Royal Mile Backpackers

I’d book here. It’s right in downtown Edinburgh, with a kitchen and comfortable beds. The communal showers are fine if you’re okay sharing. Guests range from 20-70 y/o, so some may snore or go to bed early, and people need to be considerate of each other. I have no complaints about the staff, who did a fantastic job. There are guitars, books and other things to keep you occupied if you fancy a quiet evening.

Right on the Royal Mile, with a great atmosphere. The staff were lovely and helpful, and as a woman travelling alone I felt safe and really comfortable. One heads-up if you have a big suitcase: there’s a long flight of stairs up to the entrance.

The volunteers were mostly kind and seemed to be doing their jobs well, and it’s cheap for an overpriced city. The room was roomy, though oddly furnished with just one chair and a tiny table. They provide a towel, and having a kitchen is a plus, but it was hard to use because several staff members live there and often cook in it. The common areas felt like the volunteers’ cramped space, and guests seemed to be fitting around their work schedule. They were often hanging out there, which made the place feel awkward to me. There’s a live music venue downstairs every night, and I couldn’t sleep until 1 AM. The windows barely block the sound. With them shut, the rooms get humid, stuffy, and foul, with no ventilation. Street noise and vibration are so bad they supply earplugs, and you hear older guests snoring too. This isn’t really a youth hostel. The bathroom setup was especially frustrating. Men don’t have a dedicated bathroom or shower, and we had to use the all-gender restroom. One of its two showers was broken, and women also used the remaining one when their showers were full. That left one shower for men across roughly five rooms, and women could use it too. So men basically couldn’t shower. Explain that one. The Wi-Fi is poor, and the mattresses are badly worn, thin, sunken, misshapen, and uncomfortable. Lockers sit between people’s heads, so opening one disturbs whoever’s sleeping, and mine wouldn’t lock securely. There are no bed curtains, so there’s no privacy, and the perimeter bed layout means everyone can see everyone else. Weird. I’d never stay here again unless I was paid to.

We could collect our keys in the middle of the night and leave our bags past checkout, which was really handy. Everything was cleaned daily, and both our room and the bathrooms were spotless, with no dust. The showers were clean and fine to use. The volunteers were lovely, happy to help, and put together fun activities. The location is fantastic, the service was great, and the people made the place feel welcoming. Best hostel I’ve stayed in by far. I’d absolutely come back when I’m in Edinburgh and recommend it.