4 nights at the The Haymarket Hotel

We had an excellent experience staying at the Haymarket. The staff was very friendly and walked us to our building at check in, they also offered fans to cool the room because it was so much hotter than normal. The room was comfortable and the location is far enough from the tourist area to be quiet but close enough that it only took about 15min to get to Edinburgh Castle. There is a train and bus stop within a few min walk and lots of nice cafes and restaurants for dinner. We had a great time but I would not recommend this place to anyone with physical limits as there was no elevator and the stairs are very narrow.

Hotel build in various town houses next to one another in a good location. The service is excellent and the rooms are good, offering what’s presented online. Staff is beyond kind, very accommodating. Keep in mind you might get a room below ground level with a window next to an entrance. Note for those with sensitive noses, some of the halls have a strong perfume scent that may linger.

Location is excellent, a stone's throw away from Haymarket station and bus/tram links. Also an easy walk in to Princes Street. The area felt safe and relatively quiet, though there was some noise from cars driving down the cobblestone street. This didn't bother me but it's something to be aware of. I liked the townhouse feel of the hotel, but the room I was staying in definitely could have been better. Quite dusty in places with some of the decor in need of refreshment or minor repairs. Mattress was a bit squishy and not supportive enough for my needs. The room got quite stuffy unless the window was kept open. It took an age to get fresh cold water to come out of the cold tap, having to let it run for several minutes first which felt like a waste of water. It would have been nice if the bathroom window could be opened but it was painted shut. Staff were friendly and helpful where needed and check in/check out was very easy.

The Haymarket Hotel has good sized rooms, with high ceilings and are very clean. However it seems like the owners have not invested in upkeep over the years. Paintwork is chipped, shower pressure is appalling and the furniture has seen better days. The worst part of the experience and what made the hotel only deserving of two stars, was the quality of the beds. I sank right through my mattress, such was it's age. It meant I had a poor night's sleep and aching hips/shoulders in the morning. I do not think the mattresses have been replaced it years. As the hotel is made up of several buildings, there were also loud bangs as people returned to their rooms through the front door, audible even from the top floor. Whilst we were at the back, friends at the front complained of noise from the cars going over the cobbled streets. Id also imagine rooms on the lower floors would be able to hear the footsteps of those above. The window does not open very well as it's an old building and old sash windows, this makes the room stuffy and hot. A downside of the building itself, but something to be aware of if coming in the summer. The location was also further from the centre than expected in an area of town that whilst not unsafe, did not feel as lively as others. For the price charged and the star rating, this hotel is not worth it. I imagine it has seen better days in the past. But now it's modern competitors will offer you better value for money, and a better night's sleep!

A complete scam. You arrive at a dingy, smelly reception area where there isn't even a chair to sit on. The floor tiles are broken, and the reception bathroom is disgusting. The room has nothing to do with the photos on booking.com. You enter a kind of basement down a wooden staircase that creaks constantly. Psychedelic and tacky decor, worn and soft mattress, non-existent cleaning, filthy windows, broken and dirty floor, old bathroom and moldy shower, no bathroom amenities. There is a kind of terrace, but it was extremely dirty, so it was unusable. They don't clean daily, they don't change towels. The breakfast has no vegan options or options for people with dietary restrictions/allergies. We asked for plant-based milk so we could at least eat cereal, and they gave us a barista, but they stood next to us watching how much milk we used and immediately snatched it out of our hands. Unbelievable.