TRAIN TO HOTEL
From the Waverly train station we hopped in a Londonesque taxi. These things are huge! They fit all four of us and our bags (but not comfortably). We were headed to the Prestonfield Hotel. None of us had any idea what the hotel would be like, and we were surprised it wasn't located in downtown Edinburgh.

PRESTONFIELD HOUSE
Driving down the long Prestonfield driveway, I thought the taxi driver misunderstood us and was taking us to a park or even the zoo. We were in the country, a 10-minute drive outside the city. The grass was green, and highland cattle grazed in the fields. The house is set on 20 acres of rolling hills that includes a popular golf course open to visitors. Croquet was set up on the front lawn; 11 peacocks roamed the area. What an incredible setting!

JAMES THOMPSON
The Prestonfield House has been an estate for centuries. However, it was neglected for many years. Then James Thomson, Edinburgh's best-known restaurateur and hotelier (owner of the Witchery and the Tower Restaurant as well) acquired the property in 2003. In a short time he transformed the Prestonfield House into a 5-star retreat. In 2005 the place was voted Hotel of the Year by AA (Automobile Association) of Scotland and Ireland.

ROOMS
The staff at the Prestonfield were all very accommodating, and eager to make our stay perfect. They were dressed to the nines, with the men in black formal kilts and the women (all beautiful) in black uniforms. The 33 rooms are all individually designed with a super king-size or twin beds, comfortable chairs or sofa, a writing desk, and decorative antiques. The walls are covered in tactile velvets and silk brocades. Hidden inside a Gothic cabinet is a 30" flat-screen television with DVD player. The bathrooms are finished in marble and Venetian glass mosaic, with warm towels and fine toiletries. When my brother and I walked into our room, we looked at each other and knew we each were wondering, Why the heck am I sharing this room with you? For sure we were the only working people staying there. All the other guests were couples, either on a romantic weekend or attending one of the many weddings that take place there on weekends. This place is so popular, sometimes there are even three in the same day. No wonder it won the Most Romantic Hotel in Scotland award (from the Hotel of the Year) in 2005.

RATES
One of the best things I ever tasted in my life was a small helping of a chocolate pudding that was waiting in the room for new arrivals. It was unbelievable � just like the hotel. Fortunately, you don't have to stay there to experience it. The Prestonfield has an award- winning restaurant, Rhubarb, that features exceptional food, wine and service. Room rates begin at �195 ($354), and include a delicious breakfast. Prestonfield, Priestfield Road, Edinburgh; tel.: 44-0-131-225-7800.