Edinburgh / The verdict
Where should you stay in Edinburgh?
The New Town is the best base for most visitors, a short walk from the Royal Mile on flatter, calmer streets; the Old Town is the runner-up if you want to wake up by the castle and can live with crowds, hills and late noise.
By The Real Traveler Experiences team. We earn a commission if you book through our links. It never changes a verdict.
The Edinburgh story
Edinburgh is Britain's most dramatic city after London: a castle on volcanic rock, the medieval Royal Mile dropping past closes and churches to Holyrood, the Georgian symmetry of the New Town below, and a real hill, Arthur's Seat, in the middle of the city. All of it is walkable in a weekend, and the skyline is the kind that stays with you.
The verdict in 30 seconds
Our pick: New Town (runner-up: Old Town)
The New Town is the best base for most visitors, a short walk from the Royal Mile on flatter, calmer streets; the Old Town is the runner-up if you want to wake up by the castle and can live with crowds, hills and late noise.
Go if
- You are booking a hotel or rental for a first or second Edinburgh stay and have not picked an area yet
- You want to walk to the castle and the Royal Mile without sleeping in the middle of the crowds
- You are weighing a central room against a cheaper one a bus or tram ride away
Skip if
- A tour, conference or festival company has already fixed your accommodation
- You are staying one night by the airport for an early flight
The options
New Town Go
You want a central base within walking distance of the Old Town, on calmer and flatter streets.
Good
- Writers describe it as quieter in the evenings than the Old Town, with wide Georgian streets and shops.
- Three writers rate it cheaper or better value than the Old Town for a central base.
- A visitor who stayed on George Street found the hotel clean, quiet and easy to reach from the airport by public transport.
Watch out
- A former resident says the commercial streets are busy and noisy and the posh residential parts can feel short on Edinburgh character.
- A hotel-guide blogger calls it spread out and expensive, with some hilly areas.
See hotel options in New Townpartner site
Old Town Go
You want to wake up by the castle and the Royal Mile and do not mind crowds or late noise.
Good
- A writer who stayed at an Old Town hotel found it quiet despite the area's late-night reputation.
- The writers who recommend it for a first visit point to the castle, the Royal Mile and the Grassmarket.
- Three writers name it their pick for a first visit.
Watch out
- A repeat visitor reports hotel prices jumping by 200 percent or more in August and early September.
- Writers warn it can be noisy late at night, worst in festival season.
- A forum poster describes the Royal Mile as very touristy, and another describes slogging up it and back to the hotel in the rain.
See hotel options in Old Townpartner site
Stockbridge Go
You want a village feel with cafes and river walks and are happy to walk into town.
Good
- A couple who stayed in a Stockbridge rental call it their favorite local base.
- Forum posters describe it as a 10 to 15 minute walk from the center that avoids the busiest streets.
- A writer praises its food scene, independent shops and Water of Leith walks.
Watch out
- A forum poster notes the walk into the center is uphill.
- A poster says hotels there are not cheap.
Leith It depends
You are a repeat visitor or food lover who wants lower prices and does not mind a tram or bus ride.
Good
- A blogger calls it the most affordable area, 10 to 15 minutes by transit from Princes Street.
- A writer who stayed in the city for six weeks across several visits praises its dining and waterfront walks.
- A forum poster liked the tram stop and restaurants close to her Leith hotel.
Watch out
- A writer notes that Leith means relying on buses, trams or taxis to reach the Old Town and New Town.
- A repeat visitor rates it better for people who have visited before than for a first trip.
| Criterion | New Town | Old Town | Stockbridge | Leith |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Setting | Georgian streets, squares and shops | Castle, closes and the Royal Mile | Village high street and river walks | Waterfront, docks and restaurants |
| Getting around | Walk to most sights | Walk to most sights | Walk to the center | Tram or bus to the center |
| Night noise travelers report | Calmer than the Old Town | Noisy late at night, worst in festival season | Quieter than the center | Not reported |
| Price level travelers report | High, below the Old Town | Highest; steep August rises | Not cheap | Lower than the center |
| Hills travelers report | Flatter streets, some hilly parts | Uphill walks reported | Uphill walk into town | Not reported |
| Best for | Most first visits | Atmosphere lovers | Longer, quieter stays | Repeat visitors and food lovers |
What it costs
- Lothian Buses adult single: £2.40 (fare from 22 February 2026). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
- Lothian Buses adult City DAY ticket: £6 (fare from 22 February 2026). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
What travelers report
Based on 11 traveler reports (Feb 2025 to Sep 2026) and the official sources linked on this page. 1 was negative.
What people like
- The New Town gives a central base that writers describe as quieter in the evenings than the Old Town.
- Writers who recommend the Old Town for a first visit point to the castle, the Royal Mile and the Grassmarket on the doorstep.
- Stockbridge feels like a village with independent shops, a Sunday market and river walks, yet forum posters call it a 10 to 15 minute walk from the center.
