East End / Top of Leith Walk

Courtyard by Marriott Edinburgh

★★★★★

Courtyard by Marriott Edinburgh is a smart choice for travellers who want a dependable international mid-range hotel in a well-connected spot just east of the New Town. It sits at 1 to 3 Baxter's Place, at the top of Leith Walk, the long road that runs from the city centre down to Leith. The location is better than it might first sound. Directly across the road is the Edinburgh Playhouse, one of the largest theatres in Britain and the city's home of touring musicals, so this is the obvious hotel for a show night. The St James Quarter, the big shopping, dining and leisure development that replaced the old St James Centre, is a minute or two away, as is the tram stop at Picardy Place, with trams running to Princes Street and the airport in one direction and down Leith Walk to the Shore and Newhaven in the other. Calton Hill, with its famous views, rises just behind, and Waverley Station is around ten minutes' walk. The hotel occupies historic buildings at Baxter's Place, which gives it a little more character than the brand's usual purpose-built hotels, and the restaurant and bar is the 1802 Lounge Grill. Rooms follow the Courtyard template: contemporary, comfortable and practical, with good beds, work desks and free Wi-Fi, designed for both leisure and business guests. Marriott Bonvoy members earn and redeem points here, which can make it particularly good value for regular Marriott travellers. Service is professional and consistent rather than boutique, and that predictability is a large part of the appeal.

Who is it for? Theatre-goers, first-time visitors who value transport links, Marriott loyalists and couples who want easy access to both the New Town and Leith. It also suits travellers who plan to eat out a lot: Broughton, one of the city's best small neighbourhoods for restaurants and bars, is just north, and Leith's waterfront dining is a few tram stops away. Families can make it work, but there is no pool, and the Old Town sights are a longer walk than from hotels on the Royal Mile.

Location in practice: walking to the Royal Mile takes about fifteen to twenty minutes via the North Bridge, and the castle a little longer. The tram makes the airport easy without a taxi, and buses along Leith Walk are frequent. Calton Hill is the best short walk from the door, especially at sunset, and the Royal Yacht Britannia is an easy tram ride down to Ocean Terminal. The area around Picardy Place has been extensively redeveloped, and it is busy with shoppers by day and theatre crowds in the evening, then calmer late at night than the Cowgate or the Grassmarket.

Value and booking: rates sit in the mid-range for central Edinburgh, rising in August and at Hogmanay like everywhere else, and on nights when big shows are running at the Playhouse. Bonvoy member rates and points redemptions can bring the price down. Edinburgh's visitor levy, five per cent of the room price before VAT for the first five nights, applies to stays from 24 July 2026, so check what your rate includes. For a calm, well-connected and predictable stay on the east side of the centre, it is a sensible pick.