Best hostels in Edinburgh

Edinburgh splits into walkable districts that reward staying put rather than cabbing between landmarks. The Old Town ridge — Castle to Holyrood — holds the densest hostel inventory, with beds from $24 a night in the Grassmarket to design-pod bunks near St Giles' Cathedral. Step north across Princes Street Gardens and New Town trades cobblestones for Georgian symmetry, while Broughton's slope northeast of the bus station keeps a quieter, more residential pace. The university quarter southeast of the Meadows and Newington's guesthouse row along Clerk Street serve travelers willing to walk further for lower rates and actual silence. Currie, out past the bypass on the Water of Leith, is the outlier — a pub-inn that trades city access for a village pace. The city's tram and bus network runs well during the day but thins after midnight, so nightlife travelers should stay on the ridge or in New Town; the tram from York Place handles the airport run. Seven neighborhoods, mapped by hostel density, so you match the area to the trip.

1. 1

   Edinburgh Old Town

   Historic ridge between Edinburgh Castle and the Grassmarket, central Edinburgh

   The loudest, cheapest hostel strip in the city, anchored by pubs beneath the Castle rock.

   Noise drifts up from the Grassmarket cobbles on weekend nights, and that is exactly the point of staying on this stretch of Edinburgh's Old Town. Kick Ass Grassmarket holds an 8.9 at about $24 a night — the cheapest bed in this guide and one of the highest-rated, which says something about the hostel standards down here. Skip the overpriced tourist lodges stacked along the upper Royal Mile; the Grassmarket's pubs are older, the closes darker, and the Castle looms directly overhead rather than sitting at the end of a gift-shop corridor. Victoria Street curves uphill from the square, and the Cowgate runs parallel one level below, so late-night food and early-morning coffee sit within a short walk. This is the area for travelers who want to hear the city, not retreat from it.

   1. Budget

      Kick Ass Grassmarket (18+)

      It's a good hostel, right in the center, a couple of minutes' walk from all the sights. I liked everything, but there was one downside: I was cold in the evening. At first, I thought someone had opene

      8.9 rating ~$24/night
      Check rates
2. 2

   Edinburgh Old Town, Edinburgh

   Royal Mile near St Giles' Cathedral, central Edinburgh

   Design-pod bunks on the Royal Mile's quieter cathedral stretch.

   At $38 a night, Code Pod – the Court earns its 9.4 by compressing a design hostel into the stone shell of a Royal Mile close, steps from St Giles' Cathedral. The locals know this mid-Mile section as the calmer stretch of the Old Town — the pub crawls concentrate at the lower end of the ridge, and the tour buses idle at Holyrood, leaving the cathedral surrounds to foot traffic that actually looks up. Wind funnels hard through the closes in March and April, so pack for it. The Waverley Steps drop you to the train station and Princes Street at the base of the ridge, and the Cowgate's late-night bars sit one level below. This is the Old Town pick for travelers who want the historic address without the pub noise.

   1. Budget

      Code Pod – the Court - Edinburgh

      I visited at the end of March, and Edinburgh was still quite cold, especially with the strong winds. The hostel's location is excellent, right by the church on the Royal Mile, making it easy to walk t

      9.4 rating ~$38/night
      Check rates
3. 3

   Broughton

   Residential slope northeast of the city center, off Broughton Street

   Independent-shop neighborhood with budget dorms set back from the tourist core.

   The east-facing stretch of Broughton Street catches the light on weekday mornings when the cafes prop their doors open and the foot traffic stays local. Edinburgh Central Accommodation holds an 8.0 at about $37 a night — honest numbers for a no-frills dorm in a neighborhood that does not try to charm tourists. Avoid the generic hostels crammed near the bus station at the base of the hill; Broughton's draw is the walk itself, lined with independent shops and pubs that thin out past Picardy Place. The Playhouse Theatre anchors the southern end, and Leith Walk stretches north toward the waterfront for a longer route to dinner. It suits budget travelers who want a residential pace over a party district.

   1. Budget

      Edinburgh Central Accommodation

      Another night staying at this hostel. We stayed in a six-person female dorm. Except that the drainage is quite bad at the shower room, and the bunk bed is noisy when i move, everything is good and cle

      8.0 rating ~$37/night
      Check rates
4. 4

   Currie

   Southwestern suburb near Heriot-Watt University, beyond the Edinburgh bypass

   Traditional pub-inn rooms on Edinburgh's rural edge, trading city access for quiet.

