The hotel is about 20 min walk to Princess street, pretty close to Arthur's seat. It doesn't look great from the outside but the room was just like in the photos. The breakfast has vegan and vegetarian options, which is a plus, but it doesn't have vegetables except for baked tomatoes. I would have liked more vegetables. We also ate lunch at the hotel one day and it was excellent. All in all is a good hotel but the price of almost 400 gbp per night doesn't reflect the amenities and location in my opinion but we were there during the Fringe Festival and everything was in this price range or even more expensive.

The price

Very contemporary, clean, professional. The standout thing for us was the location but the staff and management made it extra special. Even under renovation it was very nice and we loved listening to the birds in the garden every morning. The insect hotel got a great reaction from me as a permaculturist.

Room service could have been a bit more transparent/available. We asked about room service to one member of staff who told us it was open until a certain time and past that certain time he could only bring us water and biscuits. Then I actually asked for sparkling water at reception during the hours the last member or staff said room service was open, she said sorry bar closed and to use the tap as it’s drinkable. Had to order sparkling water on uber eats. Just create an exact policy of when room service is and isn’t and whats available, and print it in the help books for all staff and customers to see, to avoid these issues.

It is located in the university accommodation compound surrounded by green mature trees and far from the noise. A short walk to the bus station if you didn't drive and free private parking if you do, which is RARE in Edinburgh (this was the selling point for us). About half an hour easy bus ride to Town Center. There is a restaurant that serves good food, drink and music, the same restaurant serves breakfast. Elevator service, helpful staff and the room is the size of a regular home bedroom. Toilet was clean and with good water pressure. Good shower ammenities too. Coffee machine, kettle, tea, hot chocolate and cookies were provided. Decent bed and pillows.

No AC and can be warm at night. We tried opening the window but since our room was exactly above the restaurant and its outdoor sitting area, we could hear every conversation and jokes the guests were at. Stains on carpet and mouldy smell along the corridoor, from the carpet. No space to open the suitcases and since there is no storage space in the closet, we had no choice but to move the chairs around just to have our suitcases on the floor opened. The bathroom is clean but the sink is tiny with no place to hang our hand/face towels. A hook or two would help. The shower has no door but just a small panel of glass and the bathroom got wet when someone showered. Can be dangerous and slippery.

I recently stayed at The Scholar Hotel in Edinburgh, and it truly exceeded my expectations. It’s a peaceful, quiet retreat nestled among beautiful trees and greenery, offering a calm atmosphere that’s perfect for relaxing after a day in the city. What truly stood out for me was the exceptional service. The staff were not only professional and friendly, but genuinely went out of their way to help — even before being asked. Their kindness and efficiency made a lasting impression. After a disappointing experience with another booking platform, I made a same-day reservation at The Scholar. Despite the short notice, the team welcomed us warmly and checked us into all three rooms quickly and smoothly. Their support during a stressful moment is something I’ll never forget. The location is also fantastic — just a 2-minute walk to the bus station, with regular buses that reach the city centre in about 10 minutes. I wholeheartedly recommend this hotel to anyone visiting Edinburgh. I’ll definitely be staying here again!

I truly appreciate the hotel’s beautiful surroundings, with its lush greenery and abundance of trees — it creates a wonderfully serene atmosphere. However, given the natural setting, I would recommend scheduling regular ceiling cleaning, as we noticed a number of spiders in one of the rooms we booked.

Great staff, always helpful. The room was very clean and nice. Very good restaurant, both breakfast and dinner. We have allergy and they met our wishes in every way. Although the location is not in the city center it is so nice to wake up with birds singing in front of your window, instead of traffic sound. Short walk to Arthur Seat.

The noise from above, someone in the room on the next floor was walking like a norvegian troll for a couple of hours in the middle of the night. It wasn't possible to sleep. The walls and the sealing are to thin. If I come again I would like to be on the top floor.

The hotel exceeded my expectations. Great and bright room, bigger than what I normally find in the UK. Very kind, friendly and helpful personnel available 24/7, a good breakfast and breakfast area and a nice terrace for when it's not raining. About 25-30 min. walk to Royal Mile and a bus station about 2 minutes from the hotel with many bus lines. Very quiet the area during the evenings, no noise from the street. A plus for me was the coffe/tea maker in the room and coffe pods/ tea essentials refilled every day. I will definetly come back to the hotel if I find myself in Edinburgh again.

The location was great. We loved the views of Arthur’s Seat. It was gorgeous!

The breakfast was… okay. I wasn’t overly impressed at the options provided and the milk was always gone. We had a hard time finding a good temperature for the room. We ended up asking for a fan for our room and that helped tremendously. Instead of a fancy towel warmer in the bathroom, we would have preferred outlets that all work and a shower draining water a little better. I would also encourage the staff to be cross-trained. A couple of times we asked questions to the bar staff versus the reception staff and were met with confusion. It wasn’t a big deal but more of an observation. An example would be the fan we requested. We had to tell the person in reception that the welcome guide specially states to ask for one, if desired. The woman had no idea that was an option.

Good location. Quiet. Easy access to the city. Room was very good. As my wife has balance problems she prefers a bath rather than a shower. The receptionist, Ashleigh, found a room that had a bath that was scheduled to be replaced with a shower. She went to the room to check if it still had the bath. Fortunately for us the bath was still there. Ashleigh is a very pleasant, professional person and a great ambassador for the hotel. All the staff we encountered were very nice and friendly people.

Some form of privacy screening, on the windows would be a welcome addition. The path is quite close to the windows, maybe a metre, and slightly elevated.

Staff were friendly and attentive. The breakfast had a great selection. Everything was hot. The coffee machine did break but they were quick to fix it. The rooms were lovely. They came with a hairdryer, iron they were full with toiletries and clean. They accommodated us last minute as our original booking cancelled an hour before we got on the plane and arrived in Edinburgh. We came for a birthday and they also put complimentary chocolates and a happy birthday note in the room. We were a large group travelling with a baby and somebody with a disability and they gave us an accessible room and then also provided a card along with some gifts for the baby and nice clean bedding for the travel cot. The staff went above and beyond to make sure we have the perfect trip.

We only stayed for two nights

Spacious, fresh, clean room. Large enough bed and the tv with working channels. It is near the bus stop so getting to the centre is easy (especially at night), walking is also doable as it is not too far from centre. It is also near the sports swimming pool if you fancy it. The breakfast was great but in a separate building, in another hotel a couple of strides away. We were happy with the choice, no regrets whatsoever.

The windows were facing the side of the road which was a bit busy in the morning and this woke me up. Dunno maybe I failed to close them properly.