a&o Edinburgh City

Hotels
A&O Hotels & Hostels
7.8 (7815 reviews)
50 Blackfriars Street , Edinburgh , gb

Children allowed

Facilities

WiFi available
Free WiFi
Non-smoking rooms
24-hour front desk
Heating
Terrace
Family rooms
Pets allowed
Lift / Elevator
Laundry
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Great location
Friendly staff
Good amenities
Cons:
Cleanliness issues
Uncomfortable rooms
Service problems

Categories

Cleanliness
6.01
Some reviews mentioned dirty sheets and towels, impacting the cleanliness.
Service
8.48
Mixed feedback; staff were friendly, but some experienced issues with room assignments.
Location
9.52
Multiple reviews highlighted the excellent location of the hotel.
Room Quality
6.47
Issues with room comfort and space were raised in several reviews.
Amenities
8
Positive mentions of bar facilities and communal areas, though some amenities were lacking.
Value for Money
7.46
Some guests felt the prices were reasonable, despite several complaints.
Food and Beverage
8.51
Generally good feedback about the food and bar options.
Overall Experience
7.98
Guests had both positive and negative experiences, balancing out to a decent overall rating.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-01-06 18:20

Property Description

Unique Accommodation in the Heart of Edinburgh

Vibrant Pub Experience at Bar50
Experience the lively atmosphere and unique events at our very own Bar50, making it the perfect spot for a fun night out and mingling with fellow travelers.

Versatile Room Options
Choose from a variety of room types, including single, double, family, and multi-bed rooms, all equipped with private showers and toilets for your comfort.

Ready to immerse yourself in the vibrant Scottish capital? Book your stay at a&o Hostel Edinburgh City now!

Important information:

Guests under the age of 16 can only check in with a parent or official guardian. Guests under 18 should have parental permission if not accompanied by parents and can only be accommodated in private rooms, not in shared dormitories.

When a booking is made for more than 9 people per reservation, different payment and cancellation policies may apply. The hotel will contact you after booking with more information.

Kids under the age of 18 can enjoy our breakfast of a 50% discounted rate

Beds in the same dormitory room cannot be guaranteed.

This Hostel operates a 30-day maximum stay policy within a 90-day period.

Passport or driver’s licence is required for check-in.

Student cards are not accepted.

Please note that pets are only allowed in private rooms like single and twin rooms. Pets are not allowed in shared dorms.

Please note that for beds in a dormitory, towels are not included but can be rented on site for an additional surcharge . Alternatively, guests can bring their own. Bed linen for the bunk beds is free of charge and provided for self-covering.Bed linens and towels are not included in the room rate. Guests can rent them at the property for an additional charge of GBP 4.5 per person or bring their own.
Guests are required to show a photo ID and credit card upon check-in. Please note that all Special Requests are subject to availability and additional charges may apply.
A deposit may be required at the property.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 10:00 AM
Airport code: EDI

Location

Guest Reviews

7.8
Based on 7815 reviews
Cleanliness: 6.01
Service: 8.48
Location: 9.52
Room Quality: 6.47
Amenities: 8
Value for Money: 7.46
Food and Beverage: 8.51
Overall Experience: 7.98
M
Malte couple lu
8
Great start into exploring Edinburgh if you do not need fancy
Pros:

Extremely helpful and responsive staff. Outstanding location for Edinburgh Old town

Cons:

Breakfast options a bit limited.
Quite pricy for what you get (to note that we stayed during peak festival season).

2026-08-08 via Nuitee
R
Rocio solo_traveller es
1
Pros:

Ubicación

Cons:

Habitación muy muy pequeña sin armario. Ruido y mucho calor. Sin ventilación.

2026-08-08 via Nuitee
L
Lily extended_group tw
8
2026-08-08 via Nuitee
G
Giuseppa solo_traveller it
8
2026-08-08 via Nuitee
M
Max solo_traveller de
8
Nice clean hotel in a good location, but with room for operational improvement
Pros:

Nice location, cool bar, clean rooms.

Cons:

Check-in was way more arduous than needed. One is "requested" (in reality required) to pre-check-in via smartphone, even if you go to the check-in desk. Defeats the purpose of a check-in desk.

