Hotels with Bars in Edinburgh

The hotel is in a great location, very conveniently within walking distance of various major tourist attractions. The hotel itself has a charmingly antique feel and is close to Calton Hill, a great spot for sunset views. Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood Palace are also within easy reach.

I stayed at Courtyard by Marriott Edinburgh from 22 February to 26 February 2026 in Room ***. Unfortunately, my experience fell significantly below the service and housekeeping standards expected of the Marriott brand. 1) 22 February 2026 (Check-in) Upon arrival, I immediately noticed several cleanliness issues with my room. The kettle was dusty and visibly dirty, the shower gel was completely empty, there were noticeable stains on the bed sheets, the shower room floor was unclean, and the shower water pressure was extremely poor. I reported these issues to the front desk on the same day. In addition, during the check-in process, the staff did not provide any information about hotel amenities, such as gym operating hours, availability of facilities like the ice machine or microwave, or other services. I only became aware of some of these facilities on my last day during check-out, which was disappointing. 2) 23 February 2026 The shampoo had run out and was not replenished during housekeeping services. I emailed the Front Office Manager regarding both the missing amenities and the ongoing low shower pressure issue. I did not receive any response. 3) 24 February 2026 The situation continued. Coffee and tea bags were not refilled, the stained bed sheets had still not been changed since Day 1 check-in, and both shampoo and conditioner were empty. I called the same Front Office Manager twice, and only shampoo was delivered. I then contacted the front desk twice more to clearly request conditioner, yet incorrect items were delivered again. As a result, the conditioner remained unreplenished for me for 3 consecutive days (22–24 February). 4) 25 February 2026 In the morning, I requested a new toothbrush through the front desk and was told housekeeping would provide one during housekeeping service. When I returned to my room after housekeeping, no toothbrush had been supplied. I later learned that when Trip.com contacted the hotel on my behalf regarding the service lapses, the Operations Manager informed them that everything had been “addressed and settled with me” which was not accurate. While individual staff members made partial attempts to assist, the repeated housekeeping lapses, lack of follow-up, and unresolved maintenance issue reflect systemic operational shortcomings rather than isolated mistakes. Throughout my entire stay (22–26 February), the shower water pressure issue remained unresolved. The hotel’s location is excellent and within walking distance of many major attractions, which helps save on public transport costs. However, good location alone does not compensate for the overall service deficiencies experienced during this stay. As a paying guest, I expected basic cleanliness, consistent replenishment of amenities, and responsive service, especially from a reputable hotel property like Marriott. Unfortunately, those expectations were not met during this stay.

Bureaucracy is everywhere. The only praise I have is for the front desk staff who handled check-in and check-out, and the chefs in the restaurant who worked hard every day to prepare delicious meals. Specifically: 1. On the first day, at around 9 AM for breakfast, a middle-aged man at the cafeteria entrance asked me to open two room card sleeves. Only after seeing the actual room cards did he say 'OK, please come in.' This scene reminded me vividly of high school dormitory supervisors in impoverished, non-coastal provinces of mainland China back in 1998, who would inspect students' IDs every night, demanding they be pulled out and shown before allowing entry. On the second day, a middle-aged woman, and on the third day, a young man at breakfast, simply waved us in after seeing the room card sleeves, which felt much more like a proper hotel. 2. On the second day at noon, we went to Arthur for lunch. We decided to go back because the 2-person set meal from Arthur the night before – an Arthur burger and fries, plus soup and another dish – was excellent. My child and I were looking at the menu near the bar to decide what else to order when a male bartender rudely shouted, 'Don't order here, go sit at a table to order!' He then pointed to a sign on the wall stating 'No one under 18 allowed.' What the hell? We weren't drinking or smoking, so what business was it of his? Just because my child was near the bar? I was furious at that moment and shouted back, 'Easy! Easy! OK?' This person was clearly working with a lot of emotional baggage and overreacting; he absolutely should not be in this job. For example, he was chatting with guests at the next table, saying things like, 'I can speak four languages, German, etc.,' acting overly energetic in a quiet restaurant with only four guests. 3. On the third day morning at 9 AM, which was also check-out day, I was in the bathroom. The cleaning staff knocked on the door, wanting to clean. I directly informed them through two doors, 'I am shitting! You got it?!' 4. Still about breakfast: at 10:10 AM, there were still people eating, and I went to get a coffee. The cafeteria lady immediately told me off, saying, 'No, we're off duty.' I just burst out laughing then. In summary: Due to financial constraints, various schools in the UK convert student dormitories into tourist accommodations during holidays to generate revenue, which significantly fills financial gaps and becomes a major source of income for the schools. Simply put, since you're making money from this, you should do a good job. I pay for it. Summer camps are purely superstitious money sinks; students are the best business. You don't learn much or make friends at these camps. You'd be better off backpacking and staying in an 8-bed dorm at a YHA youth hostel.

