Hamilton Lodge Hotel, Promenade, Portobello, Edinburgh

The Hamilton Lodge Hotel is a mid-19th century Italianate villa, situated on the Promenade in Portobello, Edinburgh, with subsequent additions and alterations. The building is asymmetrical in design, extending over two storeys and originally featuring nine bays. It is constructed of stugged ashlar, with dressed ashlar detailing, though a 1930s addition to the main facade was once painted and is now harled to the rear. A base course, dividing band course, and eaves course are present, along with bracketed overhanging eaves.

The north-east (principal) elevation is irregular and features a window on each floor of each bay, arranged in a pattern of 1-3-1-2-1-1. A slightly projecting bay on the outer left has a full-height canted window. A recessed three-bay group showcases round-arched windows with keystones to the first floor, topped by a heavily bracketed balcony. A projecting single bay, rising to three storeys, incorporates an Italianate tower behind a canted window on the ground floor, with single windows above and a round-arched tripartite window to the tower. The two-storey bays to the right are recessed, with a panelled front door flanked by windows on the ground floor and windows above. A lower two-storey service wing adjoins the outer right, with a later single-storey addition extending in front of the two outer bays.

The south-west (rear) elevation is also irregular, with five bays and windows on each floor. A projecting, pedimented porch centres right, with a panelled door and a four-pane rectangular fanlight above. A bay to the outer right projects, and a modern single-storey addition is located at ground level in the bay to the left of the porch. An advanced three-storey bay to the left of centre incorporates a tower behind and features two windows at ground level, a tripartite window to the tower, and a single window in the bay to the outer left. A service wing adjoins with a later single-storey lean-to range.

The north-west elevation has a modern glazed door at ground level, with an external staircase leading to a modern glazed panelled door on the first floor. A later single-storey addition extends to the outer left and adjoins a neighbouring property.

The building features a variety of glazing patterns, including 12-pane, plate glass, timber sash and case windows. Grey slate piended roofs cover the structure, and a platform is present on the later addition to the north-west. Ashlar coped stacks include paired stacks linked by round-headed arches – one in the projecting bay to the left of centre on the rear elevation and another at the ridge between the outer left bay and the three-bay block on the principal elevation.

The interior includes encaustic tiles in the vestibule, a tripartite glazed partition with a two-leaf glazed door, and a four-pane rectangular fanlight above. An archway connects the vestibule to the hall, which in turn features arches. Decorative plasterwork, including a ceiling rose to the hall and upper landing and deeply fielded plasterwork to the principal front room on the ground floor, is present. Original cast-iron balustrade and panelled doors remain, as do an original black marble fireplace and shutters in the former dining room, and a white marble fireplace in the former drawing room.

Original sandstone boundary walls with later railings run along the Promenade. Rubble walls with round coping extend to the sides and rear, though some are now partly demolished. Gatepiers with inscribed names and original cast-iron lamps are situated on James Street.