Cheap Hotels in Edinburgh

Scotland's capital city of Edinburgh is lively, lovely and full of historic and interesting sights. It is a popular city to visit year-round, with several times of the year dedicated to world-famous festivals that fill the city's nooks and crannies with travelers of all budget brackets. It is not impossible to find cheap hotels in Edinburgh during much of the year, although during festival times and the high season it can be more of a challenge.

The high season of the summer is not just your standard high season in a popular European city, it is made even more popular (and more crowded) by the fact that some of Edinburgh's most famous events take place in the summer - from the Edinburgh Tattoo to the International and Fringe Festivals, the city can seem overflowing with people and cheap hotels in Edinburgh can seem almost nonexistent. But even visiting during the "low" season is not a guarantee that you will find a more peaceful city, because Edinburgh is one of the more popular places to spend New Years - the Hogmanay celebrations for the Scottish New Year are exciting and raucous.

Edinburgh does have plenty of youth hostels around, even in the historic city center, but for those of you who are more interested in your own bedroom instead of sharing a bed in a dorm, there are also options for budget hotels. In fact, a short bus ride (5-10 minutes) from the historic center will land you not just in pretty residential areas but also in the midst of lots of charming bed and breakfasts that offer great accommodations at low prices. Priestfield Road in particular has a number of B&Bs.

Ard-Na-Said Guest House is one of the B&Bs on Priestfield Road and offers a full Scottish breakfast and cozy rooms. Dunedin Guest House occupies a corner lot (also on Priestfield Road) and all rooms have TVs and hair dryers. The Lodge may be a bit further from the city center, but it is well-linked by public transportation. 7 Gloucester Place and The Glenora Guest House are a bit more per night but with both options you will have the convenience of being closer to the city center.