Is parking available at the hotel?

Yes, free self-parking is available on-site.

What type of breakfast is offered and what are the serving hours?

Full breakfasts are served on weekdays from 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM and on weekends from 7:30 AM to 10:30 AM for a fee of approximately GBP 18.00 for adults and children.

Does the hotel allow pets?

Yes, pets are allowed with a fee of GBP 30.00 per pet, varying based on the length of stay. Service animals are exempt from fees.

What are the check-in and check-out times?

Check-in is from 3:00 PM, and check-out is by 11:00 AM. Early or late check-in/check-out may be available upon request, but additional charges may apply.

What accessibility features does the hotel offer?

The hotel provides step-free entrances and wheelchair-accessible facilities in public areas and rooms. Additional features for accessibility may be available upon request.

Where is the hotel located in relation to key landmarks?

The hotel is centrally located in Edinburgh, within a 5-minute drive of the Royal Mile and University of Edinburgh, and approximately 1.8 miles from Edinburgh Castle.

Are children allowed to stay at the hotel?

Yes, children are welcome at the hotel. There is no specified minimum age for children to stay for free.

The Scholar Hotel in Edinburgh

Average nightly price at The Scholar by month, last 12 months (USD)
Month	Average price
January	$101
February	$121
March	$135
April	$217
May	$247
June	$236
July	$268
August	$313
September	$279
October	$213
November	$171
December	$176

What guests think

Across the reviews, The Scholar is praised for friendly, attentive staff, clean and comfortable rooms, and a peaceful university-campus setting with easy bus links and walkable access to Arthur’s Seat and the city center, plus convenient on-site parking.

Breakfast is widely rated as very good, and many guests enjoy the bar and on-site restaurant. Downsides mentioned across reviews include no air conditioning leading to warm rooms in hot weather, occasional noise or design quirks, sporadic maintenance issues, and mixed feedback on some dinner dishes or breakfast variety. Overall, expect a comfortable, quiet base near the university with helpful service and straightforward access to the city.

Facilities

Cleanliness

Rooms

Service

Location

Dining

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Facilities

Guests frequently highlight convenient free on-site parking and appreciate the bar and on-site restaurant. A few note lift outages or slow elevators.

Related guest reviews

10

Shin

Jun 16, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Easy parking. Free EV charging is a bonus. Location is ok. Bit far out of city centre but great place for walk in the park. Clean and modern room. Breakfast was fine. Nothing special.

10

Jennifer

Oct 10, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

The hotel was very nice. Beds were very comfortable. It was quiet and had adequate parking options. The breakfast was great, although it was temporarily at their sister hotel next door as they are currently remodeling. Staff were extremely nice. They also had a nice bar with some food items. Would definitely stay here again!

4

Naveen

Feb 8, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Lift out of order and restricted WiFi make this difficult to use for business. In addition because of a fault we couldn’t turn the heating off which made it impossible to sleep in and they couldn’t change the room until the morning and the pillows were too thick to sleep on. The room was clean and tidy otherwise.

10

James

Feb 25, 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

Very nice spacious rooms, finished to a high standard, the staff were very friendly and helpful, free parking on site and bus stops outside.

8

Richard

Aug 3, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Lifts were slow

8

Timothy

Jun 7, 2025

·

Stayed 8 nights

Nice place. Restaurant food great.

10

Constantinos

Jul 7, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Nice, compfortable room and bathroom/shower, good breakfast and parking included. No fridge in the room, but that's fair enough.

10

Mark

Oct 9, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Being situated on the University campus the hotel was in a great location with Arthur's seat only a 10 minute walk. Bus stops to and from Edinburgh are right outside the gates or you can walk around the park by Arthur's seat down to Holyrood at the end of the Royal Mile in just 30 minutes. The hotel restaurant is very good and the Salisbury Arms right over the road is an excellent alternative.

10

Daniel

Sep 1, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Great breakfast, convenient for conference centre, short walk to centre of city, really great staff. Nice little bar too!

10

jayne

Jun 3, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Beautiful hotel with free parking

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Cleanliness

Reviews consistently describe the hotel and rooms as clean and well kept, with regular housekeeping. A small number reported mold in shower areas.

Related guest reviews

10

Joanne

Feb 6, 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

The room was always made up during the day and there was plenty of refreshments for us to share. The toiletries smelled nice and the towels were very soft. There was a dining area however we did not use this but from the outside it looked lovely and cosy

4

Michael

Oct 21, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Our bathroom had very obvious and visable black mold along the edge of the shower. Additional black mold could be found on one of the towel hangars. Pink mold was on the shower head. The staff was very receptive when we requested to have the mold cleaned. However, the mold should not have been there to begin with. The staff we interacted with were definitely the best part of the hotel.

