Edinburgh hotels only in UK in world’s top list

The Balmoral Hotel was given a special mention by customers from the website. Picture: Ian Rutherford

The survey – based on hotel reviews by nearly seven million customers – rates the Capital above tourist favourites Chicago, Krakow and Marrakech.

Website Adoga’s “Travel Smarts” list compiles the results of its users’ highest-rated accommodation, in destinations with more than 100 hotels.

Cape Town in South Africa has been crowned the top spot, while the Maldives comes a close second.

Edinburgh is ranked number 18 in the 25-strong list – but is the only city in the UK to feature on the guide.

After every stay, Adoga.com users submit reviews and are asked to score hotels on a scale of 0 to 10 in six categories.

A hotel’s total score is an average of those numbers, which the site used to compile its recent list.

The average score for Edinburgh’s hotels was 8.0, in comparison with Cape Town’s 8.43.

The international praise was welcomed by city hotel industry chiefs today, who said it was testament to the Capital’s “world-class hospitality” and unique attractions.

Tristan Nesbitt, chairman of the Edinburgh Hotels Association, said: “Edinburgh’s hotels are truly passionate about delivering an exceptional visitor experience. Many have recently benefited from major investment which, combined with an exciting influx of new hotel openings, ensures the city continues to offer visitors a diverse and high-quality choice of accommodation.”

Manuela Calchini, Visit Scotland’s regional partnership’s director, said the city’s “rich history, diverse culture and stunning architecture” were a constant boon for the city’s vibrant hotel trade, alongside the annual festivals which guarantee to pull in the crowds. “It is our warmth of our welcome that encourages visitors to return time and time again,” she said.

“A stay in one of the Capital’s many hotels is a fantastic way to experience Scotland’s famous hospitality and I know that Edinburgh’s accommodation providers work hard to ensure that visitors to the city have a memorable experience.

“To appear amongst the top 20 highest-rated hotel destinations in the world, shows that their efforts are clearly being recognised and appreciated,” said Ms Calchini.

“2014 has taken Edinburgh and Scotland’s profile and reputation to great heights and we are determined to make the most of this. As we head into the 2015 Year of Food and Drink and beyond, we’ll look to develop and build on all we’ve achieved and I have no doubt that warm welcome on which we pride ourselves will continue to get bigger and bolder.”

The iconic Balmoral hotel on Princes Street was among the popular choices in Adoga. Justine Sanderson, a director of at The Balmoral, said: “It is no surprise that Edinburgh has been named as one of the top 20 hotel destinations in the world. The city is an authentic, compact destination offering visitors the very best of world-class hospitality and cuisine.”

She added: “The city continues to improve year on year with significant investment and new routes into Edinburgh Airport making it a strong contender across the world.”