The Glasshouse Edinburgh in Edinburgh, City of

After reading lovely reviews about the afternoon tea served at The Glasshouse, I booked the 'Scottish Afternoon Tea' for 2 as a treat for my daughter-in-law's 30th birthday for her and my son. As I was in Edinburgh the week before, I called in and paid for this in advance. Unfortunately, on the day, my daughter-in-law who was 32 weeks pregnant, was unwell and unable to travel to Edinburgh, so the booking had to be cancelled. I emailed the duty manager on 2 occasions to ask if a refund would be possible. If I hadn't prepaid there wouldn't have been an issue about a refund and the hotel would have simply had to acknowledged the cancellation, which I'm sure happens from time to time. I had an initial response from the duty manager saying he/she would look into it but on sending a second email a week later, I have yet to have either a response or a refund. I appreciate last minute cancellations must be annoying and costly for hotels but sometimes they are completely unavoidable. Top tip - don't pre-pay for services unless you have to!

My mother saw this restaurant on a list of best afternoon teas in Edinburgh so we booked a table. Wish we hadn’t. The sandwiches had clearly been in a fridge and were very cold, and the fillings tasted unseasoned. The bread was spongy and bland. The scone came without clotted cream and some of the food on the stands simply did not match the description on the menu, or simply weren’t to be found. The actual tea was nice to drink. Although the view of the restaurant is nice, the atmosphere is sterile and awkward, a bit like in an airport. We will not be coming back.

Reservamos el restaurante para una comida de cumpleaños. Llegamos con una señora frágil de 90 años y reservamos una silla de ruedas para ahorrar y traer la silla de ruedas de mi madre en el taxi. Al llegar, una señora que no estaba visitando el hotel colapsó afuera y estaba sentada en la silla de ruedas "ÚNICA" que posee el hotel. ! ! (¿5 ESTRELLAS???) El portero fue extremadamente brusco con mi esposa cuando ella nos avisó que estábamos buscando una silla de ruedas reservada con anterioridad. Como resultado, nuestro taxímetro subía y mi anciana madre estaba angustiada. El gerente de servicio proporcionó 10 para nuestra tarifa de taxi, sin embargo, dado el estrés causado, pensé que un reembolso completo hubiera sido más considerado. Al reservar el restaurante, pedimos que nos sentaran con una bonita vista. Sin embargo, estábamos sentados a la mesa mirando por un pasillo. No solo eso, el hotel está tan mal diseñado que tuvimos que llevar a mi madre a través de un laberinto de ascensores, incluido un ascensor exclusivo para llegar a nuestro destino, ¿no es un hotel de 5 estrellas si está discapacitado? La experiencia culinaria fue igual de mala. El servicio fue extremadamente lento, el tamaño de la porción es pequeño y la comida y bebida son demasiado caros para lo que recibes. Tuve pescado y al día siguiente tuve una enfermedad grave y diahorrea. Debería haber informado también a los inspectores de salud, pero estaba demasiado débil y no podía molestarme. ¡Ciertamente nunca cenaré aquí otra vez! En el lado positivo, el personal de recepción fue muy atento, pero los camareros necesitan un nuevo entrenamiento y posiblemente hablen mejor inglés. Estoy seguro de que la gerencia ignorará esta revisión o publicará su respuesta estándar, "lamento escuchar que su visita no fue feliz, etc. etc." ¿Por qué no actuar sobre las críticas, en lugar de las respuestas estándar? Puede mostrar que, como empresa, ¡USTEDES REALMENTE SE preocupan! ! ! ¡NO ERES CINCO ESTRELLA! ! !

Reservamos en julio para venir en febrero para el té de la tarde. . . . parecía en línea para el menú y parecía delicioso y muy emocionado! Imagine nuestro malestar al descubrir que ha cambiado, ¿no está en línea? ! Muy decepcionado de tener sandwiches de berenjena, una porción de pastel de zanahoria sin cobertura que en realidad sabía más como canela! Macarrones y bombas de coco , ¡ambos de los cuales soy alérgico pero desde que pedimos el menú en línea quedaron atónitos! Mencionó el malentendido a la camarera que nos ofreció un 20% de descuento pero no recuperaremos ese momento el día de San Valentín. Si tiene alergias, regístrese en el día llamando al frente.

No nos podemos quejar de la experiencia. Nos recibieron y nos llevaron al restaurante, el cual era un ascensor y un paseo por todo el hotel, lo que hizo que nos hubiera gustado haber reservado una habitación. Nos alojamos aquí para una comida pre-teatro, así que estaba tranquilo en el tiempo. Yo había observado en la reserva que mi compañero estaba a la lactosa y que nunca han sido más atendidos. Que ya había hablado con el chef y decidir lo que podían ofrecer. Esto es raro, normalmente es mucho hacia atrás y hacia delante cuando ordene. El personal era muy servicial y profesional. También disfrutamos de la música. Teníamos una terrina, calamares y para comenzar. Con pato y un champiñón polenta pila (vegetarianos) para principales. También nos sirve con pan magnífico (no recuerdo el sabor, pero nada como que he probado) y un amuse bouche que era una sopa de tomate picante. También el precio de estos 2 campos era razonable - £18. 50 por persona. Quizás porciones ligeramente más grande sería preferido, pero entiendo restaurantes no es de esta manera la mayoría del tiempo. Recomendable y volveré. Me hubiera gustado quedarme más tiempo y realmente quiere reservar una habitación la próxima vez!

