Best Areas to Stay in Edinburgh

Picking the right base in Edinburgh

In Edinburgh the neighbourhood you book decides how much of your trip is spent in transit. Lothian Buses + Edinburgh Trams share ticket: single £2, day £5, family £11 — buy on Transport for Edinburgh app or contactless tap. Old Town + New Town walkable — most tourists never touch transit. Airport tram/bus £6.50. Uber + FreeNow reliable (£8–15). LNER from Waverley reaches London 4h30, York 2h30; ScotRail to Glasgow 50 min, Inverness 3h30, Aberdeen 2h30.

Old Town (Royal Mile)

Castle + Royal Mile + Holyrood + closes — Witchery, Radisson Collection Royal Mile, Old Waverley.

New Town (Georgian)

Princes Street + George Street + Charlotte Square — Balmoral (Rocco Forte), Kimpton Charlotte Square, Waldorf Astoria Caledonian.

Stockbridge

Village-feel bohemian + Water of Leith walk + Sunday market — Nira Caledonia, Ardmor House B&B.

Leith + The Shore

Regenerated waterfront + Michelin-starred Kitchin + Royal Yacht Britannia — Malmaison Edinburgh, Fingal (floating hotel), Ocean Hotel.

West End (Haymarket + Dean Village)

Financial district + Dean Village hidden hamlet — Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa, Waldorf Caledonian.

Bruntsfield + Morningside

Southside residential + boutique cafés + Meadows park — 100 Princes Street area extension boutiques.

Which area suits which traveler

• First-time visitors

  3 nights Edinburgh + short-hop Dublin (1h flight) 2 nights + LNER London 4h30 for British Isles loop.

• Families

  Edinburgh Zoo (pandas), Camera Obscura + Illusions, Dynamic Earth, Royal Yacht Britannia, Arthur's Seat easy climb, Museum of Childhood, Portobello Beach 20 min tram east.

• Luxury travelers

  Balmoral Rocco Forte (JK Rowling finished Deathly Hallows here), Waldorf Astoria Caledonian, Kimpton Charlotte Square, Gleneagles Townhouse (2022), Nira Caledonia, Witchery by the Castle, 100 Princes Street.

• Budget travelers

  Hostels £22–40 (£60+ Fringe), pub food £12–18, pint £5.50–7, day tram+bus £5, family £11. Free: Arthur's Seat, National Museum, Scottish National Gallery, Royal Mile closes.

Booking hotels in Edinburgh

Rates in Edinburgh move with events and season, so compare live prices across the areas above for your exact dates rather than assuming one neighbourhood is always cheaper.