Horror as a rule is a much maligned and underappreciated genre – when they are handing out the big awards and the cultural kudos, horror seems to be the weirdo in the corner that no-one pays much attention to whilst the latest piece of “serious” drama garners all the acclaim. However, the best horror films don’t need the validation of critics and the film industry as they are more than capable of haunting our cultural consciousness and what better place to do this than from the edge of things, in the shadows?

All the same, it is great to see the return of the annual Dead by Dawn horror festival to Edinburgh this year after it took a break in 2010. The festival, which began in 1993, will be back at Edinburgh Filmhouse from the 5^th – 8^th May 2011 to terrify audiences. You can see the programme of events by visiting their official site. The festival will have some big main features, as well as a variety of short films. Don’t be fooled into thinking this is just a festival for gorehounds – there will be psychological horror, and all kinds of downright weird shorts.

If you are planning to attend the Dead by Dawn festival then one thing that shouldn’t frighten you that weekend is the search for accommodation. You can get in touch with us here at Serviced City Pads and we can find options for you through our apartment operators. More and more people are turning to apartments over the traditional hotel room – they offer far more space and comfort at affordable prices. Most apartments will have a lounge and dining area and a fully-fitted kitchen – it’s like a home away from home. Click here to see the range of serviced apartments available in Edinburgh.

To find a serviced apartment in Edinburgh for your visit through Serviced City Pads, contact us either through our website or by calling us on 0844-335-8866 and one of our reservations team will be happy to help you.

Edinburgh Castle is a fortress which dominates the skyline of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, from its position atop the volcanic Castle Rock. Human habitation of the site is dated back as far as the 9th century BC, although the nature of early settlement is unclear. There has been a royal castle here since at least the reign of David I in the 12th century, and the site continued to be a royal residence until the Union of the Crowns in 1603. As one of the most important fortresses in the Kingdom of Scotland, Edinburgh Castle has been involved in many historical conflicts, from the Wars of Scottish Independence in the 14th century, up to the Jacobite Rising of 1745, and has been besieged, both successfully and unsuccessfully, on several occasions. From the later 17th century, the castle became a military base, with a large garrison. Its importance as a historic monument was recognized from the 19th century, and various restoration programmes have been carried out since.

Few of the present buildings pre-date the Lang Siege of the 16th century, when the medieval fortifications were largely destroyed by artillery bombardment. The notable exception is St Margaret’s Chapel, the oldest surviving building in Edinburgh, which dates from the early 12th century.[1] Among other significant buildings of the castle are the Royal Palace, and the early-16th-century Great Hall. The castle also houses the Scottish National War Memorial, and the National War Museum of Scotland.

If you have the opportunity to visit this spectacular historical landmark then why not make this fantastic experience even better by staying in one of our serviced apartments whilst you visit Edinburgh. We have apartments to accommodate a wide range of numbers so we really do have something for everyone.

We can provide you with fully fitted and furnished apartments in locations spanning the whole city. If you wish to visit Endinburgh then call our reservations team today on 08443358866. Serviced City Pads are the premier booking agency for serviced accommodation in Edinburgh and across the UK We can offer you a varied choice of excellent value serviced apartments. Many of our apartments are available to book online. We can also offer you a personal booking service from a team with strong local knowledge.

The city of Edinburgh is home to some of Scotland’s best pubs, night clubs and party venues. As well as being the 2nd most visited city in the UK, Edinburgh is also very popular destination for stag and hen groups or people generally just looking for a good time. As well as having some of the best bars, pubs and clubs in Scotland the locals are also renowned for knowing a good time and are always welcoming.

 If you walk through the centre of Edinburgh at night on a weekend, you will be amazed by how many pubs, night clubs, restaurants and even parties appear that you would probably not even notice during the light of day. The city takes on a completely different form when the sun sets and for anyone looking for a great time in safe but beautiful surroundings; Edinburgh is the place to be!

