Top 10: the best bed and breakfasts in Edinburgh
An insider's guide to the best b&bs in Edinburgh, featuring the top places to stay for period charm, friendly owners, fabulous breakfasts, pretty gardens, art-filled rooms, cosy style and easy access to the city centre, Holyrood Park, Arthur's Seat and the Michelin-starred restaurants of Leith.
94DR
Edinburgh, Scotland
9Telegraph expert rating
Read expert review From £138per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
94DR is located on the south side of the city, five minutes’ walk from Holyrood Park and the foot of Arthur’s Seat; a 10-minute bus ride from the city centre. The look is dramatically dark and sexy, but there is nothing stark about the warm appeal. Bedrooms share the same contemporary monochrome design theme, confidently combined with period features and sudden shots of colour. All this and the most adventurous breakfasts in Edinburgh guarantee its well-deserved popularity.
23 Mayfield
Edinburgh, Scotland
9Telegraph expert rating
Read expert review From £115per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
In this beautifully kept, unassuming Victorian villa you will find candle-light, acres of mahogany panelling, stained glass and bespoke period furniture, with the occasional well-judged modern touch. There are belt-busting breakfasts, a ‘club room’ for relaxing in and a hot tub and gazebo in the garden. Bedrooms, like the rest of the house, are like stage sets - all Tudor mahogany panelling, rich furnishings and jewel-like colours. Unashamedly dramatic, this is a destination guesthouse that doesn’t cost a fortune. It's child-friendly, too.
2 Cambridge Street Edinburgh
Edinburgh, Scotland
8Telegraph expert rating
Read expert review From £110per night
For lovers of the dramatic – of rich colours and fascinating, finely-judged clutter – this witty old curiosity shop of antiques and bibelots, trinkets and curios is the perfect destination. With affable hosts, distinctively different breakfasts, a good location for sightseeing and concert/theatre going, and a tranquil zen-like garden to unwind in, the two bedrooms at this glorious bed and breakfast are in high demand. Book early for this unique riposte to generic hotels.
Abercorn Guest House
Edinburgh, Scotland
9Telegraph expert rating
Read expert review From £70per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
The Abercorn is a substantial Victorian guesthouse in Portobello - Edinburgh’s seaside and a great alternative to staying in the city. With the bus stop only a few steps away and services to Edinburgh city centre every 10 minutes, this former Manse has been a labour of love for the owners, focused entirely on the comfort of their guests. It has large, comfortable bedrooms and appealing public rooms, as well as a useful location two minutes’ walk from the beach and close to all the town’s amenities.
Millers 64
Edinburgh, Scotland
9Telegraph expert rating
Read expert review From £126per night Rates provided by Mr & Mrs Smith
About a mile away from the city centre, Pilrig isn’t the liveliest part of town, but it is only a 15-minute walk to Princes Street and the Michelin-starred restaurants of Leith are even closer. This immaculate B&B deftly combines the best features of a Victorian townhouse with touches of southeast Asian style, creating a sophisticated, comfortable urban retreat run to exacting standards. The three bedrooms are smart as paint.
14 Hart Street
Edinburgh, Scotland
9Telegraph expert rating
Read expert review From £90per night
It’s hard to believe such tranquility is possible so close to busy Broughton Street with its cafés, restaurants and shops. With only a number on the door to guide you, arriving at this pretty Georgian house is like staying in an incredibly thoughtful friend’s home. It's a great way to get a feel for what it is like to live in the city. Three comfortable bedrooms are all on the garden level at the back of the house. Furnished with pretty antiques, these rooms have a cosy, classic style that is entirely in keeping with the age and style of the building.
Wallace's Arthouse Scotland
Edinburgh, Scotland
8Telegraph expert rating
Read expert review From £120per night
In a predictable world of chain hotels and tick-box design, this bright white B&B at the top of the A-listed old Assembly Rooms in Leith feels fresh, fun and original. Quirky, distinctive and unlike anywhere else you will ever stay, this is the place you will talk about when you go home. With high ceilings, generous rooms, a simple white decor with some great design touches, the flat is a very personal reflection of the 74-year-old owner’s style and the setting for an ever-changing collection of art.
Six Brunton Place Guest House
Edinburgh, Scotland
9Telegraph expert rating
Read expert review From £109per night
The hotel is located just east of the city centre, close to Calton Hill and Holyrood Park. The architect owner’s quiet, considered influence is everywhere in the restoration and design of this historic home (with one of the most attractive entrance halls in Edinburgh). Colours are rich and sympathetic to the house, while the mix of antique furniture and interesting contemporary art bring it comfortably into the 21st century. With only four rooms for guests, staying here feels very spoiling.
Two Hillside Crescent
Edinburgh, Scotland
9Telegraph expert rating
Read expert review From £95per night
Time to re-adjust your thinking about guesthouses - this class act gives many boutique hotels a run for their money in both the style and comfort stakes. Arrive to flickering candles, firelight and a cup of tea and check out the coffee table books, high-end lifestyle magazines and local information. Everything is impeccable, from the housekeeping to the hospitality. Breakfast is a delight: expect options like pears poached in vanilla syrup and creamed mushrooms on sourdough toast.
Albyn Townhouse
Edinburgh, Scotland
8Telegraph expert rating
Read expert review From £47per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
Hidden at the end of a leafy lane, but close to the great shops and cafés of Bruntsfield/Morningside, this modern guesthouse version of the ‘Auld Alliance’ offers hospitality with a distinctive French accent. Rooms are generous, with high-ceilings and big windows – the back of the house offers surprising views to the distant Firth of Forth (and a glimpse of Edinburgh Castle). Full Scottish as well as Continental breakfast options; home-made granola, compotes, jam and treats like vanilla pancakes with chocolate or toffee sauce.
