Charming and a Poet
When we were invited along to the Allan Ramsay Hotel, we both looked at each other thinking, “who?” Or in Aye 2.0’s case (as a Doric Dunderheed), “Fa?” And I’m not ashamed to say I did some googlin’. And I found an artist named Allan Ramsay and thought, “Bingo!” This was further fueled when we arrived at the hotel and it was clarted in paintings. But what do I know? Not an awful lot it would seem. Because as soon as we got the chance to sit down with innkeeper, Rosemary, I realised that I wasn’t right. But I wasn’t wrong either. Which is kind of a synonym for my life?
Basically, the Allan Ramsay Hotel was indeed named after Allan Ramsay. But it was named after the dad Allan Ramsay and not the son Allan Ramsay. But the son Allan Ramsay is definitely featured through the many famous paintings and portraits. Such as Bonnie Prince Charlie. We’re going to look into Allan Ramsay and put together some bits on him because he’s kind of a slightly-unknown-yet-massive influence in both Scottish history and Scottish folk music. Watch this space.
The HotelÂ
Cosy, comfy and quaint with endless charm and sweet countryside vibes. Basically the lyrics from a country and western song… We have stayed in heaps of hotels. Honestly, the number of beds I’ve slept in would make your granny blush. But this was one of our favourites. Why? We have no idea. It just spoke to us. We arrived in the picturesque and sleepy village of Carlops which falls just on the Scottish Borders. Literally, the sign for the Scottish Borders is at the start of the village. We were attending the Royal Highland Show the next day and had it not been for the mad show traffic, we would have only been a 30-minute drive away from the show centre. So although the Allan Ramsay Hotel is “in the borders,” it is right next to Midlothian and thus, close to Edinburgh.
This is a typical coaching inn with so much more to offer. With misshapen old walls and slanted floors, exposed brick and a library area in the restaurant, the Allan Ramsay is reminiscent of times gone by. Yet it was immaculate, comfortable and for us, a little like home from home. Although our home is not now nor will ever be, immaculate.
Fed, Nested and Well Rested
We enjoyed a fine Scottish meal downstairs in The Ramsay Bar and Restaurant before retiring back to our family room. I’m not sure whether all rooms are this size or not but we had a double bed and a single bed. Which was great for hanging oot. Which we did. We had promised ourselves an early night for an early start at the Royal Highland Show the next day but we ended up staying up till the back of 1 working and blethering about work. We do actually work alongside flitting all over the country and staying in plush hotels. It isn’t ALL glamour.
We slept all night with the windows open and seeing as we were in the middle of the country, we felt super safe. The hotel is roadside so there is some traffic but not enough for us to close the window. We accidentally slept all night with our room door open as well. Which I didn’t realise until the morning. And although we don’t make a habit of sleeping in hotels with our door open, this was the kind of place where when I realised, I wasn’t even bothered.
How do you like your tatties in the morning?
I like mine in a scone. Which is exactly what I got in my cooked Scottish breakfast. Himself had smoked salmon and scrambled eggs (his usual because nobody cooks him this at home). The hotel notes the local ingredients on their menu which is lovely. The breakfast was a crackin’ way to kick off a busy day at the show.
Overall, we would absolutely recommend The Allan Ramsay Hotel for folk looking for cosy and comfortable accommodation with a fine welcome, in the Scottish Countryside. Located near Edinburgh, this is a fantastic base for exploring and is the perfect “home from home.” Book your stay here.
We were invited along to review the Allan Ramsay Hotel but as always, all opinions are ours, and completely spot-on.
