Castle View Guest House Edinburgh
 

I am considering staying at this guesthouse in Edinburgh in January, has anyone stayed there and what did you think?

The location looks good, the rates are affordable, I've just never stayed at a guesthouse before. Do you have free access to come and go? How are the beds?

Any info would be appreciated!

We stayed there about a year and a half ago for three nights. Yes, you can come and go as you please (they provide you with all the keys necessary to get in). I don't recall the beds being uncomfortable. Rooms were tastefully decorated and very clean. Our room was a bit on the small side, but there were three of us. Loved the location. Good breakfasts. The big downside (but you may know this) is that you have to climb four or five flights of stairs. Also, be aware that you have to pay in cash. The TripAdvisor reviews all seem pretty good (ours is one from last year - from Chicago). I'd definitely stay there again.

Thanks ms_go, I did look at the Trip Advisor reviews, that's why I was thinking of staying there :-) I almost always stay in hotels but this place looked really well located, included a nice looking breakfast and the price is a bit less than the budget hotels such as Ibis and Travel Inn which likely don't have much charm.

My other option is staying at the Thistle Edinburgh, a single room is slightly more than the Castle View but no breakfast.

It looks like they might take credit cards now, you can book online and have to secure it with one.

Castle View is probably the very best located B&B in Edinburgh. The owners are very nice, the b'fasts are great, and they will tote your bags up if the climb it too much.

A couple of the rooms have views straight up castle street and across Princes Street to the castle high above. Illuminated at night it is an amazing sight. There is also a good view of the castle from window seats in the lounge/breakfast room. It is almost at the corner of Castle and Rose streets. Rose street is a pedestrian precinct with all sorts of restaurants, pubs, an internet cafe, etc.

It is a very popular place and books up m0nths ahead for the summer/festival time. But in the winter it is probably easier to get in.

If you don't require a full service hotel (concierege, etc) then you could not do better than Castle View.

Don't pay more for the Thistle. While the rooms are probably OK, the Edinburgh Thistle forms part of the city's biggest eyesore, the 1960s concrete St James Centre (which also inclides a shopping mall, a multi storey car park and offices).

I actually syayed at the "Castle Guest House" http://www.aboutscotland.com/edin/castleguest.html
About a block away and it was lovely and looks nicer on their website than the Castle View.

I had a problem about 2 or 3 years ago with the Castle View. I booked a room for 2 nights in Feb when my mother was visiting me and I treated her to a trip to Edinburgh. I booked Castleview through Laterooms.com over a month in advance. I went to cancel as I got a good rate at the Apex and wanted to treat my mum. Whomever I spoke with on the phone was a nightmare, and refused to cancel and their website then did not state they would keep a nights fee to cancel. I called late rooms and the guy was Scottish and told me a few things to help out i.e. that i can report her to a consumer group etc. I called back and while she did cancel she was so rude and swore at me. I was so angry. Maybe it was not the owner which I have a feeling it was not and the place looked fine on the website but I will just never stay there.

Oh - that is too bad. I've stayed there twice and referred MANY others there over the last 6 or 7 years w/ never a hint of a problem. Hopefully the owners were away on a winter holiday or something and it was incompetent hired help.

BTW there is also a Castle B&B farther up Castle street. They are not connected in any way.

Thanks for the additional replies! The website says that all rooms have private en suite facilities. Does that mean that the shower and toilet are inside the room?

That Thistle hotel is really ugly on the outside, a pity if it's right in the center. And the single room is reportedly VERY small.

The other hotel I found for a reasonable price in January was the Jury's Inn for 39 GBP vs. 45 GBP for the Castle View but the Castle View includes a full breakfast. The reviews are all over the place on Jury's though whereas the reviews for the Castle View are consistently good.

Has anyone stayed in the single room at Castle View? Since I am traveling solo, that is what I'd be getting.

The one I'm looking at is called Castle View at 30 Castle Street, I've got the right one?

Yes you are talking about the right one, and yes, "ensuite" means the facilities are in the room. ("Private" means you have a private bath but it is down the hall.)

Now, I have stayed in that single room - it is very small. All of the double/twin rooms are spacious, but the single is quite small. But I stayed there twice anyway.

Hi Kristi. This is a wonderful guesthouse. We stayed there a year ago and loved it.

We had the "Balmoral" room which I believe is the largest and it was very large, lovely furnishings, good views of the castle at night from the window seat and a fabulous large ensuite bath. The bed was awesome - very comfortable.

The breakfasts are very good, the hosts quite obliging. You are literally on the doorstep of all the pubs and restaurants around the corner on Rose St and a few minutes walk to Princes St and up to the Castle. Fantastic location.

The only drawback is the stairs if you are not fit or have some disability it would be difficult.

Banish any thoughts about lack of privacy - we too had these concerns and quickly got over it as we never saw anyone except at breakfast.

Have a great trip.

Kristi, in case you are still confused - en suite doesn't mean the bath, loo etc are actually in the bedroom, it means you have a private batgroom opening off the bedroom (as opposed to sharing a bathroom down the hall).

The budget hotel I usually recommend is the Ibis - as you suspect it is not 'charming', being a new building, but it is adequate & in a good location, right next to the Royal Mile. But if you can cope with the stairs I'm sure the Castle View would be good, as everyone seems to rave about it.

Thanks for the additional comments and reassurance about the loo, I just wanted to make sure I wouldn't be walking down the hall in the middle of the night to have to use the bathroom :-) And the stairs will be good exercise!

The Ibis is more expensive (55 vs. 45) than the Castle View and doesn't include breakfast, I've stayed at quite a few Ibis hotels and they are always fine.