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Safestay Edinburgh Cowgate

2.5 star property
Hotel near Edinburgh Castle in Edinburgh

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Photo gallery for Safestay Edinburgh Cowgate

Front of property
Laptop workspace, free WiFi, bed sheets
Terrace/patio
Terrace/patio
Interior

Reviews

6.8 out of 10

Popular amenities

  • Free WiFi
  • Air conditioning
  • Laundry
  • Housekeeping
  • 24/7 front desk

Explore the area

View in a map
94 -116 Cowgate, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH1 1JN
  • Place, Royal Mile
    ‪3 min walk‬
  • Place, University of Edinburgh
    ‪4 min walk‬
  • Place, Princes Street
    ‪6 min walk‬
  • Airport, Edinburgh (EDI)
    ‪25 min drive‬

Room options

View all photos for Bed in 4-Bed Female Dorm Shared Bathroom

Laptop workspace, free WiFi, bed sheets

Bed in 4-Bed Female Dorm Shared Bathroom

  • Sleeps 1
  • 2 Twin Bunk Beds

View all photos for Bed in 4-Bed Female Dorm Ensuite

Laptop workspace, free WiFi, bed sheets

Bed in 4-Bed Female Dorm Ensuite

  • Sleeps 1
  • 2 Twin Bunk Beds

View all photos for Bed in 4-Bed Mixed Dorm Ensuite

Laptop workspace, free WiFi, bed sheets

Bed in 4-Bed Mixed Dorm Ensuite

  • Sleeps 1
  • 2 Twin Bunk Beds

View all photos for Bed in 6-Bed Female Dorm Shared Bathroom

Laptop workspace, free WiFi, bed sheets

Bed in 6-Bed Female Dorm Shared Bathroom

  • Sleeps 1
  • 3 Twin Bunk Beds

View all photos for Bed in 6-Bed Mixed Dorm Ensuite

Laptop workspace, free WiFi, bed sheets

Bed in 6-Bed Mixed Dorm Ensuite

  • Sleeps 1
  • 3 Twin Bunk Beds

View all photos for Bed in 6-Bed Mixed Dorm Shared Bathroom

Laptop workspace, free WiFi, bed sheets

Bed in 6-Bed Mixed Dorm Shared Bathroom

  • Sleeps 1
  • 3 Twin Bunk Beds

View all photos for Bed in 8-Bed Mixed Dorm Shared Bathroom

Laptop workspace, free WiFi, bed sheets

Bed in 8-Bed Mixed Dorm Shared Bathroom

  • Sleeps 1
  • 4 Twin Bunk Beds

View all photos for Bunk Twin Room Ensuite

Laptop workspace, free WiFi, bed sheets

Bunk Twin Room Ensuite

  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Large Twin Bunk Bed

View all photos for Bed in 4-Bed Mixed Dorm Shared Bathroom

Laptop workspace, free WiFi, bed sheets

Bed in 4-Bed Mixed Dorm Shared Bathroom

  • Sleeps 1
  • 2 Twin Bunk Beds

View all photos for Bed in 6-Bed Male Dorm Ensuite

Laptop workspace, free WiFi, bed sheets

Bed in 6-Bed Male Dorm Ensuite

  • Sleeps 1
  • 6 Twin Beds

View all photos for Bed in 6-Bed Male Dorm Shared Bathroom

Laptop workspace, free WiFi, bed sheets

Bed in 6-Bed Male Dorm Shared Bathroom

  • Sleeps 1
  • 6 Twin Beds

View all photos for Bed in 2-Bed Female Dorm Ensuite

Laptop workspace, free WiFi, bed sheets

Bed in 2-Bed Female Dorm Ensuite

  • Sleeps 1
  • 2 Twin Beds

View all photos for 8-Bed Private Room Shared Bathroom

Laptop workspace, free WiFi, bed sheets

8-Bed Private Room Shared Bathroom

  • Sleeps 8
  • 8 Twin Beds

View all photos for 6-Bed Private Room Shared Bathroom

Laptop workspace, free WiFi, bed sheets

6-Bed Private Room Shared Bathroom

  • Sleeps 6
  • 6 Twin Beds

View all photos for 6-Bed Private Room Ensuite

Laptop workspace, free WiFi, bed sheets

6-Bed Private Room Ensuite

  • Sleeps 6
  • 6 Twin Beds

View all photos for Quadruple Room Ensuite

Laptop workspace, free WiFi, bed sheets

Quadruple Room Ensuite

  • Sleeps 4
  • 4 Twin Beds

