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The Ben Doran Guest House

4.0 star property
4-star guest house near University of Edinburgh

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Photo gallery for The Ben Doran Guest House

Lobby
Front of property
Standard Double Room | Egyptian cotton sheets, premium bedding, iron/ironing board, free WiFi
Free daily buffet breakfast
Designer toiletries, hair dryer, towels

Reviews

8.2 out of 10
Very good

Popular amenities

  • Free WiFi
  • Business services
  • Room service
  • Housekeeping

Explore the area

View in a map
11 Mayfield Gardens, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH9 2AX
  • Place, University of Edinburgh
    ‪15 min walk‬
  • Place, Royal Mile
    ‪6 min drive‬
  • Place, Grassmarket
    ‪7 min drive‬
  • Airport, Edinburgh (EDI)
    ‪28 min drive‬

Room options

View all photos for Standard Double Room, Shared Bathroom

Egyptian cotton sheets, premium bedding, iron/ironing board, free WiFi

Standard Double Room, Shared Bathroom

  • 323 sq ft
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed
  • Free WiFi

View all photos for Standard Single Room, 1 Twin Bed, Shared Bathroom

Egyptian cotton sheets, premium bedding, iron/ironing board, free WiFi

Standard Single Room, 1 Twin Bed, Shared Bathroom

  • 161 sq ft
  • Sleeps 1
  • 1 Twin Bed
  • Free WiFi

View all photos for Standard Double Room

Egyptian cotton sheets, premium bedding, iron/ironing board, free WiFi

Standard Double Room

  • 377 sq ft
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed
  • Free WiFi

View all photos for Executive Double Room, 1 King Bed

Executive Double Room, 1 King Bed | Living area | 22-inch LCD TV with digital channels, TV, DVD player

Executive Double Room, 1 King Bed

  • 431 sq ft
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed
  • Free WiFi

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Exterior

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4.3 out of 5, Excellent, 1,005 reviews
$202 nightly
The price is $242
Jun 7 - Jun 8
Total with taxes and fees
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About the neighborhood

Edinburgh

Newington stay.Your stay at this Newington guesthouse places you within 2 miles (3 km) of University of Edinburgh and Royal Mile. Edinburgh Castle and Princes Street are also within 2 miles (3 km).
View more Guest Houses in EdinburghOpens in a new window

What's nearby

  • Holyrood Park - 14 min walk - 0.8 miles
  • Queen's Hall - 15 min walk - 0.8 miles
  • University of Edinburgh - 15 min walk - 0.8 miles
  • Royal Mile - 6 min drive - 1.5 miles
  • Grassmarket - 7 min drive - 1.5 miles

Getting around

  • Princes Street Tram Stop - 5 min drive
  • Edinburgh (ZXE-Edinburgh Waverly Train Station) - 7 min drive
  • Edinburgh Airport (EDI) - 28 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Haldi - ‬3 min walk
  • ‪Matto Pizza - ‬8 min walk
  • ‪Southpour - ‬9 min walk
  • ‪Pizza Hut - ‬7 min walk
  • ‪Jade Palace - ‬9 min walk

About this property

The Ben Doran Guest House

4-star guest house near University of Edinburgh
A computer station is on site and WiFi is free in public spaces. You'll find a business center on site. Free breakfast is served daily. A library, multilingual staff, and tour/ticket assistance are also featured at The Ben Doran Guest House.

This 4-star Edinburgh guesthouse is smoke free.

  • 1 building
  • 11 guestrooms or units
  • 3 levels
  • Built in 1800
  • Buffet breakfast (free)
  • Business facilities
  • Front desk (limited hours)
  • Express check-in
  • Express check-out
  • Staff is multilingual
  • Storage area for luggage
  • Front-desk safe
  • Tour and ticket information
  • Concierge
  • Library
  • No smoking on site
The Ben Doran Guest House offers 11 accommodations with DVD players and coffee/tea makers. Beds feature Egyptian cotton sheets and premium bedding. 22-inch LCD televisions come with digital channels.

