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10 best Edinburgh Airbnb holiday rental properties - 2020
Edinburgh is undoubtedly one of my five favourite British cities. It's got enough culture, history and attractions to fill several days and it's got some terrific architecture. During August it hosts the Edinburgh Festival Fringe which calls itself the 'world's largest arts festival' when every spare space in the city is used for either entertainment or accommodation. If you aren't interested in attending the Fringe then I would avoid the city altogether during August as it's a busy and pricey time to visit.
For our top 10 Airbnb properties in Edinburgh we've just included rentals where you get the whole property to yourself. Originally, the idea of Airbnb was that you stayed with a host who lived at the accommodation and cooked your fried eggs in the morning. Nowadays, it has a massive range of holiday lettings and loads of places to stay where you cater for yourself and have more privacy.
We picked our favourites by looking at customer reviews, distance to Edinburgh's attractions, value for money and facilities.
For our top 10 Airbnb properties in Edinburgh we've just included rentals where you get the whole property to yourself. Originally, the idea of Airbnb was that you stayed with a host who lived at the accommodation and cooked your fried eggs in the morning. Nowadays, it has a massive range of holiday lettings and loads of places to stay where you cater for yourself and have more privacy.
We picked our favourites by looking at customer reviews, distance to Edinburgh's attractions, value for money and facilities.
1. An Old Town Flat near the National Museum of Scotland (sleeps 2)
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You won't find a two-person apartment in Edinburgh with much better reviews than this one, which was scoring 4.99 from 500+ visitors when we checked.
It's really well located for a holiday in the city with lots of the main attractions only a short walk away. Edinburgh Railway station and the Royal Mile (the busiest part of Edinburgh) is about five minutes walk. It's got a good-sized kitchen-diner, a lounge with rooftop views and a separate bedroom. When we checked it was already booked for a lot of dates which is simultaneously a good sign and a bit annoying. |
This flat is one of the most centrally located on Airbnb
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2. A Stylish Apartment near Edinburgh Playhouse (sleeps 2)
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This is another well-located flat for a couple visiting Edinburgh. It gets outstanding reviews which were 5/5 from 100+ visitors at the time of writing.
It's in on the North side of the City Centre with the Edinburgh Playhouse and Scottish National Portrait Gallery only 5-10 minutes walk away. The Royal Mile, which is the busiest part of the city, is about 15 minutes walk. It's got a queen sized bed (that's the same as a small double, so a bit cosy for two large people), a nicely kitted out kitchen and a modern bathroom. |
This apartment gets glowing reviews and is walking distance to Edinburgh Playhouse
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3. An Affordable City View Apartment near Holyrood (sleeps 2)
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This Airbnb is on the other side of the city centre than most of the properties we've picked out. It's a bit of a trek to Edinburgh Castle which is on the western side of the City Centre but it's only about 10 minutes to the Eastern end of The Royal Mile and the Scottish Parliament/Holyrood.
It makes our list as it gets great reviews (nearly 4.9/5 from 600+ reviews) and was one of the better value properties we found for a couple staying in Edinburgh. It's got a good-sized modern kitchen, a double bed, a bathroom (with an actual bath) and a lounge overlooking the rooftops. There's also a travel cot. |
This apartment is walking distance to Holyrood and the eastern end of the Royal Mile
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4. A West End Apartment With A Mezzanine Level near Queensferry Road (sleeps 4)
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This rather cool Edinburgh apartment is split onto two levels with a lounge underneath a small dining area. It works out as a good value option if you can fill it with four people in its two bedrooms.
The whole place is trendy and modern with a good-sized kitchen. One bed is a double whilst the other is a queen bed, which is a bit narrower than a double (bring along some skinny friends and give them that room). It's just to the West of the city centre, so it will take you about 25 minutes to walk to the start of the Royal Mile or 15 minutes to Princes Street which is another busy part of Edinburgh. |
This apartment sleeps four people and it has a dining area above the lounge
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5. An Apartment With A Castle View near Edinburgh Castle (sleeps 2-4)
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Locations in Edinburgh don't get much better than this apartment (unless you happen to have a flat within Edinburgh Castle). It's a couple of minutes to the Royal Mile and you'll really feel like you're in the heart of the city as it's on a street lined with shops.
