The Caledonian Edinburgh Hotel
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Hospitality |
| Founded | 1903 |
| Founder | Caledonian Railway Company |
| Headquarters | Edinburgh , Scotland, United Kingdom |
Area served | Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Products | Hotel accommodation, dining, spa facilities |
| Owner | Henderson Park and Klarent Hospitality |
| Parent | Hilton (management) |
| Website | www |
The Caledonian Edinburgh stands as a five-star establishment in Edinburgh, Scotland, initially developed by the Caledonian Railway company and inaugurated in 1903. Situated at the western extremity of Princes Street on the former grounds of the Caledonian Railway's Edinburgh terminus, it is a prime example of a British grand railway hotel. Commonly referred to by locals as "The Caley," it holds the status of a category A listed building.
Construction
Between 1899 and 1903, the Caledonian Station Hotel was erected atop a stone, V-shaped station structure that replaced an earlier wooden station lost to fire in 1890. The design was crafted by architects John More Dick Peddie and George Washington Browne, with John Wilson serving as the job architect. Initially, the hotel housed 205 rooms adorned in the Louis XV style. Its striking red sandstone façade and arches, which provided entry to the railway station beneath, have remained an iconic feature of the cityscape.
Operation as a railway hotel
The Caledonian Station Hotel opened its doors on 21 December 1903, entering into direct rivalry with the North British Railway’s North British Station Hotel, which had launched on Princes Street a year earlier. The name was eventually abbreviated to the Caledonian Hotel. Following the 1923 merger of the Caledonian Railway Company with the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, the hotel underwent refurbishment. A notable change occurred in 1925 when its Louis XIV drawing room was transformed into the upscale Pompadour restaurant, named after Madame de Pompadour.
On 1 January 1948, nationalization brought the hotel under British Railways control as part of the British Transport Commission's consolidation. From 1956 to 1958, interior renovations were overseen by Robert and Roger Nicholson.
Station closure and privatisation
Princes Street Station ceased operations in September 1965 and was demolished by 1970, enabling an expansion of the hotel with an additional wing comprising 50 rooms. The station’s original cast iron gates at Rutland Street and its historic clock remain preserved within the hotel premises.
The Caledonian stayed under British Transport Hotels management until privatization initiatives during Margaret Thatcher’s government. In June 1981, Gleneagles Hotels plc purchased a two-thirds share of the Caledonian along with the North British Hotel and Gleneagles Hotel for £5.75 million. The remaining one-third interest was divested in March 1984. Later that year, Norfolk Capital Hotels acquired the property before selling it to Queens Moat Houses in 1990.
Operation under Hilton
In March 2000, Hilton International purchased the Caledonian for £44.2 million, rebranding it as the Caledonian Hilton Edinburgh. A significant £24 million renovation completed in 2011 elevated the property into Hilton’s luxury flagship Waldorf Astoria collection under the name Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh - The Caledonian. At that time, it offered 241 guest rooms. The refurbishment enhanced public areas, guest accommodations, spa facilities, and dining venues. The original station concourse and ticket office were covered to form Peacock Alley—a bar and lounge featuring the historic station clock. Its fine dining venue, The Pompadour, was renovated and reopened in 2021 as Dean Banks at The Pompadour. Additionally, since 2019 it has featured Grazing by Mark Greenaway, a Scottish cuisine restaurant.
Present day
In January 2018, Hilton divested the Caledonian to Twenty14 Holdings, the hospitality investment division of Abu Dhabi’s Lulu Group International, for £85 million, while retaining management responsibilities for the hotel. The new proprietors revealed intentions for a £20 million refurbishment and enlargement project aimed at adding 50 additional guest rooms.
In July 2023, Henderson Park, a private real estate investment fund manager, together with its hospitality affiliate Klarent Hospitality, purchased the property for £85 million. On 28 March 2024, they declared plans to integrate the hotel into Hilton’s Curio Collection during Summer 2024. A comprehensive £35 million upgrade and expansion will boost the room count to over 300 by early 2026. The establishment was officially rebranded as The Caledonian Edinburgh, Curio Collection by Hilton on 5 June 2024.