Cheval The Edinburgh Grand - Reception
Cheval The Edinburgh Grand

Cheval The Edinburgh Grand

About Us

Situated in the heart of Edinburgh on St. Andrew Square, Cheval The Edinburgh Grand features a selection of 50 uniquely designed luxury apartments, available to book for any length of stay. Cheval The Edinburgh Grand has a range of accommodation available, from intelligently designed open-plan apartments to the three bedroom penthouse with stunning panoramic views of iconic Edinburgh landmarks. Whether you’re staying for just one night or for months at a time, you can expect five-star service and the personal touch.

The building itself is steeped in history and was formerly the headquarters of the National Bank of Scotland, subsequently becoming the global head office for the Royal Bank of Scotland until 2007. Many of the building’s original features were intricately rejuvenated during the restoration project.

Choosing to stay in an apartment during your visit to Edinburgh means you’ll have all the extra space you deserve in a secure environment, complemented by our team available 24 hours a day. They can assist you with navigating the city, restaurant reservations, theatre bookings and more.

You are welcome to book a stay directly via our website, or you can contact our reservations team who will be happy to explain the different options available. With almost 40 years’ operation, our experienced team can provide you with peace of mind so that every element of your stay meets your expectations.

Cheval The Edinburgh Grand is a Cheval Residences brand, part of a portfolio of high-quality, luxury apartments in prime locations in Edinburgh and central London. Every apartment comes equipped with a fully equipped kitchen to enable you to enjoy the comforts of home during your stay.

Our neighbourhood

Edinburgh’s ‘New Town’ isn’t really that new in the grand scheme of things. The city first evolved around the castle, sat atop the most defensible point in the area, which centuries ago was sensible practice. Edinburgh Castle is now the city’s most visited tourist attraction, normally welcoming more than 2 million visitors every year, and although it’s technically in the area known as the Old Town, it’s only a few minutes’ travel time from the New Town.

As the population of the Old Town grew over the centuries, living conditions deteriorated and the creation of a New Town was deemed necessary. If you were a city planner at the time this was the equivalent of playing the SimCityTM computer game, but with real life results. Built in stages between 1767 and 1850 to the north of the Old Town, the New Town was laid down in a grid-style and built to a neo-classical style of architecture fashionable at the time. Many of the city’s wealthy residents were delighted to make the move, particularly to one of the most desirable squares, St Andrew Square, where The Edinburgh Grand currently sits. By the late 1800s the square was the place to be, attracting more than its fair share of banks and commercial premises.

Today the square is still home to prestigious banks, but also hotels, restaurants and high-end shops including the Edinburgh branch of Harvey Nichols. Atop the Melville Monument in the centre of the square is a statue of Henry Dundas, an 18th century lawyer and politician whose legacy continues to attract scrutiny.

St Andrew Square is well positioned for the city’s central railway station, Waverley, and also a handy tramline that connects the centre of town with Edinburgh’s airport. The three streets framing the square heading west are Princes Street, George Street and Queen Street, all of which have something distinct to offer, from shopping to nightlife to gorgeous architecture.

It’s worth mentioning that Edinburgh’s topography means that although the Old Town and New Town are not geographically far apart, it’s a fair old climb from the New Town to the Old on foot – comfy shoes are a must. Failing that, there are frequent buses and taxis to whisk you across town. Make sure to ask our team for their favourite local haunts, and don’t neglect the area to the northeast of the New Town, Leith, which has a vibrant restaurant scene and is home to the Royal Yacht Britannia, itself worth the detour.

The History of Cheval The Edinburgh Grand

The History - Cheval The Edinburgh Grand
The History – Cheval The Edinburgh Grand
The History - Cheval The Edinburgh Grand
The History – Cheval The Edinburgh Grand
The History - Cheval The Edinburgh Grand
The History – Cheval The Edinburgh Grand
The History - Cheval The Edinburgh Grand
The History – Cheval The Edinburgh Grand
The History - Cheval The Edinburgh Grand
The History – Cheval The Edinburgh Grand
The History - Cheval The Edinburgh Grand
The History – Cheval The Edinburgh Grand

Originally built in the early 1800s as a hotel, 42 St Andrew Square, the site on which Cheval The Edinburgh Grand now stands, was purchased in 1825 by the National Bank of Scotland. By 1848, it had acquired and expanded into the building immediately adjacent. Between the two World Wars, The National Bank of Scotland sought to elevate its status by commissioning award winning London architects Mewes & Davis (working alongside Leslie Grahame Thomson), to design a new building to be built on the site of 41-42 St Andrew Square. The result was an impressive, grand building in the classical idiom which was fashionable in London at that time.

Work began in 1936 and exotic materials were sourced from around the globe: American elm, Mexican pine, Honduran mahogany and English oak were fashioned into elaborate wood panelling by master cabinetmakers Whytock & Reid. The decorative panels on the magnificent oak entrance doors are among the best of the carved work which is present today and feature historic coins, most of which are out of circulation. The renowned artist Sadie F McLellan was given the task of creating themed etched glass panels and windows. These decorative glass panels that can be seen in the banking hall (now the Hawksmoor Restaurant) are evocative of the era and are beautifully executed. They depict the commercial interests and customer base of the bank which supported a diverse economy made up of agriculture, fisheries, shipping, architecture, education, engineering, weaving and printing, collectively recalling the sculptures of a century or so earlier on the skyline of the one-time rival British Linen Bank. It was important to them that it should conform and harmonise with similar buildings in the vicinity, those for instance erected by the famous Scottish architect, Robert Adam, who in the eighteenth century had designed the façade of Edinburgh University and many fine buildings in Charlotte Square and elsewhere in the city. Completed in 1942, the building is a fine example of impressive neoclassical architecture.

With wonderful views and a beautiful art deco banking hall, it served as the headquarters for the National Bank, the National Commercial, and then the Royal Bank of Scotland until 2007. Acquired by The Chris Stewart Group in 2014, the property has now been carefully restored and artfully woven into The Edinburgh Grand which opened in June 2018. The redevelopment carefully restored many of the interior features to emerge as the city’s most affable host whilst honouring a seriously impressive and illustrious heritage. The site forms a rectangle approximately 168 ft by 88 ft; the west side faces St Andrew Square, the south and east sides are bordered by West Register Street and Register Place, respectively.

On the 1st July 2020, Cheval The Edinburgh Grand became part of the Cheval Collection, a luxury serviced apartment operator with properties in central London.