a&o Edinburgh City
50 Blackfriars Street, Edinburgh EH1 1NE Scotland
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Avg. C$155 /night, 10/6 - 10/7
C$341
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4.0
#13 of 55 hostels in EdinburghLocation
Cleanliness
Service
Value
Located just off the Royal Mile in the heart of Edinburgh's Old Town, Safestay Hostel, Edinburgh, redefines the hostel experience. Safestay Hostel is an award winning stylish five-star hostel with great facilities that make it the ideal choice for value accommodation in the heart of Edinburgh. Safestay Hostel's rooms are clean, comfortable and spacious and all have en-suite facilities. The hostel can provide private rooms as well as larger dorm style living so there really is something for everyone. Safestay hostel really is the ultimate urban retreat with Bar 50, a fully licensed restaurant and bar, with free Wi-Fi, Sky Sports, pool table, and a great atmosphere. There is also a 24 hour reception, no curfew, and all of Edinburgh's lively night scene and famed attractions on your doorstep. Safestay also offers fantastic City break deals, family and friend packages, group offers and stag and hen specials as well as seasonal offers. So what are you waiting for? Come and see for yourself why Safestay Hostel is the smart choice for your journey to Scotland's vibrant and historic Capital city.
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Property amenities
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Bar / lounge
Evening entertainment
Taxi service
24-hour security
Baggage storage
24-hour front desk
Laundry service
Wifi
Restaurant
Breakfast buffet
Vending machine
Non-smoking hotel
ATM on site
Room features
Safe
Bath / shower
Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Family rooms
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Budget
Modern
Languages Spoken
English
Location
50 Blackfriars Street, Edinburgh EH1 1NE Scotland
Getting there
Great for walkers
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
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Detailed Reviews
Came here over the weekend for a city getaway. Couldn’t have been happier with the service from check in to having a few drinks the bar. The rooms were impeccable and we were very happy with the compliance with current regulations (as you can imagine we were wary of how it would be), our private room might have just been above the bar smoking so as to be expected we heard a bit of noise till late. The staff could not have been more helpful with recommendations when wanting to see the city, and were generally just friendly and attentive. Had been recommended to stay here by a friend from before the current climate and would recommend to anyone thinking of visiting Edinburgh now.
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Date of stay: September 2020Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Safestay Edinburgh, Other at a&o Edinburgh City
Responded Sep 22, 2020
Thank you very much for your nice review! We are very happy to know that you liked our location and found our staff friendly and helpful. We hope you also had a great time exploring our beautiful Edinburgh and have safe travels ahead. Take care! Reception team 😊
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Staff are very friendly, rooms are some of the best I have ever stayed in and great prices. Curtains on beds which are a really good idea, modern, clean, warm, en-suite and very quiet, I had no problems sleeping at all. They have a great bar area with excellent food at very reasonable prices. I wish I stayed here before when visiting Edinburgh. Will certainly be staying here again.
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Date of stay: January 2020Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from SafestayEdinburgh, Reception at a&o Edinburgh City
Responded Jan 7, 2020
Thank you so much for your great review ! We hope to see you the next time you visit Edinburgh Best wishes, Reception Team
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Arrived extremely early (very tired) and was welcomed by a easygoing, helpful receptionist. He helped me to store my luggage and showed me a place where I could get changed (bearing in mind it was 10am usually the time people check out). I was amazed at how cheap this hostel was for its location and cleanliness throughout my stay, really good value for money! Checked in at 2pm after exploring some of the city’s sights. Later in the evening I met another lovely receptionist which was super helpful while making me feel at ease.
Massive thanks to Peter and Ariana for being so competent, helpful and accommodating! Will definitely stay here again next time I’m in town.
Massive thanks to Peter and Ariana for being so competent, helpful and accommodating! Will definitely stay here again next time I’m in town.
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Date of stay: June 2021
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip: Bring your own small padlock for the locker in the room.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Safestay Edinburgh, Other at a&o Edinburgh City
Responded Jun 25, 2021
Thank you very much for your nice review! We are very happy to know that you enjoyed your stay with us. We hope you also had a great time exploring our beautiful Edinburgh and we are looking forward to welcoming you back. Take care! Reception team 😊
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
First off, I'd like to start by saying that I understand that the noise issues are out of the reach of regular staff at this hostel. However, I do believe that people looking into booking a room here should be made aware that there is significant noise coming from the bar below and also the bars and pubs in the area, and this made it very difficult to sleep. In addition, the sleep wasn't helped by the incredibly squeaky beds and stone hard mattresses.
