Name: Stay Central Hotel
Address: 139 Cowgate, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom, Edinburgh, Scotland, GB
Price range: $154–$376 per night
Rating: 8.2

What guests think

Stay Central Hotel draws praise for its friendly staff, clean, modern rooms, and a walkable Old Town location near the Royal Mile, but many guests note significant late-night noise from the adjacent bar and surrounding nightlife.

Rooms are generally comfortable but can be small or warm, and some report weak Wi-Fi, occasional maintenance issues, or damp/mold in bathrooms. Breakfast and on-site dining feedback is mixed, ranging from excellent to limited or poor, and lift outages and parking arrangements have caused inconvenience. Overall, it suits travelers seeking a central base with a lively vibe more than light sleepers or families.

Facilities

Cleanliness

Rooms

Service

Location

Dining

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Facilities

Lively bar/courtyard next door provides entertainment but creates late-night noise. Some guests faced lift outages and found parking off-site or poorly communicated.

Related guest reviews

8

Charlotte

Mar 30, 2025

·

Stayed 6 nights

Really cool place. Was great for the price. Elevator was broken for the duration of my stay (6 days) which made luggage extra difficult. Other than that a great place.

8

Stacy

Sep 2, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

If you’re looking for a party, this is the hotel for you! Music in the evenings, big screen watching of sports events, lots of young people hanging out. If you’re looking for a quiet night’s rest, suggest you avoid this place as the music goes late into the evening.

10

Shirley

Aug 6, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Hotel was good only complaint was car parking too far away!

8

Tera

Aug 5, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

It was a great location but the communication was poor for parking and it was noisy

10

Dana

Mar 22, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

While having the lift out of order made our stay more of a maze, we had a really nice time and the people who work there were wonderful! A good location at a good price, I would go back in a minute, if the lift was working.

8

Penny

Dec 23, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Staying on 1nd floor with loud music until 2:30am

10

Eric

Feb 26, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Super convenient and fun environment w a table tennis table and festive bar attached. Staff super helpful (loaned us a phone cord and switched our room for bed to bed type preference). Would stay again, and very reasonable cost!

8

Fran

Oct 4, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Nice place. Good service, good location, nice outdoor area with big screen tv and nice restaurant pub. Enjoyed my stay very much

8

Mark

Oct 2, 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

Nice, but did not know that it was in a college area. Music was loud until 3 am.

10

MINAL

Jul 21, 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

great location. centrally located in Grassmarket neighborhood - you can walk to city centre (10min) and train station (10-15 min). Only complaint is wifi was very spotty in the rooms so had to be in main area to get business level wifi. I liked that the hotel had a main lobby where you can sit, read, work, congregate comfortably. there is also a happening bar next door called Three Sisters if you want to grab a drink ad dance late hours

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Cleanliness

Many guests found rooms and bathrooms clean and well maintained, but several reported issues such as mold, damp smells, stains, or poor bathroom ventilation.

Related guest reviews

4

Martine

Sep 27, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Filthy room, several stains everywhere. The lights didn't work,but the reseptionist helped us.

8

Julie

Jun 25, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

We loved the layout for our family of four. It was one of the only hotels we could find with enough beds for four people in one room. Two double beds (the standard for Edinburgh hotel rooms) was not going to cut it for four full-size folks. At Stay Central, we each got a bed! The price was right. Some mold on the bathroom ceiling from steam and the shower was clogged and filled up quickly, but otherwise the hotel room was very clean and we felt comfortable. We didn't love the frosted glass door - more privacy would be preferred. And, when a hotel leaves you complementary ear plugs, there's a reason! We laid awake listening to the nightclub beats from 12am - 2am. But all in all, we just needed a bed for a night and this did the trick!

10

Sheila

Oct 23, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

All good though it made me and my husband feel extremely old! Lovely little spotless room and really good vibe all round.

10

Arezo

May 23, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Great place in a central location. Staff were lovely and the room had everything we needed. Very clean as well.

4

Hugues

Jul 6, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

It sure is central - right in the old town, walking distance from everything. However the property has issues: moldy bathroom ceiling, noise from the street (included earplugs were a warning), minuscule window, difficult access up stairs when carrying luggage. The pictures online are not an accurate reflection of what we got.

4

stacey

Aug 24, 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

My group stayed in the 4 bedroom, we had to deal with mold. The shower tile was disgusting. A little help on. know how the lighting system worked would have been helpful. Cute place though. The music was playing from the bar, but not so bad that we couldn’t fall asleep

10

Angelique

Sep 11, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Well priced hotel in a central location. Very easy to get around old town, the train station and Princes street. Clean, cozy and comfortable. Ideal for a short stay. The room is very soundproof for other guests in the hotel. The hotel location is in the centre of Edinburgh nightlife. If you partake, enjoy! If you retire early, the hotel offers ear plugs if you need them.

