The Sun Inn in Dalkeith

One of the best places to stay near Edinburgh is the former Gastro-Pub of the Year, the Sun Inn in Dalkeith, close to both the city centre and to Edinburgh Airport.

The Sun Inn’s beautiful boutique rooms offer top quality accommodation at budget prices close to both the city centre and to Edinburgh Airport.

Any food-loving travellers looking for hotels near Edinburgh should visit the Sun Inn at Lothianbridge in Dalkeith, an easy 20-minute drive from the centre of the city and 25 minutes from Edinburgh Airport. The Inn has won many awards, not least for its outstanding food, including being chosen as the Scottish Gastro-Pub of the Year and winning an AA rosette for its cooking.

Accommodation at the Best Gastro-Pub in Scotland

The Sun Inn is also an intimate boutique hotel, with five rooms and one suite. Rooms all have the latest plasma TVs with satellite, a DVD library, digital radios, Hypnos mattresses (which have been called the most comfortable in the world), Egyptian cotton sheets, handmade king-sized beds, a welcome tray, and toiletries from Purdies of Argyll. The suite also has a fun copper bathtub at the foot of the bed, and extra amenities.

Sun Inn Awards and Accolades

The Sun Inn has been transformed by its owners from an ordinary pub into a luxury country retreat on the outskirts of Edinburgh and serving what was officially described as the best pub grub in Scotland. At the Scottish Hotel Awards the Sun Inn has been voted Scottish Gastro-Pub of the Year and also won a Gold Medal for Business Excellence. The AA has also acknowledged the quality of the cooking by giving the Sun Inn one rosette, and four stars for its accommodation, making it truly one of the best places to stay near Edinburgh.

The Sun Inn was also voted Pub of the Year by the AA so clearly is an exceptional place. We couldn’t believe how good it was for the fairly modest prices they charge.

Best Pub-Hotel Food near Edinburgh

This gastro-pub boasts that it likes to support Scotland’s farmers and fishermen. As much Scottish produce as possible is used in its dishes, including Glen Lyon venison, Macsween haggis, Isle of Mull cheddar and Strathdon blue cheese. The result is gourmet food at pub prices, with unbelievably good dishes like the pig plate (braised pig cheeks, black pudding, pork fillet and twice-cooked belly pork) or a honey-roast duck breast served with champ potato and (surprising but it works) poached pear and a puy lentil juice.

Desserts are outstanding, with an impossible choice to make between temptations like a pina colada pannacotta with tropical fruit salad and pineapple sorbet, a banana cheesecake with brandy caramelised bananas and peanut brittle, or a lemon platter consisting of lemon cake, lemon crème brulée, and a lemon and vanilla sorbet. If choosing really is impossible, and it may well be, there is also a selection from all the desserts on a plate for sharing. The Sun Inn definitely offers pub prices for top restaurant quality food.

Obviously the menu items and prices we describe are what was on at the time of our visit, and things change, especially with a seasonal menu. However, the standard of food was obviously superb, and we would go back any time.

Sun Inn Location

The Sun Inn is only eight miles southeast of the city centre of Edinburgh, taking the A7 all the way from the Royal Mile to Lothianbridge in Dalkeith.

More Information

Visit the Sun Inn website.