Second, my biggest issue with our stay was the general uncleanliness of the room. Upon arrival, we immediately noticed that there was no hand soap in the dispenser in our en-suite. We went to reception to ask for more hand soap and were given body wash instead. As body wash is not the same as antibacterial hand soap, we went to a nearby shop to purchase our own soap. I think that in Covid times especially, this is not okay, and poses a health hazard.
In addition, there was a used coffee mug in our room with coffee stains and a used stirrer next to it. There was also a layer of dust everywhere, including A LOT of dust on the floor, which made it seem like the room had barely been cleaned. Again, due to Covid, this made us feel incredibly unsafe and uncomfortable on what was meant to be a lovely getaway now that it is finally allowed.
Prior to the visit, I had been sent emails about all the ways Safestay was upping their hygiene and cleanliness, and I was shocked to find the state of our room. A used coffee cup in a room would be gross in regular times, however in the current state of the world I think it is unacceptable, as is the lack of hand soap on the premises (as the receptionist could not provide an additional one upon request).
Overall, we were very disappointed in our stay, especially as this hostel has great reviews on here which we trusted. It's in a good location but I would think twice before booking here due to the noise, uncomfortable beds, and the very unclean room which seemed it hadn't been cleaned at all.
I have stayed at fantastic budget hostels before, which were way cleaner and staff much more helpful. Definitely would not stay here again.
Second, my biggest issue with our stay was the general uncleanliness of the room. Upon arrival, we immediately noticed that there was no hand soap in the dispenser in our en-suite. We went to reception to ask for more hand soap and were given body wash instead. As body wash is not the same as antibacterial hand soap, we went to a nearby shop to purchase our own soap. I think that in Covid times especially, this is not okay, and poses a health hazard.
In addition, there was a used coffee mug in our room with coffee stains and a used stirrer next to it. There was also a layer of dust everywhere, including A LOT of dust on the floor, which made it seem like the room had barely been cleaned. Again, due to Covid, this made us feel incredibly unsafe and uncomfortable on what was meant to be a lovely getaway now that it is finally allowed.
Prior to the visit, I had been sent emails about all the ways Safestay was upping their hygiene and cleanliness, and I was shocked to find the state of our room. A used coffee cup in a room would be gross in regular times, however in the current state of the world I think it is unacceptable, as is the lack of hand soap on the premises (as the receptionist could not provide an additional one upon request).
Overall, we were very disappointed in our stay, especially as this hostel has great reviews on here which we trusted. It's in a good location but I would think twice before booking here due to the noise, uncomfortable beds, and the very unclean room which seemed it hadn't been cleaned at all.
I have stayed at fantastic budget hostels before, which were way cleaner and staff much more helpful. Definitely would not stay here again.
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Date of stay: June 2021
Location
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip: Not applicable. Unable to recommend any room.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Safestay Edinburgh, Other at a&o Edinburgh City
Responded Jun 8, 2021
Thank you Ellen for writing us a review. We are very sorry to hear that you didn’t enjoy your stay with us as you expected. We are currently investigation the issues you had with the room and what exactly happened. We will pass on your comments to the relevant department in order to work on this issue as soon as we can. Apologize again about that and hope you had a great time in Edinburgh and safe travels ahead. All the best.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Myself and a group of 21 friends had made a reservation at Safestay Edinburgh for my stag party on March 13th – March 15th 2020. We were due to travel from Ireland West airport Knock for two nights and travel back to Ireland on March 15th.
On Thursday March 5th, we woke up to the news that the airline, Flybe, had gone into administration, partly due to the impact that the Covid19 virus had caused on their business. We scrambled to try to find alternative flights from Dublin and Shannon but all flights were in excess of €300 and having already lost out on the money from the Flybe flights, this was too much.
I contacted Safestay Edinburgh to explain the situation with the airline and with Covid19 and although I absolutely recognize the fact that we did book the rooms at the non-refundable rate, in these unprecedented and remarkable circumstances, Safestay were completely unwilling to offer any leniency with their non-refundable policy and charged us full rate although the airline had gone into administration and the governments were telling us to avoid non-essential travel. I did receive an email back from the general manager who advised 'there are flights from Dublin'.
There was absolutely no human decency or understanding shown on the part of Safestay and I will never consider staying at a Safestay ever again.
On Thursday March 5th, we woke up to the news that the airline, Flybe, had gone into administration, partly due to the impact that the Covid19 virus had caused on their business. We scrambled to try to find alternative flights from Dublin and Shannon but all flights were in excess of €300 and having already lost out on the money from the Flybe flights, this was too much.
I contacted Safestay Edinburgh to explain the situation with the airline and with Covid19 and although I absolutely recognize the fact that we did book the rooms at the non-refundable rate, in these unprecedented and remarkable circumstances, Safestay were completely unwilling to offer any leniency with their non-refundable policy and charged us full rate although the airline had gone into administration and the governments were telling us to avoid non-essential travel. I did receive an email back from the general manager who advised 'there are flights from Dublin'.
