Edinburgh can be as expensive as any other city in Europe when it comes to finding a hotel room. The canny traveller should be able to find good cheap hotels and alternative accommodation within their budget.

The best sites for cheap Edinburgh Hotels

It’s definitely worth visiting the main travel operators like Expedia to check prices. You’ll often find cheap prices on the large chain hotels and also if you combine your hotel with a car hire or flight.

Some other places I always check for cheap Edinburgh hotels.

• www.laterooms.co.uk – hotels place their empty rooms on this site to help fill them at the last minute. Often find good deals here sunday-wednesday.
• www.booking.com at HolidayScotland – Holiday Scotland have a comprehensive Edinburgh hotel search with the booking.com engine.

The cheapest hotels in Edinburgh are Hostels

With such a large number of visitors coming to Edinburgh on a budget looking for a cheap hotel, a number of excellent value, clean comfy hostels have opened up to fill the gap. In many you can have your own room and en-suite and loads of them are situated right in the city centre. Hostel rooms can be half the price of hotel rooms.

Find a cheap hotel outside Edinburgh city centre

This is a compact little city and if you really want a cheap hotel in Edinburgh, ignore all the listings you find for hotels on the Royal Mile or Princes Street. By booking an Edinburgh hotel room a few minutes bus ride from the city centre or a 20 minute walk, you have a large number of hotels to choose from, almost guaranteed to be cheaper than the Edinburgh City Centre hotels. Look for hotels in Areas like Newington, Bruntsfield, Stockbridge, Murrayfield, Leith.

Try a guest house instead of a cheap hotel in Edinburgh

When searching for a cheap hotel in Edinburgh, don’t limit yourself to checking the “hotels only” box in whatever search you are doing. Guest houses can often provide everything that a hotel provides but at a cheaper price. Many guest houses in Edinburgh are friendlier than hotels but still offer en-suite, parking, breakfast and dinner, licensed bar etc. You often couldn’t tell the difference between a guest house and a hotel, especially with the larger ones.

Avoid Festival Time to get a Cheap Hotel Room

The Edinburgh festival swells the size of the city by 10’s of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of visitors. It’s very difficult to find a cheap Edinburgh hotel during the festival. Prices in Edinburgh hotels are often very high in August.

At new year, avoid a few days either side of Hogmanay – Edinburgh’s hotels are also very busy and it can be difficult to find a cheap hotel room anywhere in the vicinity at this time.

Comfortable bed and breakfast hotel in Edinburgh just 15 minutes walk from the centre. Great location in more residential part of town with friendly service, comfortable rooms and a good breakfast. This friendly, independent two star Edinburgh hotel has 45 bedrooms all with small en-suite shower rooms. No parking on-site but there is a car park a short walk from the hotel. Rooms are equipped with direct dial telephones, television, hospitality tray, trouser press and hairdryer. The hotel is completely non smoking both in the public areas and the bedrooms. An elevator serves the three upper floors.

The Apex European Hotel is in Edinburgh’s West End, only 5 minutes walk from main shopping areas Princes Street and George Street. The EICC and Lothian Road are also very close for those on business, and for sports fans Murrayfield and Tynecastle Stadium are 15-20 minutes walk. There is some free parking available on site and a public car park just along the road.

The Apex European has 66 bedrooms, all with large comfortable beds, widescreen TVs, luxury toiletries, power showers, free wi-fi and free local calls along with 24 hour room service.

The hotel also has a bar and restaurant.

There are three rooms in the meeting and events centre with capacities from 10 to 100.

The Roxburghe is a luxurious central Edinburgh hotel located right on Charlotte Square. This is one of the oldest of Edinburgh’s hotels and is situated near Bute House, residence of Scotland’s First Minister. The hotel has had a full refurbishment recently allowing all 198 rooms to maintain a high standard.

Charlotte Square sits is at the West End of Edinburgh’s town centre and is surrounded by attractions, high quality shopping, bars and restaurants.

The Glasshouse Hotel is in central Edinburgh near the Playhouse Theatre and is one of the most prestigious hotel locations in the capital.

Floor-to-ceiling windows, beds so big you’ll slumber sweet, the crispest Egyptian cotton bed linen, baths built to soak in long and deep…A lavender-scented roof garden, acres of sun-splashed patios and cool, shady verandas, eat and drink wherever you like…Service to your room day and night, shoes shined to a polished conker gleam, whiskies imbued with the character of their Highland home…

You might be forgiven for assuming such a place must be a figment of your imagination. But behind the façade of the old church, you’ll find the clean, modern lines of The Glasshouse – a 5 star boutique hotel right in the heart of Edinburgh.

Voted by Conde Nast Traveller as one of the top 50 hottest hotels in the world. Winner of the ‘Most Stylish Hotel’ by the Scottish Style Awards. Winner ‘Most Sexiest Hotel in Scotland’ by Hotel Review Scotland. Awarded five star status by VisitScotland.

The Barcelo Edinburgh Carlton Hotel is a marvelous 4 star hotel, housed in a traditional building with all the modern comforts to make your stay very relaxing. Bang in the middle of Edinburgh, The Carlton Hotel is just a few minutes walk from the main train station and within easy access of central attractions and shopping areas. This hotel has 189 well designed, spacious and very comfortable bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms including unique continental made Bette baths.

The hotel also has a swimming pool, spa, solarium, new steam room, gym, aerobics and fitness studio, squash courts, table tennis, crèche and hair and beauty salon. The in-hotel Bridge Restaurant offers quality dining and fine wines. Less formal, the Bridge Bar and lounge areas provide a selection snacks. Car parking available locally.

Quality guest house-sized hotel in a charming Victorian building next to Edinburgh’s Botanic Gardens. Very close to city centre, less than 1 mile from Princes street. Also adjacent to the chic Stockbridge area of Edinburgh with it’s shops, pubs and restaurants. The hotel is situated on one of the closest streets to Edinburgh city centre with all day parking only 4.30 GBP per day. Free parking on street at weekends.

The hotel has lovely views over the gardens from many rooms. Licensed residents bar which specialises in malt whisky and free Wifi available for guests. All rooms have en-suite facilities with direct dial telephone, wifi, tea and coffee facilities, complimentary toiletries, hairdryer and iron. Scottish tourist board 3 star small hotel.

The Radisson BLU hotel sits right on the Royal Mile or High St, bang in the center of Edinburgh and is well suited for exploring the city on foot, by bus or by car. It also has its own car park (separate charge)

All the rooms have a contemporary design and come with a desk and free Wifi. The hotel is a 4 star Edinburgh Hotel.

All hotel guests have complimentary access to Evolve Leisure Club with swimming pool and gym. Guests can also book wellness treatments such as massages and facials as an added extra.

The Old Waverley is a classic building located in the heart of Edinburgh. The Old Waverley Hotel is located on the Princes Street, overlooking Princes St Gardens and the Scott monument and with views across to Edinburgh Castle and the Old Town skyline.

Of all the hotels in Edinburgh, the Old Waverley is one of the best located, with the Waverley train station, Edinburgh bus station, airpot buses and sightseeing tours departure point just 2 minutes walk from the hotel. Some of Edinburgh’s finest shops are situated within a few minutes walk. All the major attractions – Theatres, Museums, Art Galleries and Edinburgh Castle – are within easy walking distance.

The Hotel has recently been completely decorated to a high standard. The hotel offers great value and the highest standards service. Many of the en-suite bedrooms offer spectacular views of Edinburgh Castle. Both Cranstons Restaurant and the Abbotsford Lounge Bar are light and airy with superb views over Princes Street Gardens and of Edinburgh Castle. Both offer excellent cuisine and service.