Hotel Indigo, Dundee

Welcome to Hotel Indigo Dundee!

The City of Dundee is famous for journalism, jam and jute making – and the legacy of these industries can be seen in the huge mills which dominate the skyline across the city.

Dundee’s mills may now be silent and the city’s jute making consigned to history, but across the city the mill buildings remain – and they are magnificent.

The Hotel Indigo chain is a masterclass in bringing heritage buildings back to life and their reworking of the 200 year old Lower Den’s Mill with its iconic Italianate, pepper-pot style bell tower into the stylish boutique Hotel Indigo is no exception.

If you are planning a visit to Scotland’s sunniest and coolest art & design city, or a trip to the spectacular V&A Dundee, Hotel Indigo Dundee is the perfect place to stay. Let’s check in for a weekend in Dundee.

Book: Hotel Indigo, Dundee

Stay at Hotel Indigo, Dundee

Located just a 5 minute walk to the city centre, Hotel Indigo Dundee has 102 rooms, including 17 larger suites, spread across 6 floors (don’t worry, they have included modern lifts in the refurbishment!) all with super high ceilings, super comfy queen, twin or king size beds and huge bathrooms with rainfall showers. Perched high above the town, the views of the River Tay, the Tay Bridge and the city centre from the Hotel are astounding.

The rooms at Hotel Indigo Dundee have been designed cleverly to make use of the industrial spaces, many of them have brick feature walls or ceilings. Clashing with the industrial chic of the building, the interior style of Hotel Indigo Dundee is is mid century modern meets Scottish heritage style – think rich forest greens, yellows and pops of orange, in velvets, tweeds and wool.

In a nod to Dundee’s listing as an UNESCO city of design, Dundee’s heritage is explored in the art works on the walls from the spot the marmalade labels in the shower. My room was inspired by Dundee’s famous cake – with art work by Lauren Li Porter and the cake recipe hidden in the room’s border. There are also rooms inspired by Dundee’s other famous export, Grand Theft Auto – try and spot the cheat codes!

In room services include Nespresso machines, smart TVs, fast wifi and robes & slippers and there might be a wee Scottish treat or two hidden away in the fridge…

Rooms start at £79 for a cosy double. Book: Hotel Indigo, Dundee

Daisy Tasker Restaurant and Bar Eighteen22 at Hotel Indigo Dundee

Downstairs in Hotel Indigo Dundee is Bar Eighteen22 and the Daisy Tasker restaurant, named in the honour of a a real-life Baxter’s employee who worked for the brothers for 50 years and was the social influencer of her time, organising events, meals and dances for the mill workers.

The Daisy Tasker restaurant now serves up a modern Scottish bistro dishes; Daisy Tasker’s evening menu changes with the seasons but look out for mains such as such as a bone marrow confit of beef with celeriac fondant, pancetta and blackberry jus, a beautiful rack of lamb comes with a mini shepherd’s pie.

For those who want a quick or lighter bite there is also a lunch menu and a bar menu served over in Eighteen22 with all the classic Scottish dishes you could ask for – or just order a drink and a side of Koffmann Chips – triple cooked and coated in grass-fed beef dripping.

Bar Eighteen22 (named after the year the mill was built) is located in Hotel Indigo’s huge industrial, but surprisingly cosy, lobby space. Grab a seat at the bar or one of the sofas and indulge in a house cocktail celebrating Dundee’s famous foodie history – try gin flavoured with Dundee Cake and Dundee Marmalade from the Dundee Gin Company, or or from local distillery Eden Mill – their locally produced Love Gin is perfect with prosecco or grapefruit soda.

In the morning, breakfast at Hotel Indigo is served in the Daisy Tasker restaurant space and offers up a buffet spread and à la carte selections for all tastes. I went for my version of a full Scottish – delicious Arbroath Smokies and smoked salmon to start and followed up with haggis and tattie scones to keep me full for the day.

Ooft, staying in a hotel in Scotland is great.

5 things to do in Dundee at your stay at Hotel Indigo

• Go deep in design at the V&A Dundee – the jewel in the crown of things to do in Dundee is the V&A Dundee. Opening in 2018, the V&A was Scotland’s first museum dedicated to design. Visit the V&A Dundee. 
• Head to Discovery Point for a tour of RSS Discovery – telling the tale of ‘Scott of the Antarctic’ and his endeavors to reach the world’s most southerly point on the planet on the Royal Research Ship Discovery. Visit Discovery Point and the RSS Discovery.
• Go wild on a Dundee boat tour with Saltdog Marine – One of the best ways to see Dundee waterfront is from the water and the most exciting is by speedboat with Saltdog Marine. Explore the harbour, go dolphin spotting, or take a visit to the pretty town of Tayport across the river, all by fast RIB. Take a trip with Saltdog Marine.
• Go on a Dundee walking tour with DD Tours – from tales of Dundee’s vicious Victorians, a trip into Dundee’s vaults, or a climb up to the top of The Old Steeple (St Mary’s Tower) for an incredible view of the city, go behind the scenes of Dundee with the entertaining DD tours.
• Visit Broughty Castle Museum, Broughty Ferry and Beach – to the east of Dundee city centre is the pretty town of Broughty Ferry. With a beautiful beach, independent shops and cafes, and a magnificent castle and museum to visit, it is a great place for a day trip out of the city centre. Visit Broughty Castle Museum.

Read more: my guide to things to do in Dundee

How to get to Dundee

Dundee is located on Scotland’s east coast. You can reach Dundee via train from Edinburgh or Glasgow in around 1.5 hours. Driving time is also around 1.45 minutes from both cities.

Love from Scotland x

Book: Hotel Indigo, Dundee