   At about $58 a night, Riccarton Inn scores an 8.5 and trades the city-center hostel formula for a proper pub-inn on the southwestern fringe of Edinburgh, near Heriot-Watt University. Don't bother with Currie if you came for late-night Royal Mile crawls — the last bus back runs earlier than you want, and the tram does not reach this far. The appeal is the quiet: the Water of Leith walkway passes nearby, the inn runs a traditional pub-and-rooms setup with none of the pod-bunk aesthetic, and the rate buys a private room rather than a shared dorm. Balerno and Juniper Green sit within walking distance along the river path. This suits travelers heading to Heriot-Watt, anyone with early airport plans, or visitors who want an inn that feels like a village local rather than a city hostel.

   1. Budget

      Riccarton Inn

      We stayed twice at the Riccarton Inn. It's traditional with a pub up front and rooms at the back. Very clean and the staff was helpful and friendly. This is not a hotel chain but an individual inn.

      8.5 rating ~$58/night
      Check rates
5. 5

   Edinburgh

   University quarter near Holyrood Park and Arthur's Seat, southeastern Edinburgh

   Summer-only university rooms with breakfast included, at the foot of Arthur's Seat.

   Morning light rises through the gap between Arthur's Seat and Salisbury Crags, and Summer Stays at The University of Edinburgh puts you at the base of that hill with an 8.9 rating at about $65 a night, breakfast included. Not worth the walk if your trip is built around pub crawls — the nearest late-night options sit well north along Dalkeith Road toward Newington. The Holyrood distillery and the Scottish Parliament anchor the northwest end of the route into town, and the Meadows park opens up if you head west instead. Rooms here are student accommodation repurposed for summer visitors, clean and quiet in a way no Old Town bunk room manages. It suits hikers, early risers, and travelers who value a private room and a meal over a central address.

   1. Budget

      Summer Stays at The University of Edinburgh

      25 mins walk from the city, Holyrood distillery nearby, you can also hike up to Arthur seat in 30 mins. Can get to supermarket in 15 mins. Breakfast included and you can order breakfast box if you hav

      8.9 rating ~$65/night
      Check rates
6. 6

   New Town, Edinburgh

   Georgian grid north of Princes Street Gardens, central Edinburgh

   High-scoring design hostel in Edinburgh's Georgian townhouse quarter.

   George Street hums with after-work traffic on weekday evenings, and CODE The Loft sits in New Town's Georgian grid with a 9.3 rating at about $49 a night — the strongest score-to-price ratio in this guide. Better than the tourist-facing chain beds along Princes Street, the Loft's position one block north puts you on the quieter residential side of New Town where the townhouses line up and the noise drops. The Loft partners with Code Pod – the Court across in the Old Town, so guests get access to both buildings and stretch their walking radius without a bus fare. Queen Street Gardens run along the north edge, and the York Place tram stop connects to the airport without a transfer. This is the neighborhood for travelers who want Georgian architecture and clean design over cobblestone pub atmosphere.

   1. Budget

      CODE The Loft - Edinburgh

      The Loft is really central in the city and the beds were comfortable. We traveled with 4 people and had the whole room for us. The best part is the cooperation with The Court and that you can particip

      9.3 rating ~$49/night
      Check rates
7. 7

   Newington

   Guesthouse row along Clerk Street, south of the Old Town ridge

   Quiet B&B-style rooms on a residential street south of the historic core.

   Newington's guesthouse row along Clerk Street wakes up slowly on weekday mornings, and Sakura Edinburgh Guest House sits on this residential stretch with a 6.8 rating at about $61 a night. The locals prefer Newington for its curry houses and charity shops over anything a visitor would call a destination, and that plainness is the area's honest appeal. The Meadows park opens to the west, and buses along Clerk Street run frequently toward the Old Town and Leith. Nicolson Street to the north holds the nearest cluster of late-night options, but the walk back is uphill and feels it after dark. This is the pick for travelers who want a private guesthouse room on a quiet street and do not mind trading atmosphere for a real bed and a simpler rate than the ridge commands.

   1. Budget

      Sakura Edinburgh Guest House

      We had a great stay at Sakura Guest House. The location was perfect—close to everything we wanted to see and easy to get around. The room was very clean and comfortable, and everything was well-mainta

      6.8 rating ~$61/night
      Check rates

This is an early version of the Edinburgh list. We add picks as we test more places.