8

Kristin

Aug 21, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Had a great time, very fun part of town, very friendly staff. Room worked perfectly for what needed, and the late night-music was not bothersome to us. The mold in the bathroom needed attention or we'd have given a higher rating.

10

Dennis

May 31, 2025

·

Stayed 5 nights

The location is excellent if you’re going to be doing the touristy things in old Edinburgh. The place is clean and the rooms are a good size.

2

Steve

Oct 21, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The room smelt damp, breakfast was dry and tasteless

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Rooms

Rooms are comfortable and modern with some larger options, but many are small and can get hot; several guests noted late-night noise, unreliable Wi-Fi, limited AC or ventilation, and frosted glass bathroom doors reducing privacy. Some enjoyed good soundproofing from other guests, but street and venue noise varies by room.

Related guest reviews

8

Patricia

May 26, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

We chose this room because it was less costly than others in the area and not far from the train station. You might want to pay a little more and get a larger space if that is important to you or you are traveling with a family. The room was adequate, but very small, for the cost. The beds were not set up as twin beds, even though that was a choice on the website that we asked for, and it was very warm inside with no ability to cool it more. We had to open the windows, which both faced a back alley where there was all sorts of garbage piled up, with a very greasy food smell in the air. The hotel was is a sketchy area, but very close to Grassmarket which was a great place to wander around, having many choices for food and shopping, and we never actually felt unsafe. If you are looking for a hotel near some "action", this would be a choice although you could never have more than 2 people in the room.

8

Sally

Aug 24, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Loved the room

8

Ryan

Aug 4, 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

Great location in old town. Was very easy to walk to all the major attractions: Edinburgh castle, Royal Mile, Greyfriars Kirkyard, etc. Great spot for younger travelers as you can enjoy the Three Sisters bar just downstairs at night and especially on the weekends. Had a great time with my friends. Only downside is that the room was a little stuffy, but we made sure to leave windows open. Would definitely recommend for the convenience and location.

6

Puk

Jul 29, 2024

·

Stayed 4 nights

Great location, but room too small and not possible to open windows.

2

Katherine

Oct 14, 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

The “full size” bed was two twin beds pushed together with mattresses that looked older than me and a mattress topper that looked equally old and used so was extremely uncomfortable. The air conditioning didn’t work at all and the windows wouldn’t stay open. The wifi didn’t work in the room nor did cell service which was very frustrating because I wasn’t able to plan the next day of my trip in my room at night. Definitely for a much younger crowd.

10

Angel

Jun 15, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Our family (2 daughters - 20 & 17), husband and I stayed here. The “family” room was a bunk bed and two “twins.” I’m not sure the twins were actually what we’d consider a twin in the US (they were quite narrow), but everything was comfortable enough. It was a small room, but clean and modern. The bathroom door was glass that was frosted. That’s a little weird when you have 4 adults in the room together, but the room was fine.

6

Brianne

Dec 29, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

The location here was great, pretty much walking distance to everywhere. The room was burning hot but the thermostat was locked and we couldn’t lower it at all. Bathroom was nice with lots of hot water. The WiFi was out out entire three night stay which was really inconvenient.

10

Angelique

Sep 11, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Well priced hotel in a central location. Very easy to get around old town, the train station and Princes street. Clean, cozy and comfortable. Ideal for a short stay. The room is very soundproof for other guests in the hotel. The hotel location is in the centre of Edinburgh nightlife. If you partake, enjoy! If you retire early, the hotel offers ear plugs if you need them.

6

Gaganjit

Aug 1, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Great area and well appointed rooms. We liked the fact they offer rooms with multiple beds, but bathroom ventilation was poor and the glass door on the bathroom does not work well with the family

10

Dorian

May 28, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Great location, clean and comfortable rooms. Exceeded mt expectations. In two stays I had one room where I couldn't hear any noise at all from the club, and one where I had loud noise until about 230am. So just check location of room if you want quiet.

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Service

Staff are widely praised as friendly, accommodating, and helpful, with quick assistance and luggage storage appreciated. A few guests reported lapses such as slow or inattentive service and unclear communication.

Related guest reviews

4

Sara

Oct 9, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

No one at the counter for 15 minutes, no bathroon for guests, told we had to unzip our beds to get Twins beds, no linen for two mattresses, towels were stained. After a long day traveling it took 1.5 hours to make the room livable.

