With a stay at Safestay Edinburgh Cowgate, you'll be centrally located in Edinburgh, within a 5-minute walk of Royal Mile and Grassmarket. .This hotel is 0.5 mi (0.8 km) from Edinburgh Castle and 0.2 mi (0.4 km) from University of Edinburgh.
What's nearby
Victoria Street - 2 min walk - 0.1 miles
Grassmarket - 3 min walk - 0.2 miles
National Museum of Scotland - 3 min walk - 0.2 miles
Royal Mile - 4 min walk - 0.3 miles
Edinburgh Castle - 9 min walk - 0.5 miles
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
Starbucks - 4 min walk
Frankenstein - 4 min walk
Bertie’s - 5 min walk
Finnegan's Wake - 5 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 transportation
No onsite 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
Smoking not allowed
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
Property 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
7.2
Good
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travelers 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.
Great stay for the price, but we were in a private room and had no drug users en-suite. There definitely were profuse users in and around the property, but we did not have any issues.
Clean rooms and helpful staff. Bedding was clean. Rooms were quiet and secure. Bunk beds aren’t bad, but the ladders to the top bunks are pretty narrow, making it difficult to get down from. Hallways are a bit narrow, but it’s in an old building. The location is fine, it’s on the lower street so you have a few young drunk people walking around late at night. Shops are nearby. Overall an enjoyable stay.
I do recommend this hostel. It is in old town, Edinburgh, and it was awesome. The location is good. You will really enjoy it. The only thing I didn’t like is the way the showers they were facing the wall a very hard to get wet.
Lina
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2026
Verified review
2/10 Terrible
Alan
Apr 5, 2026
Disliked: Cleanliness
2 shops local as well as a lively night club outside rooms 132 / 232 /332,
Fellow guests pretty annoying with the sleep patterns & noise with lockers
Alan
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2026
Verified review
6/10 Okay
Rhojane
Sep 1, 2025
It was a great place. Near by at downtown.
Rhojane
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2025
Verified review
8/10 Good
OLIUL
Dec 25, 2025
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Everything was good except the noise it was noisy till 4AM
Pleasant stay at the hostel. Having our own dorm was great and made it affordable for three people meeting up, visiting the City and just having a catch.
Great location and close to the Cities parkrun that takes place on Saturday
Darryl
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2025
Verified review
8/10 Good
Solange
Sep 23, 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 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
Verified review
8/10 Good
Adam
Oct 30, 2025
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities
good
Adam
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2025
Verified review
6/10 Okay
Hannah
Jun 20, 2024
Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Beds and toilets were a little rickety, but otherwise it was pretty good. Convenient location, good staff, easy to get to places around it, and quite affordable.
Hannah
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2024
Verified review
6/10 Okay
Nadia
Aug 9, 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 !!!
Nadia
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025
Verified review
2/10 Terrible
Colin
Aug 4, 2025
Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
I liked the closeness to pubs and clubs & the smoking area. I hated the bunk beds & the noise of the people in the room with me. I didn't sleep at all
Colin
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025
Verified review
8/10 Good
Ganesh Pandian
Aug 30, 2025
Liked: Staff & service
Value for money except minor complaint.
Ganesh Pandian
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025
Verified review
6/10 Okay
Alissa
Apr 12, 2026
Liked: Staff & service
Ok stay. Hostel close to things, but had a dirty ally cat feel. 4 person private room was so small. Basic metal bunk beds with a light on a power strip in the bunk. No handle to get up, no shelves or hooks to put things. Very tight quarters. Only 1 small rack of hooks in the room. Same for the community shower..4 hooks, no bench or shelf. Very small!! Rooms and bathrooms weren't super clean. There was something spilled down the head end of our bunk and the light fixure at me head hadn't been wiped in ages. Layer of black gunk around the lockers edges. Also, it was very noisy from the bar across the street to the squeaky door where people came in andout of all night long. We could hear ppl closings bathroom doorsand using the facilities at all times. Staff was friendly and there is a small foyer with sofas where a few ppl can hang out. Also a smalll dining area with 6 tables and benches where you could eat a sack meal.
For just one night the hostel was ok. The only thing that bothered me was the large group of people who were together and talking very loudly and with music playing late at night.
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 😁