If you have decided to have your stag night, stag weekend, hen night or hen weekend in Edinburgh, you will be looking for some accommodation in Edinburgh during your stay. The city of Edinburgh has a vast selection of hotels as does every other major city. However Edinburgh also boasts a large selection of serviced apartments which are an increasingly popular option for groups travelling to the city. A serviced apartment gives the group much more space to relax and enjoy their stay. Having larger apartments as opposed to small hotel rooms also gives the group a chance to get together for a few pre-night drinks.

 Serviced City Pads have a great variety of Edinburgh apartments suitable for large groups. Whether your group is a tight-knit bunch of 5 best friends or boisterous party of 30 animals, we can find the best Edinburgh accommodation option for your stay. With prices ranging from just £35 per person, per night, why not take your weekend up a notch and go for an Edinburgh apartment on your stag or hen do. Give Serviced City Pads a call on 0844 335 8866 or email your enquiry to info@servicedcitypads.com to see what we can offer you to help your party weekend be as memorable as possible. (But you probably won’t remember much of it!)

This August once again, for its 61^st anniversary, the Edinburgh Military Tattoo will take place over a 22 day period starting on 5^th August. Taking place against the backdrop of Edinburgh Castle, the city’s most popular tourist attraction, the world’s most spectacular Tattoo will once again host a celebration of talent from all over the world as far afield as South America and South Africa.  The event includes pipers, gymnasts, singers, dancers and also this year an amazing motorcycle display team. The emphasis as always very much on the music with the event once again expected to delight an international crowd with its rich variety.

In 2011 the programme will include arguably its two most popular items – the music of the Massed Pipes and Drums and that of the Massed Military Bands. Among the many bands taking part are those of South African Irish Regiment along with the South Australian Pipes and Drums and the prestigious Military Band of the Coldstream Guards. Also performing will be the Massed Bands of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines, Highland Dancing and of course the Band of the Royal Regiment of Scotland.

Share the 2011 experience at the Tattoo’s magnificent new £16 million arena on the Castle Esplande where the new facility will play host to a glittering array of talent throughout the event. Tickets have sold out in advance for the last 10 years so expect that to be the case again this year. The Tattoo ticket office is located at 34 Market Street, near Waverley train station, so get your tickets now to avoid disappointment.
In recent years an average of just over 217,000 people travel to see the Tattoo live on the esplanade of Edinburgh Castle each year, making it one of the city’s most popular annual events. This means that accommodation will be at a premium so you should book early to make sure you have somewhere secured. If you are visiting Edinburgh for more than 1 or 2 nights, or even if not, then you should probably consider staying in a serviced apartment as opposed to a hotel. A serviced apartment in Edinburgh not only gives you the comfort and service of staying in a hotel, but also gives you so much more space and flexibility for your stay. Instead of a small en-suite hotel room, you can get a whole apartment with bathroom, kitchen, lounge and bedroom separate, so you enjoy the space and comfort of your own home, without having to compromise on quality and service.

Serviced City Pads have a wide range of serviced apartments in Edinburgh to offer. As an impartial company we can offer the best options for your particular needs and make sure you get the best value for your stay. So if you’re looking for Edinburgh accommodation and you’re heading over for the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, get in touch with Serviced City Pads and see what they can do for you.