10

Constantinos

Nov 11, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Clean and cosy room

10

Meltem

Aug 27, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Clean and excellent breakfast.

10

Karina

Aug 8, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Comfy, modern and quiet rooms. Clean and updated shower/bathroom. The property is tucked away surrounded by idyllic gardens and picturesque vistas with castle-like buildings nearby. Very convenient bus stop down the street. Top-notch staff are attentive and there's a chic bar area for a night cap.

10

Keith

Oct 7, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Hotel on University grounds. Beautiful hotel, great staff, terrific ambience and our room was perfect. Everything was spotless and serviced daily. Bus stop 5 mins away, 10 mins into city. Would stay again in a heartbeat!

8

Jonathan

Oct 31, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Good location, nice rooms, fabulous breakfast. Only downsides were tepid water in shower and mould on grouting in and around shower.

10

Vasiliki

Jan 20, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

We had a wonderful stay at The Scholar. The room was wonderful and very clean, the team was very polite and attentive (we received a wonderful hand written note as we were celebrating a special occasion, which was such a thoughtful touch!). It’s a 30 minute walk from the old town but the bus stop is right outside the hotel with regular buses. There was no mini fridge in the room, although we didn’t need it. Would definitely recommend.

10

Matthew

Sep 19, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Great location for the conference venue at Edinburgh uni. Very clean and comfortable, would definitely stay here again

10

richard

Aug 7, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

A very clean well run hotel. The staff are friendly and very welcoming. nothing is too much. The food is excellent and well presented. A great place to stay.

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Rooms

Rooms are comfortable, often spacious, and many mention large beds and modern decor; several note quiet stays. Recurring drawbacks are the lack of air conditioning causing heat in warmer weather and occasional noise or layout inconveniences.

Related guest reviews

2

janet

Mar 15, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Room was very disappointing, Floors creaking, noisy and very thin walls.

8

Kuljinder

Aug 26, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Decent hotel with no major issues. Only drawbacks are no air conditioners and no complimentary water bottles supplied.

8

Timothy

Jul 24, 2025

·

Stayed 6 nights

It was very nice. Got charge for the full breakfast and only wanted coffee and cake. Room was super hot needed to open windows further or provide AC. Other than that excellent

10

Carron

Oct 28, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

First visit to this hotel and we weren’t disappointed. Whilst some may think it is out of the way we really loved the location. Views of Arthur’s Seat, free on site parking, the family rooms were spacious with proper additional beds. The breakfast was served in the sister hotel which was stunning and delicious. All the staff at both hotels were super helpful and friendly. Great place to stay, will be back.

10

Bradley

Jun 22, 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

The room was comfortable and we slept very well for four nights. We came to attend a conference. Breakfast and dinner at the hotel's restaurant were lovely and we enjoyed the outdoor seating with the flowers and trees on the well kept grounds of the University of Edinburgh. There were plenty of good restaurants within easy walking distance, and it was easy to cath buses to the city center for sightseeing.

6

Mrs Caroline

Sep 24, 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

I've stayed at The Scholar for many year for a conference at the nearby conference centre. It had features that were helpful for a business stay: a very large desk area, and space to unpack business clothes. Sadly, my first room had neither of these features. The old drawer unit and desk area were gone, replaced by a very small desk/vanity unit. The small closet had an upright slot for an ironing board but the ironing board no longer fitted the slot but was using up the entire full-length hanging area. The amenities tray had moved from the previous drawer unit into the small wardrobe so any items hung in the wardrobe would dangle into cupsAnd a previous sensible chair to sit on at the large desk was replaced by a small round 'pouffe' stool. There are no drawers at all to unpack into, and there was nowhere (apart from the floor) to place a suitcase so that I could 'live out of my suitcase'. I protested to the 'client relationship manager' about these things and simply got a bland 'I'm sorry we can't meet your needs'. My first room was also on the top floor, and a heavy rain shower on the roof woke me up at 3am on my first night. So I asked to be moved. Imagine my surprise to discover that my new room had an appropriate ironing board so I could hang clothes, and also a suitcase stand! Plus they brought me a proper chair. So they were perfectly able to meet my needs, after all. Ask for a lower-floor room and a suitcase stand.

10

Lisa

Nov 20, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

The room was clean with a large comfortable bed. I was visiting someone staying in uni dorms on site so the location was perfect. It was lovely and quiet and the parking was very convenient.

10

Karina

Aug 8, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Comfy, modern and quiet rooms. Clean and updated shower/bathroom. The property is tucked away surrounded by idyllic gardens and picturesque vistas with castle-like buildings nearby. Very convenient bus stop down the street. Top-notch staff are attentive and there's a chic bar area for a night cap.

10

Jacqueline

Mar 11, 2025

·

Stayed 5 nights

Lovely staff, great rooms - I'm sure those were the most comfortable hotel beds I have ever slept in.

