Claire and Lou's flat was absolutely perfect! You couldn’t ask for a more authentic Edinburgh experience- the building is on a narrow cobblestone street with wrought iron gates and pretty gardens. The flat is warm and welcoming- the wide-plank hardwood floors are gorgeous- and the windows let in lovely light and charming views.
We met Lou when we arrived and he was as nice as could be- he gave us plenty of pointers about fun things to do, great places to eat, and parking in the neighborhood. He and Claire were very accessible by text and were very responsive to any of our questions.
The apartment is very comfortable- the beds are soft and there are plenty of extra blankets and pillows. The shower has lots of hot water, and the kitchen is stocked with lots of tea and coffee.
The location of this flat could not be beat! About a 20 minute walk to the Castle and the Royal Mile in one direction, and Dean
Village in another direction. Just about everything you could need is right there- there are all sorts of shops, restaurants, and pubs within a few blocks, yet the flat itself is on a quiet street so it’s peaceful.
One note about the restaurants: all required reservations on Saturday nights, so plan accordingly. Also, the parking ramps in the area are app-based and therefore require that you have internet access when not connected to WiFi. We had trouble with that being from the U.S. However, there is a lot of free parking on the street where the flat is- just read the signs and watch the time. And one final tip for U.S. residents: find out what kind of fuel your car takes before you leave the rental agency! We unwittingly put unleaded in a diesel car and spent a lot of the day waiting for the Fuel Assist Van!
In short, we had a great time at Claire and Lou’s and would definitely stay there again.