One of the highlights of the Celtic annual calendar is the Edinburgh Society Annual Ball, held at Teviot Row on Saturday 26th February. It claims to hold the largest Ceilidh in the Scotland, Ceilidh historically facilitated courting and prospects of marriage for young people and, although discos and nightclubs have displaced ceilidhs to a considerable extent, they are still important popular social outlet in rural parts of Scotland and Ireland. Music at Ceilidhs is provided by an assortment of fiddle, flute, tin whistle, accordion, bodhran and in more recent times also drums and electric bass guitar. The music is cheerful andf lively, and the basic music steps can be learned easily; a short instructional session is often provided for new dancers before the start of the dance itself. About half of the dances in the modern Scottish Ceilidh are couple dances performed in a ring. These can be performed by fixed couples or in a more social progressive manner, with the lady moving to the next gentleman in the ring at or near the end of each repetition of steps. Step dancing is another form of dancing performed at Ceiledhs, the form that was popularised in the 1990’s by Riverdance ensenble. Many Scottish ceiledhs intersperse dancing with DJ playing disco music in order to broaden the appeal of the evenings entertainment.Serviced City Pads supply Corporate Accommodation in Edinburgh.
The Royal Scots Club have another Edinburgh popular event on St Patricks day 17th March, Patrick is known to have been born in Roman Britain in the 4th century, into a wealthy Romano-British family. His father and grandfather were deacons in the Church. At the age of sixteen, he was kidnapped by Irish raiders and taken captive in Ireland as a Slave. It is believed he was held somewhere on the west coast of Ireland, possibly Mayo, but the exact location is unknown. According to his confession, he was told by God in a dream to flee captivity to the coast, where he would board a ship and return to Britain. Serviced City Pads supply Leisure accommodation throughout Edinburgh, you can contact the reservations team on 0844 335 8866.
Upon returning he quickly joined the Church in Auxerre in Gaul and studied to be a priest. Patrick was called back to Ireland as a Bishop to Christianise the Irish, he used the symbol of a Shamrock to explain the Christian doctrine of the Trinity to the Irish and after 30 years of evangelism, he diead in March 17 461, Patrick is seen as the principle champion of Irish Christianity. Serviced City Pads supply serviced apartment accommodation in Edinburgh City Centre.Many Irish settlers moved to Scotland and continued to celebrate St Patricks day in their new land, St Patricks day feast was placed universally calendar and thus Saint Patricks became a holy day of obligation for Roman Catholics in Ireland. Serviced City Pads supply short and long stay serviced apartments throughout Edinburgh, apartments can either be booked online or through the reservations team.

Against the spectacular backdrop of Scotland’s top tourist attraction, performers from four continents, including participants from as far afield as South Africa and South America, together with the finest modern production technology, are set to provide an abundance of matchless entertainment at next year’s Tattoo (5-27 August) on the floodlit esplanade of Edinburgh Castle.

The action-packed programme will feature exciting contributions from the Massed Bands of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines, Highland Dancing, the Band of the Royal Regiment of Scotland and the stirring music of the world-famous Massed Pipes and Drums.

An international flavor will be added by, amongst others, a Dutch Mounted Bicycle Band and South Africa’s Navy Band.
A huge audience favorite is once again expected to be the traditional and poignant close of the evening’s proceedings when the Lone Piper high on the Castle ramparts plays a haunting lament, before the colorful, cosmopolitan cast march off the Esplanade to the strains of famous pipe melody, The Black Bear.

Share the 2011 experience at the Tattoo’s magnificent new multi-million pound arena on the Castle Esplande where the new facility will play host to a glittering array of talent, including one or two surprises. Why not make this fantastic experience even better by staying in one of our serviced apartments whilst you visit Edinburgh. We have apartments to accommodate a wide range of numbers so we really do have something for everyone.

Serviced City Pads are one of the leading supplies of serviced apartments in Edinburgh and have a wide variety of apartments available to offer across Edinburgh city centre, so if you are looking to book accommodation for the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Festival, then why not give us a call on 0844 709 8000 or visit our website at www.servicedcitypads.com to see what we can do for your stay.

Edinburgh is one of Europe’s most beautiful and historically interesting cities, and is also Scotland’s capital. Edinburgh’s history dates back to Roman times (AD79) with the city growing in size and stature throughout the middle ages. Much of the stunning architecture dates back to Georgian and Victoria times. Thankfully many of the beautiful buildings situated throughout the old town were preserved and returned to their former glory, during a time when other British cities were pulling down their heritage and replacing it with concrete. Edinburgh is a visually stunning place to visit.

Serviced City Pads has a fantastic range of serviced apartments in Edinburgh for you to choose from. Whatever your group size, requirements or reason for your visit then we can provide serviced accommodation to suit you. See for yourself and make an enquiry to one of our knowledgeable reservations team who can take you through the options and find an apartment that is best for you. Don’t have your stay dictated to you by staying in the same hotels. Our serviced apartments in Edinburgh can be your home away from home and can allow you the freedom to truly explore everything this city has to offer.