There was absolutely no human decency or understanding shown on the part of Safestay and I will never consider staying at a Safestay ever again.
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Date of stay: March 2020
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Safestay Edinburgh, Other at a&o Edinburgh City
Responded Mar 16, 2020
Thank you for taking the time to write us a review. We understand the situation you are in at the moment, we are continuously following the guidelines of the Government and will be doing so as the situation progresses. Please do not hesitate to call us if you would like to further discuss your case. Kind Regards, Reception Team
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
The place is very clean and quiet, the staff is helpful and patient in answering any question. The location is great, just a few minutes from the castle and Waverley station. There's also a pub just below the rooms, which is very nice and serve very good food.
Being during the covid pandemic, we felt very safe staying at this accommodation. Just a suggestion, bring your own hairdryer if you think you'll need it, because due to covid you can't borrow one from them.
We only had a problem: parking. On Booking we read that there was parking available, but it turned out that they don't have any, you just have to park in the city, which costs £25 per day. They didn't offer us any other option. As parking is free during the night (6.30 pm to 8.30 am) we solved the problem by bringing the car to a park-and-ride (which are free) during the day and taking a train back to the city centre. Very annoying, but much cheaper since we were only 2 people.
Being during the covid pandemic, we felt very safe staying at this accommodation. Just a suggestion, bring your own hairdryer if you think you'll need it, because due to covid you can't borrow one from them.
We only had a problem: parking. On Booking we read that there was parking available, but it turned out that they don't have any, you just have to park in the city, which costs £25 per day. They didn't offer us any other option. As parking is free during the night (6.30 pm to 8.30 am) we solved the problem by bringing the car to a park-and-ride (which are free) during the day and taking a train back to the city centre. Very annoying, but much cheaper since we were only 2 people.
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Date of stay: September 2020
Value
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Safestay Edinburgh, Other at a&o Edinburgh City
Responded Oct 6, 2020
Thank you very much r0by583 for sharing your experience in our hostel. We appreciate the support and feedback, and we are glad to know that you enjoyed your stay with us. We hope you also had a great time exploring our beautiful Edinburgh and have safe travels ahead. Take care! Reception team 😊
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
I am not one to leave a negative review however, we were left very disappointed by this hostel especially after reading so many positive reviews. On entering our room we found many problems: the shower had a lingering smell of urine, the cold water tap didn’t work (even after asking maintenance to fix it, clearly they didn’t), the toilet would take up to 6 tries to flush but most frustratingly the room was extremely hot to the point that it felt suffocating and impossible to sleep. We were also concerned about the safety at the hostel. On arrival we were leered at by a much older man who came and stood right behind us making noises and staring yet staff said nothing despite our clear discomfort. This discomfort continued throughout our stay, on our last night we were startled by a member of staff banging on our door at 1am demanding he needed to “investigate our room” but not providing any further information or even announcing himself as a member of staff. As 3 young girls we did not feel comfortable opening our door to a random man and presumed if they worked at the hostel they could access it without needing us to open the door. When we explained the reasoning behind our refusal to open the door, he became irate and said our feelings of un safety were not his problem. He also accused us of throwing items out of the window and having a noise complaint filed against us when we were merely sat watching a film on our phones. He did not apologise for his false accusations and still treated us like we did something wrong. Overall, the location is probably the only positive and I would not recommend this hostel especially for female travellers.
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Date of stay: June 2021Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Reception Team, General Manager at a&o Edinburgh City
Responded Feb 26, 2024
Thank you for your review and for taking the time to share your experience with us. We're sorry to hear that your stay with us was unpleasant and that our hostel failed to meet your expectations. We always strive to provide a comfortable, safe environment for all of our guests and regret that we couldn't provide that for you this time. Respect for each other is at the core of what we believe in, so we take it very seriously when any guest feels uncomfortable or is treated with less respect than they deserve. We believe every guest should feel safe in our hostel and therefore treat these reports very seriously. Thank you again for bringing this to our attention, and we hope you will consider giving us a second chance in the future. Best, A&O Edinburgh
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Stayed here recently while visiting Edinburgh and had a thoroughly enjoyable experience.
Location is ideal situated smack in the middle of the lively Cowgate area of the town and a mere five minutes walk from both the Castle and Princes Street. Transport links are great with Waverley not even ten minutes away.
Room is excellent considering price and staff were friendly throughout. There is also a lively bar with pool tables, good drink selections, and good, cheap food downstairs.
Would definitely recommend!
