AreaStays
Edinburgh Castle on its volcanic rock, seen above the rooftops of the Old Town

Saffron Blaze / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

United Kingdom

Where to Stay in Edinburgh

Edinburgh splits neatly into two: the medieval Old Town, crowded onto a ridge below the Castle, and the Georgian New Town, laid out on a grid just across the valley of Princes Street Gardens. Both are part of a single UNESCO World Heritage Site, and together they hold almost everything a first-time visitor wants — you can walk between them in about ten minutes. Don't miss Edinburgh Castle itself, perched on the plug of an extinct volcano and visible from most of the city, or a walk down the Royal Mile from the Castle to the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Every August the city fills up for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the largest arts festival in the world, running alongside the Edinburgh International Festival — book well ahead if you're visiting then.

Quick facts

Best time to visit
Late spring (May-June) or early autumn (September) bring the mildest weather and thinner crowds than peak summer. August is the Festival Fringe — the city is at its most alive, but also its most crowded and expensive, and hotel prices climb sharply. Winters are cold and short on daylight, though Hogmanay (New Year) draws its own crowds for the street party.
Renting a car
Skip the rental car. The Old Town's streets are narrow, cobbled, and often one-way, parking in the center is limited and expensive, and everything in this guide is walkable or a short bus ride away.

Where to stay

Grassmarket in Edinburgh's Old Town, with historic tenement buildings and Edinburgh Castle rising above them

Mike McBey / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

Old Town

Best for: First-time visitors, Architecture lovers, Nightlife

A row of Georgian townhouses on Charlotte Square in Edinburgh's New Town, seen from the street on a clear day

Mike Shaw / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

New Town

Best for: Architecture lovers, Couples, Luxury travelers

Compare neighborhoods

AreaBest forAdvantageTrade-off
Old TownFirst-time visitorsThe most historic and central base in Edinburgh — right beneath the Castle and on the Royal Mile.Cobbled streets and steep closes make it hard going with luggage, and Grassmarket/the Cowgate stay loud until late.
New TownArchitecture loversElegant Georgian streets that are quieter at night than the Old Town, while staying an easy walk from the Castle and Royal Mile.A few minutes further from the Royal Mile's sights than staying directly in Old Town, and George Street can get lively with bar crowds on weekend nights.

Our picks for Edinburgh

A handful of editorial calls across every neighborhood above, not just the highest star rating — see each hotel's own card further down for the full case for and against it.

🏆 Our overall pickTigerlilyNew Town❤️ Best for couplesThe Inn on the MileOld Town✨ Best luxuryKimpton Charlotte SquareNew Town📍 Best locationRadisson Blu Hotel, Edinburgh City CentreOld Town

A couple of hotels in Old Town

Old Town is the top-recommended area to stay in Edinburgh.

Apex Grassmarket Hotel

★★★★

Our take A modern 4-star hotel in the Grassmarket with genuine Castle views from many rooms and a rooftop restaurant that shares the same outlook — solid facilities at a more accessible price than Old Town's smaller boutique hotels.

Good for

  • First-time visitors

First-time visitors who want Castle views and hotel facilities like a pool, at a more moderate price than Old Town's boutique options.

Why we like it

  • Many rooms face directly onto Edinburgh Castle, one of the best views available from any hotel in the city
  • Rooftop restaurant with the same Castle outlook, plus an indoor pool and gym on site
  • Sits right in the Grassmarket, with the Royal Mile and Victoria Street both a short walk away

What to know

  • The Grassmarket stays lively with bars until late, so lower-floor rooms can pick up some street noise on weekend nights
  • Castle views depend on room assignment — request one at booking if it matters to you
Check availability on Booking.com

Radisson Blu Hotel, Edinburgh City Centre

★★★★
  • 📍 Best location

Our take About as central as a hotel in Edinburgh gets — right on the Royal Mile's High Street, with a full leisure facility (pool, sauna, gym) that's rare to find this close to the Castle.

Good for

  • First-time visitors
  • Families

First-time visitors and families who want to be right on the Royal Mile with hotel facilities like a pool on site.

Why we like it

  • Right on the Royal Mile's High Street, close to St Giles' Cathedral, the Castle, and Holyroodhouse
  • Indoor heated pool, sauna, and fitness suite on site — unusual for a hotel in the Old Town's historic core
  • Underground parking on site, useful given how limited street parking is in the Old Town

What to know

  • Street-facing rooms can pick up noise from the Royal Mile, which stays busy with foot traffic into the evening
  • The building is a modern construction rather than a historic conversion, so it reads more corporate than boutique inside
Check availability on Booking.com

Useful travel information

The UK uses the pound sterling (£), not the euro. Edinburgh has no underground/metro — a single tram line runs from the airport through the New Town, and Lothian Buses cover the rest of the city well, but the Old Town and New Town are both compact enough to walk. Traffic drives on the left — look right first when crossing the street. Weather turns quickly regardless of season, so pack layers and a waterproof jacket. Tipping isn't mandatory; around 10% is appreciated at sit-down restaurants if a service charge isn't already added.

Tips

  • If you're visiting in August, book both hotels and Fringe show tickets as early as possible — accommodation prices roughly double and the best shows sell out.
  • Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Mile get very crowded by mid-morning in summer — visit the Castle right at opening or book a timed-entry ticket online in advance.
  • The Old Town's closes (narrow alleyways branching off the Royal Mile) are worth ducking into — many lead to hidden courtyards and viewpoints most visitors walk straight past.

Frequently asked questions

Where should first-time visitors stay in Edinburgh?
Old Town puts you steps from the Castle and Royal Mile and feels the most historic. New Town, just across Princes Street Gardens, is quieter at night and has its own Georgian charm and shopping streets — both are walkable to everything in this guide.
Is Edinburgh walkable?
Yes. The Old Town and New Town are both compact and walkable on their own, and it's about a 10-minute walk between them across Princes Street Gardens.
Is Edinburgh expensive to visit in August?
It can be. The Festival Fringe brings huge crowds and hotel prices rise sharply throughout the month — book well in advance, or visit in late spring or September for a calmer, cheaper trip.

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