We decided to try out this venue for a High Tea and the entire experience was a little surreal and underwhelming. Firstly the layout of the building is very disorienting, you enter from street level then go up in a lift to a corridor full of bedrooms, you walk about 100 yards across the building, then go back down a circular stairway from which there are several exits one of which leads to the dining area - we needed two different staff to show us the way. On arrival the place was completely deserted - we were the only people there. The service was initially quite good, but once the high tea had been served they dissapeared completely for about 40 minutes, so we had to wait quite a while for the stewed tea to be refreshed. The background music, while at a reasonable volume was a mixture of pop and rap music, I couldnt help noticing the lyrics "I just want to die" featured prominently in one of the tunes. As for the High tea, it featured just two sandwiches/savories each plus cakes, tablet and shortbread, overall the balance was far too sweet. they did also include a deep fried haggis, as much as I love haggis this really has no place in a high tea. On leaving they added a compulsory 10% service charge to the bill, rather a rip off considering there wasnt much in the way of 'service' provided. The windowless bathroom absolutely stunk of chemical cleaner, I suspect someone had tried to "clean" the place by emptying an entire can of air freshener into the place. I have had many high teas in many hotels over the years and this is far and away the worst yet.

It feels a little churlish to give a poor review to a restaurant where everyone we met was charming and well presented. It's good to be in the rather stunning, outside rooftop garden and then to walk into the modern, well-presented restaurant. The problem, for me, was that the food just wasn't that great. I don't mind when places stick to what they know and do good, straightforward food, cooked well. In this case, everything sounded interesting but just didn't deliver on flavour. I know what the Masterchef judges mean now when they say that they are looking for a sauce, or a bit more sauce. The sauces were a really weak point. In a restaurant where the flavours are carefully balanced, you can be surprised at what works. Here, there was a bit too much playing with deconstruction and not enough re-construction. It's a difficult thing to do well and, frankly, they didn't. I hope it was just an off day.

The gluten free sandwiches were dry and poor fillings, one had slice of processed cheese and spam. On complaining, I was offered a salad, which finally arrived and comprised huge mound of rocket, basil and half cherry tomatoes and a few balls of cheese. All for £25, so after further complaint I got fruit salad. For this price I had half a dry sandwich, a piece of chocolate and a stale salad, plus some fruit. I was not alone and the rest had a normal afternoon type tea, no one could eat scones as stale, the side salads were dry, clearly old, and most didn't even try their sandwiches. For 5 star, this was appalling. The manager was informed but never deigned to come to.our table. Felt sorry for servers as they did their best.

Today a group of 40 members of a local society including myself went to the Glasshouse for a " picnic " meal on the lovely rooftop terrace though due to the weather it had to be eaten inside This would have still been enjoyable except for the standatd of the food provided and the lack of service We had a small salad which had turned brown and swimming in liquid,a soggy baguette filled with processed ham and cheese ,a quiche hard and dry ,a small wet croissant filled with egg mayonnaise and then a scone so hard and heavy our teeth were at risk This is a five star hotel and this is not acceptable Complaints had no effect except one table who then received much better food When we asked what the other tables were not offered the same we were told " You didn't complain as much" This added insult to injury Shame on you Glasshouse management dealing with the "silver surfers " in such a way

Main courses were over cooked. Service was very good but sadly the chef did not pay as much attention to his/her customers as the waitresses. Getting to the restaurant took a meandering 5 minutes from getting in the lift in the hotel foyer. The view from the roof garden is lovely but sadly not the food.

We booked afternoon tea for three at the Glasshouse, mum and two grown-up daughters. On entering the hotel we were taken to the lift and then had to find our own way down a long corridor to the bar area to wait to be taken down to the restaurant ( a walk down another long corridor) As we were a party of three we could not get a table with a view of Carlton Hill which was disappointing. We had quite a wait before our tea order was taken and also had specified in our booking that two of our party would be taking the menu that included a glass of Prosecco. Others seemed to be offered this straight away but we had to ask and when it was still not forthcoming had to ask again and even then they brought 3 glasses instead of the two ordered. Putting that aside the food was very good with a Scottish theme ( yes, haggis is included, and very good it was too), not small dainty sandwiches but good filling savouries; the croque monsieur was especially tasty. The pastries again were a good size.The scones were full size but nothing special and the jam came in "hotel breakfast" small jars. However we were so full from the savouries that we could not eat everything and asked for a doggie bag which was no problem. A plus was being able to visit the roof garden before leaving. It really is a must. I would say that it represented good value for money compared to other afternoon teas due to the quality ( and portion size) of the food.

Came with a voucher for the tasting menu.Had our glass of champagne in the lounge in front of the fire which was really nice The service in the restaurant was amazing especially as we arrived late and were the only people there,half way threw our meal. As for the food,no complaints was pretty good.

We visited as a family of four for afternoon tea. This was served in a restaurant which was so far and on such a complicated route from the hotel reception that we were accompanied there by a member of staff. On a Saturday afternoon we were one of only three tables occupied in the large restaurant which, although pleasant, lacked atmosphere. The selection of food and drinks was good and the service was fair.

First time visiting the hotel, went for dinner with some friends. Staff very accommodating and friendly but did feel very much like dining in a hotel as opposed to an actual restaurant. Had to walk past lots and lots of guest bed rooms to get to dinner which felt a be awkward. Food was ok, but not impressive enough to bring us back for a second visit.