2026-08-08 via Nuitee
H
Hui solo_traveller cn
1
Pros:

位置好

Cons:

楼下酒吧没日没夜吵,楼下酒吧音乐震天响,还有很多人聊天吵到半夜4点多,结果5点又开始,中午也吵。两天的晚上,白天都无法睡觉,戴耳塞都不行。简直和睡在吵闹的大街上一样,没有一刻安宁。真是花钱受罪。

2026-08-08 via Nuitee
H
Hannah solo_traveller au
5
Not as shown in pictures. Over priced and dirty
Pros:

Good central location

Cons:

The rooms were not as listed/shown online. I booked this hostel because it said there was power outlets and light by the bed and showed privacy curtains and under bed storage. The rooms had a bank of power outlets on the other side of the room and no personal light or privacy curtains. Bathroom was a full wet room which smelled of mould and soap dispensers broken, shower hose leaking etc. the laundry machines would not connect to the payment system and the staff couldn’t do anything about it. absolutely not worth the $364AUD for 2 nights even given the fact that is was Fringe fest time

2026-08-08 via Nuitee
L
Lily couple tw
8
2026-08-08 via Nuitee
A
Asitha couple lk
10
Pros:

Pleasant experience. Clean dormitory and our dorm has our own shared bathroom. Which is great. Used laundry service and it was great. Easy access to the city highlights and other facilities. Great experience.

Cons:

Reception guy was very slow and not friendly. Took time to sign in. Only the guy though. Next day there was a lady and she is welcoming and pleasant.

2026-08-08 via Nuitee
M
Michael solo_traveller de
8
2026-08-08 via Nuitee
C
Chiara solo_traveller it
8
2026-08-08 via Nuitee
N
Nele couple de
3
2026-08-08 via Nuitee
A
Audrey family_with_children fr
5
Très bon emplacement et béer garden agréable c est tout
Pros:

Emplacement stratégique au cœur de la ville
Service de bagagerie disponible avant de prendre la chambre et après l avoir rendu
Literie correcte

Cons:

Les photos des chambres ne correspondent pas à la réalité
Le petit déjeuner est sommaire et mal ré approvisionné.
Repas du soir : attente interminable (40 minutes pour une pizza et des nuggets )
Sanitaire et coin salle de bain négligés ( il y avait des cheveux dans les bondés de l évier )

2026-08-08 via Nuitee
A
Antonio solo_traveller it
9
2026-08-08 via Nuitee
C
Constance family_with_children de
5
Nie wieder A&O in Edinburgh als Familie, meine Studentenzeit ist vorbei und für den Preis wäre ich als Student hier
Pros:

Die zentrale Lage, ein kleines Bad für uns

Cons:

Der angepriesene Parklplatz 35 Pfund/ Tag
Frühstück war ne Katastrophe- der Raum ist am Abend eine Bar und zum Frühstück riecht es noch so und ist dreckig.

2026-08-08 via Nuitee
S
shenglei family_with_children gb
7
2026-08-08 via Nuitee
L
Luxsandy solo_traveller lu
3
Hostel
Pros:

Die Lage

Cons:

Der Service, die Ausstattung, der Preis, die Extrakosten sind schlecht

2026-08-07 via Nuitee
V
Virginie solo_traveller es
7
Comme prévu : basique, fonctionnel et bruyant
Pros:

L'emplacement est idéal, chambre fonctionnelle.
Check-in rapide avec l'application et en arrivant.

Cons:

C'est la debrouille! Chambre compliquée à trouver (2ème bâtiment et 0 indication) puis petit malentendu sur les serviettes de bain, inclues dans toutes les chambres privées sauf à partir de 4 personnes, qui ne soit pas une chambre familiale. Dur dur de suivre! Et donc +8eur de serviettes.
Assez bruyant également (le centre ville, c'est aussi ça !).

2026-08-07 via Nuitee
A
Abdulkareem family_with_children sa
7
Good for short stays
Pros:

- Location is wonderful in the heart of Edinburgh.

- Room cleanliness was good. Toilets and showers were clean and nicely equipped.

- There was an electric fan provided.

Cons:

- August is a peak time for tourists in Edinburgh, so almost all places are too expensive. I booked an 8-bedded room for me and my family (all 4 persons). The price for one night was too much higher than what is expected for a hostel.

- Walking on the woody floor was noisy. I woke up several times because of other guests passing through the corridor.

- Check-in process is not that smooth, and the required information is much. Because of this, there was a long queue at 3 pm in front of reception.

- Sound proofing of windows was not that good.

2026-08-07 via Nuitee
A
Anđela solo_traveller hr
7
2026-08-07 via Nuitee