Finding a place to stay in Edinburgh isn’t hard – but finding a place to stay where you get good value for your money, that is located in a cool part of town and easy to navigate from is a completely different story. Accommodation in Edinburgh ranges from anything like bare-bones hostels with absolutely no frills whatsoever to indulging, luxurious boutique hotels where a concierge will anticipate your every wish.
To your benefit, I have tried them all – well, not all hotels in Edinburgh, but a great variety of accommodation that cater to different budgets and desires. Here are a few recommendations for places to stay in Edinburgh that passed the test.
This post contains affiliate links from which I may make a commission. Find out more here. All opinions are my own.
Cheap accommodation in Edinburgh
Safestay Edinburgh
I stayed at Safestay Edinburgh twice before. Both times I couldn’t have had a better base to explore Edinburgh from. The boutique hostel is in an excellent location – smack-bang in the middle of the medieval Old Town, easy walking distance to the train station and just a stone’s throw away from some of Edinburgh’s coolest nightlife choices.
The hostel is great for anyone looking for a social low-budget option in the middle of the city. The hostel has a large social area with a restaurant, bar, pool tables and outdoor seating area. Private rooms are available, but dorms will cost you even less!
Book a night at Safestay Edinburgh here!
Haymarket Hotel
Haymarket Hotel is a charming and very traditional choice in the city’s New Town. The family-run hotel spreads out across three beautiful Victorian townhouses, has only 40 traditionally British rooms and serves a full Scottish breakfast every morning.
This is were my parents stayed on their first visit to Scotland, and from what I saw upon dropping them off and listening to their stories, the hotel is a great home base to explore Edinburgh from. It is just two minutes or so from Haymarket train station and only about 20 minutes walk to places like the Grassmarket, Edinburgh Castle or Princess Street Gardens.
It is not as low-budget as the hostel I mentioned above, but if you book early enough and are flexible with dates, you might get away with a double room under £100!
Book a stay at Haymarket Hotel here!
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: The best tours of Edinburgh
Mid-range hotels in Edinburgh
Hotel Indigo Edinburgh
There is really no shortage of well-known hotel brands in the city centre of Edinburgh, but Indigo wasn’t one I had heard of before. In the meantime, I have also spent a night at their hotel in Newcastle, and can say, that Indigo hotels are always great value for money. The hotel in Edinburgh is located on York Place, at the edge of the city centre; but that is not to say, that it’s far away – Edinburgh is an incredibly walkable city!
The rooms at Indigo are super stylish and modern, and have huge windows that let in the sunlight. The location of the hotel is great to explore all the traditional sights in Old and New Town, but also for a short walk to Leith or Stockbridge – Edinburgh’s coolest neighbourhoods!
I stayed here for a sunny Spring weekend about which you can read (and see) more of here.
Book a night at Indigo Hotel Edinburgh here!
ibis Styles St Andrew Square
The ibis Styles hotel in Edinburgh won me over with one main feature: its location. I stayed here during my Hogmanay trip a couple of years ago, and as you can imagine for NYE the city is bursting at the seams. Visitors from all over Scotland and the world are flooding the city to celebrate the new year, hotel prices soar up to new heights, and the cobbled Old Town streets disappear beneath thousands and thousands of busy pairs of feet.
Even though the hotel is only a 3-star, the design was modern and cheerful with lots of colourful details. My room featured a cute deer wallpaper and some typical Scottish words on the wall. It was fairly small, but I had everything I needed. So, why did I like the location of the ibis Styles at St Andrew Square? Because it’s super close to Old Town, yet off-beat enough that you actually get some sleep at night, even during Hogmanay.
Book a night at ibis Styles St Andrews Square here!
Luxury hotels in Edinburgh
Nira Caledonia
If you are looking for the perfect Edinburgh hotel for couples, book a night at the Nira Caledonia, an exclusive luxury boutique hotel in Stockbridge. The hotel is spread out across a couple of Georgian townhouses and offers individually decorated rooms and suites. One is plusher and more luxurious than the other, and among the amenities you find everything you need and kind of don’t – things like a Nespresso coffee machine or an iPod docking station.
