Edinburgh Recommendations

[daisygirl999]

Thinking of going to Edinburgh over easter holidays with 2 teens for 2/3 night.
Thinking of maybe premier inn accommodation as quite a few of them around. Can anyone recommend one?
Also can you recommend things to do with teens. Is edinburgh good or bad for teens. Was thinking castle but dont want all museums as they would lose interest.
Thanks

Can't help with hotels but

www.camera-obscura.co.uk. This is fun

This is a great museum with something for all -

www.nms.ac.uk/national-museum-of-scotland/

Edinburgh is an amazing place to visit at any age. For teens, you could book a ghost tour? There are several in the gothic Old Town, both walking tours and Ghost Bus/Horror tours - just Google to see what gets the best reviews. Similarly, there is The Real Mary King's Close tour, about a street walled up when everyone contracted the plague.

JK Rowling wrote her early Harry Potter stuff whilst living in Edinburgh and there are also Harry Potter tours.

If you like being by the sea, you could visit Portobello? It's about 10 or 15 mins on the bus from the city centre and has a sandy beach and promenade with lots of nice places for chips or snacks. There is also a fab bookshop in Portobello High Street with really good sections on everything including Young Adult.

A museum your teens might enjoy is Our Dynamic Earth as it's interactive and all about the environment and the natural world eg volcanoes, earthquakes.

Theres also a Chocolatarium in central Edinburgh which does tours, which I haven't been to but which is meant to be nice.

The Scottish Parliament also does tours, which I haven't been to for a long time but which I remember being really interesting. The space is so different from the Houses of Parliament in London. Even the debating chamber is a different shape...a horseshoe so they are not facing each other like adversaries, unlike the House of Commons. Our Dynamic Earth is basically next door to the parliament.

If you want to climb somewhere to get great views of the city you can climb Arthur's Seat, or for a bit of an easier climb that's closer to the centre, go up Calton Hill.

I don't know about hotels but Premier Inns are usually pretty reliable. I know the city well as I was a student there so if you are thinking of certain areas I can say something about them if that helps.

Are you driving or flying or on the train? If flying or on the train then any premier inn in the city centre would be fine. The one at York Place used to be the highest ranked PI in the country and it's served by the tram from the airport. Or the one on Market Street is very convenient for the station, airport bus and old town. If you need parking that's a different matter in Edinburgh!
The teens who visit me love coming but then they're country bumpkin kids who get excited at a double decker bus still! ;)
Camera Obscura is fun for all ages.
The National Museum also has something for everyone and it's free entry so you can dip in and out.
Edinburgh Dungeons is pretty hideous but teens might enjoy it.
I'm not a massive fan of the castle, it's very heavy on Scottish and military history if you're not that way inclined.
I enjoyed the Royal Yacht Britannia way more than I expected to.
You can walk along the Water of Leith which feels like you're miles from the city centre, go to the beach at Portobello, shopping in the new St James Centre, get a bus to the Pentland hills for hiking or walk up Arthur's Seat, it's a very flexible city for different interests. There's also the usual "big city" stuff like cinemas, theatre, escape rooms, food markets, you can get tickets for Scottish Premier League matches (Hibs or Hearts) quite easily......

Hi thanks for replies. I have just discovered that I need 2 rooms as my daughter is 18 so i guess 3 adults and 1child so makes it more expensive. The apex grassmarket hotel can fit us all in the one room, prices same as pi so my question is if anyone knows these hotels would they still pick premier inn? i dont know location as never been to edinburgh

Apex has a pool and gym is nicer than PI and the Grassmarket one is super central in the Old Town

Personally I’d go for the 2 rooms to save a queue for the bathroom and have more space.

The only thing I'd say is that The Grassmarket is a very lively square with lots of pubs and restaurants. It will likely get pretty noisy at night, especially weekends. That might not bother you but just warning you in case it does.

@daisygirl999 you could also look at Travelodge, they allow 3 adults + 1 child

eg https://www.travelodge.co.uk/hotels/418/Edinburgh-Cameron-Toll-hotel?

20 mins by bus into the city centre

We stayed at the Premier Inn in the same road as the side entrance to the station. We loved the tunnels, Royal Yacht Britannia and Dynamic Earth.

This has a fun outdoor area, with views of the castle. Easy food too.

https://coldtownhouse.co.uk/

I also love Makars (gourmet mash) for hearty food.

There are number of aparthotels where you can get a small kitchenette and two bedrooms or bedroom/lounge. Roomz has recently opened in the St James quarter. Adagio and Marriott Residence are in the old town.

The National Museum is worth a visit and the gallery by Princes Street has the iconic Monarch of the Glen. Botanic Gardens if weather is dry.

Hi all so I finally booked flights so going 2nd to 4th April. I have 2 hotels booked at present holiday Inn express and Apex Grassmarket. Tried loads but all very very expensive. I guess time of year. I am celebrating a special birthday so want something nice but not break the bank either.

Anyway going to see the Castle, but not a tour, going to do mary kings close and camera obscura and national museum.

Edinburgh dungeon not sure have 2 teens. what is it, is it scary? dont have anything like that in Ireland so not familiar with it.

Thanks

Which holiday inn express have you reserved? If it's the "Edinburgh city centre" one on York Place then that's a good location for eating out and getting the tram from the airport. It's just more "new town" than "old town" but still very central and walking distance to all the sights you've listed.
The Apex Grassmarket is very well located in the old town and is a better standard of hotel than the Holiday Inn Express. I think it also has leisure facilities? My only slight concern would be that the Grassmarket is very much a drinking night out sort of place in an evening, although midweek that should be less of an issue that at weekend.
What budget were you aiming for?
The Dungeons isn't my cup of tea, it's a bit gimmicky and depends if you're scared by that sort of thing or just disturbed! I'd stick to Mary Kings close instead.
Have you looked at Premier Inn as they don't come up on booking search sites. For 2 rooms (double for 2 adults + "family room" 1 adult & 1 child) those dates, the ones on York Place, "Waverley" and "Royal mile" are all around £580 without breakfast on the pre-pay rate. They're all in a good location for sightseeing and transport to/from the airport.