Great sandwich meal deals so you can avoid the high priced restaurants in the tourist district…read more Staff was very friendly too.

A small Boots store, in a handy location, on North Bridge, just off the Royal Mile, while the store…read moremight not look as good as their St James Quarter location, nor is it as large as the Princes Street location, it isn't a bad store at all. I came in to get some lip balm due to suffering from chapped lips, I was able to find what I was looking for, and the staff seemed friendly with fast service at the checkouts, and help to find the product I was looking for. (Impressive as the checkout area was only small, given the size of the store and the fact there are no self-service checkouts) As a small store, the selection is limited but is decently stocked given their size. Due to the size of the store, the facilities are limited compared to what one would expect from Boots, and offers the bare minimum, while also shutting earlier than other nearby locations, at 6 pm. 3* - OK, good location but much better pharmacies nearby from Boots and rival brands.

This is quite a small branch of Space NK and bizarrely enough the even smaller concession in Harvey…read moreNichols seems to stock more products than this one. I popped in looking for a Dr. Seabagh foaming cleanser as Space NK are one of the only stockists in Scotland, they don't stock it here but they do have it in the concession store. As soon as I walked in I was greeted by a friendly shop assistant who helped me with my enquiry so top marks for customer service it's just a shame that this branch seems strangely empty. They do have a good range of Laura Mercier products and NARS cosmetics but I guess it wasn't much constellation as they weren't what I was looking for. Space NK have also started stocking new "Lime Crime" lipsticks and come in a whole range of vibrant colours from fuchsia pink to black and are £14 a pop... I'm not so sure how I feel about black lipstick though. The store is very organised and fresh and if they don't have what you're looking for pop along to the Space NK in Harvey Nick's, you might be lucky.

I am a bit of a sucker for premium skin care and make-up and Space NK has all the brands I covet:…read moreChantecaille, Dr Brandt, Jurlique and many more besides. The staff look model perfect and effortlessly sophisticated; my skin becomes dull and shiny, and my clothes feel tatty and cheap in comparison (sob). However, these pretty ladies can never do enough to help me on my unattainable quest for clear, wrinkle free skin. I figure their perfection is all a ploy to make you want to buy things, for this is a shop that sells dreams - you too can look fresh faced and youthful if you've got a spare £200 to spend on lotions and potions. I fall for it hook, line and sinker every time.

Boots seems to have slowly creeped up from nowhere to switch from a functional store to a place…read morewhich is shown the love by all and sundry, but when even the staff are a cut above at this branch, I'd say they deserve it. During busy times, the manager sometimes comes on the tills at the Waverley Station Boots, and his Barras / Albert Square Market style banter is a joy to behold. With wit and enthusiasm, it sticks in the mind far more than the grumpy service we're used to elsewhere.

Like Eleanor said, this Boots has been a saviour to me far too many times - I should really know…read morebetter! Especially concerning sanitary products for travelling the good ol-public way , the wipes have been a saviour. I get the impression the ladies who work here get that a lot . Anyway apart from this, it's great and one of the most affordable places in the station to get a quick snack to avoid paying for over priced train food. Once again Boots saves the day!

What a stupid, pointless shop. I popped in here on my way home from town today because I'd…read moreforgotten to pick up a hairbrush, and what a dumb idea that was. For starters, if you're anything ore than a size zero you'll need to hold your breath in as you sidestep dow the ridiculously small aisles, otherwise you risk knocking everything off. And if the thing you're looking for is on any other shelf than the top one, forget it. That was annoying enough, but when I finally did find the hairbrush section the only one that looke vaguely like what I wante was nearly £10. Not a chance, Sally. Instead, I went to Boots further along the street and got a much better one for £2. And I can't say I'll ever rush back to Sally again.

I wanted to review this shop partly to give people top budgeting tip-bulk buy! As a girl with lots…read moreof unmanageable hair (and a general cosmetics fan!) i spend a fortune on hair products. This place is great because once I found my favourite stuff I go here and go lareg which saves me loads. This is one of the only shops in Edinburgh that has the full (and very, very beautiful!) range of OPI nailcare and nail varnishes. They have a massive rane of hair dyes so what I've done in the past is bought the stuff for a hairdresser friends to do instead of paying salon prices. NB I do not recommend this if a)you don't trust your friend or b)you don't have a friend who is qualified!!