We can provide you with fully fitted and furnished apartments in locations spanning the whole city. If you wish to visit Endinburgh then call our reservations team today on 08443358866. Serviced City Pads are the premier booking agency for serviced accommodation in Edinburgh and across the UK We can offer you a varied choice of excellent value serviced apartments. Many of our apartments are available to book online. We can also offer you a personal booking service from a team with strong local knowledge.

The beautiful City of Edinburgh is an enchanting for a city break break this winter with a whole range of sights of things to do you will be spoilt for choice, many visitors in the UK and throughout the World just love to visit the enchanting City of Edinburgh. Serviced City Pads supply short and long stay serviced apartment accommodation throughout central Edinburgh, you can contact the reservations team on 0844 335 8866.

Add to this our diverse range of attractions from Dynamic Earth which is a Science centre in Edinburgh. It is a prominent visitors attraction in the city, and also functions as a conference venue. It sits in the Holyrrod area, beside the Scottish Parliament building and at the foot of Arhtur’s Seat.

The centre opened in 1999 as one of the first major projects supported by the UK’s Millennium Commission. The project was the centrepiece of an urban regeneration plan which served to bring vitality landnark building, the William Younger Centre.Serviced City Pads.

The building’s structure consists of a steel mast-supported membrane stretched over the steel skeleton. It was designed by architects Michael Hopkins and Partners. The principle focus of Our Dynamic Earth is to facilitate a better public understanding of the processes that have shaped the Earth also known as Earth Science. The centre’s Scientific Director is the prominent Scottish Geologist and science communicator Dr Stuart Munro who was intrumental in the establishment of the facility, formulating the interpretative plan for the exhibition and working with the designers to ensure the exhibitions scientific accuracy. Serviced City Pads have supplied serviced apartments in Edinburgh for the last 2 years and are considered a great alternative to Hotels with more space and a home away from home feel. Guests can stay from 1 night up until 1 year from leisure to corporate guests.

For a capital city Edinburgh is is a surprisingly green place and even in the heart, your never far from wide open spaces where you can take in amazing views, or just relax and enjoy the great winter outdoors and crips winter days Edinburgh has to offer. The surronding coast and coutryside of Edinburgh is perfect for beach walks in the Gullane or Yellowcraigs with walking ideas along the Pentland Hills and country parks like Beecraigs near Linlithgow. The area also has a wealth of ideas along the Pentland Hills and country parks like Beecraigs near Linlithgow. The area has a wealth of ideas for days out or longer stays with things to see and do like the Union Canal, The Scottish Mining Museum and the Scottish Seabird Centre.

Indulge yourself too with the vast array of places to eat with our many EatScotland eateries throughout the area, offering seasonally, locally sourced produce.Serviced City Pads have been booking serviced apartments for the last 3 years and operate throughout the UK.

Stay in Edinburgh this weekend and have an Audience with Howard Marks at Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh from 8.30pm. Serviced City Pads supply short and long stay apartments throughout Edinburgh.
Dennis Howard Marks (was born 13 August 1945 in Kenfig Hill, near Bridgend, Glamorgan, Wales) is a former teacher, drug smuggler and author who achived notoriety as an international hashish smuggler through high-profile court cases, supposed connections with groups such as the IRA, and the Mafia, and his eventual conviction at the hands of the American Drug Enforcement Administration. At the height of his drug career, he was said to have controlled 10% of the world’s hashish trade.

Marks attended the Graw Grammar School in Pontycymer, followed by Balliol College, Oxford between 1964 and 1967 to study Natural Science, Physics (B.A.,Oxon). Among his friends at Balliol was the epidemiologist Julian Peto, and journalist Lynn Barber. After this he studied at the University of London (1967 to 1968). Then back to Balloi, Oxford (1968 to 1969) to study History and Philosophy of Science and then to the University of Sussex (1969 to 1970) to study Philosophy of Science.

He spent seven years in the Federal Correctional Complex, Terre Haute, Indiana. During his smuggling career, he claims not to have used violence and to have refused to deal with hard drugs. Both he and his now ex-wife Judy Marks were extradited from Majorca, Spain to Florida. They have three children together, Amber, Francesca and Patrick. He also has an older daughter, Myfanwy, from a 5 year relationship with Rosie Lewis.

