Where to stay · Edinburgh · United Kingdom
Where to stay in Edinburgh
8 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
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Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Old Town. Medieval closes and wynds along the Royal Mile from the Castle to Holyrood. Best alternatives — families: New Town; budget: Leith.
Key facts
- First visit
- Old Town
- Families
- New Town
- Budget
- Leith
- Nightlife
- Old Town
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Old Town | Medieval closes and wynds along the Royal Mile from the Castle to Holyrood |
| Families | New Town | Georgian crescents, Princes Street shopping and elegant squares |
| Couples | Old Town | Medieval closes and wynds along the Royal Mile from the Castle to Holyrood |
| Budget | Leith | Edinburgh's old port of waterfront restaurants, bars and the Royal Yacht Britannia |
| Luxury | New Town | Georgian crescents, Princes Street shopping and elegant squares |
| Nightlife | Old Town | Medieval closes and wynds along the Royal Mile from the Castle to Holyrood |
| Food lovers | Stockbridge | A village of independent shops, cafés and a Sunday market by the Water of Leith |
| Solo travellers | Leith | Edinburgh's old port of waterfront restaurants, bars and the Royal Yacht Britannia |
| Shopping | New Town | Georgian crescents, Princes Street shopping and elegant squares |
| Quiet stays | Stockbridge | A village of independent shops, cafés and a Sunday market by the Water of Leith |
| Beach | Portobello | A Victorian seaside suburb with a promenade and sandy beach |
Edinburgh neighbourhoods in detail
$$$$ · Best for first-timers, couples, culture and nightlife
Old Town
The Old Town follows the volcanic ridge of the Royal Mile, with narrow closes dropping away on either side, the Grassmarket below the castle rock and the curving shopfronts of Victoria Street. It is the most atmospheric base and walkable to almost everything, but rooms are expensive, streets are steep and cobbled, and the Royal Mile is crowded in summer and packed in August.
- Good
- On the doorstep of the main sights; Historic pubs and closes; Lively evenings
- Watch out
- Expensive, especially in August; Steep and cobbled; Late-night noise around the Cowgate
- Nearby
- Edinburgh Castle, St Giles' Cathedral, Grassmarket, Victoria Street
$$$$ · Best for first-timers, shopping, luxury and families
New Town
Laid out from the 1760s, the New Town's grid runs from Princes Street to Queen Street, with the bars and boutiques of George Street in between and Charlotte Square and St Andrew Square at either end. It is flatter than the Old Town, close to Waverley station and the tram, and has the widest choice of hotels.
- Good
- Central and flatter; Excellent shops and restaurants; Next to Waverley station and the tram
- Watch out
- Pricey; Traffic and crowds on Princes Street
- Nearby
- Princes Street Gardens, Scott Monument, Scottish National Gallery, St Andrew Square
$$$ · Best for couples, food lovers, quiet stays and families
Stockbridge
A 15-minute walk downhill from the New Town, Stockbridge has a village feel, with independent shops, cafés and pubs along Raeburn Place and St Stephen Street, a Sunday market and the Water of Leith walkway leading upstream to Dean Village. The Royal Botanic Garden and Inverleith Park are close by.
- Good
- Local, relaxed atmosphere; Good brunch and dinner spots; Riverside walks
- Watch out
- Uphill walk back to the centre; Few large hotels
- Nearby
- Dean Village, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Water of Leith, Circus Lane
$$ · Best for food lovers, nightlife, budget and solo travellers
Leith
Leith was a separate burgh until 1920 and still feels like its own town, with restaurants and pubs along the Shore, some of the city's most acclaimed dining, the cafés of Leith Walk and the Royal Yacht Britannia at Ocean Terminal. The tram links Leith with Princes Street in about 15–20 minutes.