Although it can sleep four people it's probably more suited for a couple as it only has one bedroom with a sofa bed in the lounge for the extra two. It's good a proper kitchen and a nice shower room. When we checked it was averaging more than 4.9/5 from about 500 reviews. |
This Airbnb apartment overlooks Edinburgh Castle
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6. A Spacious Apartment With Stone Walls near Haymarket Railway station (sleeps 4)
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This apartment near Haymarket Railway Station is what my wife would describe as 'on-trend' with an interior which looks like it belongs in a magazine. Just to add to the charm, it has some original stone interior walls alongside the modern furniture and decor. According to the blurb, this one featured in a Good Homes Magazine guide to the best Airbnbs.
Edinburgh Castle and the start of the Royal Mile is about 25 minutes walk, so not quite as close some others on this guide. Reviews are outstanding with an average of 4.99/5 after 200+ reviews at the time of writing. It's got twin beds in one room and a king size bed in the other bedroom. As it's a little way out of Edinburgh it is much more spacious than some of the city centre apartments. |
This trendy flat gets near-perfect reviews from visitors
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7. A Large Georgian Flat near Edinburgh Castle (sleeps 9)
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If you're travelling with a group or you've got a large family then this flat in the city centre is a great choice. It's got four bedrooms and three bathrooms including four king size beds and a single bed squeezed into one of the bigger bedrooms. The dining table seats eight, so I'd say it would be better for eight rather than nine unless you want to sit on someone's lap.
Customer reviews are close to perfection with an average of just below 5/5 from more than 170 reviews when we checked. Inside it's very stylishly decorated and has lovely high ceilings. The location is spot on too as it's only a 5-10 minute walk from Edinburgh Waverley Station. It's right by Princes Street (one of the busiest parts of the city) and you can get to the Royal Mile and Edinburgh Castle within about 10 minutes on foot. |
This large flat is very central and has four king size beds
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8. An Ultra-modern West End Flat near Princes Street (sleeps 8)
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Cornerstone House is another very well located Airbnb in Edinburgh. It's just round the corner from Princes Street and you can walk to Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Mile in about 15 minutes.
Considering the prime location it is surprisingly spacious with a big open plan lounge and kitchen/diner as well as four bedrooms. All four bedrooms have king size beds and one has an en suite. This is another one which looks like it belongs in an interiors magazine with trendy furniture in bold colours. Reviews are consistently positive with an average of very nearly 5/5 from 200+ visitors. |
Cornerstone House has four king size beds and it's only a short walk to busy Princes Street
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9. A Windmill Tower near the Modern Art Gallery (sleeps 2)
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If you want a quirky and historic place to stay in Edinburgh and don't mind a bit of a walk then this windmill tower is worth a look. It's about 35 minutes walk to the start of Edinburgh's Royal Mile which is where most of the attractions are centred around.
It's got a bedroom upstairs and a small lounge downstairs. You can also use the summer house in the warmer months. It's worth noting that it's got much more basic cooking facilities than most Airbnb properties in Edinburgh so it's best for someone who will want to eat out every night. Reviews from visitors are near perfect, with an average of more than 4.9/5 from 50+ visitors when we checked. |
This windmill tower has no sails, but you can still pick up a good deal...
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10. A Modern Mansion a short drive from the City Centre (sleeps 16)
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If you're planning a big family gathering then Drylaw House is one of the grandest houses in Edinburgh on Airbnb and it sleeps 16 people.
It's modern and tasteful throughout and has nine bedrooms as well as large gardens. On the downside, it isn't as near to the city centre as the other properties in our Edinburgh Top 10. It'll take you about half an hour to reach Edinburgh Castle by public transport or about 10 minutes by car. It was scoring 5/5 from 20+ reviews when we checked. Unsurprisingly, a property like this isn't cheap but you get a good discount if you stay for a full week and it's good value if you can fill it up with 16 people. |
Drylaw House has nine bedrooms and large grounds
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