Leith’s Fingal Named Europe’s Leading Boutique Hotel 2026
Edinburgh’s floating hotel has picked up two World Travel Awards, seven years after opening aboard a former Northern Lighthouse Board ship.
Edinburgh’s Fingal Hotel has been named Europe’s Leading Boutique Hotel at the World Travel Awards 2026, with the luxury ship moored in Leith also collecting the title of Scotland’s Leading Boutique Hotel.
The double win was announced following the European awards ceremony on 17 October, putting the unusual waterfront hotel ahead of boutique properties across the continent.
From working ship to award-winning hotel
Fingal is no ordinary hotel. Long before welcoming overnight guests to its 23 cabins, the vessel spent decades supplying and servicing lighthouses around Scotland’s coast.
Built in Glasgow in 1963, Fingal served the Northern Lighthouse Board, initially operating from Oban before spending its final working years based in Stromness, Orkney.
The ship was purchased by The Royal Yacht Britannia Trust in 2014 and underwent a £5 million conversion before reopening as a floating hotel in 2019.
Today, Fingal is permanently berthed at Alexandra Dock in Leith, close to another historic vessel operated by the Trust, The Royal Yacht Britannia.
Despite the change of purpose, much of its maritime character remains. The hotel has nautical-inspired cabins, including the Skerryvore Suite with its private deck, along with a ballroom and the Lighthouse Restaurant, which holds two AA Rosettes.
A double win for Fingal
The World Travel Awards recognise hotels, destinations, and tourism businesses around the world, with winners decided through voting by travel industry professionals and the public.
Fingal’s European award places it alongside previous winners from Italy, Portugal, and Greece. The 2025 title went to VISTA Lago di Como in Italy.
Fingal has received international recognition before, having also featured among the world’s best hotels in the 2024 Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice awards.
Franck Bruyere, Chief Executive of The Royal Yacht Britannia Trust, welcomed the recognition and credited the staff aboard Fingal.
“These awards mean so much because they are voted for by our guests and industry peers,” he said.
“This achievement reflects the passion and dedication of every member of the Fingal crew.”
Bruyere also said the awards provided an opportunity to draw attention to Leith and its growing appeal to visitors.
Another reason to visit Leith
The award comes as Leith continues to attract visitors for reasons that extend well beyond Edinburgh’s traditional city-centre attractions.
The waterfront is home to The Royal Yacht Britannia, restaurants around The Shore, independent businesses, and reminders of the area’s long maritime history.
Fingal adds something different to that mix. Rather than building a conventional luxury hotel, the Trust has given a former working vessel a second life, retaining its connection to Scotland’s coastal heritage.
For visitors, the hotel is also unusual in that its Lighthouse Restaurant and Bar welcome non-residents, meaning an overnight stay is not necessary to experience part of the ship.
Seven years after opening as a hotel, Fingal’s latest awards suggest that converting the former lighthouse tender into luxury accommodation has proved a successful move.
More information about Fingal, its accommodation, and the Lighthouse Restaurant is available on the official Fingal Hotel website.