6

Tracy

Mar 1, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

2nd visit and there won’t be a 3rd visit! Checking was easy and the lady that checked us in was amazing! Got to our room and keys didn’t work, got this sorted quickly and efficiently. Our room overlooked the back of the bar and the noise was horrific…my husband went to reception to ask for more coffee sachets and was told we don’t have any, however there was a jar sitting on the counter full of sachets! We packed up and left, on leaving the hotel there were 3 people behind the reception desk who completely ignored us, took the door keys off us whilst on her phone, nobody spoke and we were not asked how our stay was….very disappointing.

4

Zoila

Jul 22, 2025

·

Stayed 5 nights

We had a very frustrating experience at this hotel. The hot water didn’t work during our stay, and the air conditioning broke down completely—which made it especially difficult since we were traveling with a child. On top of that, loud music blasted until 3 a.m., making it nearly impossible to get any sleep. We brought these issues to the staff’s attention and they did the best they could. Would not recommend for families or light sleepers.

10

Daniela

Mar 6, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

This property is so near and clean. It’s very welcoming. The walking distance to the royal mile and castle is just a few minutes away. The staff is great and friendly. They even will store your luggage for you if you checked out but have a bit more touring to do. I loved it and will stay here again. Also only a few minutes walk from train station.

8

Irene

Jun 2, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Booked a long weekend for 6 people. Separate 2-person rooms with breakfast. We were able to temporarily park our luggage upon arrival before checking in, which was very nice. We were greeted politely at check-in. The hotel room was equipped with various amenities, a good bed with clean bedding. Large TV with play station. Well maintained and clean. Breakfast was neat, with various options, but mainly focused on the English breakfast. We received compensation after the breakfast was incomplete, neatly arranged! Close to all the beautiful things to see in Edinburgh, public transport nearby. The only disadvantage was the very noisy 6-sisters, loud music.

10

Dana

Mar 22, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

While having the lift out of order made our stay more of a maze, we had a really nice time and the people who work there were wonderful! A good location at a good price, I would go back in a minute, if the lift was working.

8

Eryka

Mar 21, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Very friendly and helpful staff. Great location. Easy to get around

10

Jason

Nov 24, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Great staff. Great room. Thanks!

10

Dara

Mar 20, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Staff was very friendly and accommodating to my large group’s needs

8

Maela

Jun 17, 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

Overnight staff was extremely kind and helpful. Felt safe traveling solo. I’d read of late night loud noise issues from next door bar, but I never noticed. Decent room amenities. Good room size to unpack. Great shower. Can’t beat the location.

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Location

Excellent central Old Town location near the Royal Mile, castle, and major sights, walkable to transport and attractions. The area is lively with nightlife, steep hills, and occasional run-down feel, so expect late noise and trickier access with luggage.

Related guest reviews

8

Patricia

May 26, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

We chose this room because it was less costly than others in the area and not far from the train station. You might want to pay a little more and get a larger space if that is important to you or you are traveling with a family. The room was adequate, but very small, for the cost. The beds were not set up as twin beds, even though that was a choice on the website that we asked for, and it was very warm inside with no ability to cool it more. We had to open the windows, which both faced a back alley where there was all sorts of garbage piled up, with a very greasy food smell in the air. The hotel was is a sketchy area, but very close to Grassmarket which was a great place to wander around, having many choices for food and shopping, and we never actually felt unsafe. If you are looking for a hotel near some "action", this would be a choice although you could never have more than 2 people in the room.

8

Catherine

Jun 1, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Floors were creaky, but the rooms were nice. It was close to the royal mile but there was no easy way to get there without going up a very steep hill. Still, I’d stay again without hesitation.

8

Anna

Oct 20, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

This hotel is in walkable distance from the Royal Mile which is awesome! However, it is very loud at night due to the bar next door.

8

Jill

Jul 14, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

The hotel was clean and the staff friendly but the area was very run down. It was close to Royal mile and easy to walk to all attractions.

10

Frank

Jun 12, 2025

·

Stayed 7 nights

Friendly staff. Can walk to everything. Didn't rent a car.

10

Christian

May 27, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

It was really great. Right in the heart of Edinburgh. In the heart of everything. Just around the corner from GreyFriars Kirk!

10

Angelique

Sep 11, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Well priced hotel in a central location. Very easy to get around old town, the train station and Princes street. Clean, cozy and comfortable. Ideal for a short stay. The room is very soundproof for other guests in the hotel. The hotel location is in the centre of Edinburgh nightlife. If you partake, enjoy! If you retire early, the hotel offers ear plugs if you need them.

