The Dickins Edinburgh Accommodation Blog

Blonde, 75 St Leonards St, Edinburgh

Blonde restaurant, Edinburgh (75 St Leonards Street, EH8 9QR. Tel: 0131 668 2917) offers good quality, fresh produce and laid back atmosphere whilst being affordable. If you are looking for an informal dining experience where service is still second to none then this is your kind of place.

Gaby dined with fiance James last Saturday and was impressed by not only the food but the contemporary yet relaxed atmosphere that Blonde had to offer. They tucked into Spicy Chickpea Burger (£4.95) and Terrine of Chicken (£5.25) to start followed by Breast of Chicken Stuffed with Feta (£9.95) and Grilled Fillet of Trout with Black Pudding (at just £10.95). This was rounded off with a real homemade Banoffee Pie (£4.95) and Pistachio & Orange Bread & Butter Pudding (£4.95). This was all washed down with a nice bottle of Merlot (£10.90) but they have wines ranging from £9 up to £25.

Blonde is the kind of restaurant everyone would love to have on their doorstep so the locals in Southside must be over the moon at having somewhere that you can either swing by after work or book a 3 course meal on a Saturday night with your family or friends.

With reviews from Lonely Planet, Time Out and The Scotsman as well as us here at Dickins it can't be bad.

It really is true what Blonde says "good food needn't break the bank"!

Friday 6 June 2008

Another busy day in the office, phones ringing off the hook with enquiries for the Festival in full swing. Edinburgh owners also calling to let their flats all year round or just for the Festival so our little feet have been all over the city viewing some beautiful apartments. Some new one's we have taken on are now available to view on our website so check them out!

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe guide came out yesterday and what a hefty, fully loaded guide it truly is this year. It makes you realise just how big and how exciting this time of year can be. Finding clients an apartment which enhances their experience of the Festival is what we do best.

Gaby went to see Sex and The City just the other day and she said, and I quote "best film a girls gonna see in 2008". She was amazed, however at just how dressed up the girls were, which just goes to show what an impact Carrie and her girlfriends have had on females across the world!

Winding down for the day on this glorious Friday afternoon with high hopes that the weather will hold up for the weekend to put us in the right frame of mind to tackle the events of next week.

Have a good weekend...

26a Inverleith Row, Inverleith

 Very well presented and stylish, this lovely three bedroom basement apartment is located next to the famous Royal Botanical Gardens, Edinburgh on Inverleith Row. Only a few minutes walk to local shops, restaurants and bars. Princes Street is only a 5 minute bus ride or a 25 minute walk away.

This apartment has been recently redecorated to a high standard and the attention to detail and design has been meticulous. Both double bedrooms are situated to the front of the apartment and both have an individual colour scheme as does the twin bedroom towards the back. The open plan living/dining room has wooden floors throughout and a dining table to seat 6 comfortably. The apartment also benefits from WIFI broadband for your use, a cot and high chair are also available for children if required. There is also a suntrap patio leading off the well equipped kitchen.

From £550 per week

 

View apartment details and availability >>>

View more Self Catering apartments >>>

[email protected]

21a Warriston Crescent

"A very comfortable and warm unit with all that we required and lovely garden at back door."

Lyn Morris

46/1 Inverleith Row, Inverleith

This charming ground floor 2 bedroom apartment is situated in the sought after area right beside the idyllic Royal Botanical Gardens on Inverleith Row, Edinburgh, which provides a tranquil haven away from city living. Very close to local shops, cafes and bars and only a 15 minute walk to Princes Street or if you wish to use public transport there is a very good bus service and the bus stop is immediately outside the apartment.

The large open living room has a beautiful bay window flooding the room with light and wooden floors throughout. It also has a dining table to seat 4 comfortably and the cleverly designed kitchenette sits towards the back of the room which has a combination microwave, hob, sink, fridge, freezer, utensils, pots and pans. There is 1 double bedroom and another twin room which has zip and link beds so can be a double, both of which are at the back of the apartment overlooking the Royal Botanical Gardens. This apartment is ideal for those looking for a quiet get away in Edinburgh.

From £425 per week

 

View apartment details and availability >>>

View more Self Catering apartments >>>

[email protected]

Why not let your Edinburgh home help pay for your holiday this August......

Do you own a central Edinburgh apartment and are thinking of going on holiday this August? Well why not let your apartment during the Edinburgh Festival through Dickins and let it help to pay for your holiday?

Dickins takes on well presented apartments ranging from 1 to 5 + bedrooms. Our favoured Edinburgh areas are The Pleasance, the Old Town, The New Town and The Meadows and Bruntsfield. This year our clients are arriving from 26th July and they are leaving on 26th August and most of our clients stay for the whole month. We find accommodation for Assembly Theatre, The Edinburgh International Festival Office, The Gilded Balloon, the Underbelly as well as leading promotors such as Avalon, Phil McIntyre and Off the Kerb, so who knows, if you let with Dickins, you may have someone famous staying in your home!

