Unsurprisingly, hotel prices can soar to frankly ridiculous amounts during August in Edinburgh, looking to take advantage of the scores of people flocking to the city for the Fringe Comedy Festival.
One cheaper alternative is student accommodation, who open their rooms to the public during the holiday period. I’ve personally stayed in student housing three years in a row when visiting Edinburgh, and it’s perfectly acceptable budget accommodation.
Here’s a list of available student accommodations for staying in Edinburgh:
- Destiny Student
- Unite Students
- Yugo
- Student Castle
- Downing Students
- IQ Student Accommodation
Destiny Student
Destiny Student have three locations in the centre of Edinburgh, at Holyrood, Murano, and Shrubhill. Their private rooms each contain a double bed and en-suite bathroom with shower and toilet, while the hotel provides free WiFi, kitchen facilities, a 24/7 reception and self service laundry machines with free detergent.
Holyrood – 31 Abbeyhill, Edinburgh, EH8 8EL
Murano – Murano Place, Edinburgh, EH7 5FL
Shrubhill – 8 Middlefield, Edinburgh, EH7 4QW
Additional Information
- Check-in starts from 3pm, check-out is before 10am (late check-out of 12pm can be booked for £10).
- Linen is provided in the room, towels can be picked up from reception. Towel refreshes cost £5.
- Luggage storage costs £5 per bag per day.
- Fans, irons and hairdryers can be borrowed from reception, but are subject to availability.
- Complimentary toiletries, earplugs, sugar, tea and coffee are available at reception.
- Cash payments are not accepted.
- A fully refundable £100 damage deposit will be charged per room.
Unite Students
With a few different locations in Edinburgh, Unite Students provides a range of options when booking a short stay with them. Their facilities include laundry, a fully equipped kitchen, 24/7 front desk, and free WiFi, and depending on the location, rooms vary from non-en-suite to en-suite, to studios, to rooms with additional accessibility.
The Bridge House – 123 Fountainbridge, West Tollcross, Edinburgh, EH3 9QG
Sugarhouse Close – 41 Holyrood Road, Old Town, Edinburgh, EH8 8FF
Chalmers Street – 36 Chalmers Street, Edinburgh, EH3 9FE
Salisbury Court – 102 St Leonards Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9RD
Additional Information
- Check-in starts from 4pm, check-out is before 10am.
- Linen & towels are provided, and are changed on a weekly basis.
- Cash payments are not accepted.
Yugo
There are three central locations available by Yugo, which are all available for Summer stays. Featuring small double beds, en-suite bathrooms, free WiFi and a full equipped shared kitchen, there are also studio rooms that have a small kitchenette.
Brae House – 31 Abbeyhill, Edinburgh, EH8 8EH
Arran House – 5 Drysdale Road, Edinburgh, EH11 1FA
Canal Point – 22 West Tollcross, Edinburgh, EH3 9QW
Additional Information
- Check-in starts from 3pm, check-out is before 10am.
- Bed Linen and towels are provided.
- Luggage storage is available.
- Self service laundry is available on-site.
Student Castle
Student Castle only provides private studio rooms for a little bit of extra peace and quiet, with a private kitchen area and en-suite bathroom. Self service laundry and super-fast WiFi are available for guests.
Student Castle Edinburgh – 199 Causewayside, Edinburgh, EH9 1PH
Additional Information
- Check-in starts from 3pm, check-out is before 10:30am.
- A fully equipped gym is available 24/7 on-site.
Downing Students
Downing Students’ central Edinburgh property, New Park, offers a range of different room types and sizes including en-suite studios. On-site Laundry and free WiFi is available.
New Park – 16 Bothwell Street, Edinburgh, EH7 5PS
IQ Student Accommodation
With a property in Fountainbridge on the outskirts of the city centre, IQ Student Accommodation provides either en-suite or studio rooms with double beds, free WiFi, and onsite laundry facilities.
Fountainbridge – 114 Dundee Street, Edinburgh, EH11 1AB
Additional Information
- A minimum of 14 nights is required for booking.
Check out my article here for the best shows to catch at the 2024 Fringe Festival