10

Dennis

May 31, 2025

·

Stayed 5 nights

The location is excellent if you’re going to be doing the touristy things in old Edinburgh. The place is clean and the rooms are a good size.

10

MINAL

Jul 21, 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

great location. centrally located in Grassmarket neighborhood - you can walk to city centre (10min) and train station (10-15 min). Only complaint is wifi was very spotty in the rooms so had to be in main area to get business level wifi. I liked that the hotel had a main lobby where you can sit, read, work, congregate comfortably. there is also a happening bar next door called Three Sisters if you want to grab a drink ad dance late hours

10

Michael

Aug 5, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The property itself is great! Clean rooms and very friendly staff. It should be known that walking with luggage from Waverly station is possible but difficult given the hilly terrain. Also, there’s a club just down the street that is open late every night, and it’s quite noisy. Not a deal breaker, especially if that’s what you’re looking for, but good to be aware of!

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Dining

Breakfast feedback is mixed: some praise tasty options and helpful to-go packs, while others found it limited, late, or poor value. The attached bar or restaurant is lively and convenient for food and drinks.

Related guest reviews

8

Stephen

Aug 4, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Located just off the Royal Mile provides easy access to shopping, restaurants and sightseeing. Be prepared for steps, hills and plenty of walking within this downtown area which offers so much. Rooms were quiet and the attached bar offered plenty of evening entertainment.

4

Federica

Nov 18, 2023

·

This place is overrated and overpriced for what it offfers. Rooms are ok, large tv, fridge and a/c, however cold air come from the windows. The breakfast was poor and definitely overpriced. The staff was very young, generally friendly and kind but could see lack of professional training. Overall an ok stay but value provided not worth the money.

10

Shelly

Sep 2, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Three sisters bar/ restaurant was just next door with good food and ambience. Once in our room it was very quiet. Stay Central rooms were more spacious than we expected and the whole place had a lot of charm. Staff were very friendly. Breakfast was a little later than usual at 8am but they did pack a breakfast to go so we could catch the bus.

8

sarah

Oct 13, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Great location and great breakfast. Unfortunately it was VERY noisy one of the nights as the bars across the street parties till 1pm with very loud music.

8

Irene

Jun 2, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Booked a long weekend for 6 people. Separate 2-person rooms with breakfast. We were able to temporarily park our luggage upon arrival before checking in, which was very nice. We were greeted politely at check-in. The hotel room was equipped with various amenities, a good bed with clean bedding. Large TV with play station. Well maintained and clean. Breakfast was neat, with various options, but mainly focused on the English breakfast. We received compensation after the breakfast was incomplete, neatly arranged! Close to all the beautiful things to see in Edinburgh, public transport nearby. The only disadvantage was the very noisy 6-sisters, loud music.

8

Fran

Oct 4, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Nice place. Good service, good location, nice outdoor area with big screen tv and nice restaurant pub. Enjoyed my stay very much

10

Stephen

Sep 18, 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

Very surprised. A little bit of party noise but bearable. Luis and his breakfast was fantastic. A very good host.

10

Philip

Sep 16, 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

We have been travelling for more than 40 years, and my wife and I both agree, that this is possibly the best place we've stayed. Modern and clean rooms, and a short walk to the Royal Mile. There is also a great bar/restaurant downstairs.

6

Tracie

Nov 29, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

We stayed for 1 night, our room was big, however very cold…. Breakfast was a bit of a farce menu with 6 choices and we were told only 2 available, don’t leave a menu and then tell guests there are only 2 choices

2

Steve

Oct 21, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The room smelt damp, breakfast was dry and tasteless

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Month	Average price
January	$96
February	$110
March	$113
April	$178
May	$242
June	$230
July	$254
August	$321
September	$240
October	$208
November	$161
December	$196

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
		1	2	3	4	5
6 $260	7 $350	8	9	10	11	12
13 $269	14 $297	15 $359	16 $309	17	18 $376	19 $351
20 $249	21 $277	22 $306	23 $320	24 $309	25 $373	26
27 $260	28 $260	29 $275	30 $249

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
				1 $239	2 $300	3 $358
4 $213	5 $165	6 $249	7 $247	8 $208	9 $308	10
11 $211	12 $212	13 $305	14 $256	15 $198	16 $327	17
18 $156	19 $189	20 $255	21 $215	22 $209	23 $245	24
25 $154	26 $209	27 $224	28 $199	29 $189	30 $261	31 $285

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Monthly average prices

About this property

Location

Guest reviews

Very good

Who stays here?

What guests think

Property Policies

Check-in instructions

Good to know

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