Murrayfield Park Guest House

The good thing is the location: a bus stop nearby gets you to the city centre in about 20 minutes. But that didn’t make up for the stay, and Edinburgh and Scotland are beautiful enough that I’d still visit, just stay somewhere else. We booked a double room with a private toilet and shared bathroom. The toilet was blocked when we arrived and had almost no water pressure. The shared bathroom had broken tiles, no shower mat, and a worn accordion shower door that got stuck every time. Water from shared use made the tiled floor a safety hazard. The room itself was dirty, with stained sheets, mouldy shower and taps, dusty surfaces and carpet that looked as if it hadn’t been cleaned in ages. The bed was uncomfortable, pillows flat, the hair dryer stopped mid-use, the walls were very thin, and there were no small hair towels. A mini-fridge would’ve been nice, though we knew it was a budget room and didn’t expect one. The curtain also left a gap where the window was exposed on the right. Check-in was confusing and impersonal. We were only given two phone numbers taped to the entrance, and struggled to get through the front door. We’d arranged a late self check-in around 8pm, but booking.com had provided no instructions. We’d emailed the owners beforehand and got no reply. The numbers wouldn’t connect, and we finally reached the owner on WhatsApp, got the door code and were told to find our key in a random bowl on the hall table. After a full day travelling, this was needless extra stress. There were no staff around, and no one told us cleaners might enter the room or asked whether we agreed. We only realised after returning from a day out to find the bed freshly made. Our suitcases had been left unlocked with our belongings out, accessible to a stranger. Nothing seemed missing or touched, but guests should be told so they can prepare.

The beds are comfy, and the bathroom is new and clean. I was pretty nervous after reading the reviews, but honestly it’s really nice. Check-in wasn’t a big deal, so I don’t know why people make such a fuss. You get more than you pay for, and it’s sad to see people being so critical of a small business over what’s a budget stay.

We couldn’t get into the hotel at first because there was no staff on site. We stood outside in the cold wind for a long time and only got in when someone eventually came out. I’d booked two nights in advance, but staff told us someone else had already checked into our room. Near midnight, we had no choice but to find and pay for another expensive hotel. My mum is almost 65, and we still had to carry the heavy suitcase to the other place. We got a refund a few days later, but Agoda had promised 10% compensation and then went back on that promise. They called the hotel to check, and hotel staff said we’d decided at the last minute not to stay. I’ve never had such a ridiculous experience. Be careful if you’ve booked here. There seems to be a high chance you might not be able to check in on the day and could end up sleeping on the street.

The location is a bit far from the city centre, around 20-30 minutes by bus. The stop is only a 3-4 minute walk away, but the area gets quiet at night. I came in December, when it gets dark quickly, so get back to your room early and stay safe. I also couldn’t get the hotel WiFi in my room, so ended up using mobile data. If you’re not as poor as me, don’t stay here. There’s an old-fashioned key for the room door, and every time I used it I worried I’d lock my things inside or break the key opening the door. The woman forgot to give me the entrance code, so I nearly got locked out. The toilet is outside the room, meaning I had to lock my door every time I went. There’s a sink in the room, and you can hear water running through the pipes when someone uses it. You can hear people running in the corridor too.