View all photos for Quadruple Room Shared Bathroom

Laptop workspace, free WiFi, bed sheets

Quadruple Room Shared Bathroom

  • Sleeps 4
  • 4 Twin Beds

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About the neighborhood

Edinburgh

City center stay.At this Edinburgh City Centre hotel, you'll be well placed to visit Royal Mile and University of Edinburgh, both within a 5-minute walk. Also, Edinburgh Castle is within half a mile (1 km) and Murrayfield Stadium is within 3 miles (5 km).

What's nearby

  • Royal Mile - 3 min walk - 0.2 miles
  • University of Edinburgh - 4 min walk - 0.3 miles
  • Grassmarket - 6 min walk - 0.3 miles
  • Princes Street - 6 min walk - 0.4 miles
  • Edinburgh Castle - 10 min walk - 0.6 miles

Getting around

  • Edinburgh (ZXE-Edinburgh Waverly Train Station) - 5 min walk
  • St Andrew Square Tram Stop - 10 min walk
  • Edinburgh Airport (EDI) - 31 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Bannerman's Bar - ‬1 min walk
  • ‪The Piper's Rest - ‬2 min walk
  • ‪Salt Horse - ‬2 min walk
  • ‪The Royal Oak - ‬2 min walk
  • ‪The City Cafe - ‬1 min walk

About this property

Safestay Edinburgh Cowgate

Hotel near Edinburgh Castle in Edinburgh
Safestay Edinburgh Cowgate offers its guests a terrace, a vending machine, and a garden. WiFi is free in public spaces. A complete renovation of Safestay Edinburgh Cowgate was completed in June 2024.

This Edinburgh hotel is smoke free.

  • 230 guestrooms or units
  • Self-service laundry
  • Front desk (24 hours)
  • Storage area for luggage
  • Terrace
  • Garden
  • No smoking on site
  • Lockers available
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.

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Property amenities

Family friendly

  • Laundry facilities

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

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

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

  • No pets 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

The fees and deposits listed below will be charged at the time of service, check-in, or check-out.

  • Towels fee: EUR 4 per person, per stay (or guests may bring their own)

This may not be a comprehensive list. Fees and deposits are subject to change and might not include tax.

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
Charges for extra guests may apply and vary according to property policy.
A cash deposit, credit card, or debit card for incidental charges and government-issued photo identification may be required upon check-in.
Special requests are subject to availability at the time of check-in. Special requests can't be guaranteed and may incur additional charges.
    This property is managed by a professional host. The provision of housing is linked to their trade, business, or profession. No onsite parking is available. This property accepts Visa, Mastercard, and debit cards. Cash is not accepted. Long-term renters welcome.

Property is also known as

Safestay Edinburgh Cowgate Hotel
Safestay Edinburgh Cowgate Edinburgh
Safestay Edinburgh Cowgate Hotel Edinburgh

Frequently asked questions

How close is Safestay Edinburgh Cowgate to the airport?

Safestay Edinburgh Cowgate is 8 mi (31-min drive) away from the Edinburgh Airport (EDI) airport, the closest popular airport to the property.

Does Safestay Edinburgh Cowgate have an airport shuttle?

Airport shuttle services are not available at Safestay Edinburgh Cowgate.

