Edinburgh is a great year-round destination with a host of amazing things to do in Edinburgh, ranging from climbing extinct volcano’s to lazing in Princes Street gardens while drinking in the beautiful vista of the Castle above your head or just going for a seafood supper in Leith, then a lazy stroll up the magical water of Leith.After numerous requests from readers, I’ve finally pulled out my finger and pulled together (in no particular order) my list of best cheap places to stay in Edinburgh. These include the best budget hotels in Edinburgh and best cheap hostels in Edinburgh. It’s interesting how your perspective changes when you don’t visit the city as a tourist and you ponder on recommendations of where to stay in Edinburgh. My perspective is quite unique. I lived in Edinburgh for almost 8 years. Revisiting the city for me is like meeting an old very dear friend. Revisiting the old pubs I used to frequent with friends. Hanging out in the very same Starbucks café on the Canongate that used to be my ‘office.’ Coffee still sucks but the view is great of the Christmas shop and the Canongate Kirk across the road I hope you find it useful for your next visit to this beautiful city. If you do find the article useful, please feel free to share this piece with your friends. Importantly, if you have any tips of cool budget hotels or hostels in Edinburgh, please leave your tips in the comments section. I’d love to hear from you. Thank you! There are so many unique experiences that this city can offer to a tourist. PS: If you haven’t yet checked out my free self guided walking tour of Edinburgh, have a look.
Best cheap places to stay in Edinburgh
1. CoDE Pod Hostels – The CoURT Edinburgh
Code Hostels Edinburgh is one of the best cheap hostels in Edinburgh
As is standard with CoDE hostels, access to your room and the hostel is via a unique code that is given to you at check-in. One of the star features of the hostel is the location itself: tucked away in Parliament Square just off the middle of the Royal Mile, you are situated in the heart of the Old Town, in the heart of all the action. I’ve stayed in a few jail hostels in my time and love how the architects managed to retain a lot of the original features of the Georgian building and preserved its character.
You’ll find references to the buildings history and some of its colourful former inhabitants in displays spread across the reception area.
Tour of the hostel -spot the graffiti left by former prisoners!
Tour ends with some whisky and beer tasting in the basement vault.
In the evening, member of staff takes guests on a guided tour of the building where you can learn more about the history of the building. As part of the tour you also get a chance to have a whisky and beer tasting in their very cool underground vaults. There are plans to have a speakeasy style bar on premises so stay tuned to the blog for more updates on this cool feature.
Ensuite private room
Cosy dorms
The rooms are a mix of privates, some with ensuite facilities plus their signature luxury Pod beds in the dorms. The former cells where inmates were held have been converted into privates. The privates here are snug with cosy, clean beds ( great mattress) and also thick quilts and an added woollen rug for extra comfort. The first night I stayed in a private with ensuite bathroom- the bathroom was on the small side but functional with a very good rainshower. There’s plenty of space to store your bags under the beds and also built in cupboards.
The budget luxury option is choosing to stay in one of their luxury POD style dorms. I would recommend bagging a bad in their former courtroom which has been converted into a 24 bed dormitory. It is a huge room with a very high ceiling. At the front of the room you can still see the place where the judge used to sit. Interesting fact for you- apparently the Greyfriars Bobby case was tried here .
24 bed dormitory sounds terrible but beds are very well spread out so you do feel like it a lot less crowded. With the privacy curtains and excellent sound proofing ,the Courtroom really offers you a very good nights sleep at an amazing price. In the middle of the courtroom they have mirror/sink plus huge lockers for securing your bags and any valuables.
Other star feature here is the well priced £5 breakfast where you get a good spread of cereals, cheeses, jams, bread, filter coffee or tea, juices plus the an added luxury of a waffle maker! From 5.30 till 7pm they dish our free snacks to guests plus offer local Innis & Gun ( £4.50) on draft if you’re feeling thirsty after a long day sightseeing around Edinburgh. The breakfast room also has a kitchen which is free for guests to use-there is a bunch of supermarkets ( South Bridge ) within a 5 to 10 minute walking radius from the hostel so that is another major plus.
Other features worth mentioning-the internet is great here and the spacious breakfast room meant I could spread out a bit and work to my hearts content-perfect Edinburgh hostel for digital nomads.
To summarise, CoDE CoURT is my new favourite hostel in Edinburgh and one I highly recommend to anyone looking for value for money, great location, facilities and really nice staff.
In terms of price, to give you an idea, in low season currently, room in the 24 bed Courtroom dorm is as little as £15 which is a bargain. Private doubles with ensuite bathroom start at £50 which is a steal too. These are obviously low season prices and these prices will easily double or more in high season so keep that in mind before booking.
