The Old Town is the medieval core of Edinburgh: a UNESCO World Heritage ridge of closes, wynds and tall tenements running from the Castle down to the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Sleep here and the sights, the pubs and most Fringe venues are on your doorstep, which is why rooms sell out first. This guide sets out seventeen places to stay, from a candlelit suite at the Castle gates to an adults-only hostel off the High Street, grouped by budget and street.
Each entry was checked against the hotel’s own website for bedrooms, bars and facilities, and we only list what is published there. We give a price band rather than a figure because rates in Edinburgh swing hard with festivals, rugby weekends and Hogmanay. Several names link to our own in-depth review with more on the rooms.
Updated 30 October 2026. Bedrooms, bars and facilities checked on each hotel’s own website; rates change daily, so confirm the price when booking.
Planning your first day? Book a guided Old Town walking tour through GetYourGuide — most tours include free cancellation.
How we picked these Edinburgh hotels
Every Edinburgh hotel on this list sits inside the Old Town or right on its edge, and each one was checked against its own website in October 2026. We kept only what the hotel publishes itself: the number of bedrooms, the restaurant and bar, the views and the facilities. Where a hotel does not publish a detail, such as a star rating or a nightly price, we leave it out rather than guess.
Hotels that are closed are left off too. The Radisson Blu on the High Street is shut for a full refurbishment until autumn 2027, so it will return to this guide when it reopens. If you spot a change at any of these Edinburgh hotels, let us know and we will update the page.
Old Town hotels at a glance
All seventeen Edinburgh hotels and beds side by side. Bands run from £ (a hostel bed) to ££££ (a luxury suite); exact prices depend on the date and the length of your stay.
| Place | Type | Band | Address | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Witchery by the Castle | Suites | ££££ | Castlehill | A big occasion |
| The Scotsman Hotel | Landmark | ££££ | North Bridge | Cinema & bars |
| Market Street Hotel | Design | ££££ | Market St | Rooftop lounge |
| Virgin Hotels Edinburgh | Lifestyle | ££££ | India Buildings | Buzz |
| Old Town Chambers, Autograph Collection | Residences | ££££ | 329 High Street | Families |
| House of Gods | Boutique | £££ | 233 Cowgate | Cocktails |
| Hotel du Vin Edinburgh | Boutique | £££ | Bristo Place | Bistro & courtyard |
| The Inn on the Mile | Inn | £££ | 82 High Street | Pub below |
| Apex Grassmarket Hotel | Four-star | £££ | 31–35 Grassmarket | Pool |
| Grassmarket Hotel | Mid-range | ££ | 94–96 Grassmarket | Groups |
| Motel One Edinburgh-Royal | Design budget | ££ | Market St | Value |
| ibis Edinburgh Centre Royal Mile | Chain | ££ | Hunter Square | No frills |
| The Inn Place | Inn | ££ | Cockburn Street | Bunk rooms |
| Aparthotel Adagio Edinburgh Royal Mile | Apartments | £££ | 231 Canongate | Kitchens |
| Castle Rock Hostel | Hostel 18+ | £ | Johnston Terrace | Cheap & central |
| High Street Hostel | Hostel 18+ | £ | Blackfriars Street | Social |
| Kick Ass Greyfriars | Hostel 18+ | £ | 37–39 Cowgate | Big groups |
Which part of the Old Town should you choose?
This part of Edinburgh is small enough to cross on foot in twenty minutes, but each part has its own character, and that matters more than a star rating when you choose an Edinburgh base. Here is how the main corners compare.
- Castlehill and the Lawnmarket: the top of the ridge beside the esplanade. The smallest choice and the highest prices in Edinburgh, with The Witchery the headline name and the Camera Obscura and the Scotch Whisky Experience as neighbours.
- The High Street and Canongate: the long spine of the Mile, from St Giles’ down towards the Scottish Parliament. It is busy by day and gets quieter the lower you go, which is why the Canongate suits families visiting Edinburgh.
- The Grassmarket and Victoria Street: the old market square below the Castle and the colourful lane climbing out of it. Pubs, restaurants and the best views up to the fortress, but busy on Friday and Saturday nights.
- Cowgate and South Bridge: the low road running under the bridges, packed with clubs and live music. Great for nightlife in Edinburgh, less so for light sleepers.
- Market Street and Cockburn Street: the northern slope down to the station. Ideal if you arrive by train and want to drop your bags in minutes, with plenty of cafés and bars on the way up.
- Bristo and Greyfriars: the southern edge by the University of Edinburgh and the National Museum of Scotland. A little calmer in the evenings and handy for the Fringe venues around Bristo Square.
