Frequently asked questions.

Yes. There’s an abundance of visitor information about Edinburgh online, from travel blogs and promotional content to chat forums.

These are great starting points, but the sheer quantity of information can make researching your trip feel overwhelming and time-consuming.

For visitors with specific accessibility needs there’s also a distinct lack of reliable information. What exists is often vague and hard to find, as well as frequently being incorrect and out of date.

Edinburgh Unpacked can help shortcut this process for you. We aim to save you hours of frustrating and uncertain online research and give you the reassurance of having reliable, up-to-date information before you commit to spending large sums on travel and accommodation. ‍

As you can imagine, this can vary significantly. Several Edinburgh tourist attractions have made accessibility a core part of their visitor experience and they have put in place excellent descriptive information about the accessibility of their venues. Unfortunately, many other venues lack this kind of information (sometimes even if their physical sites have made genuine efforts towards accessibility).

In our experience, while hotel websites normally always have some reference to accessibility, the information is rarely sufficient to make an informed booking decision. At times this lack of information can be misleading or frustratingly incomplete (i.e. mention of accessible rooms, but no mention of a lack of accessible toilets in restaurant areas). Our on-site visits to hotels have shown us the value that on-the-ground research can provide: to see first-hand what is available and what is not available, as well as the detailed information not included on company websites.

With a few notable exceptions, bars, restaurants and cafes tend to have even less accessibility information available to access remotely. Often none.

This is why we have carried out extensive on-the-ground research across Edinburgh’s venues, hotels, bars and restaurants, collecting the invaluable in-person research that is simply not available online. This then forms the basis of the real-world guidance that we are able to provide as part of our consultation process. ‍

We wouldn’t recommend it. We’ve carried out user testing on multiple AI search platforms and the suggestions have often been misleading or simply incorrect compared with what we know to be case in real life. For example, referencing step-free access for wheelchair users, or induction loops for hard-of-hearing visitors, when these features simply do not exist.

This risk is amplified for more specific queries such as those relating to accessibility, where answers are amalgamated from information that is often incomplete, out of date, incorrect or subjective.

In short, although AI can be a useful starting point for ideas, we wouldn’t recommend basing choices on the outputs. Especially when costly travel decisions are involved.

We’re here to help visitors to Edinburgh who want trusted local insight to make the most of their trip.

We work with a range of clients from around the world. From independent travellers keen to uncover the best of the city and visitors with specific accessibility needs, to people in older age categories who simply want guidance on what is achievable and how to pace their visit.

W‍e also work with companies ‍that are remotely planning events in Edinburgh and across Scotland and need a trusted on-site advisor.

Sure. We offer a cooling-off period of 14 days from the date when the booking was made if you change your mind.

If you change your mind in that period and decide that you don’t want to go ahead with our Services, we can offer a full refund, provided the Services have not commenced.

If Services commence during the cancellation period, Consumers agree to pay a proportionate charge for the Services provided up to the cancellation date, calculated as: (Total Price / Amount of Service supplied) x Amount of the Service supplied.

Subject to the above, we’ll refund you as soon as possible and within 14 days of you telling us you've changed your mind. We refund you by the method you used for payment. We don't charge a fee for the refund.

For full details, see our terms and conditions here.

The video consultations are structured to make the most of the available time: to understand your requirements and to provide you with as much information as possible during the call.

As part of the call we provide a ‘what-you-need-to-know’ Edinburgh overview. This covers key topics such as:

• Recommendations on best areas to stay, where to eat and visit.

• Transport options in the city.

• Weather and clothing recommendations.

• Time of year to visit.

• History and culture.

To help with this, we use maps and images on screen as we discuss certain topics.

‍The time is yours, so you can ask as many questions as you want and send specific queries ahead of the call. Anything that we can’t answer on the call, we can follow-up afterwards in the information pack and notes.

Video consultations are conducted in English, however, we use Google Meet’s language translation captions. This means that you see captions in your own language in real time during the call. You can also speak in your own language and this will be translated.

The bespoke travel plans are sent to you as soon as possible and within three weeks of the consultation taking place. They provide a summary of the information you have told us about your ambitions, interests and requirements for your visit to Edinburgh.

Based on this information, we will provide you with accommodation suggestions for at least three hotels. This information describes why we think the hotel is right for you, but also any considerations (based on our on-site research) that is useful for you to know.

We’ll also provide you with day-by-day itineraries curated specifically for you. These will include tourist attractions, venues, restaurants, bars and cafes that are aligned to your interests and requirements.

In addition, we’ll include additional useful information for your time in the city, including links to specialist medical and mobility equipment hire companies, guidance on travel options in the city, what clothing to bring and what you can expect from the weather. We’ll also cover some useful cultural observations as well as information on personal safety and what to do in emergencies.

Video consultations are conducted in English, however, we use Google Meet’s language translation captions. This means that you see captions in your own language in real time during the call. You can also speak in your own language and this will be translated.

The bespoke travel plan documents are provided in English.

We know that many businesses would like to make their venues more accessible.

This is sound commercial logic. The accessible and inclusive tourism market in Scotland alone is valued at a £1.75 billion (with £91 million being spent by oversees visitors). And with 70% of customers with accessibility needs making return visits when somewhere has good accessibility, adapting venues to be more inclusive has a compelling business rationale.

‍However, businesses are often unsure of what changes are best to enhance their customers’ experience and unsure of how to find this out. This is where Edinburgh Unpacked can offer vital insight.

Our team of consultants with lived experience of accessibility requirements can provide invaluable user testing and insight on customer needs and preferences. This includes guidance and recommendations that cover everything from physical venue space, staff awareness and how to articulate accessibility in promotional materials.

We’re also on hand to guide businesses on how best to promote their accessibility features through bespoke content creation, campaign management, and guidance on the most appropriate accessibility messaging to use.