Save our holiday! Edinburgh in August?!

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We’ve been invited to a wedding on the outskirts of Edinburgh… on a Wednesday…. In August! We live on the South Coast!!!

Original plan was to travel up Saturday have a city break in Edinburgh before the wedding on Sunday and stop at a nice adults only/spa hotel over night somewhere between Northumberland and the Peak District on the way home.

We’ve already canned the overnight stop on the way home because we can’t find anywhere nice for a sensible price that’s not miles out the way and I’ve just been speaking to a friend who is an actor who regular performs at the Fringe Festival and has been going into great detail about how busy it will be….

We are both major introverts (I’m actually autistic) who hate crowds and busy places… are we going to be miserable?! We like food, culture, lazy mornings sat in a coffee shop, as well as long walks and beautiful scenery.

I’ve already established that we can’t get castle tickets though maybe able to get Holyrood tickets. I can’t get any reservations in any Michelin star restaurants which is something we’d like to do as a treat. Are we going to hate it and shall we just ditch it?! The hotel was £££ but free cancellation and we could just go another time and spend less money and have a better break.

We can’t find any alternative locations that aren’t crazy money or just not exciting us.

So can it or stick with it?

And if we can it, any other suggestions for a place to stop between the Peaks and Edinburgh for 3 nights in August that is either lovely (happy to pay for somewhere nice!) or cheap and cheerful. If the accommodation is great happy to have less options of things to do. If the accommodation is average, a great location with lots to do…

Or just 11 hour drive on a Tuesday… wedding on Wednesday… 11 hour drive home Thursday?!

I live in Edinburgh. It's not as crowded as a normal August but it's still busy. I think if you come at any other time (apart from Hogmanay!) you'll have a much nicer holiday.

We did it a few years ago in August. As long as you avoid the Royal Mile and the key venues around St Georges Square it is far less crowded. The new town and beyond Princes Street are much quieter. Hop on, hop off bus tour takes in the key sights. Do you need to stay centrally? Tram is pretty regular if you stay a few stops along. Even off peak hotel prices are exorbitant in the centre,

Doxford Hall in Northumberland is lovely and has some August availability if you book direct on their site.

Can you say where the wedding is, or the hotel you're booked into? Depending on which part of outskirts we might be able to recommend quieter options/ nice restaurants. For instance if you were happy to travel an extra hour there are a couple of Michelin star restaurants in Fife (no idea on availability) then back to original hotel night before wedding? Or Gleneagles & Restaurant Andrew Fairlie. How does nice restaurants/proximity to city centre/things to do during day/avoiding crowds rank in importance

Oh wow, Doxford Hall looks perfect, though we can’t quite make the available dates work! Would have gone for that otherwise!

The hotel we have booked in Edinburgh is on the Royal Mile… when we booked we thought it unlikely the whole trip would go ahead, let alone the Festival!

On or near? Some of the hotels described as on are actually down side streets!

I live in Edinburgh, around 15 minutes walk from the city centre- I'd actually forgotten the front was on until someone on mumsnet mentioned it today. Unless you are staying on princes street or the royal mile I'd imagine you'll be oblivious to it happening

*the fringe not the front 🙈

Seaham hall hotel?

Dinner reservations try Kyloe, you won’t be disappointed.

A drive out of Edinburgh but amazing is the Bonnie Badger at Gullane.

Brunch Urban Angel every time!

The city is busy but not as bad as usual in August. A walk around the royal mile and Hollyrood, National trust Gladstone’s house, Dean village all enjoyable.

Oh my god, absolutely cancel if you're booked to stay on the Royal Mile! Unless you are very sound sleepers.
If you don't like crowds (I don't either) that is literally the worst place to stay in Edinburgh in August!

Try malmaison in leith if you can change accommodation. Apparently the restaurant is lovely and the hotel nice. It's pretty quiet down here and loads of other nice restaurants etc

We do 543 miles to the north of Scotland from southern England in nine hours and a half.

It might not take you as long to drive as you fear.

We don’t bother with overnight breaks, with two drivers. It makes I simpler and cheaper.

@oneglassandpuzzled

We do 543 miles to the north of Scotland from southern England in nine hours and a half.

It might not take you as long to drive as you fear.

We don’t bother with overnight breaks, with two drivers. It makes I simpler and cheaper.

What are you driving the DeLorean? It took me 7 hours to drive from Edinburgh to Durness in the north the other week and we only stopped briefly for a pee and a sandwich at Inverness 😆

You can still have fun. You can walk from the Royal Mile up to Calton Hill and see pretty much the whole city at once, or walk up Salisbury Crags and Arthur's Seat. Parts of Arthur's Seat feel really far away from everyone, although the main path to the top can be busy.
You could head out to Portobello and walk along the beach, you could walk for miles out to Musselburgh. There are lots of coffee shops on the prom where you can sit and look out at the sea. Early morning it's always lovely and peaceful, it can get busy on sunny afternoons but you can always buy a takeaway coffee and cake and walk along to where it's quieter. You could walk from the Royal Mile across Holyrood Park, through Duddingston Village, visit Dr Neil's Garden which is beautiful and peaceful, then it's a 15 minute walk through not very interesting 1930s bungalows to Portobello. That would be nice and quiet.
I can't help you with the Michelin starred restaurants though, sorry.

Got to be honest, Royal Mile will be busy (not as busy as previous Festival times but it's all relative). But consider things like Royal Yacht Britannia, Roslyn Chapel, Botanic Gardens, even a day bus four to Highlands to get away from the hustle and bustle.

The Bonham is a gorgeous hotel in a quiet area but very close to the centre.
I doubt it will be as busy as you fear - I live in Edinburgh and there has been very little fringe buildup from what I've seen
Six by Nico is a great dining experience if you keep checking there will be cancellations for a lunch or dinner slot.

Hahah you are all as torn as I am! It’s an upmarket chain hotel with Royal Mile in the name so it’s very close!!!

Essentially we want to be able to wander about, sit and have a coffee without having to fight our way through and queue for hours as well as seeing the key sights!

Also thanks for the restaurant recommendations- I will check these out!

Could you fly? Southampton or Gatwick to Edinburgh?

Or for what things you like stay at Alnwick or Bamburgh instead. Wonderful outdoor scenery, outdoor castle and gardens to visit. I can't recommend any amazing accommodation but the location is stunning.
Or North Berwick is about half an hour from Edinburgh and has super fish restaurants and a couple of nice hotels.

It’s really not that busy for August in Edinburgh just now.

Liking the suggestions to stay a bit further out of town and maybe nearer the sea- we could venture into town but wouldn’t be stuck there if it’s too mad!

Book at the Gardener's Cottage or The Lookout. No Michelin star but both are intimate and very special places.

We definitely looked at flying up Tues night and flying home Thursday but the price was eyewatering and I also don’t want to be contacted by test and trace if at all possible as I am training for a major sports event so self isolating would be unfortunate!

I did a ‘posh Edinburgh’ one year and stayed at the Apex hotel. It was a normal pre Covid August and I remember how manic the town was but the hotel was like a little oasis of calm and peace (but still close enough to walk to shows etc…). Might that be the kind of thing you are looking for?