New Town / Princes Street

Premier Inn Edinburgh City Centre Princes Street

★★★★★

Premier Inn Edinburgh City Centre (Princes Street) offers something no budget hotel should be able to: a view of Edinburgh Castle from your bed. It sits on Princes Street in the heart of the New Town, opposite the castle and above Princes Street Gardens, and the hotel sells specific room types with a view, so you can secure one rather than hoping. For first-time visitors on a budget it is hard to beat. Waverley Station, the Scott Monument, the Scottish National Gallery and the shops of Princes Street, George Street and Rose Street are all a short walk, and the Old Town is a climb up the Mound away. As a Premier Inn, it follows the brand's familiar formula: comfortable beds, clean modern rooms, blackout curtains and consistent standards, without the extras of a full-service hotel. Room types include doubles and twins, accessible rooms and family rooms, and the Premier Plus option adds a few upgrades for a modest supplement. The breakfast is a build-your-own buffet with hot dishes, vegetarian and vegan options and continental choices, and up to two children eat free when an adult orders breakfast, which makes a real difference for families over a few days. There is no on-site parking; the hotel points guests to the NCP car park on Castle Terrace, about ten minutes' walk away, with a discount when you validate your ticket at reception, and the city's Low Emission Zone applies. Recent guest reviews suggest that dining options and staffing can vary, with machine-based check-in at times, so treat this as a place to sleep well rather than a hotel to linger in.

Who should book it? Budget-conscious first-timers and families who want to be in the very centre, with the castle in view. The location does a lot of work: you can walk to almost everything, the airport tram and buses run along Princes Street, and Waverley is close enough to walk with luggage. Couples on a short break will enjoy the view rooms, but those wanting a hotel bar or restaurant to linger in should look elsewhere, as facilities here are basic and may vary by date.

Choosing a room: book a room type with a castle view if you can, as it transforms the stay, especially when the castle is floodlit at night. Standard rooms without a view are cheaper but less memorable. Family rooms are limited, so book early for school holidays, and check exactly how many children each room sleeps when you reserve. Princes Street is busy, with trams and buses running past, so light sleepers might ask about a room on a higher floor.

Value: rates are budget to mid-range for Edinburgh, with flexible and saver options, and they rise sharply in August and at Hogmanay, when this location is in very high demand. The children-eat-free breakfast policy adds value for families. 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 whether it is included in the price shown. For a central, castle-view bed at a fair price, it is one of the best deals in the city.