Best Hotels in Edinburgh Old Town

Seven suites in a 16th-century building at the very gates of Edinburgh Castle — The Witchery is Edinburgh's most theatrical accommodation, with Gothic opulence in every detail: tapestry wall hangings, velvet, carved wood, four-poster beds, roll-top baths. It is not a hotel for minimalists or people who find dramatic interior design exhausting. It is, however, exactly right for honeymoons, milestone birthdays, and anyone who wants to feel they've stepped inside a Scott novel. The restaurant is excellent and serves some of Edinburgh's best classic Scottish cooking.

• Gothic luxury
• most dramatic suites
• honeymoon favourite

The Scotsman Hotel occupies the former Scotsman newspaper headquarters — a magnificent Edwardian building on North Bridge with marble halls, a rooftop spa, and rooms that blend Victorian grandeur with contemporary comfort. The position on North Bridge — the dramatic Victorian viaduct connecting Old and New Town — is one of the great hotel locations in Scotland, with views across the Old Town roofscape and Princes Street Gardens. The Balcony restaurant and the whisky bar are both excellent. A genuinely historic building with strong service.

• Victorian grandeur
• North Bridge views
• whisky bar

Hotel du Vin Edinburgh occupies a cluster of Gothic Revival buildings in the Old Town, with the brand's characteristic wine-focused sensibility applied to Scottish context — whisky flights alongside wine pairings, Scottish produce throughout the bistro menu. The rooms are individually designed with the label-lined walls that characterise the brand, and the whisky snug is one of Edinburgh's more inviting small bars. Positioned between the Grassmarket and the university quarter, it's excellent for guests who want Old Town access with a slightly quieter setting.

• wine & whisky culture
• Gothic building
• Grassmarket proximity

The Radisson Collection on the Royal Mile provides five-star service in a purpose-built contemporary building that sits sympathetically alongside its historic neighbours. Rooms are spacious by Edinburgh Old Town standards, the spa is one of the better hotel spas in the city, and the restaurant's Scottish sourcing is genuinely thoughtful. For guests who want Old Town geography alongside reliable international hotel standards — meeting rooms, gym, spa — this is the strongest option on the Mile itself.

• Royal Mile address
• full-service spa
• contemporary luxury

Motel One's formula of design-conscious budget accommodation works particularly well in Edinburgh's Old Town, where the company's Scottish aesthetic effort (tartan accents, local art references) feels appropriate rather than tokenistic. The Market Street location, at the foot of the Royal Mile and adjacent to Waverley Station, is outstanding. Rooms are small but well-designed; the bar is excellent for its price point; and the brand's consistency means you know exactly what you're getting. Best value central Old Town sleep in Edinburgh.

• best value Old Town
• Waverley Station
• design-focused budget