I couldn't have been more delighted to find Hilary's place in Duddingston Village. I had originally thought to book in a city hotel, but decided on a country stay after reading Hilary's impressive reviews. I'm happy to report that Hilary lived up to all my expectations, and managed to exceed them, too.
I wondered if being a bit out of the city centre would suit me, and it most certainly did. It turned out to be the perfect place to come home to after my busy days rambling Edinburgh's streets, and visiting her attractions and museums.
I'm not a big going-out-at-night person, especially solo, so it was great to settle in at Hilary's place for some rest and a good chat with my hostess. If you're looking for an active nightlife, you'll probably want to stay closer to the city centre.
City centre is definitely walkable, but it's a long walk and I wanted to get into it asap to pack in as much as I could. Luckily, Hilary's place also happens to be a one minute walk to the bus, which runs every half hour on the quarter hour. It takes about twenty minutes to get into the city. A couple of times I took a cab back to Duddingston for about 10 to 12 quid. Perfect. Hilary also dropped me a couple places which happened to be on her way . . . or mostly on it. I love that she is so accommodating.
The house is on the slope of Arthur's Seat, and part of the Village of Duddingston. The village itself is cute, quaint, and has a pub and restaurant. I had a decent meal there, and got to try my hand at skittles. The Sheep Heid (heed) has a skittles alley built in 1870. It's reputed to be the oldest in Scotland. And that's where I reputedly got my last strike. (No, I really did.) Duddingston is also home to Dr. Neil's Garden, and absolutely gorgeous garden at the edge of Duddingston Loch. Cobblestones, stone buildings, and the remarkable community field round out the amenities.
Hilary's place is clean, bright, and modern. I got to meet Hilary's her four-footed gal pal, Bramble, who is a very easy dog to like. Very respectful. Wifi was perfect. Breakfast was a delightful continental with fruit, a range of cereals, muesli, etc and most importantly, delicious bread baked by Hilary herself. And lucky me! I got to sample her famous hot cross buns, because I was there the weekend before Easter.
Thanks, Hilary. Like Arnold Schwarzenegger says, "I'll be baaaack."