Edinburgh Central Youth Hostel

The Location

This hostel is conveniently located on Leith Street, just a couple of blocks away from Princes Street and the Golden Mile. You can easily walk to almost all of Edinburgh's attractions. There is a train station (Waverly Place) at Princes Mall, a couple of long blocks away. It also feels safer being around the neighborhood there at night, whereas it doesn't feel quite so safe on the Royal Mile -- what with all the pubs and bars with the partygoers spilling out the doors onto the streets. However, this hostel also doesn't have quite the social scene as some of the other hostels we visited in Edinburgh. This is probably because this a huge hostel, feeling more like a hotel than a small, intimate hostel.

The hostel is well marked. It is a triangular shape in the front and situated on a corner. Public transport is reasonable in Edinburgh, and while you're not right in the thick of the action, the hostel is fairly close. Ten to fifteen minutes puts you at Princes Mall, and then you are pretty much in the center of things in the city. Buses also run nearby. The hostel is in a theater section of the city, so there's plenty of nightlife and especially good deals for early meals abound in the many restaurants on the street.

Rooms and Bathrooms

Rooms are immaculate. There are private rooms, doubles, and quads. Each bed has a locker associated with it. Each room is en-suite, with the shower in a separate cubicle from the toilet.

Common Spaces

Common rooms are abundant and varied. There is a huge entrance with a very helpful information desk staffed twenty-four/seven, a couple of different sitting areas, a luggage room with pay lockers of various sizes, and a cafe (with limited hours) There are computers available for a fee. Downstairs there is a huge, clean kitchen and dining room with snack machines, laundry facilities, and a lounge area.

Summary

The place is new, and feels fresh and clean. People hang about, but it seems a little too large to foster a real sense of community. However, there are some smaller spaces where one could relax and meet others. This is a great hostel for a night's (or several nights') stay in a good, clean, safe room. It lacks the funkiness/edginess that many hostels have, but that could be good or bad depending on your opinion. It's huge, bright, friendly and helpful, and with a reasonably good location and price.

— Avis exclusif de Hostelz.com
September 2007