We had a voucher, which was a Christmas present, for the tasting menu. The hotel itself is beautiful and the staff were very welcoming. Now we have had several experiences of tasting menus before and usually it is a very relaxed experience spent over a few hours. The waitress was lovely but we had bread and the first two courses served within ten minutes. It was like an express train ! The first three courses were all lovely, we then had the main course which was lamb. Honestly, you would have had to have a saw to get through it. The waitress did ask us how everything was and when we told her, she did apologise and returned with two complimentary glasses of champagne. The desert sounded lovely so I thought they had redeemed themselves. Alas no, the pastry on the tart was overlooked which completely ruined the desert course. The coffee and petit fours were very good. Would I return ? No

Service was good but food was bland and dry. Windows were mirrored so no view whatsoever on an evening. Very quiet so no atmosphere. Such a pity.

My wife & I were given a voucher as a Christmas present for the 5 course tasting menu with champagne on arrival so booked for this weekend as it was our Ruby Wedding Anniversary. Arrived 30 minutes early for meal but were greeted by a very courteous & friendly chap who escorted us to the bar (through a maze of corridors) where we enjoyed our glass of fizz. When it was time for our meal we were, once again, very politely taken to the restaurant where we were greeted by a friendly waitress who 'ran through' the menu with us. All 5 courses were excellent & portions did not 'outface' me. All in all a very favourable experience. Special mention should be given to the courteous & friendly staff who went out of their way to make our evening special!

We booked this restaurant for an anniversary dinner as we thought it would be something special, unfortunately we both left feeling a little under-whelmed. On arrival, it takes a long walk through corridors, staircases and lifts to get to the restaurant so be warned. We were sat next to a window but it was more like a mirror so we didn't get the view as was expected. It was also very quiet and the lights were very bright so there wasn't much atmosphere. When the food arrived, it was just okay - we bought the tasting menu and feel that for the price you can get a lot more in other places in Edinburgh. The best part of the visit was the staff who were very friendly and knowledgeable. Unfortunately we wont be coming back.

We visited for a dinner last Thursday and we really enjoyed the food. We had the goat cheese starter and the pigeon wood- both great and for main the rib eye which was fabulous! Cooked to perfection really. The waitress Adriana was friendly and suggested the perfect wines to match our food. Very very good dinner. Well done to the chef and the restaurant staff!

We love edinburgh, and have to say one of our favourite venues so far, what a wine list, top notch cuisine, cant fault it really!

I bought an ITISON deal for the five course tasting menu with a glass of champagne.The tasting menu was bland and boring, which is a shame as the restaurant itself is lovely and the staff where excellent. I'm grateful that I had bought a deal and not paid full price. The chef really needs to try a lot harder.

Had already noted mixed reviews on TripAdvisor but as we had stayed a couple of times previously at the hotel (and found it suitably luxurious, modern and perfectly located in the city centre) we decided to give it a try when the ostensibly bargainous "£69 for a 5 course tasting menu with a glass of champagne for two" deal appeared on Itison.The restaurant is hidden deep within the hotel, to the extent that it feels somewhat for hotel guests only. We were greeted by enthusiastic but somewhat naïve serving staff who were very friendly and polite but appeared inexperienced – for example, we needed to ask them to remove the menus after the food started to arrive (menus were somewhat surplus to requirements anyway as it was a fixed tasting menu) and remind them about drinks orders, and we did puzzle over the cutlery arrangement (from left to right: main fork, main knife, placemat, starter fork, starter knife, dessert spoon, teaspoon). The food was prompt, hot from the kitchen, and all attractively served. Unfortunately, however, the taste was consistently mediocre, and would be easily overshadowed by countless other establishments around the city who would undoubtedly charge less for a better experience. The main theme was unfortunately under-seasoning – at a fine dining restaurant I would usually consider table pepper and salt mills as somewhat decorative, but here they were necessary to make the food palatable.The amuse-bouche was “bruschetta” – actually very clearly a single crostini, and tasty enough but hardly setting the world on fire in terms of providing a tantalising taste of what’s to come in terms of creativity or imagination. The starter was seafood in a tomato broth – a well-cooked shell-on prawn and tender morsel of white fish (cod or halibut perhaps), but with taste somewhat washed away by the disappointingly bland broth which lacked depth of stock and seasoning. The first main was a ballotine of chicken with “garlic popcorn” – all well enough cooked but again rather blank, and a dry dish overall that could have done with some sauce. The popcorn was an interesting touch – couldn’t really pick up any garlic aroma so the mouthful of chicken with popcorn felt a little strange and whilst it was certainly creative I’m not sure that it really worked, although it wasn’t unpleasant. The second main was a very tasty medium rare breast of duck with a potato scone; the latter was actually very tasteful but quickly become blank and soggy as it was served under a large spoonful of blandly wilted spinach (again deeply underseasoned – a bit of salt and pepper perhaps sauteed with some garlic or nutmeg, would have easily lifted this, and a good drain/squeeze would have limited the soddening effect). Dessert was the highlight – a delicious deconstructed chocolate and caramel dish, beautifully presented, tasty and with creative and well balanced flavours. Both myself and my husband have a savoury tooth but felt that the dessert was by far and away our favourite dish; this is a positive note for the pastry chef but also I fear reflects contrast with the prior courses which appeared to come from a less experienced chef who was commendably keen to explore unusual ideas/presentation (think garlic popcorn) but didn’t quite have the technical skill to pull this off, or at least not in a 5* hotel. A bit more focus on seasoning and depth of stock could readily improve much of this, but I fear not to a level befitting of the prices the restaurant is charging – reviewing the menu on the way out confirmed most mains to be in the region of £20 and for that money in Edinburgh there are literally countless other establishments who could provide a slicker, tastier experience, rendering this an unremarkable eatery in a city full of remarkable ones.Overall I think they either need to invest in more experienced staff (or training of current team) to pull off the fine dining experience they appear to be pursuing, or perhaps accept that in a city such as Edinburgh that really require top notch investment and readjust their target/expectations to something more basic, such as a really good quality diner (but not fine dining). Until then, the Observatory risks remaining distinctly mediocre.

