The 7: Hotel Missoni, Edinburgh

The 7 Reasons I Love Hotel Missoni Edinburgh

1. The Fabric! Known the world over for its unique, multi-coloured knitwear and string bikinis, the Italian fashion house of Missoni has become an icon for its luxurious, hand-crafted fabric, which is absolutely everywhere in the brand’s first-ever hotel in the Scottish capital. It is used to brilliant effect propping up a mostly black and white backdrop. A kaleidoscopic feast for the eyes.

2. The Design. This little piece of paradise is chock full of heavy-hitters from the design world, including Marcel Sandes, Eero Saarinen, Arne Jacobson and Hans Wegner. In the rooms, gadgetry such as Jacob Jensen telephones and a Bang & Olufsen TV system amp things up.

3. The Romantic History. Ottavio and Rosita Missoni, head of this family-run empire, first met in London when he was competing in the 1948 Olympic Games (he also designed the Italian team’s tracksuits) and she was studying English. (Sigh.) Their children and grandchildren continue to contribute to the success of the business.

4. The Gorgeous Streetscape. The thoroughly modern, six-storey structure at The Royal Mile and Georve IV Bridge is square in the middle of some of the most breathtaking Old Town architecture, including Edinburgh Castle, which is just a walk away.

5. The Shopping. Multree Walk is mere minutes from the front door, where you can indulge in all the serious retail therapy your wallet can take.

6. The Food. Cucina is a tiny taste of Italy occupying the whole mezzanine, with the recipes of many dishes coming directly from the family cookbook.

7. The Good Company. Not only are the Scots a delight to both listen to and hang with in this enticing town, but the list of other cities preparing for their very own Hotel Missoni reads like a James Bond film call sheet: Kuwait City (Kuwait), Cape Town (South Africa), Jebel Sifah (Oman) and Ilha de Cajaiba (Brazil). Rooms from $355.

Hotel Missoni Edinburgh; 1 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh, U.K.; 011 44 131 220 6666; hotelmissoni.com