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city · Scotland
Choose an Edinburgh base by the part of the city you want to return to after dinner. Grassmarket puts the Old Town and castle backdrop into the stay; Waterloo Place offers a New Town-side starting point for exploring both halves of the centre. Compare the real walking route, since a short distance on a map can still involve a climb or steps.
Compare the stays ↓
FIND YOUR BASE
Apex Grassmarket is our comparison for staying below the castle and making an Old Town evening central to the trip. A specified castle-view room may make time at the hotel part of the occasion.
Good for: First visits, couples and visitors prioritising Old Town atmosphere.
Before you choose: Views belong to named categories. Check the route to the Royal Mile and your arrival with luggage rather than assuming the castle’s closeness means level access.
Apex Waterloo Place provides a different setting for a stay spanning the Old and New Towns. Compare it with your Waverley arrival and the particular exit or transport connection you intend to use.
Good for: Rail arrivals and visitors dividing time across the centre.
Before you choose: Confirm current arrival notices and the room layout. Family-bed wording on the official page is inconsistent, so request the precise setup.
Before a concert, festival or celebration, locate the actual venue and choose the return journey you want. Neither of our two central examples is a shortcut to every part of Edinburgh.
Good for: Trips with a fixed booking.
Before you choose: Avoid making a long cross-city return the final task of a packed sightseeing day. Check late transport for your dates.
ROMANTIC BREAKS
If the castle outlook matters, book that named category and leave time to enjoy it. Otherwise, a convenient dinner route and a room that suits your access needs may matter more than the view.
FAMILY BREAKS
Choose one main visit and build in a return to the room. Grassmarket’s family category lists two double beds; Waterloo Place needs direct confirmation of its exact additional bed arrangement.
A LITTLE ROOM TO EXPLORE
A suggested short break with room to enjoy your chosen base.
Leave bags before taking on the Old Town climbs. Make dinner local to your hotel and confirm the next day’s essential booking.
Choose the castle and Old Town, or a New Town-led day, then add only a nearby stop that fits your energy. Leave a generous gap before an evening performance.
A café or garden-side pause can be enough before collecting bags. Do not add a distant district when you have a fixed train or airport transfer.
Less time? For one night, choose the Old Town or New Town as the main daytime focus and keep the evening close. Save a wider city circuit for a longer stay.
ROOM FOR YOUR NEXT TRIP
Two central hotel locations illustrate the Old Town versus New Town-side choice. They are not a city-wide ranking.
Grassmarket, Edinburgh
An Old Town setting for a break around Grassmarket, castle views and a local evening. Choose the outlook explicitly rather than expecting it from every bedroom.
Why compare it: Compare for an Old Town evening and a specifically selected castle-view room.
Before you book: Ask about room position and the route with luggage. Grassmarket is below the castle, so proximity does not remove climbs or steps.
Visit official website23-27 Waterloo Place, Edinburgh, EH1 3BG
A Waterloo Place alternative on the New Town side for visitors balancing a Waverley arrival with both halves of the centre.
Why compare it: Compare for Waterloo Place and a stay spanning the Old and New Towns.
Before you book: Confirm the actual family bed arrangement: headings and descriptions differ on the official page. Check current arrival notices and accessibility directly.
Visit official websiteBEFORE YOU CHOOSE
No. The operator distinguishes City rooms from specific Castle View categories, with balconies attached to a particular Deluxe category.
No. Plan the actual route and discuss access needs with the hotel. A map distance cannot tell you whether steps, gradients or luggage will make it inconvenient.
Get the bed layout confirmed. Waterloo Place’s official headings and description use different wording for the extra bed, so our guide does not promise a particular configuration.
First confirm which venue your event uses, then compare the return journey and the rest of your plans. The city has many event locations.
Yes, one base can support a visit to both. Pace the itinerary around your own mobility and interests instead of treating every central attraction as one uninterrupted walk.
These base comparisons and suggested plans are our editorial judgement, informed by the linked official sources. We have not stayed at or inspected the properties. Official links earn no commission; confirm current arrangements directly.
Sources checked 2026-09-17. Check current arrangements before travelling.