8

Caroline

Jul 23, 2025

·

Stayed 5 nights

The staff was very nice and the place was confortable. The only issue we had was that the room was noisy at night, because our room window was close from the entrance of the hotel.

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Service

Service is a strong point, with staff repeatedly praised as friendly, helpful, and attentive. There are isolated complaints about a manager interaction and off-site reservations support.

Related guest reviews

10

Dr Ross

Jan 18, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Stayed a few times and it’s always been a pleasure however the reservations team (I assume aren’t based in hotel) are very rude and condescending. It’s a shame because the staff in house are excellent

10

Janice

Feb 5, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Absolutely fantastic hotel, wonderful staff, nothing is a problem for them, with special thanks to Emelise, Amrutha and Angelika. Made to feel very welcome. A real bonus, especially for a hotel in Edinburgh is having free parking. Will definitely be back. Thank you everyone x

2

Thomas

Jan 20, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

I have a fainting condition. I need to make sure I have adequate access to food and snacks throughout the day, especially for a demanding day walking around Edinburgh. On our first breakfast I asked for a takeout container to take a few items with us for the day. There was no issue with this and the staff were lovely about it. The next day the manager came to find us at breakfast to tell me I had taken too much food the previous day. I had taken some bread rolls, a couple pastries and a yogurt. Surprised by this I apologised and felt as if I couldn't take anything for the day. This just made my day harder for no reason. The manager made me feel embarrassed, humiliated and stressed out. There was no need to talk to me how she did in front of other guests in the restaurant. I just hope that saving the hotel £2 on leftover breakfast food was worth it for making my day harder. Maybe if someone is asking to take a few things for the day there's a reason, and I feel the manager needed to think about this. I hope in future you can think about how you treat guests with requests like these. Other than that we had a lovely couple of nights away for our anniversary but this put a real downer on the situation. It's not easy for me to prepare some food to take with me while staying in a hotel and I feel my request was perfectly reasonable. I wouldn't have mind if I'd been politely told I can't take any food. It's how the manager rudely dealt with it and how she made me feel which was the

10

Peter

May 20, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The hotel and restaurant staff were exceptional. Very friendly and helpful.

10

THOM

Jul 9, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Great staff - especially front desk they were amazing in every sense of the word.

10

Jaime

Oct 24, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

It was my first time to stay with The Scholar, and they did not disappoint. From the receptionist who welcomed me and gave the most complete information you could ever ask for on your stay to the standard of cleanliness and comfort in their rooms, it was very impressive! It would definitely be a top choice if ever I needed to go back to Edinburgh.

10

Nicoline

Mar 22, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Located on campus, which is a quiet and relaxed environment. The hotel has a lovely atmosphere and exceptionally friendly personnel - both the various people attending the reception and the cleaner I met were kind and helpful. My single room was small, but cosy and in good condition.

10

Vasiliki

Jan 20, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

We had a wonderful stay at The Scholar. The room was wonderful and very clean, the team was very polite and attentive (we received a wonderful hand written note as we were celebrating a special occasion, which was such a thoughtful touch!). It’s a 30 minute walk from the old town but the bus stop is right outside the hotel with regular buses. There was no mini fridge in the room, although we didn’t need it. Would definitely recommend.

10

Glenda

Dec 2, 2024

·

Stayed 7 nights

The staff always went above and beyond to help us with anything we needed during our stay. I highly recommend this hotel.

10

David

Oct 20, 2024

·

Stayed 4 nights

We had a wonderful stay at the Scholar. The bed was comfortable and big, and all the staff was so friendly and helpful, especially Daniela! The coffee and teas and cookies in the room were a nice touch.

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Location

Set on the University of Edinburgh campus, the location is quiet with buses nearby and a 20–30 minute walk to the Old Town. Handy for Arthur’s Seat and university events, though a bit far for some tourists.

Related guest reviews

10

Carron

Oct 28, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

First visit to this hotel and we weren’t disappointed. Whilst some may think it is out of the way we really loved the location. Views of Arthur’s Seat, free on site parking, the family rooms were spacious with proper additional beds. The breakfast was served in the sister hotel which was stunning and delicious. All the staff at both hotels were super helpful and friendly. Great place to stay, will be back.

10

Vincent

Aug 15, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Pleasant surprise! Really nice area on the university campus. 15 minute walk from city center. Comfy rooms, friendly staff and good breakfast!

10

Daniel

Feb 28, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Wonderful location right at the foot of Arthur's Seat and just a 20 minute walk to the city center

10

Heather

Sep 8, 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

Perfect spot to be based to move our daughter in to Pollock Halls at U of E. Great location to explore the city from as it mirrors what her expert will be.