I stayed here on my first ever trip to Edinburgh and can still remember how soft the bed felt. The hotel’s restaurant is fantastic, but so are the eateries and bars around Stockbridge. Just a stone’s throw away, this hotel is great if you want to explore one of Edinburgh’s coolest neighbourhoods.
Need something for a special occasion? Book a night at Nira Caldonia here!
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: 14 Romantic Getaways in Scotland
Have you ever stayed in Edinburgh and would like to recommend your hotel? Add your experience of where to stay in Edinburgh in the comments!
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: 50 money-saving tips to do Scotland on a budget
P.S.: If you ever struggle to find accommodation in Edinburgh, consider staying in South Queensferry, a bit further towards Dunfermline or even in Glasgow – all these places are very well-connected by train and can save you a lot of pennies!
Pin this post for later:
Hey Kathi, first I want to say thank you SO much for providing everyone with so many good tips, your site is amazing! I am currently looking for a place to stay in Edinburgh in late August. We did not know that August is such a busy time. Do you have any suggestions as to what neighborhood to stay in? We want to be able to walk a lot of places but we’re not sure where to stay with all the festivals. Any insight would be greatly appreciated 🙂
Hi Amanda, yeah, August is the busiest month in Edinburgh and hotel prices can be super high! Lots lof locals rent out their flats on AirBnB during the festivals – have you had a look there? You could look in Leith, around the Botanic Garden, in Stockbridge, near Haymarket or Newington – all of these are not immediately in the centre, but in walking distance or just a quick bus ride away from the Old Town! I hope you find something and have a great trip!
Pingback: A thorough guide to Hogmanay in Edinburgh 2019 | Watch Me See
Pingback: The Active Scotland Itinerary: One Week in Scotland
I’m doing a driving tour of Scotland and I am wondering about parking in Edinburgh. Do hotels typically have a parking garage or do you have to find street parking…? Thanks for any insights!
Thanks for your question! Most hotels don’t have packing because there is very little space and there are not really garages underground – a few vaults under the old town though 😉 I recommend either parking at a public carpark or on street (fees apply for both) – depending on the area it might be tricky to find on street parking though. Hotels might have deals with carparks – youcan filter hotels for parking on booking.com and it will usually include those too!
I run air bnb at a reasonable cost (am a superhost) – wonderful sea views, 5 mins to a small beach and pretty harbour (Granton – happy to supply a photo!) a bit out of town, plain, simple one-bed room but great welcome and lots of help on offer if you need it.
Hi there, want to send me an email to kathi@watchmesee.com and I’ll see what I can do 😉
Pingback: The Classic Scotland Itinerary for One Week | Watch Me See
Pingback: The Perfect Weekend Guide for Edinburgh | Watch Me See
Pingback: 50 Useful Travel Tips for Scotland | Watch Me See
Edinburgh is picturesque and amazing, Kathi! These tips are just great. I can go there on a budget!
It’s totally doable – there are so many free things to go as well!!
I stayed at Castle Rock. I absolutely loved it and it felt more like a really cozy hotel!
Need to check that out for next time 🙂
Last time I visited Edinburgh I was lucky and got a deal in Ibis, the red one, double room for around U$70, it was great. The good thing in Edinburgh is that there are so many hotels in the central area hat actually charge a fair price for the night!
Oh that’s really good! When I stayed at the ibis it was for NYE and prizes where over £200 a night – quite crazy for a 3-star, but at high season, I guess they can all charge what they want 😉
Such a great guide to accomodation in Edinburgh. I was I’d had this guide 8 years ago when I was there.
Time to return 🙂 Thanks for your comment! x
What a useful list – so far, Scotland has evaded me, but I am sure I will get there one of these days!
Oh, you really should – it’s such a wonderful place <3 Thanks for your comment! x
This is a helpful list! You’ve sold me on the Haymarket Hotel, I love Victorian buildings! 🙂
It’s a beautiful hotel – not overly fancy, but really traditional <3 Thanks for your comment!