Location is ideal situated smack in the middle of the lively Cowgate area of the town and a mere five minutes walk from both the Castle and Princes Street. Transport links are great with Waverley not even ten minutes away.
Room is excellent considering price and staff were friendly throughout. There is also a lively bar with pool tables, good drink selections, and good, cheap food downstairs.
Would definitely recommend!
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Date of stay: February 2020
Location
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Safestay Edinburgh, Other at a&o Edinburgh City
Responded Mar 17, 2020
Thank you very much for your nice review! We are very happy to know that you enjoyed every part of the Safestay experience. We hope you also had a great time exploring our beautiful Edinburgh and have safe travels ahead. Take care! Reception team 😊
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
A large, friendly entryhall and a friendly welcome by the receptionist are the best memories I'll keep of this place. The room is clean but everyting is bolted down, telling tales of the sort of visitors that the place attracts, no chair to have a seat, the bunk beds to low to comfortable sit on. The building is old, noisy, orphanage like. Sting probably would have sang: 'every move you make, every breath you take, I will be listening', had he visited this place.
The restaurant is as uncosy as can be, the staff not seeming particular happy to work there, the cost of the food a 1:1 reflection of the quality.
It seems a good choice if you just need to bridge on night before or after flying but actually....nah.
The restaurant is as uncosy as can be, the staff not seeming particular happy to work there, the cost of the food a 1:1 reflection of the quality.
It seems a good choice if you just need to bridge on night before or after flying but actually....nah.
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Date of stay: August 2020Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Safestay Edinburgh, Other at a&o Edinburgh City
Responded Aug 3, 2020
Thank you for taking the time to write us a review. We are happy you found our reception staff friendly and helpful on your arrival. We are very sorry to hear that you didn’t enjoy your stay with us as you expected. The issues you mentioned about your room will be investigated. Our bar food is usually highly rated, so we do apologize about your experience and will pass on your comments to the relevant department. We hope you had a great time exploring our beautiful Edinburgh and have safe travels ahead. Take care!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We knew it was a cheap way to spend the night in Edinburgh and we didn't mind the basic room and facilities however, the noise from the nearby bars/courtyard was unbearable. Music blaring until 3am. Shouting/singing. We just couldn't sleep. So, if you want to sleep during your visit, don't stay here.
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Date of stay: August 2021Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Reception Team, General Manager at a&o Edinburgh City
Responded Feb 26, 2024
Thank you for taking the time to provide us with your feedback. We appreciate you choosing our hotel as your accommodation in Edinburgh. While we are pleased that you found the room and facilities to be basic, we understand your frustration with the noise coming from nearby bars and courtyards. At our hostel, we strive to ensure all guests have a peaceful and restful stay. We regret that was not the case this time around and would love to have another opportunity to provide you with a better experience next time. Again, thank you for sharing your review with us and we hope to see you again soon! Best, A&O Edinburgh
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
There's cupboards, but if you want to lock them you have to bring your own padlock or buy one from reception.
Hi, I think so. We had three rooms and all of us left the luggage without any problems!
Hi, just saw ur msg. No hairdryer in the room I shared
I seen a few children staying here when I was here but it was mostly solo travellers or small groups of friends.
"the DJ nights on a Wednesday night is only suitable for people over the age of 18 yrs in this hotel and they offer breakfast on a mornings"Read full review
"Wee bit difficult to find, kinda below street level. But then Edinburgh is like that"Read full review
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PRICE RANGE
C$160 - C$310 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
smart city hostels edinburgh hotel edinburgh
FORMERLY KNOWN AS
Safestay Edinburgh
LOCATION
United KingdomScotlandEdinburghCowgate / Old Town
NUMBER OF ROOMS
132
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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Frequently Asked Questions about a&o Edinburgh City
Which popular attractions are close to a&o Edinburgh City?
Nearby attractions include National Museum of Scotland (0.4 km), The Real Mary King's Close (0.3 km), and Edinburgh Old Town (0.4 km).
What are some of the property amenities at a&o Edinburgh City?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free wifi, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge.
What food & drink options are available at a&o Edinburgh City?
Guests can enjoy an on-site restaurant and a lounge during their stay.
What are some restaurants close to a&o Edinburgh City?
Conveniently located restaurants include Hot Toddy, Makars Gourmet Mash Bar, and Solti.
Is a&o Edinburgh City located near the city centre?
Yes, it is 0.8 km away from the centre of Edinburgh.
Are there any historical sites close to a&o Edinburgh City?
Many travellers enjoy visiting The Real Mary King's Close (0.3 km), Palace of Holyroodhouse (0.9 km), and Gladstone's Land (0.5 km).
Is a&o Edinburgh City accessible?
Yes, it offers wheelchair access. For specific enquiries, we recommend calling ahead to confirm.