Bathrooms include designer toiletries, complimentary toiletries, and hair dryers. This Edinburgh guesthouse provides complimentary wireless Internet access. Hypo-allergenic bedding and irons/ironing boards can be requested. Housekeeping is provided daily.

Similar properties

View from property
Apex Grassmarket Hotel
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  • Pool
  • Free WiFi
  • Restaurant
  • Gym
4.5 out of 5, Wonderful, 2,661 reviews
$201 nightly
The price is $241
Jun 7 - Jun 8
Total with taxes and fees
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Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • Limited onsite parking

Food and drink

  • Free buffet breakfast available daily 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM

Things to do

  • Library

Accessibility

  • No elevator

Room amenities

Entertainment

  • 22-inch LCD TV with digital channels
  • DVD player

Bedroom

  • Egyptian cotton sheets
  • Hypo-allergenic bedding

Bathroom

  • Designer toiletries
  • Hair dryer
  • Towels provided

Food and drink

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Limited room service

More

  • Heating
  • Iron/ironing board on request
  • Phone

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; Check-in end time: 5:00 AM

Contactless check-in available

Express check-in available

Minimum check-in age: 18

Check-out

Check-out before 10:30 AM

Contactless check-out available

Express check-out available

Special check-in instructions

The property charges GBP 50 for credit card payments

The front desk is open daily from 7 AM - 7:00 PM

Guests planning to arrive outside of normal check-in hours must contact the property in advance for check-in instructions and lockbox information; front desk staffed during limited hours

To make arrangements for check-in please contact the property at least 24 hours before arrival using the information on the booking confirmation

Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools

Renovations and closures

The property is closed between December 24 and December 27.

Access methods

Front desk (limited hours), lockbox, private entrance

Pets

  • No pets allowed

Children and extra beds

  • Children 12 and younger are not allowed at this property. All guests older than 12 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.

  • Credit card charges are subject to a surcharge of GBP 50

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; cash is not accepted
Noise-free guestrooms cannot be guaranteed
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a smoke detector
Please note that cultural norms and guest policies may differ by country and by property; the policies listed are provided by the property
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. This property accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and JCB International. Cash is not accepted. Noise-free guestrooms cannot be guaranteed. For guests' safety, the property includes a fire extinguisher and a smoke detector in each accommodation.

We should mention

  • Please note that this property can refuse certain bookings for the purpose of group events or parties, which include pre-wedding stag/bachelor and hen/bachelorette parties.
  • Children 12 years old and younger aren't allowed at this property.
  • Registered guests are the only ones allowed to be in guestrooms.

National rating

This establishment has received its official star rating from VisitScotland, the National Tourist Board for Scotland.

Property is also known as

Ben Doran

Ben Doran Edinburgh

Ben Doran Guest House

Ben Doran Guest House Edinburgh

Ben Doran Hotel Edinburgh

The Ben Doran Guest House Edinburgh, Scotland

Ben Doran Guest House Guesthouse Edinburgh

Ben Doran Guest House Guesthouse

The Ben Doran Guest House Edinburgh

The Ben Doran Edinburgh

The Ben Doran Guest House Edinburgh

The Ben Doran Guest House Guesthouse

The Ben Doran Guest House Guesthouse Edinburgh

Frequently asked questions

How close is The Ben Doran Guest House to the airport?

The Ben Doran Guest House is 13.7 mi (28-min drive) away from the Edinburgh Airport (EDI) airport, the closest popular airport to the property.

How much does it cost to stay at The Ben Doran Guest House?

As of Jun 2, 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at The Ben Doran Guest House on Jul 1, 2026 start from $306, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.

Does The Ben Doran Guest House have an airport shuttle?

Airport shuttle services are not available at The Ben Doran Guest House.

How close is The Ben Doran Guest House to the beach?

This guesthouse is 4.4 mi (16-min drive) from Portobello Beach and 13 mi (29-min drive) from Seton Sands. Don't forget your sunscreen!

Does The Ben Doran Guest House offer free breakfast?

The Ben Doran Guest House offers free buffet breakfast every day from 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM.

