In short… A great new opening in Edinburgh’s West End that appears quaint and historical but is in fact young, lively, local, and deceptively large—and well-connected to some of Edinburgh’s most iconic sites.
The surroundings… Just off of the Haymarket tram stop, The Hoxton Edinburgh is in Edinburgh’s West End—a neighborhood that begins at the (west…obviously!) end of Princes St, a 10-minute drive or tram ride from Waverly Station. It’s closer to the airport than much of the city (easily accessible by tram or car) and near one of my favorite restaurants in the city: The Palmerston. It’s also next to the picturesque area of Dean Village and a 20-minute walk from charming Stockbridge.
The backstory… At first glance, the hotel appears small and set inside a single Georgian townhouse—but then you walk up the stoop and find yourself in a much bigger space than anticipated. It’s a really incredible feat of construction, as the hotel is actually spread across 11 Georgian townhouses on both sides of the street, without interrupting the buildings’ historical style. After checking in, we wandered outside and kept noticing subtle Hoxton branding on one building after another—surprsing, as they all appeared to be residential, so hats off to Hoxton for maintaining this unadulterated look.
The vibe… When we checked in, the lobby was bustling with an energetic vibe as local Edinburgh creatives were taking advantage of the space to work, have coffee meetings, and hang out. There’s a lobby restaurant and seating area which definitely invites this, but I’m a fan of properties that make you feel immediately at home rather than greet you with a stuffy lobby. As in other Hoxtons, there’s lots of color, fun patterns, and a nice mix of contemporary and retro styles. It feels young and fresh, a welcome contrast in such a historical city, and reflective of the exciting things happening in Edinburgh at the moment.
The rooms… With 214 rooms, this is by no means the quaint property it appears to be. We stayed in one of the “Biggy” category rooms and it was incredibly spacious (though there’s not loads of closet space). With lots of jewel-toned paint and plush headboards, the room was super cute and the bathroom perfect (I always love a subway tile…). However, our favorite part was the quintessential Edinburgh window. I was travelling with my best friend Flo, my roommate throughout University in Edinburgh, and when we got to our room we were both so enamoured of the large Georgian window overlooking the shared back gardens. It reminded us both of our fourth-year flat in New Town, a testament to the respect for design and integrity of the city’s architecture.
For those travelling in larger groups, with families, or even alone, there is a wide selection of room categories to choose from, including rooms with bunk beds, a single room (always a fan of this), smaller king bed rooms, and three “Houses,” each equipped with three bedrooms and a kitchen. During our stay there was a wedding party on-property, which sounds like the perfect use of one of the houses. Plus, cosplaying a life in Edinburgh is very fun…
The food & drink… There are two restaurants in the hotel, Patatino, their Italian restaurant, and the Lobby Bar, which serves breakfast, drinks, and lighter options throughout the day. Breakfast was great (Scotland does good breakfast) and our dinner at Patatino was super delicious. They have a nice selection of antipasti, pastas, and mains—we both had the steak, which was perfectly cooked, and all of the vegetables were incredibly fresh (Scotland also does incredible produce!)
Is it kid-friendly? Yes! I saw lots of families staying when I was there, and they also have a few rooms with bunk beds, which is such a fun approach if you’re traveling with family.
Be sure to… Take a walk down the water of Leith into Stockbridge. Thanks to The Hoxton’s convenient location, you’re incredibly connected to so much of the city, but my favorite nearby attraction is Dean Village—the most quaint cluster of Tudor homes lining the Water of Leith. If you make a right out of the hotel and continue walking for about 10 minutes, you’ll arrive at Dean Village, from where you can start the shaded walk down to Stockbridge.
Parting words… After living in Edinburgh for four years, this was my first return visit since graduation and The Hoxton couldn’t have been a better place to stay. It’s such a welcome addition to the city for many reasons. It hits right in the sweet spot of price point that simply didn’t exist beforehand (much of the Edinburgh hotel scene is overrun with higher-price-point properties and Airbnbs) and it cultivates a young, lively, and creative vibe that also was lacking. It felt like I was back living in my favorite city again, which is really all you want from a hotel.
Date of stay… April 24-26, 2026
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