Old Town / Lauriston Place

Novotel Edinburgh Centre

★★★★★

Novotel Edinburgh Centre is the hotel to choose if you want an Old Town location, a pool and space for a family without paying Royal Mile prices. It stands on Lauriston Place, on the southern edge of the Old Town, and the map is its best selling point: the Grassmarket is about a two-minute walk downhill, Edinburgh Castle roughly five minutes beyond, and the National Museum of Scotland, Greyfriars Kirkyard and the Meadows, the city's big green park, are all close. The street itself is calmer than the Royal Mile or the Grassmarket, which helps at bedtime. As a Novotel it follows the brand's family-friendly approach, and that shows in the rooms. The Classic Family Room sleeps up to four, with a double bed and a double sofa bed, and the Superior rooms can also take four, so a family of four can share one room comfortably rather than paying for two. Other room types run from standard doubles to a suite. Downstairs, the leisure facilities include a heated indoor pool, a spa and a fitness centre, which earns its keep on wet days and after long walks up and down the hills. The Tap Kitchen and Bar serves breakfast and dinner, with a menu designed to keep both adults and children happy, and there is a bar for a drink once the children are in bed. The hotel also has on-site car parking, which is unusual this close to the Old Town and valuable for families on a road trip around Scotland, though the city's Low Emission Zone applies, so check your vehicle. The hotel is cashless.

Who is it for? Families with children of any age are the obvious fit: four-person rooms, a pool and a central-but-calm street are exactly what a family trip to Edinburgh needs. It also suits couples and friends who prefer predictable, modern comfort to historic character, and drivers touring Scotland who want to leave the car parked while they explore on foot. If you want a sense of place in the building itself, look at the Old Town's smaller hotels instead; Novotel's style is contemporary and international rather than Scottish heritage.

The neighbourhood: Lauriston Place sits between the Grassmarket and the Meadows, near the university and the old Royal Infirmary site. That means good cafes and casual restaurants, and easy access to both the Old Town sights and the quieter south side. Walk down the Vennel steps from nearby for the classic castle view, cross the Grassmarket into Victoria Street, and you are on the Royal Mile in fifteen minutes. The Meadows are ideal for letting children run around, and in spring the cherry blossom along the paths is lovely. Waverley Station is around fifteen to twenty minutes on foot, or a short taxi ride with luggage.

Value and booking: rates are mid-range for central Edinburgh and offer strong value for families, since one family room replaces two standard rooms elsewhere. Prices rise steeply in August and at Hogmanay, so book early for those dates. 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. Check whether parking needs to be reserved when you book, and what breakfast and children's meals your rate includes.