My wife arranged for us to visit the Observatory for a special birthday occasion and what a brilliant choice it was. We thoroughy enjoyed the tasting menu. It was excellent from first to last course and contained everything we love in a meal. Surroundings are unique and the staff are hugely professional and very welcoming. Considering the quality of the meal the price was more than acceptable. This will go down as one of our most enjoyable special occasions. Well done my wife and thank you Observatory staff.

We went for dinner with friends who had booked thinking that the restaurant is situated in the roof garden of the Glasshouse Hotel. It is not, and is at the end of a very long corridor in the hotel. The restaurant windows are almost mirrored so at night there is absolutely no view - Observatory??The food was very average. The service was also average. No more to say.

I seriously doubt this place gets walk ins off the street as you probably wouldn't know about it. To get to the restaurant you have to be taken up the lift by the concierge. The restaurant cleanly decorated but be warned we where sat on the curved edge of the window but it was like being in the hall of mirrors where there's a distorted image of yourself. We asked to move and that was no problem at all. The service was good all night but unfortunately the tasting menu was pretentious and underwhelming. The amuse bouche was a mushroom soup- was OK, shrimp with consommé was OK. Next was the corn fed chicken- 2 slices of cold chicken with salted popcorn which was just a weird texture and combination, duck was the nicest dish but came with a weird potato pancake- it probably wasn't meant to be soggy but it was covered in spinach. Lastly was the deconstructed cheesecake which was unremarkable. Overall the food want terrible but just really ordinary. We enjoyed the dining experience but shame about the food. We were still peckish afterwards which is also not a good sign

I went here with my girlfriend for an evening out recently and was really looking forward to it as I imagined I was in for an evening of fine dining especially after reading some reviews of the restaurant but to be honest the food was a let down in what otherwise was a pleasant evening.When we arrived we had a bottle of Prosecco on the terrace which given it was a sunny evening was absolutely lovely and after this we were accompanied by a member of staff down to the restaurant for our meal.Our starters were okay I had the chicken terrine dish and my girlfriend the goats cheese dish. They both looked good when they arrived but were lacking in taste and this surely could have been avoided by them being seasoned in the kitchen while they were being made. It was more of the same with the main courses well mine anyway.I can't remember the name of my girlfriends dish but it looked like a pasty from Greggs but didn't taste as good and it was £18.00. The desserts were good, the coffees fine and the bottle of red wine that we had with our meal was good. I must say that the staff at the hotel / observatory restaurant were all excellent and do an excellent job but they are not backed up by the food that came out of the kitchen and was served to us.

We came here with the itison voucher for 5 course tasting menu, and it didn't disappoint!The food was delicious, wonderfully presented, and plentiful. The waiting staff in the restaurant were just wonderful - so down to earth, friendly, and well-informed. The atmosphere in the restaurant was very relaxed and welcoming too.Would definitely return!The only negative point I must make is that the hotel front of house staff are completely useless. They didn't even make eye contact/say hello when we first entered, despite them not being busy at that moment in time; I actually had to go up to the desk and make conversation. We asked how to get to the restaurant, and were ushered into a lift and told to go down the stairs when we got to the 3rd floor....and the place is like a maze inside with all the bedrooms and function suites, and no stairs in sight! we got completely lost.I work at the reception in a 3-star hotel in Edinburgh's city centre, and can say for sure that the welcome we give our guests is more of a 5-star one than that of the Glasshouse.Very disappointing, but the overall evening was definitely improved by the wonderful restaurant!

My wife and I stayed in the "Glasshouse" in the end of August and for two nights in a row we dined in the "Observatory". First, it's a beautiful place with huge glass walls and incomparable view of Calton Hill. Second, though menu is kind of limited, food was very inventive and delicious, starting with three sorts of sourdough they make themselves and serve right out of the oven. Chef Dan Mellor is using mostly local ingredients and create very interesting variations of a classical cooking, like fish broth poured over frozen tomato reduction. He was also very nice to talk to us after the dinner and even shared with my wife some of his recipes.

My son booked afternoon tea for me with my grandsons as a birthday treat. We had time for a stroll on the roof terrace which was lovely. All the staff we met were friendly and attentive and the food was excellent - hot savouries rather than the usual sandwiches and the pastries were delicious.Thanks to the chef, our lovely waitress andSarah Jane who made us very welcome, it was a perfect celebration. I have already recommended it to a number of friends.

Champagne on the sunny rooftop terrace was a great start however the evening went downhill from that point. The five course tasting menu was dreadful, I'd even go as far as to say that this was the worst meal I have ever had; incredibly disappointing as this was a special occasion for my friend and I. I reluctantly let the waiting staff know after barely eating the fourth course that we had not enjoyed our meals up until that point. The seafood broth used chilled water which meant that the bouillon did not dissolve and it was simply awful. My summer vegetable medley consisted of rock hard root vegetables and no amount of seasoning gave the dish flavour. The waitress offered us an alternative meal from the menu however we didn't have time to do this as we were going on to a show. We were not charged for our bottle of wine which was appreciated however I had paid for our meal in advance (Itison deal) which was certainly not worth the price. Not sure if this was simply a bad night for the chef however the front of house staff were excellent and very apologetic. We left very hungry.....

