Safestay Edinburgh Cowgate
6.2
Good(148 reviews)
116 Cowgate, Edinburgh EH1 1JN, United Kingdom
+44 131 287 3333
Hotel Description
Safestay Edinburgh Cowgate is a vibrant and inviting hotel located in the heart of Edinburgh, Scotland. Situated at 116 Cowgate, Edinburgh EH1 1JN, United Kingdom, the property is ideally positioned for exploring the city's rich history and culture. The lively area around the hotel is home to iconic landmarks such as Edinburgh Castle and the Scottish Parliament, both of which are within walking distance. Guests can easily explore the bustling Royal Mile, lined with charming pubs, shops, and historic sites, making it a perfect base for tourists. The hotel itself offers comfortable, accessible accommodations in a smoke-free environment, with air conditioning available in select rooms for added comfort. Although the hotel does not offer parking, guests will appreciate the convenience of being in close proximity to public transport links. The nearest train station is just a 9-minute walk away, and several bus stops are nearby for easy access to the rest of Edinburgh and beyond. The rooms at Safestay Edinburgh Cowgate are designed for relaxation, offering modern amenities and free Wi-Fi for a comfortable stay. While there is no fitness center or spa, guests can enjoy a delicious breakfast each morning to start their day off right. Health and safety are also a priority, with thorough cleaning protocols and measures in place to ensure a safe stay for all guests. In terms of local attractions, there are plenty of must-see sights within walking distance, including the National Museum of Scotland, the Royal Mile, and Arthur's Seat, a popular hiking destination offering breathtaking views of the city. Nearby dining options include Makars Mash Bar, a Scottish restaurant just 6 minutes away by taxi, and Vittoria on the Bridge, an Italian eatery a short 4-minute taxi ride from the hotel. Whether you're in Edinburgh for sightseeing or business, Safestay Edinburgh Cowgate offers an exceptional location and comfortable accommodations for all guests.
The Most Outstanding Trait
1. Located just minutes from Edinburgh Castle and the Scottish Parliament
2. Close to the famous Royal Mile with shops, pubs, and historic sites
3. Accessible and smoke-free property with air conditioning in some rooms
4. Free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel for convenient connectivity
5. A short 9-minute walk to the nearest train station
6. Walking distance to top attractions like the National Museum of Scotland and Arthur's Seat
7. Pet-free environment for a peaceful stay
8. Breakfast provided each morning to fuel your day of sightseeing
9. Convenient public transportation options, including walking distance to South Bridge and Edinburgh Waverley
10. Variety of nearby restaurants offering Scottish, French, Italian, and comfort food options
10 Exceptional
Location rating
Top sights
Edinburgh Castle
9 min
National Museum of Scotland4 min
Royal Mile5 min
Palace of Holyroodhouse12 min
Arthur's Seat15 min
Nearest locations
Cafe Andaluz Old Town
1 min
MUMS Great Comfort Food3 min
The Outsider Restaurant4 min
Vittoria on the Bridge4 min
The Cellar Door4 min
Le Bistrot5 min
Howies Restaurant5 min
Whiski Bar & Restaurant5 min
See more Interesting locations
Good to know
| Check-in | 15:00 |
| Check-out | 10:00 |
| Location rating | 10 |
| Nearest airport | Edinburgh Airport |
| Travel time to airport | 29 min |
Nightly price (Only for reference price for sample day)
Check-in: Fri, Dec 06
Check-out: Sat, Dec 07
$30
$33
$33
$86
$86
$85
$86
$85
Recommended properties nearby
Location
116 Cowgate, Edinburgh EH1 1JN, United Kingdom
Airports:
Edinburgh Airport
Taxi: 29 min
Transit: 37 min
Glasgow Airport
Taxi: 1 hr 19 min
Transit: 1 hr 29 min
Transit:
South Bridge
Walking: 6 min
Haymarket
Taxi: 10 min
Walking: 25 min
Edinburgh Waverley
Walking: 9 min
Forrest Road
Walking: 9 min
Victoria Street
Walking: 6 min
Nearby locations
10
Exceptional Location
Edinburgh Old Town
Lively area with Edinburgh Castle & Scottish Parliament, plus pubs & shops along the Royal Mile.
Top Attractions
Top Restaurants
Amenities and Facilities
Pets
No pets
Parking & transportation
No parking
Accessibility
Accessible
Policies & payments
Smoke-free property
Food & drink
Breakfast
Wellness
No fitness center
No spa
Internet
Wi-Fi
Pools
No pools
No hot tub
Rooms
Air conditioning in some rooms
Reviews
100% reviews from partners and customers booking on Dinogo
6.6
10 reviews
Wonderful
3
Excellent
1
Good
4
Below Average
0
Not Good
2
Lara Quinn
5/5
Superb location within walking distance of everything. Staff were so accommodating, recommending restaurants to supplying hot water and drinking water for bottles. Great vibe in the common area. Limited kitchen supplies but that is nearly always the case with hostels. Great for short stays. Showers and toilets very clean. Only true con is how loud the bars are outside but it is a cheap hostel on a major clubbing/student street, what do you expect? Earplugs did the job with no complaints. Would and will recommend to a friend. Great stay.
