Located in West End, a neighborhood in Edinburgh, The Guards Hotel is in a shopping district and near a train station. Royal Mile and Edinburgh Castle are notable landmarks, and travelers looking to shop may want to visit Princes Street and George Street. Check out an event or a game at Murrayfield Stadium, and consider making time for Edinburgh Zoo, a top attraction not to be missed. Visit our Edinburgh travel guide
1 Clifton Terrace, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH12 5DR
What's nearby
Edinburgh International Conference Centre
6 min walk - 0.4 miles
Dean Village
9 min walk - 0.5 miles
Princes Street
10 min walk - 0.6 miles
George Street
11 min walk - 0.6 miles
Princes Street Gardens
11 min walk - 0.6 miles
Getting around
Edinburgh Haymarket Station
2 min walk
Haymarket Tram Station
2 min walk
Edinburgh Airport (EDI)
14 min drive
Restaurants
Ryrie’s Bar
1 min walk
Platform 5
1 min walk
The Palmerston
2 min walk
Pho Viet
1 min walk
Black Sheep Coffee
1 min walk
About this property
The Guards Hotel
Hotel near Princes Street
Close to Dean Village and Edinburgh Castle, The Guards Hotel has plenty to offer. Stay connected with free in-room WiFi.
Other perks include:
Tour/ticket assistance
Room features
All guestrooms at The Guards Hotel have amenities such as free WiFi.
Check-in start time: 2 PM; Check-in end time: 10 PM
Late check-in fee for check-in between 10:30 PM and 1:30 AM
Minimum check-in age: 18
Check-out
Check-out before 10 AM
Special check-in instructions
There is no front desk at this property
Guests must contact the property for check-in information
This property doesn't offer after-hours check-in
To make arrangements for check-in please contact the property ahead of time using the information on the booking confirmation
If you are planning to arrive after 10 PM please contact the property in advance using the information on the booking confirmation
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools
Pets
Pets not allowed (service animals are welcome, and are exempt from fees)
Children and extra beds
Children are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are not available
Cribs (infant beds) are not available
Important information
Fees
You'll be asked to pay the following charges at the property. Fees may include applicable taxes:
Cash Breakage deposit: GBP 60 per stay for guests under 25 years old
We have included all charges provided to us by the property.
Optional extras
Late check-in fee for check-in between 10:30 PM and 1:30 AM
The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts cash
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher
We should mention
This property does not have elevators
Frequently asked questions
Is The Guards Hotel pet-friendly?
No, only service animals are welcome at the property.
How much does it cost to stay at The Guards Hotel?
As of Sep 20, 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at The Guards Hotel on Oct 4, 2026 start from $127, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.
How much is parking?
The Guards Hotel doesn't offer parking.
What time is check-in at The Guards Hotel?
Check-in start time: 2 PM; Check-in end time: 10 PM. Late check-in is available from 10:30 PM–1:30 AM for a fee.
What time is check-out at The Guards Hotel?
Check-out is at 10 AM.
Where is The Guards Hotel located?
Located in West End, this hotel is within a 10-minute walk of Edinburgh International Conference Centre and Princes Street. George Street and Dean Village are also within 15 minutes. Edinburgh Haymarket Station is only a 2-minute walk and Haymarket Tram Station is 2 minutes.
Can I cancel my reservation for free and receive a full refund?
Yes, this property offers free cancellation on select room rates, because flexibility matters! Please refer to the property cancellation policy on our site for more details about any exclusions or requirements.
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Reviews
The Guards Hotel Reviews
6.4
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travelers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.More informationOpens in a new window
6.8
Cleanliness
8.0
Location
7.2
Staff & service
5.8
Property conditions & facilities
Rating 10 - Excellent. 39 out of 303 reviews
10 - Excellent
39
Rating 8 - Good. 104 out of 303 reviews
8 - Good
104
Rating 6 - Okay. 73 out of 303 reviews
6 - Okay
73
Rating 4 - Poor. 47 out of 303 reviews
4 - Poor
47
Rating 2 - Terrible. 40 out of 303 reviews
2 - Terrible
40
Reviews
Verified review
6/10 Okay
Michael
Sep 6, 2026
Good location to the site, but pretty old and basic
Good location and nice staff. The room was a lot bigger than we thought it would be. We were facing the road so was a bit loud and you needed the blinds down so no one could look in. Definitely not a modern place but not unclean so nothing to worry about. We would choose to stay here again if planning a trip to Edinburgh!
