Edinburgh - where to stay?
 

Hi - some friends are coming to visit in mid-June and we are planning a quick visit to Scotland. We are taking the train up from London to Edinburgh, and will be spending one night in Edinburgh before heading out to the Highlands. We will be four adults and one infant (twelve months). Any suggestions on good cheap accomodation near the city centre? Any suggestions would be most welcomed. Thank you in advance.

Old Waverley is right next to the station and you can pick up a rental car there if you choose to.

It's not dirt cheap but neither is it very dear

We (3 of us) stayed here . . .The Edinburgh Beresford Hotel, 32 Coates Gardens, ph 0131-337-0850; fax 0131-538-7123; email [email protected]; www.beresford-edinburgh.com (£67.50/night, $109.35).

Our room was very pretty, big and had a double and two twin beds, coffee/tea service w/cookies, TV, phone, hair dryer, bath w/shower, and our room overlooked the backyard. It was decorated very nicely in peach tones and the owners (Donald, wife Agnes, daughter Suzanna) were very friendly. Donald called us his "American Cousins."

Hope this helps,
Sandy (in Denton)

The best bargain in Edinburgh city center is the Hotel Ibis in Hunter Square. It's right on the Royal Mile and very close to the train station. We've styed there twice including just last month and paid £49.95 for a twin room (that includes VAT but not breakfast). It's not fancy but you can't beat that price in that location.

Rates at the Ibis vary by season. In June it's £69.95. Still a good deal for the location, but you could get a B&B for less if you're willing to go just a bit further out.

SandyB- you just jogged my memory- I stayed somewhere along Coates Garden in 1999- I remember because it was in the West End, not too long a walk from Princes Street. And I remember a nice couple had bought this New Town rowhouse-and became innkeepers. I had a number of conversations with the man- are they a youngish couple, with a child? I really liked the room (quite large, and well appointed) and the breakfast, and I remember the rate was very decent for that part of Edinburgh. I was up in Edinburgh visiting someone before going down to London, so only stayed 2 nights. Was the guest house in the middle of the other rowhouses, or on the end? That will tell me whether it was the same one you stayed in. If it was, it was an excellent choice of accomodation.

Hi Airlawgirl,

If you are walking from the bus stop to the Bereford, it's on the right about 1 block down. It seemed every other place on this street was a B&B and they all looked great. We figured that when we go again and if the Bereford didn't have room, we'd just go door-to-door and find something.

We liked this location . . . it was not downtown but we could walk it in about 15-20 min or take the bus . . . and the airport bus stop is right at the end of the street.

This was a VERY nice B&B with big breakfast included.

Donald and Agnes are about 50 (I'd guess) and daughter Suzanna is early 20s . . . we really enjoyed them a lot, very friendly, very personable, very helpful.

Sandy (in Denton)