2. Safestay Hostel Edinburgh
As with 
There are 49 rooms and 272 beds with a choice of dorm size (4-12 beds), plus private rooms too. And all have an ensuite bathroom so there’s no corridor queuing in the morning.I was testing out the ‘family-friendly’ factor so we stayed in a Twin Bunk Private Room. We had four beds so our room had four cupboards (big enough for a rucksack or suitcase), a separate toilet and shower, and a small table and chair. Each bed has a reading light but – here’s where we ran into problems – there wasn’t plug sockets by each bed. Only one of the four beds had a double socket so it took some creative charging leads to reach two beds. I slept in one of their new bunkbeds (plenty of head height on the bottom and top bunk) with the purple branded bed linen. Mattresses were still old and not that comfy. The room overlooked the courtyard area for Bar 50 which meant we could hear the bar in the evening (and some extra revellers popping in during the early hours).
Bar 50 is the breakfast room and general bar for the day and evening. You can play pool, order bar meals or use the guest kitchen and dine here too. Free wifi is available for all guests and in the public areas. It got a bit patchy at times but was generally OK. You can use the wifi in Bar 50 which is handy as the phone signal drops out on one side of the room. You can make your own breakfast in the guest kitchen or choose the £5.95 breakfast (six items from the cooked breakfast and cereal area) plus unlimited tea/coffee and toast. Tea and coffee is ready brewed in urns, and there’s no juice (it’s squash or water). As with other large hostels (and hotels) no-one knew how to work the industrial toaster and lots of guests burnt toast each morning. Another drawback of having breakfast in the bar is that you can smell beer while eating your Cornflakes. And I stayed during one of the busiest times for Edinburgh so, of course, there was some city centre noise.
Even so, Safestay Edinburgh’s central location was really appreciated for being able to stop off between attractions. And while I’ve been critical I would definitely stay here again. I’m quite a fan of the Safestay purple and pink decor (honestly, it makes such a refreshing change from clinical white walls and white bed linen in many hostels), and the staff here made us feel so welcome.
Book via
Private rooms start from £39.00 to £125.00 per room and a bed in a dorm ranges from £11.00 to £36.00 per bed
The Ibis ‘Sweet Bed’
3. Ibis Centre South Bridge Hotel
Main reason to stay in the Ibis Centre South Bridge Hotel is the fantastic location. I lived in Edinburgh for several years and South Bridge would be a street I would often pass through. You’ve got a clutch of interesting shops, pubs and restaurants in your radius.
There is a Costa Coffee and a Sainsbury Supermarket next door which is handy plus a Blackwells Bookstore down the road. If you here for the festival, all the action is around you. The Royal Mile is just down the road. There are a few bus stops on the doorstep of the hotel so it is relatively easy to reach any part of Edinburgh. Plus from some of the rooms on 9th floor you can get beautiful views of Arthurs Seat in the distance.
The hotel itself is very comfortable. Staff are friendly and helpful.
Get your free Nespresso fix anytime of the day at the reception.
At the reception they have a Nespresso coffee machine which is free for guests so that’s your caffeine addiction sorted. The rooms are large and spacious. They are tea and coffee making facilities in each room. The star feature of Ibis hotels are their innovative ‘sweet beds’ which are guaranteed to give you the best nights sleep. Having tested them for the last 2 nights I can safely say that they are good. Not a fan of their big puffy pillows but great mattress. I had a sound peaceful sleep.
Fogg’s, Ibis South Bridge Hotel‘s in-house restaurant.
Served in their in house restaurant, Fogg’s, a breakfast buffet is served, available for an extra fee and one I would recommend. It’s a very generous spread with a mix of everything-from cereals, fresh juices, yoghurts, fruit to freshly baked croissants, coffee and hot food like haggis, scrambled eggs, bacon and sausages. The restaurant does food 24/7 which is handy if you want to skip the local takeaways at 3am and crave something different.
Plus they a daily special menu which draws heavily on the hotel’s Scottish roots so definitely worth checking out on your next visit to this hotel.
Essentials
Prices for Ibis Centre South Bridge Hotel start from £60 mark going upto £180 in the high season.
My double ensuite room at the Cityroomz Edinburgh hotel – a great choice of cheap hotels in Edinburgh
4. Cityroomz Edinburgh
Another relative newcomer to the budget hotel scene in Edinburgh, Cityroomz Edinburgh offers both a great location as well as comfort and convenience.
The hotel is on the west end of Princes Street just off Shandwick Place so you are in a great location here. The local neighbourhood is a mix of shops, bars and offices so it’s busy but not too overwhelming. There is a bunch of supermarkets next to the hotel plus the airline bus stop is right beside the hotel. Haymarket railway station is just a 10 minute walk up the road.
The rooms itself are modern, comfortable and compact. They have a choice of singles, doubles and also family friendly rooms which feature unique custom made bunk beds plus king sized double beds.
Family room at Cityroomz Edinburgh
I stayed in one of their doubles- expect quirky psychedelic wallpaper, comfortable double bed ( nice mattress ) and a large ensuite bathroom. There is a TV with decent range of channels and tea/coffee making facilites.