Is there a casino at The Ben Doran Guest House?

No, there is no casino at this guesthouse.

What time is check-in at The Ben Doran Guest House?

Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; Check-in end time: 5:00 AM.

Is there free parking at The Ben Doran Guest House?

Free parking is not available at this guesthouse.

Does The Ben Doran Guest House have a pool?

The Ben Doran Guest House does not have a pool.

Does The Ben Doran Guest House have a spa?

There are no spa services available at this guesthouse.

How close is The Ben Doran Guest House to downtown Edinburgh?

The Ben Doran Guest House is 1.5 mi away from Edinburgh.

The Ben Doran Guest House Reviews

Reviews

8.2

Very Good

Rating 10 - Excellent. 175 out of 475 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 193 out of 475 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 65 out of 475 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 31 out of 475 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 11 out of 475 reviews

9.0/10

Cleanliness

8.6/10

Staff & service

8.0/10

Amenities

8.2/10

Property conditions & facilities

Reviews

Verified

8/10 Good

Pete

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Excellent breakfast
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Kate

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The manager was super friendly and the breakfast was great. Plenty of food and the eggs were amazing.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Patrick

Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Staff was very friendly! Close to many different things to do if you just want to take a day from being downtown. Highly recommended!
Stayed 3 nights in May 2023
Verified

8/10 Good

Alexander

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great B&B in old Edinburgh mansion. Great hot breakfast and super friendly staff ( Odette was engaging, charming and very helpful). Not glamorous but highly recommended.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2023
Verified

8/10 Good

Shaun

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

Dated but very clean & perfect for overnight stay

A very honest Guesthouse. Doesn’t try to be anything but a pleasant overnight stay. Rooms are dated but facilities are very clean and accessible. Breakfast was very good with excellent service
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Warren

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

Ben doran

Great spot. Close to the royal mile. Very comfortable rooms. Fantastic breakfast in a quaint dining room. Very welcoming and helpful staff. I definitely recommend staying here
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

evelyn

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The Ben Doran is a 300 year old mansion converted to a hotel. The ceilings are like 16 feet tall. The walls are really thick. So it is really quiet. The owners and personnel are so nice and friendly. Odette is a sweetheart. The location is awesome. You can walk if you want or take a bus from close by or uber. Loved our stay!!
Stayed 6 nights in Nov 2023
Verified

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveler

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Think twice

Shared shower and toilet in the corridor
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2024
Verified

8/10 Good

toni

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Room was clean,bed comfortable but the traffic noise was awful even with window shut all through the night
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Anita

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Sorry that there was no elevator, but because it is an historical property, it can not be installed. Staff was wonderful and breakfast and the room it was served was beautiful. Well worth the money if you can do 47 steps to the top floor. Were in our late 70’s and we did it!!!! Great spot and great people running it.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Robert

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This is a classic structure with loads of personality. Well maintained and comfortable. Beautiful gently curving spiral staircase. Staff and owners were very helpful. They focus on guests’ needs. Broad choice of breakfast foods. Bus stop very close by. Don’t bother with a car in Edinburgh - it’s too congested and the streets are narrow. Walk or take the bus. We did!
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2023
Verified

8/10 Good

Cheryl

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
I was up on the 2nd floor so had to go up a lot of stairs with my heavy suitcase. The shower didn't function well. The water was either very hot or very cold.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2024
Verified

4/10 Poor

Verified traveler

Liked: Staff & service
This is not a 4 * hotel!!! It is not more than a 2½ *. The Guest House do not have elevator and rooms are 1 or 2 floors upstairs and nobody helps you at the arrival. Some rooms are sharing bathroom. No front desk with employees. Only 1service: breakfast Is included.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

larry

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
I had problems with the TV the lady on duty was more than helpful in resolving the problem and getting me a replacement nothing seemed too much trouble just what you need to be , looked after
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2024
Verified

6/10 Okay

John

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities

Not really a four star hotel….