Had a highly enjoyable meal with excellent service that alas become slower as the night progressed but I'm assuming that this was due to the kitchen. The only thing to you may need to consider is the distance of the restaurant is from the lift as it's a bit of a walk. Thus from the top floor we went through the bar area down a staircase before arrival. But don't let this stop you.

The positives first;- This is a really nice setting for a meal, with a stunning roof top terrace and dining area. The table staff were first class, fully attentive and a credit to the hotel. What could possibly go wrong ??Well unfortunately the food can't be described as anything other than disappointing.I'm not going to go into too much detail but we have had tastier dishes in Nando's, at a fraction of the price.What should have been a top notch culinary experience turned out to be a huge let down. Loved the hotel, hence the reason for two stars instead of one, but I don't think I'd eat there again.

Courtesy of an Itison voucher, my nephew and I wined and dined here last evening and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.Starting with cocktails on the Garden Terrace, we then adjourned downstairs to the Observatory Restaurant which we eventually found at the end of a long dark corridor. However, the restaurant opened out into a bright, multi windowed elevation with splendid views. We were warmly welcomed by Danielle who ushered us to a lovely window table which had been reserved in advance. She took our order for two glasses of Prosecco while we studied the menu.It was a set dinner menu but the quality choices were amazing. Beginning with 'Bread & Oil' our sharing dish was to die for if you adore garlic! Which we do. Then came a mouth watering seafood soup. For mains, nephew chose the steak with peppercorn sauce and all the trimmings, while I ordered the duck which came served with chunky potatoes and spinach. We also ordered a side of spinach as well as we are both addicts.The desserts were amazing and I found it difficult to choose just one! Sounding unusual and appealing to my tastebuds, I selected the 'Scottish Raindrop' while nephew ordered the cheeseboard. The 'raindrop' turned out to be elderflower jelly served with bramble jam and jus. Delicious - but it vanished all too quickly. While Strathmore sparkling water was served with our meal, nephew ordered a mini bottle of red wine for himself and I ordered two vodka & tonics. After dinner, I asked to check out the liqueurs as I rather fancied a vodka with Tia Maria on the rocks - my version of a 'Black Russian'. However, I was advised that they did not stock Tia Maria, or Kahlua, or Cointreau - and when I looked at the selection of liqueurs, discovered that other popular brands were also not stocked. Rather disappointing for an establishment with a 5* rating I thought.The restaurant was busy, without being crowded. There were only two chefs on duty and two waiting staff but they coped admirably - even if there was a bit of a wait for the main courses.The restaurant has a warm, welcoming, elegant and classy ambience. Indeed, it would be an ideal venue for a romantic dinner or a business lunch. Service is friendly, discreet and attentive.Apart from all the dismal, long dark narrow and seemingly subterranean corridors (why they were never decorated in a light, bright neutral colour I do not know!), lack of adequate 'sign posting' and the rather depleted liqueur list, this proved to be an all round memorable dining experience and one I would most certainly repeat and very highly recommend.In conclusion, outside there is a very handy taxi rank so after enjoying your hearty dinner and drinks you can be safely driven home - unless of course you are lucky enough to be also staying at the hotel.

I agree it's a long walk along corridors however I don't feel this is relevant to the actual restaurant. Although the terrace garden was lovely and fun to walk around again it is not relevant to the restaurant.We were greeted warmly & offered a choice of tables. When we were presented with the menu were advised of any supplementary charges. Although the amuse bouche was not very inspiring I'm glad to say the courses which followed were more imaginative & of a high standard. As it was a new menu the staff took time to explain the dishes & ask our opinion afterwards- positive or otherwise.Service was first class , the waitresses were friendly, helpful yet unobtrusive.Décor was neutral but pleasant enough with good views of Calton Hill, Background music was just that , background music

We were very lucky that we got an Itison deal that coincided with my wife's birthday. On arrival were escorted to restaurant by a member off the front of house staff. It is a very big place inside. Like the Tardis. Started off with cocktails on the roof garden . It was a nice evening for it. Then down to the restaurant for an amuse bouche before having two delicious courses. Consisting of rabbit , pork and black pudding. Not all on one plate. The food was all wonderfully cooked and prepared. The service was very friendly and efficient. I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone for a special occasion . Well done all.

We visited last night and were very impressed with everything right from the start. On arrival, we were taken up to the Glasshouse garden area and brought our welcome drinks and given time to explore the area and enjoy the amazing views over Edinburgh.We were also given the relevant menu information, including information on supplementary prices since we had bought an offer, which some previous reviewers seemed to think was missing from the service.The food itself is superb and the service was attentive but not intrusive and there was a lovely atmosphere in the whole restaurant.The steak is amazing and everything in general is very tasty and beautifully presented.I would definitely recommend this restaurant, especially for a special occasion.

Bought a voucher which appeared to be a very good deal, nothing could have been further from the truth. As soon as we walked in we were asked to produce the voucher to prove the deal. I had already quoted the voucher no and emailed concierge earlier to confirm booking and check we didn't have to produce voucher code in restaurant (I think this undermines the experience) The menu was very limited and the nicer dishes all had a £7 supplement ( not mentioned up front) All sides inc veg etc were extra . Having chosen we were then told the kitchen had run out of 2 dishes (at 7:45pm?!) It then just went from bad to worse, my lamb shank was cold and I mean chilled underneath! My husband's steak was drenched in peppercorns although this wasn't mentioned on menu.The side vegetables consisted of an abundance of tomatoes and cabbage despite being told it would consist of a variety of green veg . We already had an abundance of tomatoes on our main plates! and I could go on......In all it was a fiasco and a waste of money.This just isn't what you expect from a Marriott restaurant, there is no excuse. To be fair the server apologised ( no sign of management) and money was removed from the bill, but we won't be back, ever!

