Q Magazine - Summer 2019

17 City Slickers Three minutes grace The Balmoral Edinburgh Opened in 1902, it was acclaimed as one of the great railway hotels lying adjacent to Waverley Railway Station in the heart of Edinburgh at the border of Old Town and New Town. Formerly The North British , the hotel, renamed The Balmoral , became the first acquisition in the impressive Rocco Forte Collection in 1997. This flagship property has been lavishly renovated and embellished during the following 20 years and features 188 bedrooms and suites together with fine dining at the Michelin-starred, Number One Restaurant. Recalling the building’s railway legacy, the time on the clock face of the iconic clock tower is set precisely three minutes fast, so that you don’t miss your train. In fact, the only time the clock is set correctly is over Hogmanay. The great cities of London, Edinburgh and Dublin are classic cosmopolitan hubs, each with so much going on at all times of the year. Here are three centrally located gems from which to explore... A taste of Ireland’s fair city The Merrion Dublin Dublin's Merrion Hotel is the ultimate couples retreat - beautiful gardens, luxury spa treatments (18 metre pool, steam room, fully equipped gymnasium and private treatment rooms), and ‘ 2 Michelin Stars’ quality dining at one of Ireland’s finest, Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud. An impeccable restoration of four Georgian townhouses, The Merrion is a marriage of exquisite comfort and relaxed elegance in the heart of Dublin’s city centre. The interiors of this Leading Hotel of the World have been restored to their original 18th century glory; vaulted ceilings and original marble fireplaces are just some of the features that await guests behind the doors of the 142 elegant rooms and suites that overlook the period landscaped gardens. A Wilde suggestion L’oscar London Holborn, London WC1 Reassuringly central, yet hidden from the bustle of capital streets, the 39-bedroom hotel can be found in the centre of literary London close to the City, to Theatreland, to Soho and the West End. L’oscar London is an extravagantly restored building, created from a breath-taking Baroque-style, grade II listed former Baptist chapel in Holborn. Styled by Jacques Garcia, the interiors exhibit a hint of irreverence, a nod towards decadence and a touch of the risqué. An exhilarating dining experience awaits guests in the Baptist Grill, one of the most iconic venues in the capital, where opulence and temptation combine in the domed chapel under the expert guidance of renowned Executive Chef Tony Fleming.