Providing festival accommodation in Edinburgh can also be the perfect way to help pay for refurbishment work on your apartment such as that new bathroom you've been longing for, or even just paying off that credit card. So if you have friends or parents you can stay with, why not think about letting out your apartment through Edinburgh's most professional, efficient and caring festival letting company, Dickins.

Give us a ring today on 0131 558 1108, visit our website at www.dickins.co.uk or email us at [email protected]   

Short term solution to your moving problems.....

Moving to Edinburgh but need to sell your present home before you can start looking for your new one? Help is at hand at Dickins. Previously, it's been very difficult to find short term accommodation whilst you are in between homes, but Dickins now provide fully furnished apartments and houses across Edinburgh that feel like a home from home.

Our Edinburgh short let properties are available to rent from a little as one week and can be extended to upto six months. Our lease terms are flexible, which is just what you need when you don't know how long it's going to take for you to find your perfect new home. They are all fully furnished, so you just need to bring your suitcases and most come with broadband. Parking can be available too, as can facilities for children.

Our Edinburgh short lets normally run on 28 day cycles, but you can extend by weeks if you need to too. Also, our rents are inclusive of council tax and reasonable use of gas and electricity. Temporary accommodation can also be the perfect way of you being able to see if you like an area enough to buy your home there.

Given the uncertainly of the current sales market, it's vital that you sell before you look to buy, and now with Dickins, you can do that with confidence, so give us a call today on 0131 558 1108 or visit our website at www.dickins.co.uk.      

The Dogs, Edinburgh

It's always a delight to find a new local restaurant near the Dickins office in Dundas Street, Edinburgh which feels individual, where the food is great and the service excellent and we've just found one at 110 Hanover Street, Edinburgh (0131 220 1208) called The Dogs.

David Ramsden of (Fitz)Henry and Rogue has paired things down here, serving up gastro pub style food with a twist in an elegant first floor bar/restaurant location in the centre of Edinburgh.

The decoration is quirky and fun with plenty of doggy references and the odd dog bowl, unmatching tables and chairs and great old fashioned crockery that makes you reminisce times gone by, as do some of the ingredients on the tasty menu such as mutton broth and boiled salt beef. Here David and his team are doing us a favour by reminding us just how delicious some of these cheaper cuts of meat can be. The Mutton Broth with root veg and pearl barley (£2.75) is fresh and clean and feels really nutritious. For mains the Fish, chips and mushy peas (£4.95) is the perfect size for lunch with chips cooked in dripping and really delicious crsipy batter on the fish. The sausages and lentils (£4.75) are also wholesome with tasty proper butchers sausages. And because the portions are perfect for lunch you may be able to treat yourself to a wonderful old fashioned pudding like Rhubarb and custard (£3.50) which inspired me to go home and cook up the same for my husband at the weekend.

The coffee is good and they do decaf. The crowd is eclectic and arty and we sat next to Richard Jobson who is in town making a movie, so word is out on the street that The Dogs is the place to eat so call before you drop in to make sure you'll get a table.

The Dogs has just won the The List Edinburgh Newcomer of the Year for Originality and Commitment award.

Louise Dickins 24/4/08   

51 Northumberland Street, Central New Town

Elegant and extremely spacious, this delightful Edinburgh Georgian five bedroom townhouse is located on the very smart Northumberland Street in the New Town. Local food shops are available within a couple of minutes walk and there are some good restaurants and an excellent lunch time take away shop Appetite on Howe Street which is two minutes away. Regular buses are available on Dundas Street, two minutes away and it is only a ten minute walk to George Street. The perfect home from home for a family gathering.

This lovely house is beautifully presented and extremely comfortable. There are gorgeous high ceilings and a wealth of architectural features. The accommodation is over the first and second floors. The sitting room is a wonderful room with three windows overlooking Northumberland Street, as well as plenty of comfy sofas and chairs there is also a dining table seating 10.  The dining kitchen has a dishwasher. Also on this floor there is a lovely twin bedroom with a wash hand basin and a bathroom with shower.

On the top floor, there are three further spacious and very comfortable bedrooms and a single bedroom. There is also a shower room. The house has wireless broadband.

This is the perfect home from home for a family gathering. 

From £1,000 per week

 

View apartment details and availability >>>

View more Self Catering apartments >>>

[email protected]

5/6 Ramsay Garden, Old Town

Ramsay Garden is one of Edinburgh's most prestigious and historic addresses. Nestling beneath Edinburgh Castle, this three bedroom apartment has spectacular view over Princes Street and The New Town towards the Firth of Forth. Many of Edinburgh's most popular attractions are located within a few minutes walk and you'll be spoiled for choice with the number of restaurants and bars. 

Located on the top floor this apartment has two floors making it extremely spacious and quiet. It has three double bedrooms with two bathrooms and has a spacious living room with a large dining table seating 7 people. On a beautiful day or evening you could relax on the small balcony with a glass of your favourite wine and watch the world go by on Princes Street beneath you.

From £600 per week

 

View apartment details and availability >>>

View more Self Catering apartments >>>

[email protected]