This was a nice restaurant with friendly service. The breakfast buffet was quite limited and nothing special but it was OK and pretty much as expected. They could do a little more to make it a very good restaurant.

Во время прогулки на Calton Hill мы решили поужинать в ресторане обсерватории. Посетив ресторан, мы увидели уютный интерьер и приятную обстановку. Из окон ресторана в этот ясный солнечный день, открывался захватывающий вид на город. Мы заказали мясо и молодой шотландский картофель. На десерт мы получили замечательный ванильный чизкейк. Все было очень вкусным. Обслуживание было прекрасным и по хорошей цене.

If you are looking for an exciting experience this isn't it. There is very little that is cosmopolitan or interesting or memorable going on here. We are from Edinburgh and live locally so always interested in trying out new eating experiences in the neighbourhood. But the Observatory Restaurant is bland, drab and uninspiring. From the lobby of the Glasshouse Hotel you are sent on an endless journey through hotel corridors past the bedrooms and conference suites left and right, up and down until you arrive at the restaurant. We were shown to a window table promising views over Calton Hill. Don't be fooled. It was like sitting next to a large mirror with no view other than our own reflection (which, to be fair, we can get any time). The restaurant lights were up bright but turned down for half an hour to mark Earth Day but then turned right back up again after half an hour (nice gesture .... but really? Just leave them dimmed ). The decor looks like it was put together by a computer with a colour palette of two shades....dull and duller. The furniture was of the chain hotel frump variety and some genius came up with the idea of really irritating piped 'classical' music to create an even drabber atmosphere.....most funeral parlours are more palpitating. But the food was good....plenty of it, honest, well-cooked and hearty and of good quality. The staff were delightful and tried hard to stay upbeat - presumably to stop themselves falling asleep. If you are someone who doesn't get out much, is usually in bed by 9 or has very low expectations then this place might suit you. For a restaurant in the heart of the capital it really needs to give itself a shake.

The restaurant is part of the Glasshouse Hotel which is situated above the Omni Centre in Edinbugh. This is a boutique hotel which is long and narrow and the journey through the the hotel is quite long. When you eventually arrive you go through a nice bar area then down to the restaurant. Well furnished and the staff are very welcoming. Beware the curved Windows which are at one end of the restaurant - they are mirrored and the distortion can have a strange effect on the eyes.The food was excellent. Started with an amuse Bouche which was a chicken Bon Bon - very tasty. I had the smoked salmon starter while my wife had the risotto both of which were lovely. The mains wet equally delicious I had chicken supreme which was served with a haricot bean and chorizo fricasse and my wife had the venison no complaints there either. Finished off with a creme brûlée and a flat white coffee. The wine was lovely and reasonably priced and the Spanish waiter could not have been more attentive. A really good night. Will definitely be back.

Really well priced set menu. Convenient location for the theatre. Staff very nice and food exceptionally tasty. The hotel is also beautiful. Definitely come back for food.

We chose this restaurant for a special pre-Christmas meal. As the name would suggest, we expected lovely views from our window table. As we were shown to our table I noticed that I couldn't actually see out of the window due to the reflective nature of the glass. I mentioned this to the waiter who informed us that mirrored glass had been fitted to stop the dining room getting too hot in the summer. But surely it had been fitted the wrong way round, the reflection should be outwards not inwards? Not only did the glass mean that we were denied views, but the mirrored effect had a seasick-inducing quality, to the point where I had to change seats. The food was quite good, but I couldn't quite shake the hotel feel to the restaurant. Attention to detail on the service could have made a big difference: yes, we want a glass with a bottle of beer; plates with the bread would have been nice; and we were left to find our own coats when we left. The whole experience felt like a missed opportunity.

We were taken here by friends and were very pleasantly surprised - it's a hidden gem!It's a delightfully and tastefully decorated restaurant in the Glasshouse hotel, with super views, but it's not easy to find!It's quite a walk from the elevator, but it's well worth it!The food and service were excellent!The ladies had the duck, which they said was delicious, whilst the men had the haggis - equally delicious!As ever, the ladies had fish and we had the venison.Everything was cooked exactly as we'd requested!The portions are just the right size, so it was down to the men to try dessert as the ladies said they were full.The cheesecake and creme brûlée were super by the way!As there were only 4 other diners we almost had a waiter to ourselves! (Can't understand why it's not busier, unless people just don't know it exists!) However, I'm sure the service is always spot on.We had a Spaniard from Valencia, who was excellent. Very attentive, professional, friendly and informative.So, the Observatory is a hidden gem in the Glasshouse, which is more than worth a visit! Try it - you won't be disappointed!

I'm not sure why this restaurant has garnered such mixed reviews, but I can safely say that my experience was excellent.Set in the heart of the Glasshouse Hotel, this cosy restaurant has panoramic views of Calton Hill, and offers a sophisticated environment for mid-fine dining. It's not a cheap eat, but the prices aren't far above high street prices.The menu is quite small, but each dish is creatively imagined, and the presentation was excellent. Desserts were especially generous in terms of portions, should you have a sweet tooth like me!To finish the experience, staff were top notch - friendly, attentive and helpful. If you're nearby, I'd definitely suggest this as a very good option for a high quality meal in Edinburgh.

