The Rock House, Edinburgh

Located on Calton Hill, there's plenty to do and see including the old city observatory, which is now the Gallery of Modern Art. The Lookout, Gardener's Cottage and Michelin-starred 21212 are three of the city's hottest restaurants - all within walking distance.

From the peace of the garden, it's hard to believe you can walk to the east end of Princes Street or the Royal Mile in under 10 minutes.

By car: around an hour from Glasgow, 2 hours 45 minutes from Newcastle and 4 hours from Manchester. Paid parking available nearby.

By train: Glasgow Queens Street to Edinburgh Waverley takes around 50 minutes, it's 3 hours from Manchester Piccadilly and 4 hours 45 minutes from London Kings Cross - after which, it's a 10-minute walk to the hotel. Book trains to Edinburgh.

There's an emphasis on classy cosiness here, from inviting sofas in front of a crackling fire to the reproduction William Morris wallpapers and eclectic selection of books. The interior is very much Arts and Craft influenced.

The house is well-equipped with everything you need to cook - a welcome basket of basics is provided and you can also arrange to have the kitchen stocked up with food and wine. A comprehensive guide gives suggestions on what to see and where to eat and shop.

• Kitchen
• Lounge
• Garden
• Terrace
• Family friendly
• Free Wi-Fi

Rooms feature richly-coloured wallpapers and period beds with soft throws for a cosy feel, combined with simplicity through sisal rugs on scrubbed wood floors. There are two bathrooms in the main house which have walk-in showers and deep baths.

Room types: Room, Apartment, Studio

Key amenities: bathroom with toiletries, hairdryer, tea and coffee-making facilities, kitchen, TV, free Wi-Fi

Rock House is self-catering, and the kitchen is well-stocked with an AGA oven and plenty of cooking equipment. The property is also close to the excellent bars and restaurants of Edinburgh city centre.