With a stay at Safestay Edinburgh Cowgate, you'll be centrally located in Edinburgh, within a 5-minute walk of Grassmarket and University of Edinburgh. .This hotel is 0.3 mi (0.5 km) from Royal Mile and 0.5 mi (0.8 km) from Edinburgh Castle.
What's nearby
Victoria Street - 2 min walk - 0.2 km
Grassmarket - 3 min walk - 0.3 km
National Museum of Scotland - 3 min walk - 0.3 km
Royal Mile - 6 min walk - 0.5 km
Edinburgh Castle - 9 min walk - 0.8 km
Getting around
Edinburgh (ZXE-Edinburgh Waverly Train Station) - 7 min walk
St Andrew Square Tram Stop - 11 min walk
Edinburgh Airport (EDI) - 37 min drive
Restaurants
Deacon Brodies Tavern - 5 min walk
Frankenstein - 4 min walk
Luckenbooths - 4 min walk
Eve - 3 min walk
Balcony Cafe - 4 min walk
About this property
Safestay Edinburgh Cowgate
Safestay Edinburgh Cowgate offers 230 accommodations with air conditioning. This Edinburgh hotel provides complimentary wireless Internet access, with a speed of 100+ Mbps (good for 1–2 people or up to 6 devices). Bathrooms include showers. Housekeeping is offered daily and hair dryers can be requested.
Make yourself at home in one of the 230 air-conditioned guestrooms. Complimentary wireless internet access is available to keep you connected. Bathrooms have showers and hair dryers.
Take in the views from a terrace and a garden and make use of amenities such as complimentary wireless internet access.
Featured amenities include a 24-hour front desk, luggage storage, and laundry facilities.
Property amenities
Internet
Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
In-room WiFi speed: 100+ Mbps (good for 1–2 people or up to 6 devices)
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi
Parking and transport
No on-site parking available
Family friendly
Laundry facilities
Conveniences
24-hour front desk
Laundry facilities
Lockers
Luggage storage
Vending machine
Guest services
Housekeeping (daily)
Outdoors
Garden
Terrace
Accessibility
If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
Upper floors accessible by stairs only
More
Renovated entire property - June 2024
Smoke-free property
Room amenities
Bedroom
Bedsheets provided
Bathroom
Hair dryer (on request)
Shower
More
Air conditioning
Laptop workspace
Policies
Check-in
Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; Check-in end time: anytime
Minimum check-in age: 18
Check-out
Check-out before 10:00 AM
Special check-in instructions
Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival at the property
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools
Access methods
Staffed front desk
Pets
Pets not allowed
Children and extra beds
Children are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are not available
Cribs (infant beds) are not available
Payment types
Important information
Optional extras
Towels fee: EUR 4 per person, per stay (or guests may bring their own)
The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts credit cards and debit cards; cash is not accepted
Long-term renters welcome
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher
We should mention
This property does not have elevators
Property is also known as
Safestay Edinburgh Cowgate Hotel
Safestay Edinburgh Cowgate Edinburgh
Safestay Edinburgh Cowgate Hotel Edinburgh
Safestay Edinburgh Cowgate Reviews
Reviews
7.0
Good
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travellers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.
Rating 10 - Excellent. 30 out of 118 reviews
10 - Excellent
30
Rating 8 - Good. 33 out of 118 reviews
8 - Good
33
Rating 6 - Okay. 30 out of 118 reviews
6 - Okay
30
Rating 4 - Poor. 7 out of 118 reviews
4 - Poor
7
Rating 2 - Terrible. 18 out of 118 reviews
2 - Terrible
18
6.8/10
Cleanliness
7.2/10
Staff & service
6.2/10
Amenities
6.6/10
Property conditions & facilities
Reviews
8/10 Good
Donat
18 Jan 2026
Donat
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2025
8/10 Good
Daniel
17 Jan 2026
Daniel
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2026
8/10 Good
OLIUL
25 Dec 2025
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Everything was good except the noise it was noisy till 4AM
I asked for an early check in and was not available on arrival. The staff were rude in regards to this. No customer service skills at all. We then came back around 4pm, got in our room with no electric. No pre warning even though the electric had been off since the previous day. We were told they couldnt do anything until someone arrived to fix it. Bare in mine we had 3 children. We then got given an extension lead under the door and a lamp. We had to get ready in the shared bathroom. When the electric was fixed our light bulb needed replacing. All this made us late for a reservation. We had no apology at all. We also had the worst sleep ever. People shouting, singing and running up and down corridors as well as music till almost 3am. Non of this was monitored. No signs to keep quiet or anything. Then at 3am i needed to use the bathroom and to my disgust someone was having sex in there. This is not family friendly in any way shape or form. Absolutely shocking.
The only small hiccup was the shower water pressure, it felt a bit weak. Other than that, the place was clean, central, and the staff were friendly. overall great!
Vineeth
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2025
8/10 Good
Solange
Travelled with family
23 Sept 2025
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Over all a comfortable stay. It could definitely use some renovating and the stairs are strong concrete but molded oddly in certain areas. But the staff was extremely helpful and the area was very convenient for walking old Edinburgh.
The property was easy to find ! The staff are all lovely and helpful ! Excellent location walking distance from everything ! A lot of toilets and washing facilities. Clean beds and lockers for your stuff ( bring your own lock ). Would recommend ear plugs because it’s right across from three sisters and they play live music until like 3 am but that’s no fault of the hostel at all! I was prepared by the reviews so I brought earplugs, eyelash and had a good night sleep. All in all good place and did the job 😁
Reygina
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025
8/10 Good
Nada
17 Aug 2025
Nada
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025
10/10 Excellent
Elizabeth
17 Aug 2025
Elizabeth
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025
6/10 Okay
james
17 Aug 2025
Disliked: Room comfort
An ok place to stay if you love to party
The biggest thing that made my stay not so enjoyable,is that the bar across the street was so loud you heard the music in the room. Therefore it made it a bit challenging to go to sleep at night. Also outside of the hostel in the smoking area, the ashtrays were full. I asked the staff where I could empty the ashtrays. The staff said they would empty the ashtrays and they finally emptied them a day later.
james
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025
6/10 Okay
Nadia
9 Aug 2025
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
clean, spacious room and toilet. Not enough hanging hooks. Windows MUST be changed, loud music comes from the pub in front until 3 A.M !!!