Plus the room comes with a hair dryer, iron and ironing board. The hotel also offers free wifi. A generous continental buffet breakfast is available at the extra cost of £4.95. It offers fresh fruit, multiple juice choices, pastries, choice of yoghurts, cold meats, cheeses, breads plus coffee- definitely worth the extra cost.
Overall, Cityroomz is an excellent budget friendly option to choose when staying in Edinburgh.
Essentials
Room prices for doubles vary from £49 to over £150 in high season. Family rooms ( sleeping 2 adults and 2 children) start at £65 mark. Book it here.
5. Point A Edinburgh Hotel
Point A Edinburgh hotel is a welcome addition to the budget hotel sector in Edinburgh. It has all the key things you can expect in a no frills but comfortable budget hotel : a very comfortable bed which in terms of comfort is on par with what you would find in any 3-4 star hotel. The location of the hotel is topnotch. It is walking distance from Haymarket railway station plus also just a stone’s throw away from the Airport Bus stop. There are excellent transport links to the rest of the city and Princes Street is just a 10 minute walk away.
There are a few convenience stories up the road including a Tesco and Sainsbury’s plus a bunch of excellent restaurants ( including the excellent Ramsay recommended Chinese diner, Chop Chop around the corner ) to choose from so you’re really spoilt for choice. Guests also enjoy discounts on local restaurants- 15% off at Pizza Power, 20% of gin tasting and even discounted haircuts!
Other key features are their excellent power shower-great way to start your day. The lounge area is a great place to work from if you need to get some work done. Electronic keycard access to rooms and also to the main lobby after midnight means the hotel is very secure. The reception staff are excellent and extremely helpful.
Essentials
Room prices start from £80 mark. Book it here.
6.) Motel One Edinburgh Royal
Cheap places to stay in Edinburgh – Motel One Edinburgh is a great choice
Motel One is a chain of stylish budget hotels from Germany and they recently entered the UK market with their first hotel in Edinburgh. This hotel has a cracking location, situated on the Market Street exit of Waverley bridge. You can’t get anymore central in Edinburgh than this hotel. The hotel itself is beautifully designed. The lobby/lounge has their trademark features such as the turquoise egg chair by Arne Jacobsen and the ARCO lamp by Achille Castiglioni. There is an excellent bar if you like to have a quiet drink. In the morning , guests can treat themselves to the excellent, if albeit expensive (£7.50) breakfast buffet. Rooms are luxurious , comfortable with a mood pleasing palette of cream, chocolate and turquoise. Modcons you can expect in your room include a flat screen TV, mobile desks, queen size beds or twin beds, ensuite bathroom with ace power shower plus free wireless Internet which worked excellently during my stay. If I was to make any quibbles about my stay, I would say that the staff were polite, helpful but quite wooden, retaining the uncomfortable formality that I hate about hotel staff. Otherwise, an enjoyable stay.
Essentials
The price point starts at £79 so it’s pricey but for the location alone and excellent rooms, Motel One Edinburgh is an excellent option to look into on your next visit to the city. Book it here.
Address
18 Market St, Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh EH1 1BL, United Kingdom
7) Castle Rock Hostel
Located in the Grassmarket, just beneath the ashen stone edifice of Edinburgh Castle, you can find the aptly named Castle Rock Hostel. The atmosphere of the Castle Rock Hostel is exceedingly comforting, with cozy rooms mixed up with tall and imposing rooms with great character. Burgundy coloured leather Chesterfield sofas jostle for room with a pool table and the walls are decorated with brightly coloured Edinburgh posters, announcing exciting things to do and places to see in the city. Take advantage of the free book exchange and cozy up next to the roaring fire with a hot coffee on a ‘dreich’ day in Edinburgh. There’s a groove lounge to play records and you might even try your hand at strumming on the guitar. A self-catered kitchen is handy for whipping up a home cooked meal. There’s lots of interesting pieces of art everywhere. Mind the knights in shining armour at the landings while ascending the staircase. Rooms are bright, airy and clean. Each bed has its own locker and nightlight for reading. Bathrooms are clean and guests are provided with free hairdryers. Family rooms are available on request.
Essentials : Via Hostelworld.com, a bed in a 4 bed dormitory available from €47 euros and a double room with shared bathroom from €55
Phone: +44 131 225 9666
Address: 15 Johnston Terrace, Edinburgh, EH1 2PW (Grassmarket)
Looking to book a tour for your stay in Edinburgh? I recommend Get Your Guide
We rented a one bedroom apartment on Victoria Terrace at the end of August last year. After looking high and low for a reasonably priced hotel room, we realized it was cheaper to stay in a self-catering flat. I was actually surprised by how expensive some of the low-to-mid-range hotels were, but I also realize that it was at the end of the festival so that could have been the reason for the markup.
That indeed could have been the reason. Prices in August treble or more-quite silly prices. Come back in February or March-you’ll find it far cheaper to rent.
I’ll be living in Edinburgh from June 1st until August 31st. Do you have any suggestions for long term stays?
Hey Devon
Have a look at Gumtree and also Airbnb too. Good luck and enjoy Edinburgh!