- Leith draws praise for lower prices, dining and waterfront walks.
What people complain about
- Room prices climb steeply around the August festivals, and the new 5% levy adds to the bill.
- The Old Town is described as crowded, touristy and noisy late at night in peak season.
- One poster calls Edinburgh prices extortionate, and another says good areas such as Stockbridge and the New Town are not cheap.
- Walks back from the center can be uphill, from the Royal Mile and from Stockbridge, and some New Town areas are hilly.
- One writer notes that Leith means relying on trams, buses or taxis to reach the main sights.
How to do it right
- Start your search in the New Town between Princes Street and Queen Street, then widen to the Old Town and Stockbridge if prices or availability do not fit.
- Budget for the Edinburgh Visitor Levy: the City of Edinburgh Council charges 5% of the room cost, before VAT, on the first 5 nights of stays from 24 July 2026.
- For an August trip, book as early as you can, since one repeat visitor reports hotel prices jumping by 200 percent or more in August and early September.
- In the Old Town, light sleepers may want a quieter side street, since one writer warns of late-night noise in peak season.
- If you stay in Leith or farther out, pick a place near a tram stop or a main bus route, since one writer notes you will rely on trams, buses or taxis to reach the Old Town and New Town, and budget for a Lothian Buses day ticket.
The trap to avoid
Leaving an August booking until late, then paying festival-season rates that one repeat visitor puts at 200 percent or more above normal, with the 5% visitor levy added for the first 5 nights.
Why this verdict
The reports split on atmosphere versus calm. Three writers name the Old Town the natural first-visit base, and one who stayed at a hotel there found it quiet despite the area’s reputation. The same area draws the most complaints, though: writers warn about late-night noise that peaks in festival season, a former resident calls it extremely crowded and short on everyday local life, and a forum poster calls the Royal Mile very touristy. The New Town takes the pick because it keeps the Old Town a short walk away while being described as quieter in the evenings. A repeat visitor calls it often better value than the Royal Mile, and a visitor who stayed on George Street found the hotel clean, quiet and easy to reach from the airport. It is not a bargain: a hotel-guide blogger lists it as expensive and partly hilly.
Stockbridge earns a go for travelers who want a village feel. A forum poster and a couple who stayed there in a rental describe it as a 10 to 15 minute walk from the center and away from the crowds, with the caveat from another poster that the walk back into town is uphill and rooms are not cheap. Leith is a depends: one blogger calls it the most affordable area and a forum poster liked the tram stop, but another writer notes you will rely on trams, buses or taxis, which suits a repeat visit better than a first one.
Timing and tickets
When you go matters as much as where you sleep. A repeat visitor reports hotel prices jumping by 200 percent or more in August and early September, and a Fringe producer told local television in August 2026 that the new levy lands on top of already inflated festival-time rates. Since 24 July 2026 the City of Edinburgh Council has added a 5% visitor levy on the first 5 nights, charged on the room price before VAT, at the same rate all year, as its levy page states on 2026-10-09. If you stay outside the center to save money, Lothian Buses lists a City DAY ticket at 6.00 pounds, checked on 2026-10-09.
Book or check times
Edinburgh Visitor Levy detailsLothian Buses fares
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See hotel options in New Townpartner siteSee hotel options in Old Townpartner site
Questions
Old Town or New Town for a first visit?
Three writers recommend the Old Town for a first visit, while a former resident recommends the New Town for most first-timers. Reports describe the Old Town as crowded, touristy and noisy late at night in peak season, and the New Town as quieter in the evenings but expensive and hilly in parts.
How much is the visitor levy?
The City of Edinburgh Council charges 5% of the cost of paid overnight accommodation for stays from 24 July 2026. It applies to the first 5 nights, is charged before VAT, and does not apply to extras such as parking or meals. The rate is the same every day of the year, including August.
How expensive is Edinburgh in August?
Reports describe steep prices. A travel writer reports hotel prices jumping by 200% or more in August and early September, and a Fringe producer told local television in August 2026 that the new levy now comes on top of already inflated festival-time accommodation costs. A venue operator said some acts had pulled out because they could not afford it.
Is Leith a good base?
For repeat visitors and food lovers, it can be. One blogger calls it the most affordable area, another writer praises its dining and waterfront walks, and a forum poster liked having a tram stop close to her hotel. The trade-off one writer mentions is relying on trams, buses or taxis to reach the Old Town and New Town.
Is Stockbridge too far out?
Forum posters describe it as a 10 to 15 minute walk from the center that gets you away from the busiest streets, and a couple who stayed there call it their favorite local base. One poster notes the walk into town is uphill, and another says hotels in the area are not cheap.
How much is the bus if you stay outside the center?
Lothian Buses lists an adult single at 2.40 pounds and an adult City DAY ticket at 6.00 pounds from 22 February 2026.
Pack for it
Gear verdicts from our sister site, Real Buyer Experiences: