Edinburgh travelodge!

[Lj8893]

Just about to book a trip to Edinburgh. Never been before so am clueless!

Going cheap and cheerful so booking a travelodge but there are a few central ones, which is the best location for us to book?

We will be mainly just wandering taking in the sights, shopping, bar hopping.

Queen st
rose at
St Mary’s st

Bonus points for any other tips and pointers, extra bonus points for late night chilled bar/pub suggestions!

Not sure if there is anything to choose between those three locations as they are all really central, and you will be able to see the sights without much travel.

Re bars, not really my area, but I do like the Wildcat, a very chilled and kind of quirky cocktail bar in Tollcross.

I would pick Queen St over the other two as it’s quieter. Rose St has lots of pubs and would be noisy at night likewise St Mary’s St

Yes I guess Queen St you will get traffic noise but the others might have more 'nightlife' sounds.

We will be out late so nightlife noise won’t bother us, so maybe those ones are a better location for us?

All of those are very central - take the one with the best deal.

We’ve stayed at the Premier Inn on Princes Street and that was great - prefer a Premier Inn to a Travelodge personally.

St Mary's Street is literally a 5 minute walk from Waverley station and impossible to get lost getting to.

It's also halfway up the Royal Mile so you can easily go out, do stuff, pop back for a rest, go back out etc.

Rooms at the back and higher up are the quietest - at the front, you do hear more of the vehicles on cobbles, especially early in the morning when bins are being emptied and deliveries are being done.

I would usually go premier inn but they are all sold out on our dates (nothing like a last minute booker!)

Went to Panda & Son on Queen Street for a drink around Easter time when visiting Edinburgh. Super cool venue, quite cosy, nice vibes. Table service and I would definitely recommend booking a table as it can be busy. We went before dinner and they could squeeze us in for just 1 drink. I'm out the loop with cocktail bars. Shocked to pay £27 for 2 cocktails 😭
https://www.pandaandsons.com/
It's not very far from George Street which has loads more bars.

We have gone for Rose St, purely because it was £20 cheaper than the rest. That’s a couple extra drinks!

Please keep the pointers coming:

We are a couple in our 30s, we like a good cocktail bar but nothing too fancy! We like bars where there is things to do as well as have a drink, and the quirkier the better!

What’s the Best way to get to the city centre from the airport?

Any hidden gems (shops, streets, bars, pubs, restaurants, etc etc) that we must visit?

All 3 are central, but St Mary's street is directly opposite a large homeless hostel and so can be quite rough at night. Close to lots of bars and things though. The other two are closer to the shops, rose street if noise doesn't bother you from bars would maybe be my choice.

Yes Premier Inns much better ! That’s a pity . I was in Edinburgh recently and really loved it . Such a friendly city . Dying to go back !

The tram goes from the airport into the city centre

Lovely, that seems easy enough!

Following with interest, I'm from Glasgow and love Edinburgh.

Is that the one that is hidden from the street, like a speakeasy?

Have stayed in St Mary's St recently, found the location to be good and not too noisy. I did have to queue for breakfast, though.

If it’s last minute will Fringe still be on? Or is it not that last minute?

Tram from the airport is easy and almost to your door! I think Rose St is the best choice for a young couple out on the town.

I like The Alchemist for cocktails (or boozy brunch at a very reasonable price). There's a rooftop bar on top of the Jobby Hotel (actually called the W) which offers 360 views.

I wish! No we are going in Sept.

Grumpy local but you'll have a better time in Edinburgh when the fringe isn't on!

I REALLY recommend Makars on the Mound for a meal. They don't take bookings in August, you just have to walk in but honestly the food is fabulous. If you have to wait they either have pagers or they text you when your table is ready (can't remember which) but the place next door is great for a drink while you're waiting.

The castle is a must. And Camera Obscura next to it is fun. Alo just by the castle is the whisky experience tour which we did and was great (but then we like whisky) and was quite reasonably priced, from memory. The Jolly Judge is a really good pub to visit too.

We stayed in the Premier inn at Edinburgh Park recently. Absolutely brilliant and across the road from Edinburgh Park station and Tram stop (the trams were all delayed one day so we jumped on the train instead). We used rostering the city centre but now the price is just too much.

Get a can of wine and go and sit on the grassy bit below the castle in the Grassmarket beside Cold Town House. Best seat in the city.

We stayed in the Premier Inn Hub, Rose Street. Very close to Princes Street for shopping and train station. Good location for a couple of Scottish traditional pubs and another couple of restaurants. The area of St Giles&Castle are uphill about 15/20 mins away but you can easily get a bus. There's a museum inbetween Rose Street and St Giles that worth seeing. I don't know the other locations, but would happy stay in Rose Street again.