We enjoyed our stay at this hotel. The room was spacious, very clean, and looked newly decorated. The swimming pool was a decent size and well-maintained. While the breakfast options were a bit limited, the food served was satisfactory. The location is not in the very center of the city, but the neighborhood felt very safe and secure.

Nice and spacious room,with comfortable bed, Starbucks is right down the lobby, really short commute to the city centre and the airport, the bus stops are just outside the hotel, definitely I would go again.

The hotel is decent overall, but I would advise anyone staying here to keep a close eye on their belongings. I went out for about an hour and accidentally left my phone charger in the room. When I returned, I asked the staff member at the front desk if they had found it, but she said she didn’t know anything about it and that it hadn’t been found. I am certain that I left my charger there before I left. It was an original charger, so I was disappointed that it went missing. I hope the hotel will pay more attention to lost items and improve the handling of guests’ belongings.

The location is fantastic, right in Edinburgh's Old Town. Just a few dozen meters outside, there are restaurants, which is super convenient. The environment is also pretty good. I stayed in a mixed dorm for one night and an all-female dorm for five nights. The mixed dorm was incredibly cramped. My neighbor, an Indian guy, not only snored but also talked in his sleep (it felt like he was sleeping right next to me, that's how narrow it was!). And his sleep-talking wasn't even in English, haha! 😂 Anyway, I didn't sleep well all night and immediately switched to the female dorm in the morning. The bottom bunk space was a bit tight, and I sometimes bumped my head, but I think I can still manage. For the same price, it's much better than other places.

Excellent Location, but Serious Security Lapses I recently stayed at this hotel and found it to be a bit of a mixed bag. While there are some undeniable perks to the property, a few significant service and security issues made for a rather unsettling experience. The Highlights Prime Location: This is easily the hotel's strongest suit. It’s situated right next to Haymarket station, and there is a bus stop literally just outside the front door. Getting into the city centre takes no more than 10 minutes, making it a perfect base for exploring. Commendable Service: The reception team provided a decent welcome. I’d like to give a special mention to Shreyas, who was incredibly helpful and professional throughout our interactions. Quality Dining: We ate at the on-site restaurant and were pleasantly surprised. The food was of a high standard, and the waitstaff were attentive and friendly. Room Maintenance & Tech Issues Unfortunately, the shine started to wear off once we settled into the room: Housekeeping Oversights: Despite this being a multi-day stay, the complimentary water bottles were never replaced after the first day. Faulty Tech: The in-room tablet was practically useless. It kept restarting due to a battery fault; ironically, it even cut out while I was trying to use it to contact reception. Privacy Concerns: When we requested extra toilet roll, the staff member who delivered it attempted to walk straight into the room using their key, rather than knocking and waiting for us to answer. It was a complete breach of basic hospitality etiquette. A Major Security Concern The most distressing part of the trip occurred on our second day. Upon returning to our room in the evening, we were shocked to find the main door open. It appears the cleaning staff had failed to secure the door after finishing their rounds. Finding your hotel room left open to the public is, quite frankly, scary. It’s a massive security fail that overshadowed the rest of the stay. While the location is brilliant, the hotel desperately needs to tighten up its staff training and safety protocols. Would I stay again? Only if I were certain that the security and maintenance issues had been addressed.

The room quality is on par with a 3-star hotel in China. The hotel staff were very friendly and provided excellent service, but the room layout was quite odd and winding. The bed wasn't very big either. It's super convenient if you want to visit Calton Hill, but I wouldn't recommend it if you're primarily interested in the city center, as it's about a 20-minute walk.

It's a really good hostel. It's absolutely out of my expectation is my first time to stay in hostel at first I thought it would be very dangerous or very messy and it turns out that the room is really safe and clean and cute. I booked an en suite and the bathroom was really tidy and lovely and the floor was clean the wall paint well and the toilet was clean and I booked a female only bedroom it was really nice and the safe they even offers breakfast so I would definitely recommend this to every female, especially young female..