How close is Safestay Edinburgh Cowgate to the beach?

This hotel is 3.1 mi (15-min drive) from Portobello Beach and 14.5 mi (35-min drive) from Seton Sands. Don't forget your sunscreen!

Does Safestay Edinburgh Cowgate offer free breakfast?

Safestay Edinburgh Cowgate does not offer free breakfast.

Is there a casino at Safestay Edinburgh Cowgate?

No, there is no casino at this hotel.

What time is check-in at Safestay Edinburgh Cowgate?

Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; Check-in end time: anytime.

Is there free parking at Safestay Edinburgh Cowgate?

Free parking is not available at this hotel.

Does Safestay Edinburgh Cowgate have a pool?

Safestay Edinburgh Cowgate does not have a pool.

Does Safestay Edinburgh Cowgate have a spa?

There are no spa services available at this hotel.

How close is Safestay Edinburgh Cowgate to downtown Edinburgh?

Safestay Edinburgh Cowgate is 0.3 mi away from Edinburgh.

Safestay Edinburgh Cowgate Reviews

Reviews

6.8
Rating 10 - Excellent. 27 out of 106 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 27 out of 106 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 28 out of 106 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 7 out of 106 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 17 out of 106 reviews

6.8/10

Cleanliness

7.2/10

Staff & service

6.0/10

Amenities

6.4/10

Property conditions & facilities

6.6/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Vineeth

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
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!
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2025

8/10 Good

Solange

Traveled with family
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.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

ENRICO, calagry

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Safe
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

janet

Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025

6/10 Okay

Rhojane

It was a great place. Near by at downtown.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2025

8/10 Good

Ganesh Pandian

Traveled with family and small children
Liked: Staff & service
Value for money except minor complaint.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

8/10 Good

Selima

Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Reygina

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
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 😁
Three sisters from the window
Hostel essentials !
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025

8/10 Good

Nada

Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Elizabeth

Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

6/10 Okay

james

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.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025

6/10 Okay

Nadia

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 !!!
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

8/10 Good

Eve

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

2/10 Terrible

Colin

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
Big reception area was good but the room was awful. I couldn't sleep, the bunk beds are noisy & uncomfy.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025

8/10 Good

Sydney

Traveled with group
Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
The hostel was very close to the heart of the city, so it was near shopping, food, and activities. We didn’t need public transport for anything except getting to the airport. The hostel is directly next door to an outdoor bar/music venue, so there was noise at all hours of the day. Since there is no A/C, the windows needed to stay open, so we were constantly hearing whatever was going on across the street. It didn’t bother us any, but it may bother you if you are a light sleeper and/or are traveling with children. My one critique of the hostel is that the bathrooms were quite dirty, and they smelled pretty bad.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2025

8/10 Good

Rao Hassan

Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Darryl

Traveled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Great location, perfect hostel for City Stays

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
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2025

8/10 Good

Nishi

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Maricandi

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Melanie

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great experience, exceeded my expectations over value for money. The bunks have privacy screens around the head and feet of the bed, which made sharing a room feel less invasive. Music can be heard from the bar around the front of the building (it’s summer, so we had the windows open) but it wasn’t an issue, my days were so packed with walking and exploring that I slept really well! I found the bed comfy. Showers did the job, I brought my own towel. Would recommend bringing a padlock for your locker if you are concerned about valuables, but it would better serve not bringing ‘valuables’ (if possible) in the first place. I love Edinburgh and a place like this really encourages me to visit more regularly. Thanks Safestay!
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Calvin, denton

Business traveler
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Perfect place thank You
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

8/10 Good

Elisabeth

Traveled with family
Liked: Property conditions & facilities
The location is amazing. Staff is very nice. The shared bathroom was not perfectly clean and a bit smelly, that's why I gave it 4 stars instead of 5.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

James

Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

4/10 Poor

Sing

Stayed 1 night in Jun 2025

4/10 Poor

Markus

Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2025