Trivia

In 2004 the BBC made the clock tower of the hotel the base of their villain, Toledo in the show Shoebox Zoo.

In February 2007 it was confirmed that author J. K. Rowling finished the last book in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows at this hotel. Rowling left a signed statement written on a marble bust of Hermes in her room saying; "JK Rowling finished writing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in this room (652) on 11th Jan 2007".[2]

The hotel is the setting for a large portion of the Scottish film Hallam Foe.

The hotel was the finishing point for the Top Gear 1949 themed race from London to Edinburgh in May 2009. Jeremy Clarkson travelled on an A1 Peppercorn 'Tornado' steam train, James May in a Jaguar XK120 and Richard Hammond on a Vincent Black Shadow motorbike. May won the race, with Clarkson coming second.