Welcome to the contemporary
elegance of the Bonham Hotel Edinburgh.
The Bonham shares history with
Edinburgh University!
What is now instantly recognisable as The Bonham Hotel, was
originally designed by John Lessels in the late 19th Century, as
city centre town houses.
The Drumsheugh Gardens triangle was built between 1874 and 1882.
The three storey residences were quickly recognised as "des-res"
with one house being sold for what would seem by today's standards,
as a mere £6000.
Title Deeds for the property show that numbers 33-36 were sold to
Messer's Wade and Wilkie who were responsible for their development
in the 1920's. By 1939, the three houses were collectively known as
'The Private Clinic' combined and operating as a medical practice
under one roof, until 1951.
Currently, one of The Bonham's most
unique bedrooms, distinctive with its oak panelled walls and copper
bath, is firmly believed to have once been the main consultancy
room in the surgery.
In 1951 'The Private Clinic' was sold to the University of
Edinburgh for £30,000 as part of a plan to develop its Halls
of Residences. Originally starting life as Muir Hall in George
Square, the halls accommodated 62 students which was later reduced
to more intimate homely surroundings for around 46 students.
It originally only took female medical students, but in the late
1970s it became a mixed hall. At the same time it changed from full
board to self catering.
Originally it accommodated over 90
students, with up to four students in some of the very large rooms.
There was also an annexe at 1 Rothesay Place. Latterly it took
closer to 60 students, as rooms had to be converted to bathrooms
and rooms for 4 students were no longer acceptable.
Former residents recount tales of the evening hot water trolley
that was left out in the lower hall ensuring students would never
be short of a cup of tea or coffee whilst studying long into the
night. The girls fondly remember the bathroom units housing rows of
baths in individual cubicles-perfect for catching up on the day's
gossip, or for water fights on a Friday evening - perfect for
letting off steam after a hard week poring over the
books….
The Hall has had it share of famous visitors, even before becoming
Edinburgh's coolest hotel…and was a resting place for those
attending the International TV Festival, with celebrities such as
Anna Ford and Michael Heseltine's daughter, making use of the
University's facilities.
In 1997, the premises were bought by
The Town House Company who took infinite care in a complete and
historically sympathetic renovation of the buildings. Part of the
renovation process involved the installation of luxury private
bathrooms in each of the 48 contemporary designed bedrooms.
In 1998 The Bonham opened to great critical acclaim, winning
national awards of excellence. One magazine has dubbed it "One of
the Coolest Hotels of the Twenty First Century". A remarkable
achievement indeed, given those very walls continue to stand
proudly into their second century.
