Morten Andersen will admit the ribbon-wrapped W building divided the city, and he was among the doubters. The drinking floors changed his mind. W Lounge on the eleventh floor and the W Deck above it hold the highest public terrace in central Edinburgh, and the view does the arguing.
W Lounge sits on the eleventh floor of W Edinburgh at 1 St James Square, EH1 3AD, the swirled tower that anchors the St James Quarter at the top of Leith Street. It is a five-minute walk from the St Andrew Square tram stop. The lounge runs as an all-day room, open from 11am to midnight, pairing a long bar with full-height glass on every side (W Lounge official site).
The drinks programme is built around wine. The list runs to more than 450 wines and Champagnes, supported by sommelier-led tastings and cheese pairings, alongside a full cocktail menu (St James Quarter). That depth is unusual for a hotel sky bar, which more often leans on the view and serves the wine as an afterthought. Order a glass from the by-the-glass list, or book a tasting if the weather has driven everyone inside.
One floor up, the W Deck is the reason to climb. It is a 360-degree rooftop bar on the twelfth floor, open in full from May to August and for viewing the rest of the year when the weather holds, with heated dining pods that take the edge off an Edinburgh wind (Forever Edinburgh). From the deck the sightline takes in Calton Hill, the Castle and the full sweep of the New Town rooftops. Forever Edinburgh, the city's official tourism body, lists it as a destination rooftop rather than a guests-only perk.
On the eleventh floor the room is glossy and low-lit, the W house style, with the long bar as the centrepiece and the wine wall behind it. Order from the by-the-glass list or a cocktail off the seasonal menu, and book a sommelier-led flight if the group wants to take the 450-bottle list seriously rather than just admire it. The cheese pairing is the food order that fits the room better than a full plate.
The crowd is a mix of hotel guests, after-work groups from the St James offices and visitors who came for the deck. DesignMyNight files W Lounge among the city-centre rooms worth the lift for the outlook, while reviewers flag that the prices match the postcode, which is no surprise at the top of Edinburgh's newest five-star (DesignMyNight). Treat it as an occasion room rather than a local.
Who it is for is the celebration and the out-of-towner who wants the skyline with a serious wine list rather than a token glass. It is right for an anniversary, a pre-dinner drink or a slow afternoon on the deck in summer. It is wrong for a cheap round, and the pods book out fast on dry weekends, so reserve ahead. For the rest of the city's terraces, our guide to the best rooftop bars in Edinburgh covers the field.
The room rewards timing. The W Deck is at its best on a clear summer evening before the light goes, while the eleventh-floor lounge keeps the same outlook year-round behind glass, which counts in a city where a settled July night is never promised. Book the deck rather than chancing the lift on a sunny Saturday.
Best time to go is a weekday evening in the season for the deck, or any afternoon for the lounge and a wine flight. For the wider plan, start with our Edinburgh bar guide, and for another high room see Nor' Loft at the Market Street Hotel.
Sources: W Lounge official site; St James Quarter; Forever Edinburgh.