Guilherme Nogueira
3/5
To start, there was this problem with the rude woman at the check-in. After leaving our stuff on the room, we struggled to lock the door for quite long because no one told us it was not working during the check-in. I went to the reception and after asking if i needed to do something different to lock the door, the other woman said that it has been broken for a while and apologized for it, but we were concerned about the safety. She was kind and said that if we had anything valuable, she could store it in the baggage room for us. A room with a broken lock should not be assigned to guests at all.On the first night a guy urinated on the flor of the room. We were not sure if he was a guest or just randomly enter the room. The cleaning guy (he went quickly to clean the mess) told us that he would be kicked out for that.We also had some issues with the bathrooms. On the first day, the water was cold when we took a shower. The second day we had few minutes of hot water and we had to finish the shower on a cold water. The bathrooms were also not warm. I read the policies of the Hostel and never saw the information that the hot water is limited. This should be informed so people can decide if they want to take a cold shower during the autumn in Edinburgh.
Kathy Cronin
5/5
This was the cheapest and most central accommodation we could find for our trip and…We had an absolutely amazing stay !!The staff were so lovely, very accommodating and always willing to give recommendations for restaurants and activities. We really loved how friendly everyone was and would absolutely come back for that reason.Our room was perfect, everything functioned as it should. Bring your own lock for the lockers and you’ll be sorted.The pub outside was loud at night but we expected this as the hostel is located in the student night out hub of the city so we packed earplugs accordingly. The central location was very very worth it for us.Our kitchen facilities were adequate, microwave and hot water. No fridge but again, very normal for a hostel stay and not an issue for us whatsoever as we only needed milk for tea which was provided for us every morning along with a complimentary cup of coffee.Thank you for having our little gang! We fully intend to return.
Carmen Ródenas
3/5
I recommend it for the location but it has many cons. Firstly, there is no kitchen as such, they only have a microwave, a coffee machine and hot water, no fridge, which is interesting to know before you stay. The rooms were not perfect either, the lockers were just the right size and there are no sockets, no light in the bed. No possibility to charge in the bed individually. In fact, in a room of 6 beds there were only 2 plugs... The cleanliness was not bad and there were plenty of bathrooms. I would also add that if you go from Thursday to Sunday I recommend you to take rooms facing the interior...you can hear a lot of noise because there is an outdoor terrace in front of the hostel and the beds in outdoor rooms are a bit more expensive and you have to sleep with earplugs anyway. If you want to leave your luggage before or after check in/out you have to pay per piece of luggage too. A super pro... The fire alarm works great, in my country we don't have this obligation so I think it's great. The downside of this was that we were all outside the hostel for a long time in the street and nobody of the staff gave any explanation of what had happened or was happening.
Khalil Khan
5/5
Amazing experience at Safestay Edinburgh Cowgate! The location is perfect, right in the heart of the city, making it super easy to explore Edinburgh's historic sites. The rooms were clean and comfortable, and the staff was friendly and always willing to help. They went above and beyond to make sure we felt welcome. The common areas were great for meeting other travelers, and the vibe was really lively yet relaxed. Overall, excellent value for money—i highly recommend it enough
Kitty Wormald
1/5
Despite the name, “safe stay” it was not safe at all. We had a random guy come in when he wasn’t booked into our room and he stated the night. It was a horrible experience. Although I have to say the way the hostel staff dealt with the man was very good. I wouldn’t recommend this place to a friend but if you are just wanting to be partying on the streets all night then come back home to a kind of gross unsafe hostel then this is your place
Victória Lorena
3/5
Rating 0 for this hostel. The worst I've ever stayed at on my trip, and I've been traveling for almost 2 months and it was the only one where I had a horrible experience. Starting with a system error where you charged my card 3 times for an undue amount. And I had to complain 3 times to get it refunded. There were no outlets in any of the bathrooms to dry my hair (but at least you had a hairdryer to lend). The room was all dusty, I'm sure it wasn't cleaned regularly, and the bathroom was even worse. In addition to having a bad smell, the trash was always overflowing, a sign that it really wasn't cleaned that often. The system for unlocking the doors was horrible, the website took a long time to open, something that should have made things easier, but it only got in the way, and to top it off on my last day, I got up in the morning just to go to the bathroom, and when I tried to return to the room, the website didn't work. I had to go down to the reception in my pajamas and barefoot so that someone could open the door for me. I wouldn't recommend this hostel to anyone, and I can say that the only positive point is the location and the staff, as not even breakfast is worth £8.
E'lir
3/5
Very close to the centre and all the sights.Beds were comfortable and the room very clean.There's an open air (!) club right on the other side of the street, so it's REALLY loud until about 1am.You can't use lots of normal padlocks, instead you have to buy (not rent) one for 4,50.Towels and luggage storage are also pretty expensive
ankit jain
1/5
The beds were good but there was no handwash in the toilet. I informed the staff and they agreed to refill but still they didn't filled it in my whole duration of two days. The toilet cap was broken which caused us lot of issues while using it. Staff can be more friendly in times where guests expect some help. I am deeply dissatisfied overall.
Alexis Orrick
4/5
Great stay for my sisters and me - we were in the 6-person female only dorm. It appeared to be a female only floor (and we needed a key to access our floor which felt very safe). Facilities were clean and we never had to wait for a toilet or shower. Loved the location and layout too! Staff was lovely and very helpful.
Room 4
Service 5
Location5