We didn’t know that four star hotels had shared bathrooms. The water temperature regulator in the shared shower was on engineer level to get right. It was either ice cold or volcanically hot and nothing in between. The walls might have been thick, which was good because you could barely hear the traffic from the busy street outside. But the door however was the weak spot. You could basically hear people two floors down as if they were in the room with you. Service however was supreme and the included Scottish breakfast was very good.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2022
Verified

2/10 Terrible

Alexandra

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Förstår inte klassificeringen, 2-3, 3 är verkligen Max. Slitet, smutsigt, gammalt, ofräscht, säng för kortväxta, varmt, kvalmigt, fönstret gick inte att öppna, luktade unket.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Susanne

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities

Super overnatning i Edinburgh

Dejligt sted, pænt rent, meget sødt og imødekommende personale. Nemt at komme til Edinburg Centrum. Eneste forbedring kunne være en bredere dobbeltseng - 140 cm er lidt knebet som dobbeltseng til 2 voksne.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2022
Verified

10/10 Excellent

nathalie

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

Tres bien

Chambre sur cour tres propre et calme. 25 mns à pieds du centre. Sinon bus stop en face de l hotel tres bien desservi. Parfait pour visiter la ville.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2022
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Sara

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

Great Guest House - Clean & Warm Room

The room was very spacious and clean. It seemed as it was recently refurbished. They were really accommodating and provided us with a packed breakfast as we had an early tour one day and couldn´t stay for breakfast. The buffet breakfast was good and freshly made. The guest house is very well communicated, it is about 30 min walk from the city centre but has restaurants 10 minutes away. Also the bus stop is right opposite the house. There was barely face to face service and the man I spoke to wasn´t very welcoming, but other than that it was a pleasant stay and I would recommend this place if you are visiting Edinburgh.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2022
Verified

2/10 Terrible

alastair

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Booked this for my daughter to stay for two nights. First night we couldn’t get access to hotel. Nobody answers the phone.. 2nd day arrived 3pm. Hotel room freezing no heating on no hot water for a shower room not cleaned properly and smelt damp. My daughter returned home and drove back next morning.couldn’t talk to anyone as no staff present
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2021
Verified

4/10 Poor

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Honest Review

The city was beautiful and we chose this hotel as it was the perfect location and it offered a full Scottish breakfast to prepare us for the day but that didn’t happen they served egg and sausage both of which were just topped up from the day before the cereal was stale and same as the bread. There was no body to greet you and the emergency number provided was in contactable on several occasions as we tried to get in contact as we had no front door keep and a problem with our bed.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2021
Verified

10/10 Excellent

ALEXANDER

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

Very good

The guesthouse was very tasteful and quiet.The hosts were excellent. The shower could have been better in the room and the switch for the kettle was broken though still usable. We would visit again.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2021
Verified

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, room comfort

Ok, men ikke det beste

Pent og rent, men eier ? ikke særlig vennlig. English breakfast 😊. Tv virket ikke ettersom noen hadde tatt med seg kabelen ! 😩
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2021
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Gavin

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

1st Class, Recommended

Great stay, very friendly
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2021
Verified

2/10 Terrible

Orlando

Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Staff & service

This place ough to be renamed Fawlty Towers!!

Room was acceptable if stuck in 70's. On the other hand breakfast was like an episode of Fawlty Towers... We arrived at 8.30 (half way through the hour window for breakfast) to find that other than a handful of bacon rashers they were out of cooked breakfast options. When i asked for more, the owner/waitress checked each of the chafing dishes and announced 'there was still bacon'. I had to beg for an egg, i mean i almost had to drop to my knees... We then discovered that the orange juice was bad. Informed the hostess who took my glass; returned a little later, took the jug and that was it. Had to ask what the outcome was, only to be told there was nothing wrong with it, but that she'd open a new one if i wanted. There's more, a lot more... a full 10 minute wait for eggs and bacon (which all came on separate plates minutes apart); shoulders slumping and eyes rolling when any request was made (coffe, toast) ; noisiest clean up ever which began before we received our food.... Under no circumstances would i ever stay at this hotel again. But if they were to take their show on the road i might get tickets!!!
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2020