This experience was hard to rate since the food and tea were very good but there were strange components to the experience. We were met at reception by a delightful gentleman and walked to the restaurant. As other reviewers stated, it was a long, windy walk through plush grey corridors, past guest rooms, past a cozy bar, down some steps and past more guest rooms. We then got to the restaurant which had one side with a glass wall and we were lucky enough to get a table by it. It was strange glass that seemed more fitting in a fun house than a restaurant but did give us a view of the nearby hill. The room is nice and comfortable but not as plush or upscale as one would expect in such a hotel. The booking website showed the afternoon tea to be fully booked but there were only two tables of two when we were there which we found odd. There were no menus for the afternoon tea since they were printing up new ones. The food was very good with interesting sandwiches (we especially enjoyed the parma ham and goat cheese on crisp bread and the egg and cress on a croissant). The sweets were also very good and we had fun deciding what all the flavors were and appreciating the creativity of some of the creations. The service was friendly and we were given our food and tea and left to our own devices. We were fine but the other table had trouble getting someone's attention to get more tea. We did wait quite a while to get our bill but we were in no hurry since we had a gap in our schedule to fill. As we left the restaurant unescorted, we found a cozy sitting area where a staff member was lighting a fire and we stayed there a while to warm up before heading out. We were confused about which way was out but wandered our way through the delightful garden on our way back to the elevator to reception.

Well I was just in town two nights but I got to see everything in town. The hotel is very nice but strange layout for the rooms . Long hallways and up and down stairs.

I didn't know that this place existed until recently. Interesting location, lovely food and good service. Would definitely go back.

It reminds me so much of being young and getting chosen to sit in the seat that lifts you up to the roof so you can look through the telescope to Jupiter. I always drive past it when I'm coming back from somewhere boring like Ikea and wish that I was there instead. Friendly, knowledgeable staff is a must and they haven't over looked this small point whilst the building itself is so monumental.A little bit out the way, and obviously on the top of a big hill so I don't recommend cycling there but if you're wanting a day out a bit out of the ordinary then I'd recommend it highly.

Ok. This is my first bad review on trip which is a shame. As part of a special occasion with friends we ate at the hotel and it was a bit of a disaster and they very kindly asked us to return as the hotel guests. The front desk staff were brilliant and we were met by Scott, one of the management team. He was brilliant. Very professional and helpful and It was evident that he was passionate about the hotel. The restaurant setting is smashing with a view of the observatory. I also have to say that the service staff were brilliant too. Really friendly efficient and helpful. So now the bad bit. The food. Very mediocre and very badly cooked. Fish was overcooked and to be honest the rest was, dare I say, rubbish. How a chef can ok that over a kitchen pass beggars belief. It's a real shame as the front of house staff are top notch, the kitchen needs a reality check. So unfortunately for the first time on this site - don't go. Try one of the many fantastic fresh and exciting restaurants there are in wonderful Edinburgh. (To Scott and his front of house team I still think you deserve 5 starts).

Just spent the most amazing few days in Edinburgh for my son's wedding. The wedding was held at the Glasshouse Hotel and it was perfect from start to finish. The ceremony was held on the roof garden overlooking beautiful views of Edinburgh, we had canape's and prosecco in the snug followed by the wedding breakfast in the Conservatory. Everything was timed to perfection without being stuffy. Food was delicious, hot and everyone ate together. The evening again was amazing, live band and the staff kept the same level of attentiveness throughout, no queuing for the bar, tables cleared of glasses and the bacon rolls in the evening were a nice touch from the bride and groom and very tasty! Thank you Glass house for helping with a special memory and making it wonderful.

Arrived at The Observatory Restaurant for our anniversary dinner and we were met by a lovely man at concierge who took us to the restaurant personally. The restaurant is a fair walk from the main building so be prepared! He spoke to us the whole time and told us about some history of the hotel (he was charming). At the restaurant we were greeted by a young girl who was very friendly and showed us to our seats. My Husband had arranged for a bottle of prosecco to be at the table which it was. The girl was lovely and spoke well and made small talk with us. We were given an small appetiser of haggis bon bon which was lovely. The menu is nice enough,not a lot of choice and also some of the combinations are unusual. Mousse and ratatouille together?! Anyway,we ordered pigeon and crab as the starters. They came after about 25 mins and were ok. Nothing to be overjoyed about. Main course i ordered sirloin steak (med/rare) and my husband ordered venison (med). After 35 mins the mains came and on first inspection it looked lovely. Portions are small tho. I cut into my steak and was disappointed to see it was well done. Not the way a steak should be eaten. The waitress was very apologetic and took our mains away. Another 20 or so mins later the 2nd steak came out and again and was well done. I was very annoyed by this point as we were very hungry. The waitress again was lovely and said she would speak to the chef. She came back and said the chef had said the steak is aged for 32 days so it can't be cooked rare? I have never heard this in my life. I was asked to pick something else but I told her to make another steak and i would just eat it. 30 mins later and 3rd time luck (or unlucky) the steak and venison arrived. I cut into my steak and it was frozen in the middle. As if it had just been taken out a freezer. I was disgusted. My husband ate his and commented it was 'ok'. I ate 4 chips,3 vine roasted tomatoes and a mushroom. Pudding was ok again. More style than substance. I had the teacake and my husband cookies and cream. The manager came over and spoke to us (kelly,an asset to the team) and apologised profusely. The 2 waitresses were fantastic and did what they could. All in all it was a very disappointing meal,especially for our anniversary. The place looks great and the staff are amazing but the chef needs to take a hike. I would not return and definitely would not recommend unfortunately.

