail trains are wheelchair accessible . If you phone in advance the guard will be ready with a ramp onto the train . Sorry I don't know about the path to the station . The hotel might know
Boston, MA, United States105 contributions66 helpful votes
I'm not too sure there is public transport available from Carberry. I think the best bet is to take a cab (that's what we did.) It's only about a 20 minute ride by cab and was NOT that expensive. (I remember thinking it would cost a lot and was surprised that it did not.) Of course, I live near Boston where it costs about $75 to get from Logan Airport to our house, so a cab fair of 20-some pounds for all 4 of us and all our luggage did not seem extravagant. It might've even been less.
There are more places to choose from in the Carberry area.
PRICE RANGE
$143 - $278 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
carberry tower hotel musselburgh
LOCATION
United KingdomScotlandEast LothianMusselburghCarberry
NUMBER OF ROOMS
30
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