After a multi-million pound refit of the iconic George Hotel – the Principal Hotel group has added to its portfolio in Edinburgh by giving The Roxburghe Hotel on Charlotte Square a £25m facelift.

The ambitious hotel chain unveiled the results of its latest development today following a top-to-toe year-long refurbishment by the multi-award-winning British luxury design studio, Goddard Littlefair.

Under the new name of The Principal Edinburgh Charlotte Square – much like the George Hotel is now known as The Principal Edinburgh George Street  – the hotel promises visitors a ‘stylish new look’.

That includes the ‘complete transformation of its courtyard into an enchanting garden in the heart of the hotel’, as well as 199 newly refurbished bedrooms featuring 18 suites.  Owners are draw attention to the ‘striking, welcoming new reception and a vibrant and buzzing lobby area punctuated with colour and character.’

Additionally, the Garden is billed as ‘a magical oasis nestled away from the humdrum of everyday life – is set to be a destination for tourists and locals alike to escape, unite, and relax, offering food and drink throughout the day, from salads and tea-time cakes to spritzers and mouth-watering Scottish cocktails.’

Marcello Ventisei, General Manager at The Principal Edinburgh Charlotte Square, said: ‘It’s been an incredible journey for the entire team here at the hotel, but we’re incredibly proud to be able to reveal the results of our refurbishment. The new space focuses on bringing one of the city’s most impressive buildings back to life, offering guests the perfect blend of heritage and modernity. The refurbishment allows us to continue to push for excellence in the design and service we provide in one of Edinburgh’s most desirable locations.”

Jo Littlefair, Director and Co-founder of design studio Goddard Littlefair, added: “Like a cosmopolitan clubhouse, the design scheme for The Principal Edinburgh Charlotte Square is eclectic, intriguing and full of references to travel, from set-dressing with vintage suitcases to the map room, where the walls are lined with historic maps from all around the world.  The interior is plush and elegant, with interesting and varied furniture and richly-coloured velvets and leathers, set within a series of stand-out individual spaces.”

In October the hotel will launch BABA, conceived by Jonathan MacDonald and the successful team behind Glasgow’s Ox and Finch restaurant, with a menu of eastern Mediterranean mezze.

The Roxburghe is one of Edinburgh’s oldest and most iconic hotels, opening in 1881. The hotel is constituted from seven inter-connecting Georgian townhouses, designed by Robert Adam and originally built in 1791. They continue to form the heart of the hotel and have played host to esteemed writers and A-list Hollywood actors.

Each room in the property has been carefully and creatively designed to enhance the features and character of the five-storey building, while introducing a carefully chosen selection of modern fabrics and furnishings that evoke the ‘golden age of travel’, married with all the services and conveniences desired by today’s modern traveller.

“With no two rooms quite the same, each seamlessly blends the old with the new, reflecting the hotel’s location nestled between the Old Town and the New Town of Edinburgh,” said the hotel in a statement.

It added: “Rich in heritage and local charm, The Principal Edinburgh Charlotte Square incorporates features customary to PRINCIPAL hotels: vintage red post boxes in the lobby with post collected daily; a Corner Shop selling treats to stock the mini-bar at convenience shop prices; and retro, 7-series red phones in guest rooms which invite guests to dial 9 for an outside line and 0 for the ‘everything else line’, a single point of contact for all guest services.”

The Principal Edinburgh Charlotte Square is the Principal family’s second Edinburgh property – following the multimillion pound refit of The Principal Edinburgh George Street in in 2016 – and its fourth in the UK, following Manchester, York and Edinburgh George Street. Later this year, The Principal London will open on Russell Square, following a £75 million restoration of the Grade II listed ‘grande dame’ hotel.