Perfect location, within walking distance for the rugby at Murrayfield. Also on tram route to city centre, train station and airport. Spacious room and friendly staff.
This is an affordable hotel in Edinburgh. It is right across the street from the Haymarket Station. The rooms are small but clean and the staff is super nice and welcoming.
The staff was amazingly kind and helpful. Letting us store our luggage at 1000 in a locked office so we could explore hands free until check in. They did their best to accomidate reasonable requests and were very pleasant. The room was extremely clean and the bed was comfortable.
Now of course it is an old building so u can hear people when they are outside your door, bur incouls not hear any street noise. There are minor cosmetic issues. And the heat keeps off the chill but wont keep the room real warm on cold nights. Over all the flaws were minor, the character, convenience and price made this a winner.
Great service after a long journey very easy check in
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2024
Verified review
8/10 Good
Janine
Jun 2, 2026
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
We had the 4 poster king sized bed suite, Windsor Castle room. Huge room with comfortable bed. Tv with heaps of channels, tea/coffee making facilities, claw foot bath, great shower with rain head and wall water jets.
We stayed for 3 nights.
First night was great.
Second night, the people above us walked heavily on the floors from 9pm - 12.30am
Last night was great.
The room was very clean.
Yes the rooms could do with some freshening up but at the end of the day, the location is fantastic for pubs, food, convenience stores, public transport and about a 20 minute walk to town.
The price is reflective for the condition of the property. If you booked another hotel closer to the city in a tiny room, you would be spending at least £250+ per night
Staff are very good, even let us leave our bags 5 hours before checkin so we could explore the city without luggage.
Don’t believe all of the negative reviews. It is someone’s opinion of their situation, not necessarily factual.
I wouldn’t hesitate to stay there again
J & D
Western Australia
This hotel was worth the low price. Places in Edinburgh are generally super expensive, so this a great option if you're okay with staying somewhere a little less fancy but in a great location. It's a bit out-dated but has lots of character, and it's in a safe, central location (incredibly close to st Mary's Cathedral) and about 20 mins walking from the Royal Mile and all the action. There are good affordable food options nearby as well, and it's a minute from the tram station which was nice because we were hauling around luggage.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2024
Verified review
8/10 Good
Romy
Apr 26, 2025
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
I loved the room. It was huge and beautiful. Just the sanitary facilities could use an update.
We had fans and radiators/heaters to use.
Close by (1 min walking) was the haymarket tram station. That was very useful and so we were fast in the center.
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2025
Verified review
6/10 Okay
Pam
Sep 14, 2025
Liked: Staff & service
This property is an old property that needs renovating. In saying that it was clean and our king room was huge.
Khaled checked us in and he was very helpful, friendly and explained everything about the property.
It is in a great location but on a main road opposite Waterloo train station. This is why we chose it for 1 night prior to catching a train early the next morning.
It’s very inexpensive for the area and needs updating hence the price.
I’d recommend it as long as you are not expecting anymore that a 3 star hotel.
This property was lovely, and on our last evening we had a lovely visitor in our room upon our arrival home from dinner ... a cat! Most would be bothered by this, we saw it as a sign of good will.
We adored the location and the building was beautiful with a helpful and kind staff but there was a great deal of mold in our room and it felt as though the heat was not on despite the winter weather. Definitely would stay again given the convenience but I may think twice about staying for more than a night or two
We did not realise there was no reception, but luckily we checked in before the staff left. Helpful staff. We have to pay cash in full since their card machine was broken?
Good location, but can be noisy. Good size room but not comfortable bed.
One star for location…very easy access to the city. One star for room size and beautiful ceiling. Otherwise disappointing plumbing, tv and drainage on bathroom floor which was non existent. Needs some attention to maintenance.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2024
Verified review
6/10 Okay
Lorraine
Jul 17, 2024
Liked: Staff & service
Had to pay cash for the room. Their CC system had been compromised.
Staff- friendly.
Beds-Uncomfortable
Location-convenient
Good area for transportation and dining options.
Staff was very polite. However the place was quite dirty, peanuts on the floor, plenty of hairs on the carpet, the toilet was running water during the day and night. Difficult to sleep with the constant noise. The bed was also unsteady and noisy. There was some spider webs hanging on the ceiling.