Luxury and landmark hotels
Big Edinburgh names with fine dining, rooftop views or a cinema built in. These are the hotels to book for a special occasion, and the ones that sell out first in August.
The most theatrical Edinburgh hotel of all. Nine opulent suites sit in a group of buildings dating back to 1595 at the Castle gates, above a candlelit restaurant that serves its à la carte menu all day. Book dinner when you reserve, because tables go quickly.
Built as the headquarters of The Scotsman newspaper, this Edinburgh landmark spreads its bedrooms and suites over ten floors, topped by a duplex penthouse. The Grand Café fills the former advertising hall, The Hide pours whisky alongside The Press Bar, and the boutique art deco cinema has one screen and 48 armchair seats.
Billed as Scotland’s original Design Hotel, it fills what had been a 50-year gap in the Edinburgh skyline with 98 bedrooms and suites. Vista categories sit on the top floors, the Mhor Suite has a private terrace, and Nor’ Loft, the seventh-floor Champagne lounge, has views over the Georgian city. Waverley is a one-minute walk.
A stylish conversion of the Victorian India Buildings, with chambers and suites that each come with a SMEG fridge for midnight snacks. Eve is the all-day restaurant and the Commons Club bar keeps things lively, so it suits couples who want a buzzy luxury hotel in the middle of the action.
Formerly Cheval Old Town Chambers and now part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection, with 82 serviced residences in historic buildings. With more space than a standard hotel room and a kitchen to cook in, it is a strong pick for families and longer stays in Edinburgh.
Boutique and mid-range hotels
Characterful mid range hotels, most of them a few minutes from the Mile, and the best value if you want an independent hotel rather than a chain. Expect smaller bedrooms in older buildings.
A maximalist boutique hotel with twenty-two bedrooms, each with its own hand-built, stocked cocktail cabinet. The Cabins take their cue from the Orient Express, while the Classic bedrooms and the Suite have four-poster beds. The clubs outside stay lively after dark, which is part of the fun.
A characterful conversion of a building that has been a poorhouse, an asylum and a science lab, now a hotel with 47 bedrooms and suites. There is a classic bistro for dinner and a central courtyard for drinks in summer, all close to Greyfriars Kirkyard.
Nine boutique bedrooms above a busy pub in a building put up in 1923 for the British Linen Bank. The bedrooms keep their high ceilings and original features, from the Cosy Double up to the ones facing the Mile, and the pub bar downstairs serves food.
The pick if you want a pool: there is a heated pool, a sauna and a gym downstairs, which is rare in this part of Edinburgh. Castle View Deluxe bedrooms add a balcony with views of the fortress, and family accommodation is available too.
A cheerful hotel with categories named for what they are: Cosy Single, Snug Double, Comfy Twin or Double, plus a Triple and a Quad room for families and friends. The Mile is about two minutes on foot, up the curving lane of shops.
Budget hotels near the Royal Mile
Simple, central and well-run Edinburgh hotels. Book early, as these budget hotels fill up first on festival and rugby weekends in Edinburgh.
Compact design bedrooms and a stylish lounge bar a few steps from the station. It is one of the best value hotel addresses in Edinburgh for a short break, so it fills up fast at weekends.
A no-frills chain hotel tucked into Hunter Square beside the Tron Kirk, a few steps off the Mile. Breakfast is charged extra, and there are six accessible bedrooms.
Forty-one bedrooms on one of the prettiest lanes in Edinburgh, from en-suite doubles to bunk rooms that sleep up to eight. That makes it handy for groups who want private space without paying hotel rates for every bed.
Apartments and self catering
Families on a longer stay often do better with a kitchen and a separate living area. Besides the residences at Old Town Chambers, the main aparthotel option is on the Canongate.
Studios and apartments, 146 in all, each with a kitchen, on the lower stretch of the Mile, a short walk from the Scottish Parliament. Reception is open 24 hours, so you can cook in or eat out in Edinburgh as you like.
For a private flat, search Old Town homes on Airbnb and check the exact address before you book. Short-let listings change often, and the noise level varies a lot from one close to the next.
Hostels in the Old Town
All three Edinburgh hostels here are adults only and sit within a few minutes of each other, so choose by atmosphere: the quiet side lane, the bar scene or the spot below the Castle.
An adults-only hostel (18+) directly below the fortress, with a self-catering kitchen, dorms and private rooms. It is about as close to the centre as a cheap bed in Edinburgh gets.
An adults-only hostel on a calm side lane off the Mile, with private rooms and dorms. Lounges come with a piano, guitars and chess sets, plus a movie lounge, a pool table and a shared kitchen, and there are events seven days a week.
