Where to Find Comfortable and Cheap Hotels in Edinburgh

If you've ever dreamed of going up to Scotland and enjoying a vacation with the glens as your backdrop and the skirls of the bagpipes with someone reading Robbie Burns' poetry for your mood music, you're in luck. There is a plethora of cheap hotels in Edinburgh, Scotland's the grand old lady.

The capital city of Scotland is one that can never be disappointing. Just the unforgettable view of historical Edinburgh Castle towering over the city while it's perched at the top of an extinct volcano is a thrill in itself. The city was built around the castle and there are countless historical and cultural sites within its two main streets: Princes Street and the Royal Mile. To make a distinction as to how the city is divided, Old Town is the area around the Royal Mile and New Town is the area north of Princes Street.

And to top it off, Edinburgh is home to the world's most exciting and biggest arts festival ever – the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. This highly attended and lauded festival happens every August and fills Edinburgh with thousands of tourists and talents eager to see and be seen.

The main problem then will be finding cheap hotels in Edinburgh since they are most likely to be snapped up first. A cursory look online lists quite a few hotels with between one and three stars that are priced between $36 and $85. You can't really get much cheaper than that in one of the top travel spots of the world!

These hotels are located in the center of the city, near bus lines and tourist attractions. The real beauty of these little hotels is that they show more of the real spirit of Edinburgh than any hotel chain can. I mean, personally, I'd be going there for the culture, right? I would definitely prefer to sleep in a place that could let me see how they really lived instead of a generic room that would look the same whether I'm in Scotland or Singapore.

These little jewels are usually refurbished older homes or townhouses that have all the amenities you need to make your stay a pleasure.

For example, the Old Waverly Hotel was built in the Victorian Era and was completely refurbished while keeping its old-world feel. Its prime location on Princes Street makes it a must-stay place for hardcore shoppers while sightseers will love it for being close to Holyrood Palace and having Edinburgh Castle within sight. With rates starting at $81 a night for two, that's what you would call a bargain.