As the gateway to destinations in the rest of Scotland the city hosts nearly four million visitors every year, so there is no shortage of hotels in Edinburgh.  In fact, Edinburgh is the favourite domestic holiday destination in the UK after London, and the city and its environs offer an eclectic mix of cultural and historic attractions, festivals and events.

Edinburgh has numerous attractions, from castles to galleries to museums to botanical gardens.  There is even a Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre where the visitor can learn everything there is to know about uisge beatha, the “water of life.”  Some of Edinburgh’s popular attractions include:

National Galleries of Scotland — four separate galleries containing over 65,000 artworks from Scotland and around the world. Edinburgh Castle — Scotland’s number one paid attraction and the scene of some the bloodiest and most dramatic events in Scottish history. The Real Mary King’s Close — the hidden ‘undercity’ of Edinburgh. Rosslyn Chapel — the mysterious late-gothic chapel made famous in The Da Vinci Code.

Edinburgh hosts a number of exciting festivals and events throughout the year, from the Royal Highland Show in June, to the renowned Edinburgh Christmas Celebrations.  Some highlights of the numerous special events and festivals in Edinburgh include:

Hogmanay — three days of New Years celebrations beginning with a torchlight procession, massive street party and big-name concerts. Beltane Fire Festival — a revival of the ancient Celtic festival marking the beginning of summer, a procession of fire and revelry held on Calton Hill every April 30.

Take the bedroom – we tend not to notice when this much used room begins to look a bit tired and often it’s only the arrival of holidays or guests which spur us into action. It doesn’t have to be that way – turn on all the lights and take a good look at your bedroom to see what might need to be replaced or simply refreshed. One big idea for changing the look is a new headboard. Modern headboards are easy to install with ordinary household tools; an upholstered or tufted headboard can add a touch of style and sophistication to a bedroom in minutes.

A bed canopy is another easy way to change the look of a bedroom – it adds an element of mystery and romance along with a measure of privacy. Toss pillows or a colorful throw offer yet another way to refresh a bedroom without breaking the bank.

The bathroom is another room which sees constant use – the sort of room we almost don’t see until the thought of company coming causes us to take a closer look. A fresh shower curtain and new window curtains are mandatory; they should be replaced on an annual basis at the very least. Something you might overlook is the toilet seat – new toilet seats offer many useful features; look for self-closing toilet seats, illuminated toilet seats and decorative toilet and commode seats which will help to enhance both the look and the functionality of your guest, master or family bathroom.

Hampers are another quiet helper in both the bed and bathroom. Use one clothes hamper to store fresh towels and another for soiled towels; place a laundry hamper in each bedroom to collect soiled clothing before it hits the floor and use hampers to store extra blankets, seasonal clothing and more.