Stayed here for one night in April 08. Like previous reviews mention the hotel does need updating - the decor is tired and very outdated. In addition our room was so far back into the building that at one point my husband said he thought he saw a sign for Narnia!! However the room was clean and tidy even if we did have a view immediately onto a brick wall. However I have to disagree with the recent review on the food. I am a trained chef and found the food quality exceptional and my husband said he hadn't had a steak as good for years (and we've eaten at the Ivy and the Chefs Table at Claridges). The service however wasn't up to the standard of the food and we had to wait a tortuously long time to have our order taken. Luckily the food made it worth the wait. The reception staff were welcoming and I would agree that this would be an ideal place to stay as a lone woman. In addition if you were there for longer than we were I would imagine that the staff would soon make your stay as personal as possible. Overall this is a decent hotel, a short cab ride from the city centre but it does need some money spent on it to bring it into the 21st century.

We visited Simpsons Hotel Restaurant in March 2008. It was not a pleasant experience! Prices have increased since our last visit - ?17-?30 for a main dish. The food was not good and wasn't what was described on the menu. When we complained a message of defiance was sent back by the chef. Our experience was of a chef who didn't read his own menu, served poor quality food, then doesn't listen to a valid customer complaint - inexcusable! Drinks were also served in dirty glasses which had to be replaced. We paid our bill and left after one course. The quality of food and service here was just not acceptable and unless Simpson's has a serious review of what it is providing, word will quickly circulate. Although we can only comment knowledgably on what we ordered, the food served to our adjacent table didn't look appetising either. A ?25 fillet steak ordered as medium rare looked to be well done with no juices showing and was served in a tower arrangement with two deep fried onion rings and a tomato - quite bizzare and the first thing the diners did was disasemble it. It was served with deep fried chips which appeared to be straight from a packet. I am a terrible cook, and when I go to a restaurant and feel that I could have cooked better myself, I know that I can't recommend it to anyone. This place used to be quite nice, but not now! My recommendation - eat somewhere else!

Overall Simpsons is a nice enough hotel. The staff were freindly and the rooms clean, if a little small. The decor is very dated though and could certainly do with a refurb, both to modernise and stop the hotel from looking so 'tired'. The restaurant was good and, again, the staff friendly and helpful. I would also say that the hotel is a good choice for lone female travellers as it did feel very safe and relaxed.

Stayed here in November of 2006 for two nights. From the outside it is a large granite, typically Aberdonian, building. Small reception area which has one free to use pc with internet access. Indifferent front of house staff, completely forgetable check in experience. As the building is built on a slope it appeared to be a long, long walk down to my room through mediterranean coloured corridors. Room was large with double bed. TV & Radio. Tea & coffee making tray. Iron and ironing board. Bathroom had Molton Brown toiletries. Bed very comfortable, and room temperature easily controlled by in room heater. Window opened for fresh air, but because of the slope of the hotel my room window was as ground level so could pose a security threat if left open. TV very basic with few channels and no text function. The CD micro system was probably okay if you had your own CDs with you as the FM radio is useless - no reception. Because the weather was miserable I decided to dine in the hotel's restaurant. The place is barn like. At the top is the pub part, where on the night I was there a large projection screen was showing european football, so was busy with fans. Walking down an ornate staircase leads you to the restauarant proper. Not cheap, and not particularly good. I had pate to start - too cold, followed by and omellette, which arrived with chips, salad and vegetables. Very school marm'sh attitude to the service. And they also served something called "gineau fowl" Same room for breakfast which felt very soulless. All in all a comfortable place, if overpriced, with slightly stuff staff, and an expensive restaurant. Word of caution - not at all suitable for anyone with mobility difficulties as there are stairs everywhere.

The Hotel has a good reputation in the city and I thought that it might be nice. I checked in and found my room downstairs. The decor is awful (see the candid pics) but everything was clean. On the plus side, I booked in for a meal. The restaurant is lovely and the staff very friendly, if somewhat over-attentive. I was in Room 21 which is directly below the tiled lobby / reception area and there is no soundproofing whatsoever. I heard high heels in there until just before midnight and more movement at about 5:50am. Also the neon green up-lighting on the building gives off a garish bright light which isn't stopped into the room by the curtains. They need some kind of blackout blinds. These lights were switched off at around 11:30pm and back on again at 5:30am!!! That was my alarm call!!! If you book here, make sure you don't get this room, and the others on this level facing the front of the building may also have the problems of the green light. Oh, and when I checked out, I mentioned the problems and got an apology. My company paid for this so I wasn't too bothered, but if I was paying myself I would have been more vocal.