Emily and Nick and their apartment were exceptional; and I write this with no concern for anyone's feelings. We've visited Edinburgh twice before spending the last two and a half years travelling around the world living exclusively in Airbnb's. Naturally we've become a little more discerning as to what makes for an exceptional stay and what does not.
Emily and Nick were incredibly responsive and perfectly helpful - always. They were never overbearing or fend-for-yourself. They host from that perfect place of helping you to integrate yourself as fast as possible with your surroundings organically.
The location is second to none. One one side you have a view of the castle (that is so close you need to put your face against the glass to see the top) and the other side an incredible vista of the city. It is incredibly well stocked; you can let your inner Martha Stewart out and put together a 5 course meal or walk 20 meters too 10 different eating establishments. The decor is elegant, spacious and reminiscent of a more civilized age, where things happened a little slower, your smartphone mattered a little less, and roses were smelled a little more.
Travelling the world for us has always been a matter of having ones paradigm shifted, to be exposed to new perspectives. We're of the opinion that the more that you can integrate yourself into how a local may spend their time, the richer this paradigm shift is. Emily and Nick facilitate this experience masterfully.
We saw a quote in the Edinburgh airport when leaving that read 'Edinburgh is a city that encourages you to think about what a city should be', and this summarizes our experience quite succinctly. If life to you is a collected patchwork quilt of experiences, than this is a square you need to add to your quilt.