The 10 best cheap hotels in Edinburgh

The Best Western is located in the suburb of Morningside, where there’s good public transport links into the city centre. The sedate decor matches the ornate Victorian exterior. Inside you’ll find a bar and restaurant alongside the 71 rooms. Bedrooms have TVs, tea- and coffee-making facilities and en suite bathrooms. The best rooms have great views over Edinburgh. Free parking and wifi is also part of the package.

Best for: Idyllic views

How cheap is cheap? Pretty decent when you book in advance. 

Book ahead for the best deals at this well-located chain hotel; at short notice £70 should buy you a compact room, but rates can be a lot lower. Rooms here are decked out in white and the easy brand’s signature orange – they all have en suite shower rooms with towels and toilets, plus free wifi. The hotel has views of Edinburgh Castle, but not all rooms look out onto it. Try your luck and put a request in when you book.

Best for: calling dibs on New Town

How cheap is cheap? Pretty cheap. 

This hostel is steeped in serious history. It’s located in the Old Town, just off the Royal Mile, in a building that dates back to the mid-sixteenth century. The dorms sleep six to 16 and have both bunks and lockers in which to store your valuables. Private rooms, should you want a bit of peace and quiet, sleep two to four. Bathrooms are separate and towels cost extra. There’s a self-catering kitchen and there’s a great value continental breakfast that’ll set you up for the day. Board games, a pool table, film nights and free wifi will keep you occupied. Hot drinks are available too. Beds start at less than £30 a night.

Best for: social scene

How cheap is cheap? Very backpacker-friendly. 

The Ibis makes for a handy – and thrifty – choice if you need to hole up near the airport, which is a short drive away. It’s also very easy to get into the centre of the city from here via tram. Parking is free and pets are welcome. The 161 rooms are small but bright and come with en suite showers, TVs and complimentary wifi. A continental buffet breakfast is extra.

Best for: running to the gate

How cheap is cheap? It's pretty decent - even in peak season.

A colourful, no-frills hostel brimming with character (their logo is a mule with sunnies on for starters). Kick Ass has dorms with either bunk beds or pods and there are private rooms with standard doubles too. Bathrooms are shared, but the wifi is free and breakfast is less than a fiver. This is an adults-only property, with a bar that's open daily until midnight. The Royal Mile, Edinburgh Castle, University and Waverley station are all less than a mile away.

Best for: adults only

How cheap is cheap? as cheap as chips.

You’ll find this budget chain hotel handily placed just across the road from Waverley train station. (There’s another branch on Princes Street, should that be more convenient for you.) There’s a breakfast buffet, bar and 24-hour reception. Decor is clean and contemporary, with pops of Motel One’s trademark blue everywhere. The 208 rooms all have rain showers, desk space, TVs and free wifi.

Best for: walkability

How cheap is cheap? Not the cheapest but still cheaper...

A top-flight youth hostel with a 24-hour reception, a well-equipped communal kitchen, laundry facilities, all-day bistro, and bar with a TV and free wifi. There are a total of 251 beds, spread across private rooms and dorms, which are all en suite. Premium rooms have their own TVs. Dorm beds can be had for as little as £20, and kids are welcome. The location is ten minutes’ walk from Waverley station, which will be handy if you’re travelling in by rail.

Best for: no thrills, just convenience

How cheap is cheap? budget steal. 

The location, just off Princes Street, makes this a highly oversubscribed choice – book ahead and you’ll find rates very good value indeed. Bright, modern-looking rooms have en-suite bathrooms (showers and/or baths), TVs, tea- and coffee-making facilities and free wifi. Breakfast, a continental buffet, will cost you extra. Some bedrooms have views, family rooms sleep four, and twin rooms have bunk beds.

Best for: sleek, clean rooms

How cheap is cheap? Decent for a few nights.

If you want a place beside the water, head to this branch of the Holiday Inn in Leith. It’s near the Royal Yacht Britannia and the old port, and next door to the Ocean Terminal shopping centre. Parking and wifi are free, and a hot buffet breakfast is included in the room rate. All 145 rooms are fairly modern, decorated in pleasant enough splashes of grey, blue and red, with TVs, tea- and coffee-making facilities and blackout blinds. Pets are welcome to stay for free – but you do need to alert them in advance.

Best for: hoppin' on a cruise 

How cheap is cheap? Low cost, just how we like it. 

Taking inspiration from the Japanese capsule hotels, Code Pod does what it says on the tin – you quite literally sleep in pods (private rooms come with normal beds). That's how they can charge small prices (from £22/n in a dorm) in such a sought-after area. Situated in the Old Town (in a former 1690s courthouse no less), there's an onsite bar, 24-hour reception, free wifi and a good value (£5) continental or buffet breakfast. There are plenty of attractions within strolling distance, including the Royal Mile, Edinburgh Castle and Scottish National Gallery. Waverley station is also just a five-minute walk.

Best for: a high-end hostel

How cheap is cheap? Pretty reasonable.