- Good
- Excellent food scene; Better-value hotels; Tram to the city centre
- Watch out
- Away from the main historic sights; Some streets feel rough around the edges
- Nearby
- Royal Yacht Britannia, The Shore, Leith Walk, Newhaven Harbour
$$$ · Best for first-timers, culture and families
West End and Haymarket
The West End around Shandwick Place and Haymarket station has hotels in converted townhouses, the Usher Hall and the Traverse Theatre on Lothian Road and a good spread of restaurants. Haymarket station and its tram stop give quick links to the airport, Glasgow and Murrayfield Stadium.
- Good
- Tram straight to the airport; Close to the castle and Princes Street; Wide choice of hotels
- Watch out
- Busy traffic on Lothian Road; Prices soar on rugby weekends
- Nearby
- Usher Hall, Haymarket station, Dean Village, Murrayfield Stadium
$$ · Best for budget, solo travellers, families and quiet stays
Southside and Newington
South of the Old Town, around Nicolson Street and the university's Bristo Square, the Southside is busy with students and good-value cafés, while Newington beyond has Victorian guesthouses along Minto Street. Holyrood Park and the Meadows are close by, and the Royal Mile is a 10–15 minute walk.
- Good
- Better-value guesthouses; Close to Arthur's Seat; Plenty of cafés and inexpensive eats
- Watch out
- Main roads are busy with buses; Less character than the Old and New Towns
- Nearby
- The Meadows, Holyrood Park, National Museum of Scotland, Surgeons' Hall Museums
$$ · Best for quiet stays, food lovers and couples
Bruntsfield and Marchmont
These residential neighbourhoods south of the Meadows are lined with sandstone tenements, delis, cafés and small restaurants along Bruntsfield Place and Marchmont Road. The Meadows and Bruntsfield Links separate them from the Old Town, which is about a 20-minute walk across the grass.
- Good
- Local atmosphere; Independent cafés and delis; Green space on the doorstep
- Watch out
- Mostly apartments and guesthouses; About 20 minutes' walk to the centre
- Nearby
- The Meadows, Bruntsfield Links, Edinburgh Castle
$$ · Best for beach, families and quiet stays
Portobello
About 5 km east of the centre, Portobello has a long sandy beach, a promenade of cafés and pubs and the Victorian Portobello Swim Centre with its Turkish baths. Buses reach Princes Street in about 25 minutes, making it a calm base for families and beach walkers.
- Good
- Beach and promenade on the doorstep; Relaxed and residential; Good-value rentals
- Watch out
- Bus ride from the sights; Few hotels
- Nearby
- Portobello Beach, Portobello Promenade, Joppa
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Old Town | $$$$ | Edinburgh Castle, St Giles' Cathedral, Grassmarket, Victoria Street |
| New Town | $$$$ | Princes Street Gardens, Scott Monument, Scottish National Gallery, St Andrew Square |
| Stockbridge | $$$ | Dean Village, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Water of Leith, Circus Lane |
| Leith | $$ | Royal Yacht Britannia, The Shore, Leith Walk, Newhaven Harbour |
| West End and Haymarket | $$$ | Usher Hall, Haymarket station, Dean Village, Murrayfield Stadium |
| Southside and Newington | $$ | The Meadows, Holyrood Park, National Museum of Scotland, Surgeons' Hall Museums |
| Bruntsfield and Marchmont | $$ | The Meadows, Bruntsfield Links, Edinburgh Castle |
| Portobello | $$ | Portobello Beach, Portobello Promenade, Joppa |
Getting to your hotel
Edinburgh Airport is about 13 km west of the centre. Trams reach Princes Street and St Andrew Square in about 30–35 minutes, the Airlink 100 express bus runs to Waverley Bridge in about 30 minutes, and taxis take 25–35 minutes depending on traffic. Glasgow Airport, about 75 km west, is an alternative for some routes.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Edinburgh for first-time visitors?
Old Town. The Old Town follows the volcanic ridge of the Royal Mile, with narrow closes dropping away on either side, the Grassmarket below the castle rock and the curving shopfronts of Victoria Street.
+Where should families stay in Edinburgh?
New Town: Central and flatter.
+Which area of Edinburgh is best for a budget stay?
Leith ($$): Edinburgh's old port of waterfront restaurants, bars and the Royal Yacht Britannia.