Beautiful department store on Princes St, with a super unique layout due to the historical building…read moreit's in. If you are from Canada, this store is just like Hudson's Bay. If you are from the USA, it's just like Macy's. Ran out of Clarins cream and stopped here to stock back up. Had AMAZING service by the rep!

Unusual, old-fashioned and charming is how I would describe Jenners. It has a maze-like quality so…read moreit's quite easy to get lost in the multitude of rooms and floors. Definitely worth a browse for a quaint shopping experience. The cafe is very good too, but extremely busy. I had a breakfast of cheese and tomato omelette with a decent cup of coffee. Not very relaxing due to the bustling crowds of people and it's a queue-up to order and pay system, so I was concerned my food would be cold by the time I managed to get my coffee, pay and grab a table. But it was warm enough and very tasty.

This place is amazing. They have a great selection of skin care products that you can't find in the…read moreUS. My husband ran out of deodorant and we purchased a similar type for a fraction of the pricr. I got some travel fragrances from Ted Baker super cheap and my husband had been looking at some cologne by Chanel and Jimmy Choo which was much less expensive here. One even came with a travel bag gift with purchase. My back was killing me from a long flight, a few different ferry rides, and some uncomfortable hotel beds and the pharmacist was a great source. She recommended some muscle relaxers and some gels for my back. Also things you can't get in the US. I wish we had these types of stores here in the states.

The British health and beauty retailer/ pharmacy chain operates in the United Kingdom. Boots…read moreequivalent in the states would be Walgreens. The store was big and had a variety of items. I went in looking for a hairbrush and got what I needed.

I love Penhaligons products, it's always an experience popping in and even though this little shop…read moreis quite dinky, they still have a great range of products and the staff are really friendly too. I love the old school bottles and it almost makes you feel like you've transported back in time. My mum adores the Elisabethan Rose perfume but at £70 I've only ever bought it for her once and had to half in with my brother. I do think the prices are a little excessive which is why I don't personally buy anything from Penhaligons and tend to go to L'Occitane or Crabtree and Evelyn instead as their products are significantly cheaper but they still stock gorgeous, traditional fragrances. It's also not really aimed at students like myself but I still like going in for a browse and I can always pick out in advance what I will hopefully be able to afford someday... hopefully not too far off. I noticed a stunning lacquered red box in a glass cabinet and it was displayed with three perfume bottles, a gorgeous old fashioned sterling silver brush and comb set and a little butterfly hair clasp on top. It looked gorgeous and I would love one of them on my dresser but it was £120... and that was just for the box. As far as I'm aware, this is the only Penhaligons store in Scotland since the one in Glasgow shut down, there are a few other stockists but this is the only store exclusive to Penhaligon products. The whole store feels really traditional, the dark oak furniture is stunning, everything is really under stated, the packaging is amazing and the final purchase comes in a really pretty bag with tissue paper so perfect if you're looking for a gift.

I've heard people rant and rave about how wonderful Panhaligon's is, so when it came to buy a…read morespecial thank you gift for my boyfriend (he is a star) I thought a fancy scent from here would be perfect. It's a small shop and when I entered the two staff were quick to offer me help.There's bottles everywhere and my mind went from 'Ye Old Apothecary' to 'Alice and Wonderland' and back as I tried to find my bearings amongst the bottles. There's a selection in the centre of the shop arranged in a circle, while cabinets on the walls contain shaving creams, body lotions and so forth corresponding to the most popular scents available. I was informed that the scents weren't really divided by gender but was directed to those deemed 'more masculine'. After a whirlwind 20 minutes of spraying and smelling my head was in a tizzy. Complete sensory overload! Bless the girl, she was trying to help but I never realised I was so useless with smells! Luckily, they do small tester sets with four or five samples which are suited to gentlemen (or ladies) and are presented in a cute tin. I'll let him choose from that which he likes the best! The presentation is fantastic as well. The lovely staff put effort into arranging the bag. It's a bit pricey, though the set I came away with only set me back £35 for 5 samples of about 10ml each. The 100ml bottles can run up to £85 while the 50ml bottles can be £60. The shaving creams and body lotions run a bit cheaper, generally under £35. Though it's a teensy bit dear, if you're getting something for yourself the staff are wonderful at helping you choose a scent that fits you. First rate!

