Edinburgh recommendation
 

We have a 2 week trip in England and Scotland in September. The itinerary is mostly set but we are spending our last couple of days in Edinburgh and are looking for recommendations for a good location to stay. We need to keep away from lots of uphill hikes for one member of our group, okay to walk a bit on flat ground but not too far.

Any recommendation would be greatly appreciated.

>>We need to keep away from lots of uphill hikes for one member of our group, okay to walk a bit on flat ground but not too far.<<

Some of us post that no matter where one walks in Edinburgh, it will be up hill :). Not actually true, but it does seem that way. Anywhere in Old town will be hilly. Much of new town is flatter, but still sloped and it is UP hill to old town so you probably won't be doing that much walking. You will need to take cabs and buses to get around. For FLAT flat - Princes Street fills the bill.

We stayed in a vacation rental within one block of the Grass Market. This location was good for us as you could catch the Hop-On, Hop-Off bus at the Grassmarket. Also, good dining and pub experiences in this area (The Mussel and Steak Bar is excellent!). We found the HOHO bus to be a great way to take in the city without too much walking on the steep hills.

New Town is probably your best option but, as janisj said, it’s more of a false flat. Still best choice. Most of the tourist sites are in Old Town, but you can easily take a taxi and if staying fairly central and near Princes Street shouldn’t be that expensive. Be aware that Rose Street the next street over, has cobble stones. Funny just returned from Edinburgh and can’t remember seeing a Hop On Hop Off bus, probably just not on my radar. BTW, we stayed st Fraser Suites on St. Giles Street, Old Town ( my first stay there ) and loved it.

I love Grassmarket, but don't think I would not recommend it if one is trying to avoid hills. To get anyplace from there would be a climb (and likely a climb just to get in/out of one's flat). Fraser Suites is a few feet from one of the few flat spots along the Royal Mile and just steps to St Giles Cathedral. It is up hill but a short up hill to the Castle. And it is downhill for the rest of the Royal Mile and Holyrood.

One problem with most airbnb/vrbo/holiday rentals in Old town or anywhere in the city . . . few have elevators so it can be a steep 2 or 3 floor climb. So a full service hotel or an 'aparthotel' like Fraser Suites will be easier fo you.

I usually don't recommend H-o-H-o buses, but it can make a lot of sense in Edinburgh because it will drive up and down all those hills and you can get off to visit something, then catch another bus to continue the tour. There will be a bit of stand-around-and-wait-for-the-next-bus but it will solve the mobility problem.

Not sure if they’d have availability, but we just stayed at 14 Hart Steet in New Town and loved it. So many good restaurants nearby without walking uphill.

14 Hart Street

We were happy with the IBIS Styles Edinburgh Center at St Andrew Square in the New Town. Very conveniently located, right across the tram stop at St Andrew Square and <5 mins walk to Princes Street. We had also considered the Premier Inn on Princes St, and could not afford the Balmoral!

WE stayed In VRBO up the hill from train station. it was lovely.