Most-reviewed stay
University Residence, Summer Stays
Pollock Halls (Summer Stays at the University of Edinburgh)
University residence at 18 Holyrood Park Road in Edinburgh's Southside and Newington.
Southside And Newington
Southside and Newington sits south of the Old Town, within walking distance of the Royal Mile and close to the University of Edinburgh. The area's student character keeps prices lower than the city centre, and buses along Nicolson Street run straight into town. The stays compared here include one hostel with dorm beds from £20 per night, several guesthouses with rooms from £100, and a university residence available during vacation periods.
Southside And Newington Stays Compared By Price And Rating
This area is one of Edinburgh's best-value pockets for guesthouses. Rooms here start at £100 per night, with one well-rated option at 8.2 out of 10 from 736 reviews and another at 8 out of 10 from 1,537 reviews. The hostel, rated 7.5 out of 10 across 2,637 reviews, offers a kitchen and luggage storage but no round-the-clock reception, so check the live listing for check-in limits before booking (see Cheapest Hostel Booking).
Southside Backpackers, Argyle Place
Argyle Backpackers
Hostel · Southside and Newington
from £20 per night, dorm bedHostel at 14 Argyle Place in Edinburgh's Southside and Newington, with dorm beds from £20 a night.
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Mayfield Guesthouse, Doubles
Arrandale Guest House
Guesthouse · Southside and Newington
from £100 per night, double roomGuesthouse at 28 Mayfield Gardens in Edinburgh's Southside and Newington, with double rooms from £100 a night.
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Minto Street Guesthouse, Doubles
Edinburgh Holiday Guest House
Guesthouse · Southside and Newington
from £120 per night, double roomGuesthouse at 7 Minto Street in Edinburgh's Southside and Newington, with double rooms from £120 a night.
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Southside Guesthouse, Craigmillar Park
Kingsley Guest House
Guesthouse · Southside and Newington
from £102 per night, double roomGuesthouse at 30 Craigmillar Park in Edinburgh's Southside and Newington.
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Southside Guesthouse, Newington
Southside Guest House
Guesthouse · Southside and Newington
from £150 per night, double roomGuesthouse in Edinburgh's Southside and Newington.
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Morningside Flat, Sleeps 4
Charming Morningside Flat in Edinburgh
Apartment · Southside and Newington
2-bedroom apartment in Edinburgh's Southside and Newington that sleeps 4.
Check availability →Picking The Right Stay In Southside
Budget is the first filter. Solo travellers and backpackers get the lowest cost per bed at the hostel, though it lacks a 24-hour reception, so late arrivals need planning. Couples and families will find the guesthouses better suited: four of them sit within a narrow £100 to £150 band, which means the rating and the specific street matter more than small price gaps when deciding between them.
Longer stays reward a different choice. The university residence has a lift and a large review base behind its 8.1 rating, and it often undercuts hotels when rooms free up outside term time. The apartment, with a kitchen and a strong if thinly reviewed score, suits anyone who wants to self-cater. Note that each rating below keeps its own platform's scale, out of 5 or out of 10, so they are not directly interchangeable.
Booking At The Right Time
August changes everything. Fringe venues cluster nearby, and guides consistently advise booking nine to twelve months ahead, so October to December of the previous year, for the best choice and rates. By January or February the affordable central rooms are thinning out. A November midweek night is the cheapest window: dorm beds from £20, guesthouse doubles from £100. Hogmanay works the same way, with cheaper options selling off by mid-September.