10

Camellia

Oct 31, 2024

·

Stayed 4 nights

The staff were very friendly and were willing to answer any silly question I had. The hotel itself is located outside city centre, so you do need to take a bus to get in - but there are so many connections, and The Scholar is very close to the bus stop. The room was clean, and given that you aren’t quite in the heart of the city, quiet. I would book again.

10

Hayat

Jun 14, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Lovely quite hotel at the heart of Edinburgh university

10

patrick

Nov 14, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

The location of this property was ideal for a brisk walk into Old Town or a hike up Arthurs's Seat. A very clean and comfortable place to stay that I will recommend to people in the future.

10

Thomas

Jul 18, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

A very clean and comfortable hotel with helpful staff. About 20 minutes’ walk from the centre. Buses are available but I didn’t feel the need to use them. Secure cycle parking . Handy for Holyrood Park and Arthur’s Seat.

10

Ian

Aug 18, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

From the moment we arrived the stay at the Scholar was fabulous. Staff really looked after us, room was clean and spacious as was the rest of the hotel. Breakfast buffet style with pleny to choose from.

10

Rylan

Jul 15, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Excellent stay! The hotel was very comfortable and the setting was fantastic! The breakfast was top notch too. While it's a bit of a walk from the city centre, there is transit directly out front which made for an easy connection. Would definitely recommend this hotel.

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Dining

Breakfast is commonly praised for quality and choice, including Scottish options. Dinner feedback is more mixed, with a limited menu and a few disappointing dishes or temperature issues noted.

Related guest reviews

10

Caroline

Aug 17, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Well appointed rooms, clean and super friendly staff. Excellent breakfast buffet.

8

Louise

Jun 17, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Comfortable and clean. Nice bar serving reasonably priced, decent food. Breakfast ok - a little bit limited for vegetarians (no vegi sausage or hash browns).

10

Jeremy

Oct 19, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Fabulous full Scottish breakfast with fresh local produce in fabulous building served with panache.

8

Lara

Mar 11, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

The staff was overall very nice, although sometimes I did have some problems, I'm assuming with the new/novice employees. The breakfast was quite poor. I had also eaten at Arthur's (the student dining hall) and it was the same—even better than the hotel, actually. Another thing that I didn't like was the ventilation system in the bathroom. Other than that, a great stay. Thanks.

8

elizabeth

Sep 3, 2024

·

Stayed 7 nights

The property was well maintained and the staff uniformly helpful and competent. The only problem I had with a longer stay was the food. Breakfast was well run and good. Dinner had a limited menu with not enough fresh food and roughage.

10

Jennifer

Oct 10, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

The hotel was very nice. Beds were very comfortable. It was quiet and had adequate parking options. The breakfast was great, although it was temporarily at their sister hotel next door as they are currently remodeling. Staff were extremely nice. They also had a nice bar with some food items. Would definitely stay here again!

10

Christopher R

Jun 2, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Everything was great but the dinner. You were out Bolognese, which was the one menu item we were looking forward too that was something finally different than usual Scottish food. Got a Caesar salad instead that had little to no dressing. When I asked for more, I was brought a dish of mayonnaise. That was a joke and I regret paying for it. It was not good. We should have dined somewhere else.

8

Caroline

Aug 15, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

A lovely property with very friendly staff. Rooms are clean and well equipped. Nice breakfast buffet with lots of choice. Easy bus ride into Edinburgh.

10

Daniel

Sep 1, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Great breakfast, convenient for conference centre, short walk to centre of city, really great staff. Nice little bar too!

10

Poonam

Oct 12, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Despite this property being near the student accommodation it was remarkably quiet. Very clean, comfortable beds. If I had one slight criticism - it would be the wait for the cooked breakfast and it wasn’t particularly hot.

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
1 $191	2 $192	3 $183	4 $174	5 $174	6 $249	7 $312
8 $155	9 $202	10 $221	11 $218	12 $155	13 $276	14 $305
15 $164	16 $155	17 $192	18 $192	19 $264	20 $313	21 $312
22 $146	23 $171	24 $171	25 $171	26 $172	27 $286	28 $312
29 $164	30 $155

The Scholar

Prices for The Scholar

Monthly average prices

About this property

Location

Room options

Deluxe Single Room

Deluxe Double Room Single Use, Ensuite

Deluxe Twin Room, Ensuite

Deluxe Double Room, Ensuite

Family Room

Guest reviews of The Scholar

What guests think

Property Policies

Check-in instructions

Good to know

Optional extras

FAQs about The Scholar

Prices for upcoming dates

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
				1	2	3
4	5	6	7	8	9	10
11	12	13	14	15	16	17
18	19	20	21 $300	22 $257	23	24 $413
25 $238	26 $233	27 $248	28 $249	29 $230	30 $268	31 $268