Since his release from Prison, Marks has published a best-selling autobiography, Mr Nice which has been translated in many languages. Along with Mr Nice Howard has compiled an anthology called the Howard Marks Book of Dope Stories and more recently a follow on from his autobiography Senor Nice:Straight Life From Wales to South America. Marks is a campaigner for the legalisation of cannabis and tours the world with a one-man show. He appeared in the documentary Stoned in Suburbia which aired on Sky 1 in the UK.

Judy Marks has also written her autobiography of their life together entitled Mr ansd Mrs Nice.

Marks stood for election to UK Parliament in 1997, on the single issue of legalisation of cannabis. He contested four seats at once: Norwich South (against the future Home Secretary Charles Clarke), Norwich North, Neath and Southampton Test. The average vote was over 1%. This led to the Legalise Cannabis Alliance (LCA) by Alun Buffry in 1999.Serviced City Pads.

Marks has a role as a customs officer in the planned film Ecstasy, based on the bestselling book by Irvine Welsh and also made a cameo appearance in the 1999 film human traffic.Serviced City Pads.

In 2010, he played a fictional role in the imfamous ganagster movie Killer Bitch. He is also subject of an upcoming biopic starring Rhys Ifans as Marks entitled Mr Nice, named after his autiobiography of the same name. Chloe Sevigny will play the role of his wife Judy. The film is slated for release in 2010.Serviced City Pads supply Serviced Apartments.

The Old Town of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It has preserved its medieval plan and many Reformation-era buildings. Serviced City Pads reservation team on 0844 335 8866.One end is closed by the castle and the main artery, the Royal Mile, actually made up of several distinct streets, leads away from it, down the now-ruined Holyrood Abbey. Narrow closes (alleyways), often no more than a few feet wide, lead downhill on either side of the main spine in a herringbone pattern. Large squares mark the location of markets or surrond major public buildings such as in front of the Tron Kirk, and surrounding St Giles Cathedral and the supreme courts.Short and long stay accommodation in Edinburgh through Serviced City Pads.Other notable places inlcude the Scottish Parliament Building, the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the General Assembly Hall of the Church of Scotland, the Royal Museum of Scotland, Surgeons Hall, the University of Edinburgh, and numerous underground streets and vaults, relics of previous phases of contruction. The street layout, typical of old quarters of many northern European cities, is made especially picturesque in Edinburgh, where the castle on top of a rocky crag, the remnants of an extinct volcano, and the main street runs down the creast of the ridge from it.

The topography for the city is known as ‘crag and tail’ and was created during the last ice age when receding glaciers scored across the land pushing soft soil aside being split by harder crags of volcanic rock. The hilltop crag was the earliest part of the city to be develop, becoming fortified and eventually developing into the current Edinburgh Castle. The rest of the city grew slowly down the tail of land from Castle Rock. This was an easily defended spot with marshland on the south and a loch on the North. Access up the main road to the settlement was therefore restricted by means of various gates and a City Wall, of which only fragmentary sections remain.Serviced Apartments in Edinburgh through Serviced City Pads.Due to the space restrictions imposed by the narrowness of the ‘tail’ the Old Town became home to some of the earliest ‘high rise’ residential buildings. Multi-story dwelling were the norm from the 16th century onwards. During the 18th century the Old Town has a population of about 80,000 residents. However, in more modern times it had declined dramatically to just 4,000 residents. There are currently approximatley 20,000 residents in various parts of the Old Town. As the population was for a long time reluctant to build outside the defensive wall, the need for housing grew and hence the buildings became higher and higher. Tragically, many of these buildings were destroyed in the Great Fire of 1824; the rebuilding of these on the original foundations led to changes in the ground level and the creation of many passages and vaults under the Old Town.

On December 7, 2002 another major fire in the Old Town engulfed part of Cowgate. It destroyed the famous comedy club,The Guilded Balloon, and much of the Informatics Department of thr University of Edinburgh, including the comprehensive A1 Library.Serviced City Pads.