I pop in here at least once a week for the meal deal. Get there before 1pm, as most of the good…read morestuff is snaffled by then. There's a decent selection of grub so worth popping in for. The pharmacy is at the back of the shop with very helpful and pleasant chemists, and the stock is most of what you'd expect from Boots. Cashier staff are friendly and service is quick. The make up selection is more limited and there are no posh brands. You'll also (randomly) find umbrellas, magazines and jewellery in here! What's best about this store is its location. It's right next to all the main bus stops at Shandwick Place, so a quick dive in for toothpaste, sun screen or moisturiser is easy done.

disgraceful experience of yet another rude, disrespectful eastern European in the UK job market…read morewith very poor customer service manner but apparently in some sort of senior or managerial role in a mainstream British store without understanding civilised, polite behaviour. upsetting and unacceptable from Boots. evaluate your staff before you employ as we don't expect to put up with that from any staff, or to be ordered around. perhaps she thought that she can talk to non-white customers any way she likes, so ignorant. or does she talk like that to all customers.

Jan De Vries specialises in herbal medicines and aims to give people the choice of natural remedies…read moreto cure their ailments rather than plying them with pills that will just make you drugged up to your eyeballs. I used to get plagued by tonsillitis and tried everything to try and rid myself from it including a two year on and off dose of penicillin that I became immune to, a truck load of Manuka honey, crystal healing and I even paid a visit to Jan De Vries in his Troon clinic to see what advice he could offer me as my own GP is as useful as a chocolate teapot, who flinches at the sight of people and has pound signs constantly in her eyes. After my visit to the Troon clinic I was given an assortment of natural remedies that definitely helped me before I got my tonsils taken out, more so than the penicillin the doctor kept plying me with even though it was quite clear it no longer had any effect on me. Since then, I have popped back to Jan de Vries now and again if I'm feeling a little under the weather. I much prefer using natural remedies and for me, they definitely work. The staff in this Edinburgh branch are very knowledgeable about the medicines and easy to talk to. They also stock skincare products and have a weight loss program too. Jan De Vries also caters for animal medicines so if you have a stressed out moggy or a bed wetting dog you can get calming remedies for your furry friends too.

I love this JDV just as much as I love the larger store on Queensferry Road. The selection of stock…read moreis less expansive here simply due to the fact that it's smaller but it's worth bearing in mind that if you're looking for something in particular, the staff can order it in for you. What I love most about the staff at Jan de Vries is that they're always happy to help and they all seem to use many of the products available. Above all, they really believe in JDV's ethics. Most recently, I popped in here and was really pleased that the lady had some experience on the kind of symptoms and problem I was looking to treat, and she recommend a product which had worked well for her. We talked for a while about what we've both learnt and exchanged a few alleviators too. I really felt like she went the extra mile to engage with me and make sure I left happy. There's always some free samples at the till and offers on within the store which is fantastic. Health foods and supplements is an expensive business so it's really nice to get a little extra on your visit. Jan de Vries is most definitely my health shop of choice in Edinburgh and I'm never disappointed in the service I receive.

Went in already knowing what I wanted. Staff were attentive when I arrived however as soon as I…read morementioned what I was looking for, they became distant. As if knowing they didn't need to work hard for the sale. Wanted to get the bottle of perfume engraved. They did the first part fine and then proceeded to pack it before confirming with me if I wanted anything additional added, which I did. She then had to unpack the bottle and engrave a different part. While this was happening I mentioned about the included key ring and she said she had already added it to the bottle without even checking it with me first. I might of wanted a different letter... and then to further my disappointment the gift box machine that adds personal messages was out of order. A very disappointing experience from Joe Malone Considering the price

Located on George Street this branch of Jo Malone is quite small in size and seems to have taken…read morethe minimalist look a little bit too far as the shop almost looks completely empty. Perhaps it's because everything is white and it just looks like everything is bare and inside it's quite silent and rather than being approachable the staff just kind of looked at me which was a little off putting to say the least. Perhaps it was because I was looking a little scruffy with a hoody and my converse on or perhaps it had something to do with the fact that before I went in I took a picture of the shop for Yelp purposes and if they saw me they probably just thought I was a total weirdo. I do like Jo Malone products though and they are perfect for presents, I chipped in with a few friends to get a housewarming gift for another friend and I've bought my mum a few odd bath and body lotions from here too. The packaging is gorgeous and all purchases are put in white Jo Malone gift bags with pretty black ribbon so you don't need to worry about wrapping, it's good to give as soon as you leave the shop.