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There was something of a surprise when our friends at Condé Nast Traveller magazine unveiled the results of their survey to find the best UK city for tourists.

A capital came out on top, but it wasn’t London. Instead, it was a triumph for Scotland’s first city, Edinburgh, which captured high scores across the board, but was noted in particular for its architecture, culture and ‘user-friendliness’.

City of Edinburgh Council Leader, Jenny Dawe, said: “This result is great news for the city and confirms what we all know: Edinburgh is a great place in which to invest, live, work, study and visit.

“It truly has the best of everything – historic buildings and great atmosphere, a vibrant leisure and retail offering, abundant green space, outstanding schools and universities – the list goes on.”

To add insult to London’s injury, it didn’t even make second place – it was pushed into third by Oxford.

by Andy Moreton

If you’re heading for the city the locals call ‘Auld Reekie,’ check out Luxique’s selection of luxury hotels in Edinburgh, including the award-winning Balmoral.

Scotland’s only year-round passenger ferry service to mainland Europe is to be scrapped.

The operator, DFDS, said the Rosyth to Zeebrugge (Belgium) sailings would end in December after failing to attract enough passengers. Travellers who have booked later trips will be offered a full refund.

The 489-passenger ferry Scottish Viking was purpose-built for the three-times-a-week service, which was launched in a blaze of publicity in May last year.

Despite a busy summer and heavy promotion, the company said it had managed to achieve only 60 per cent of its expected passenger numbers for the year.

DFDS Vice-President, Andreas Teschl, said: “We are aware that the ferry service has provided an important link between Scotland and the continent so it is a matter of deep regret that we have had to take the decision to no longer operate passenger services on the Rosyth to Zeebrugge route.” He said he believed the route had a future as a freight-only service.

Several people who posted messages on the website of the Scottish Daily Record complained that the passenger ferry service had simply been too expensive.

by Andy Moreton

Luxique offers a range of luxury hotels in Edinburgh, Glasgow and many other cities in Scotland.

The Scottish capital, Edinburgh, is to promote itself as a must-see cruise destination.

A £35,000 ($55,000) marketing campaign and dedicated website will attempt to cash in on the growing popularity of the Northern European cruise liner business and achieve for the city a 40 per cent rise in passenger numbers by 2013. It’s estimated that 55,000 passengers came to Edinburgh during this year’s season.

Edinburgh’s specific aim is to increase its presence on the itineraries of the Norwegian and Baltic cruise operators.

Because cruise liner passengers spend more on average than other tourists, they are being seen as an important means of achieving the target of increasing Scotland’s tourism revenues by 50 per cent by 2015.

Peter Lederer, the chairman of the national tourism agency, VisitScotland, said: “Growing tourism is critical to the future of Scotland … in the current economic climate, it’s crucial we work together to get tourism growth back on track.”

The city authorities have a long-term ambition to have a new dedicated cruise liner terminal at Leith docks.

by Andy Moreton

Dubbed by some ‘the Athens of the North’, Edinburgh is one of Europe’s most picturesque capitals. At Luxique we’ve come up with eleven hand-picked luxury hotels in Edinburgh, from the classic Balmoral to the chic Malmaison Edinburgh.

Hard on the heels of London’s tourism drive, the Scots are using the 250th birthday of their most famous poet, Robert Burns, to put out the welcome mat for overseas visitors.

Homecoming Scotland 2009 is a £5 million ($7 million) campaign the tourist industry hopes will attract an extra 100,000 visitors with Scottish roots, as well as those who simply want to sample Scottish hospitality for the first time.

Famous Scots, Sir Sean Connery and triple Olympic gold-winning cyclist Chris Hoy, are among those who have been hired to help push the message. There will be a country-wide programme of events and activities. Expect Burns, whisky and golf to figure prominently!

The tourist board, Visit Scotland, says about 16 million tourists come to Scotland each year, most from other parts of Britain but a fifth from overseas. The number includes 350,000 American visitors.

“The Scots around the world are passionate about their roots and origins,” said Roddy Martine, author of the book ‘Scottish Clan and Family Names.’ “I’ve found that the further away you are, the more you care.”

A personal invitation has gone out to Barack Obama, who’s said to be the latest in a long line of US Presidents with Scottish roots. His ancestors apparently include William the Lion, who ruled Scotland between 1165 and 1214.

by Andy Moreton

If you’re thinking of joining the homecoming, Luxique can offer luxury and boutique hotels throughout Scotland, including some of the finest luxury hotels in Edinburgh.

Missoni is the latest designer name to go into the hotel business.

The Italian fashion house signed a deal a couple of years ago with the big hospitality group, Rezidor, which already has around 330 hotels in 51 countries, including the brands Park Inn, Regent and Radisson SAS.

The first two hotels from Rezidor’s partnership with Missoni will open next year – in Kuwait City and Edinburgh. “We believe that hotels are a natural extension for our core brand and that they will work with, and complement, our fashion business,” said Director, Vittorio Missoni.

Since 2000, more than a dozen designers have either set up a partnership with a hospitality company to co-brand a new property or signed on to redesign the interiors of an existing hotel. They include Armani, Versace and Lagerfeld.

Lucian James, founder of the Paris-based brand consultancy, Agenda, said: “In the past five or ten years, fashion designers have begun to understand that the best way they can increase business is by recreating themselves as lifestyle brands. They have to find other ways to build revenue in an increasingly competitive global marketplace.”

Designs for the Kuwait and Edinburgh hotels are being kept secret, but the Missoni team will be heavily involved in creating the look, so expect the signature zig-zag print on curtains and cushions. And the branding is likely to extend to other areas such as tableware and furniture.

by Andy Moreton

Fans of the Harry Potter books have found a new place of pilgrimage – and a luxurious one at that.
J K Rowling completed her phenomenally successful series of novels in a suite at the five-star Balmoral Hotel in the Scottish capital, Edinburgh. Now Room 552 has, with the author’s permission, been re-named after her.

Since the venue for her final chapter was revealed, the wealthier of the Potter fans have been arriving and specifically requesting the suite. The rooms include the writing desk she used and the queen-size bed in which she slept.

There’s also a marble bust of the Greek god, Hermes, on which Rowling wrote in black marker pen: “J K Rowling finished writing Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows in this room (552) on 11th Jan 2007.” A brass plaque has been put on the door and the door knocker’s been replaced by a brass owl in homage to those featured in the books.

Rowling’s background was famously a lot more modest than the plush surroundings of the Balmoral – she wrote the first of the novels in several Edinburgh cafés.

The Balmoral is, of course, on Luxique’s list of luxury hotels in Edinburgh. We can’t promise you’ll get Room 552, but we can promise the best rates with no booking fees.

by Andy Moreton