An 18+ hostel with dorms from four to thirty beds (the four and six bed dorms can be booked as private), plus private double and twin rooms. The Café & Bar, the VW Van Bar and a pool table make it a sociable choice; its sister, Kick Ass Grassmarket, is at 2 West Port.
Old Town or New Town?
Edinburgh has two historic centres. The Old Town is the medieval ridge of closes and tenements, with the Castle at one end and Holyrood at the other. North of the valley lies the planned Georgian grid, laid out from the 1760s, with wide streets, garden squares and the shops of George Street. Together they form the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Stay in the Old Town if you want to step out of the hotel into the sights, the pubs and the Fringe. Choose the Georgian streets for calmer nights, bigger hotel bedrooms and the best Edinburgh shopping. Gardens and a bridge separate the two, so wherever you sleep, the other side is a short walk away.
Just outside: The Balmoral
If you want five-star service and do not mind a short climb, The Balmoral at 1 Princes Street, EH2 2EQ, sits right above the station, with its clock tower and the Number One restaurant. Strictly speaking this Edinburgh hotel belongs to the Georgian half of the city centre, but it often appears in lists of Old Town hotels because the Mile is less than ten minutes away on foot.
What does an Old Town hotel cost?
Edinburgh hotel prices move with the calendar more than in most UK cities. The quietest and cheapest months are January to March and November, while August, when the Fringe and the International Festival fill the city, and the days around Hogmanay are the most expensive. Rugby internationals at Murrayfield and big concerts push rates up too.
As a rough guide, a hostel bed is the cheapest way to sleep in the centre, a chain hotel or inn sits in the middle, and the luxury hotels and suites at the top of this list cost several times more. Always compare the final price including the visitor levy and any extras, which several hotels here charge separately, and check what the room rate covers.
Tips before you book
- Visitor levy: since 24 July 2026 Edinburgh charges 5% of the accommodation cost on the first five nights of any paid stay. It is usually added to the bill, so check whether the quoted rate includes it.
- Noise: the busiest lanes are loud until late, especially in August and at Hogmanay. Light sleepers should ask for a room at the back, away from any bar, or on a higher floor and pack earplugs.
- Parking: most Old Town hotels have no car park, and the Edinburgh centre sits inside the Low Emission Zone. Kick Ass points drivers to the NCP on Castle Terrace; otherwise arrive by train.
- From the airport: the Airlink 100 bus and the tram both run into Edinburgh, stopping a short uphill walk from the hotels in this guide. Market Street Hotel puts the tram at about 40 minutes and a taxi at around 30.
- When to book: hotel beds in Edinburgh for the Fringe and Hogmanay sell out months ahead. Choose free cancellation rates so you can lock in a hotel early and switch later if a better deal appears.
- Steps and lifts: many Edinburgh buildings are historic, and some bedrooms are up stairs or narrow closes. If mobility matters, ask the hotel before you book.
Old Town Edinburgh hotels: FAQ
Where is the best area to stay in the Old Town?
For a first visit, the High Street section of the Mile or the streets above the station put you within walking distance of the Castle, the cathedral and the trains. The square below the fortress suits people who want pubs and views, while the Canongate is the calmest at night. All of them are a short walk from each other.
Which hotels are best for luxury?
The Witchery for its nine suites by the Castle, The Scotsman Hotel on North Bridge, Market Street Hotel with its rooftop Champagne lounge and Virgin Hotels Edinburgh in the India Buildings. For space rather than glamour, Old Town Chambers has serviced residences with kitchens.
Is it better to stay here or in the Georgian centre?
This side wins for atmosphere and being beside the main sights, but expect more noise in the evenings. The Georgian grid north of Princes Street is calmer and better for shopping, and the two districts are only 10 to 15 minutes apart on foot, so you will see both whichever you choose.
Are there cheap hotels near the Mile?
Yes. Motel One Edinburgh-Royal, the ibis on Hunter Square, The Inn Place and Grassmarket Hotel are the lower-priced picks. Castle Rock, High Street and Kick Ass Greyfriars are adults-only, with dorms and private bedrooms, all within a few minutes of each other.
Which hotel has a swimming pool?
Apex Grassmarket Hotel has a heated pool, a sauna and a gym, and its Castle View Deluxe bedrooms come with a balcony. It is the only hotel in this guide with a pool.
How much is the Edinburgh tourist tax?
The visitor levy is 5% of the accommodation cost for the first five nights of a stay, for stays from 24 July 2026. Every hotel, hostel bed and short let in Edinburgh charges it.