The service is so friendly, the food was perfect and the portions very reasonable. Loved the Scottish Porridge each morning and fresh fruit was amazing.

This review refers to The Observatortyrestaurant as opposed to the hotel. The restaurant is recently opened to the public and we ate there as a couple in June. In my view it does not work! You enter the restaurant through hotel corridors past guest bedrooms the bar for pre dinner drinks is in a corridor with a poor selection of drinks. The food in the restaurant is average and the atmosphere not great. I would also comment that the toilets were not clean. Overall an experience we will not repeat. The only saving point was Laura who was in charge of the restaurant. Very pleasant and efficient.

I felt compelled to send the following email to the managerThe reason for this e mail is to complain to you regards my recent visit(20/6/15) to your hotel for a evening dinner, your restaurant was given a favourable review in the ION magazine so my wife and I decided to make a reservation for dinner. On arriving at the hotel we asked directions to the dining room at reception and were told to take the lift to floor 3 then a walk along a corridor where at the end of the corridor we would come to a seated lounge area and then go down stairs to another corridor where we would find the restaurant, quite a journey to find the restaurant, was there signage, afraid not.When we got to the restaurant and gave our name that the table was booked in guess what they did not have our reservation, however we were allocated a table, the reservation was 07.30 but by the time we had navigated the hotel to find the restaurant it was now 07.45, after being seated at our table it was about 10 minutes before we received a menu which I had to ask for, we asked for tap water before we decided on our meal, the tap water was poured from a bottle which had obviously been pre made up as the water was warm and also one of our glasses was dirty which we asked to be replaced, not a good start.We then selected our choices of food from the menu and a bottle of wine, it took about 20 minutes before we received our starter course so by this time we had been in the hotel approximately 45 minutes and were definitely looking forward to dinner, well my starter can only be described as meagre, I had ordered Pea salad, this consisted of about 6 peas a couple of pea shells, some leaves and the yolk of a poached egg and some crispy bacon that would not be advised if you want to ensure your teeth do not break when eaten, all at a cost of £6.50, I can say that as starters go this must rate as the worst quality and cost I have ever come across in all the years I have been dining at restaurants, my wife's starter was passable but again in my opinion grossly overpriced for what she had i.e. smoked trout, the mains (chicken) were passable as was the wine, at this time we just wanted to be gone from the premises so sweets or coffees were declined, I would say that the restaurant is totally understaffed for the amount of people dining although the two young girls waiting tables were doing their best.On leaving the restaurant I required to use the toilet, guess what gents toilet out of order, then we started the navigation of the corridors to try and find the lift, signage is almost nonexistent goodness knows what would happen if a emergency arose in the hotel where one had to get quickly of the premises, in conclusion this is about the worst dining experience we have ever had, and if your restaurant is to become a success I suggest you have someone do some research around the various restaurants in the city, to see what standard is required and can be obtained to make your restaurant a pleasant dining experience.

We ordered a selection of starters and sides. Food was very tasty. Also they happen to have large variety of green teas which for me as a green tea enthusiast is important. If you stay at the hotel then the

Was at the Glasshouse for a recent wedding. The venue was beautiful. Up on the terrace with stunning views. The drinks however were on the expensive side.

We thought that as we were staying at the Glasshouse Hotel we would go to their inhouse restaurant. We asked the concierge to book a table. Later that day we Checked our emails only to find a contract awaiting us from the restaurant. The contract says that if we don't turn up at or near the specified time me we reserve the right to chargeryou a no show fee, if you turn up with less than your number of people we resere theright to charge a partial no show fee. These are illustrative of the contract terms and conditions to many to note. I have never had a contract just to go to dinner before and we cancelled our booking as I wont be given a contract by a restaurant now. Bloody ridiculous.

Visited the glasshouse with friends for afternoon tea and was not disappointed. Lovely friendly welcome from the waitress who collected us from reception and showed us to our table. Quiet, relaxing atmosphere. Good range of sandwiches, pastries and cakes - which the kitchen were very obliging in tailoring to our requirements. We had a glass of bubbly and then chose teas/coffees from a varied list of options. Summer out on the rooftop garden must be lovely, unfortunately it was a bit chilly in Feb, but the views were amazing. Would recommend the afternoon tea here - you won't be disappointed.

Afternoon tea here was really nice. Rooftop terrace would I'm sure be great in the summer : shame we couldn't sit out!Plenty of sandwiches and a glass of Prosecco, reasonably priced Building and the hotel it's set in is really nice and the ambience perfect to chill out on an afternoon Worth a try

Fabulous views of Edinburgh changing from day into night on my spacious balcony. Great food and drink and all surrounded by some fantastic artwork - love the Penelopes!

Food not over priced and tasty enough - very busy but food was out quite quickly. Not a reflection of the eatery but why do lone drinkers always sit at a table or booth for 4? Will visit again.

We arrived for afternoon tea and were swiftly taken via the roof terrace to the hub. The waitress then took us into the breakfast room where the views to calton hill were stunning. The afternoon tea itself was delicious especially the pistaccio cake! Highly recommend! We went back to the hub for a glass of prosecco in front of the beautiful table burner. We then checked in and our room was fantastic! We ordered breakfast in bed which was also delicious!' Every member of staff we saw during our stay were courteous and attentive! Each and every one stopped to say hello! Customer service at it's best! Had a wonderful time!