Is Safestay Edinburgh Cowgate pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much does it cost to stay at Safestay Edinburgh Cowgate?

As of 15 Aug 2025, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Safestay Edinburgh Cowgate on 25 Aug 2025 start from AU$181.74, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.

How much is parking at Safestay Edinburgh Cowgate?

This property doesn't offer parking.

What time is check-in at Safestay Edinburgh Cowgate?

Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; check-in end time: anytime.

Where is Safestay Edinburgh Cowgate located?

Located in Old Town Edinburgh, this hotel is within a 5-minute walk of Edinburgh Vaults, Royal Mile and University of Edinburgh. Grassmarket and Princes Street are also within 10 minutes. St Andrew Square Tram Stop is 10 minutes by foot and Princes Street Tram Stop is 12 minutes.

Safestay Edinburgh Cowgate Reviews, Deals & Photos 2025

About the area

Located in Old Town Edinburgh, a neighbourhood in Edinburgh, Safestay Edinburgh Cowgate is near the airport and near a train station. Royal Mile and Edinburgh Castle are notable landmarks, and travellers looking to shop may want to visit Grassmarket and Princes Street. Check out an event or a game at Murrayfield Stadium, and consider making time for Edinburgh Zoo, a top attraction not to be missed.

Visit our Edinburgh travel guide

10/10 Excellent

Calvin

11 July 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities

Perfect place thank You

Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

8/10 Good

Elisabeth

11 July 2025

Liked: Property conditions & facilities

The location is amazing. Staff is very nice. The shared bathroom was not perfectly clean and a bit smelly, that's why I gave it 4 stars instead of 5.

Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2025

6/10 Okay

Nadia

9 Aug 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service

clean, spacious room and toilet. Not enough hanging hooks. Windows MUST be changed, loud music comes from the pub in front until 3 A.M !!!

Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

2/10 Terrible

Colin

4 Aug 2025

Liked: Cleanliness

Disliked: Property conditions & facilities

I liked the closeness to pubs and clubs & the smoking area. I hated the bunk beds & the noise of the people in the room with me. I didn't sleep at all

Big reception area was good but the room was awful. I couldn't sleep, the bunk beds are noisy & uncomfy.

Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

SUTHASINEE

11 May 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities

Really near market, castles, museum and compare with the price I’ll give it 10/10

Stayed 1 night in May 2025

8/10 Good

Jerilyn

16 May 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities

Disliked: Amenities

Felt safe and clean. Will definitely stay again if ever in Edinburgh.

Stayed 3 nights in May 2025

8/10 Good

Sydney

30 July 2025

Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities

The hostel was very close to the heart of the city, so it was near shopping, food, and activities. We didn’t need public transport for anything except getting to the airport. The hostel is directly next door to an outdoor bar/music venue, so there was noise at all hours of the day. Since there is no A/C, the windows needed to stay open, so we were constantly hearing whatever was going on across the street. It didn’t bother us any, but it may bother you if you are a light sleeper and/or are traveling with children. My one critique of the hostel is that the bathrooms were quite dirty, and they smelled pretty bad.

Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2025

6/10 Okay

Stephen

11 June 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities

The only downside was the noise from the doors outside our room banging, and the conversations being had outside our room late at night and early in the morning. But for £40, what would we expect? We'd stay again, though.

Stayed 1 night in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Melanie

12 July 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities

Great experience, exceeded my expectations over value for money. The bunks have privacy screens around the head and feet of the bed, which made sharing a room feel less invasive. Music can be heard from the bar around the front of the building (it’s summer, so we had the windows open) but it wasn’t an issue, my days were so packed with walking and exploring that I slept really well! I found the bed comfy. Showers did the job, I brought my own towel. Would recommend bringing a padlock for your locker if you are concerned about valuables, but it would better serve not bringing ‘valuables’ (if possible) in the first place. I love Edinburgh and a place like this really encourages me to visit more regularly. Thanks Safestay!

Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2025

8/10 Good

Liliane

14 Apr 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities

For just one night the hostel was ok. The only thing that bothered me was the large group of people who were together and talking very loudly and with music playing late at night.

Stayed 1 night in Apr 2025

10/10 Excellent

melvin

1 Aug 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities

Can’t say enough good about this place. Our second stay here. Staff and management are wonderful!

Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2024

8/10 Good

Anne-Marie

29 June 2024

Very friendly staff

Stayed 1 night in Jun 2024

6/10 Okay

Hannah

20 June 2024

Liked: Staff & service

Disliked: Property conditions & facilities

Beds and toilets were a little rickety, but otherwise it was pretty good. Convenient location, good staff, easy to get to places around it, and quite affordable.

Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2024

2/10 Terrible

Jess

8 Aug 2024

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities

Would not recommend staying here, rude staff and constantly felt very unsafe in the building.

Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2024

8/10 Good

Karen

8 Sept 2024

Liked: Cleanliness

Disliked: Property conditions & facilities

The bunk beds were rough. Saturday nights are noisy but other nights were quiet.

Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2024

2/10 Terrible

Justin

19 Oct 2024

Disliked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities

Outdated, not clean, hot water didn’t work. Loud, way better options around

Stayed 1 night in Oct 2024

6/10 Okay

Lisa

20 July 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities

Disliked: Amenities

If you need a good nights sleep, you won't get it here. But! It is clean, and I (solo female traveler) felt safe.

Stayed 1 night in Jul 2024

2/10 Terrible

Helen

8 Oct 2024

Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities

I had a worst experienced in this hostel, its a small space and too noisy because the building is accross the pub bar and the toilets are so dirty and the showers terrible it won’t shut off and the water that came out was too hot! I am not gonna recommend this hostel to anyone!

Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2024

6/10 Okay

Brittney

11 Nov 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service

No individual charging port, only had a power strip that had to be charged. No shelf or light in the bunks. No bathroom in the room, had to use a communal bathroom. Which would have been fine but two of the three showers were out of order and the toilet didn’t have toilet paper. Location was good.

Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2024

2/10 Terrible

Rebecca

22 Aug 2024

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities

Lousy storage, have to pay for a lock. Poor room layouts. So loud opposite the pub

Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2024

6/10 Okay

Chiara

19 June 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Disliked: Staff & service

Good but…

Good position but the service is very basic. You have to pay for any extra.

Stayed 1 night in Jun 2024

6/10 Okay

STEPHEN

15 June 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service

Disliked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities

Staff friendly & helpful. Room clean. Bed allocation system chaotic. Breakfast Extremely limited. No wi fi. Bathroom door lock poor

Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2024

2/10 Terrible

Arthit

18 June 2024

Liked: Cleanliness

Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities

The booking system is totally unreliable. Double booking of a same bed is common. Staff is trying very hard to fix this system errors but they keep coming. Maybe wait until they are really ready if you don't want to be a lab mouse.

Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2024

2/10 Terrible

Meret

23 Sept 2024

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities

Massive facility that's poorly kept. No toilet paper, soap or toilet seats in the bathroom! Only sell (don't rent) towels for 6 pounds if you dare use their showers. Loud club across the street. We rented a private and were told when we checked in that the room wasn't available and we had to take a shared room instead. No solutions were available bc the manager wasn't onsite. If you like not sleeping, loud music and no safe place to lock up your stuff, then this is the place for you.

Stayed 1 night in Sep 2024

4/10 Poor

Karen

15 Apr 2025

Disliked: Staff & service

April 2025 stay at Cowgate safestay

I like the location in old town. However it was very hot inside the rooms there were no fans and the windows did not open. The first room I was put into was so small before bunks that I could barely move and they put me on a top bunk which I requested a bottom bunk. I was very unhappy about this and asked to be moved. The initial response was no that they were full in fact overbooked and I was told they did not know where everyone was going to steep that night. This was disturbing news to me. What are the staff came back and offered to move me to a six bunk room someone had not checked in and there was a mix up. This was a completely satisfactory bed and there was room in the room to move however again it was hot and stuffy and the windows did not open. I found the continent of breakfast to be very expensive for what was offered. I was also not very impressive there was nowhere to store food in a cooler or fridge. It was quite noisy with a bar two bars across the street however I dear plugs in the noise didn't bother me. The slamming of the doors did. Although I really like the location I would not stay here again. It is not close to the tram from the airport however I did not mind the walk. I also felt nickled and dimed. Even though I had a reservation for that day they charged me for luggage storage and after I checked out and had a few hours to spare the charged me another few pounds. There's a lot that could be done to improve the services offered here.

Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2025

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Safestay Edinburgh Cowgate

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