Grassmarket apartment with views to Edinburgh Castle - two bedrooms
Situated in the heart of the Old Town the Grassmarket area changes with the differing hours of the days. From cosmopolitan cafe dining to a more lively night life area you will never be too far away from the action and places of interest to visit. All major tourist attractions within easy walking distance. The apartment is on the third floor (top) and is cosy and warm. We do not accept stag/hen nights or large groups of party guests.
The space
Location location location ! Good views from the rear bedroom up to Edinburgh Castle. Good views to the front over the activity space normally used for Street shoes to the front. Lovely tastefully done up flat inside.
Property manager
Derek Gibb
Premier Host
Languages
English
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This property is managed by a professional host. The provision of housing is linked to their trade, business or profession.
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
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit and a deadlock
We should mention
A car is not required for transport to and from this property
About the area
Edinburgh
Located in Edinburgh, this apartment is in the city centre. Edinburgh Castle and Royal Mile are notable landmarks, and travellers looking to shop may want to visit Grassmarket and Princes Street. Check out an event or a game at Edinburgh International Conference Centre, and consider making time for Edinburgh Zoo, a top attraction not to be missed.
Edinburgh (ZXE-Edinburgh Waverly Train Station) - 13 min walk
Edinburgh Airport (EDI) - 30 min drive
Restaurants
The Scotch Whisky Experience - 5 min walk
Cold Town House - 1 min walk
The Black Bull - 1 min walk
Biddy Mulligans - 3 min walk
The Last Drop - 2 min walk
Frequently asked questions
Is Grassmarket apartment with views to Edinburgh Castle - two bedrooms pet-friendly?
No, pets are not allowed at this property.
What time is check-in at Grassmarket apartment with views to Edinburgh Castle - two bedrooms?
Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.
What time is check-out at Grassmarket apartment with views to Edinburgh Castle - two bedrooms?
Checkout is at 10:00 AM.
Where is Grassmarket apartment with views to Edinburgh Castle - two bedrooms located?
Located in Old Town Edinburgh, this apartment building is within a 10-minute walk of Grassmarket, Edinburgh Castle and University of Edinburgh. Royal Mile and Princes Street are also within 15 minutes. Princes Street Tram Stop is 11 minutes by foot and St Andrew Square Tram Stop is 15 minutes.
Reviews
10
Exceptional
Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Stayed with some friends to watch rugby at MurrayfieldFlat is in a great central location.Lots of bars and restaurants near byNothing bad to say about it5* experience
Mark P.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2025
4/10 Poor
Melissa K.
9 Jan 2025
Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, location
Disliked: Communication
Loud, Squeaky & Unresponsive Host
The apartment is conveniently located. The furnishings are simple and nice. And for the most part, the description is accurate. However, you should know a few things before booking this place.It is LOUD. Since you are located by several pubs and bars, you will need to bring earplugs/noise-canceling headphones. I assumed with the thick windows, the noise would have been muted. That is incorrect. You can hear the band playing from the Cold Town House pub in your bedroom as if you are right in front of the stage. You also constantly hear the banging of bottles as the service folks empty the trash.The double bed squeaks terribly. I am not a light sleeper. If you turn at all on the bed, it will wake you up. The bed is useless. You cannot sleep on it at all. It stands to reason that the host would fix this problem with a simple wrench or screwdriver. I tried contacting my host during my stay to ask for these tools and received NO RESPONSE. Also, it is a platform bed with a frame that awkwardly sticks out. I banged my foot/ankle on it several times due to the dresser and bed configuration. Be aware.The view of the castle isn’t what I expected. You have to crank your neck to see it from the back bedroom. It’s not like you will have tea or coffee and admire the view.No olive oil or pan spray. Don’t assume you have some of these basics.The bathroom has a strange mirror configuration. It's super small.I would not recommend this place during peak times.
We were 3 friends wanting to stay close to the centre but somewhere relatively quiet and peaceful. We had one evening out but wanted to be in for the other evening as we had arranged a long lunchtime out in Leith. The flat was perfect. It was spotlessly clean, excellently equipped and very comfortable. The arrangements were easy to follow and the owner very responsive around allowing an early check in. The welcome pack was really appreciated. I wouldn’t hesitate to stay here again or recommend to others.
Location was perfect. Easy walking distance to castle and Royal Mile and over onto Princes St. many lovely bars, pubs and cafes right on doorstep.
The entrance door and communal
Steps were a little off putting but the actual apartment was lovely, roomy and well
Equipped. The welcome box was very thoughtful. Would definitely stay again. Steps up to the apartment are stone with no bannister so tricky if unsteady on feet.
As above - very clean and well equipped - it is on the third floor but worth the climb. I found it very comfortable and an excellent place to stay for many venues at the Fringe.
Lovely flat in an excellent location on Grassmarket, close to everything you would need for a weekend in Edinburgh. Good communication from Derek. Would definitely return.
Really pleased with our stay at this apartment. It was very comfortable, the kitchen and bathroom are very modern. It’s located close to a lot of pubs/bars and restaurants, so do expect a little bit of noise at night time, it is a city break after all! Didn’t bother us. Would one hundred percent stay here again. Something to note, if you do have mobility issues, there are a set of steep internal concrete steps to reach this top floor apartment.
If you are looking to explore the city of Edinburgh the flat is absolutely perfect given everything is within walking distance! A great weekend, and would highly recommend this place to anybody staying in the city!
As the title says, great apartment, great location. Flat was spotless and contained everything we needed. Waking up to an amazing view of the castle from the bedroom was a treat. Lovely view from the living room over Grassmarket. The apartment is perfectly situated for accessing everything Edinburgh has to offer.
We thoroughly enjoyed our trip to Edinburgh… my 6 year old lad and 9 year old daughter, loved what the fantastic city had to offer.. Staying at the apartment gave us an excellent central location to everything we wanted to go and see.. the only time we took a taxi was to go to the Zoo, which is too far out to walk to. Everything else was a short walk away. Especially the castle!
On the road outside there was plenty of places to eat and drink and there was a Sainsbury’s local just around the corner…
A fabulous stay, with a very attentive host.. thank you very much.
We had a fabulous few days in the apartment. It was perfectly situated for all the sights we wanted to visit. Had everything we needed and a lovely cosy space to come back to after exploring the city.
Brilliant location for the castle , royal mile, pubs bars, restaurants, architecture, hop on hop off bus, a fabulous time was had and will definitely return, the host was also quick to reply to our requests, couldn’t fault anything x THANKYOU
Have just spent two nights at this wonderful apartment and couldn’t be happier! Amazing size for a city stay and extremely clean and comfy beds! (A must after all the sightseeing!). Excellent communication from Derek making this an outstanding stay!
Great flat plenty of room for all 4 of us. Owner communication was great with all required information sent well in advance. Location was amazing. Will definitely use the property for our future trips to Edinburgh.
We stayed in this apartment in April 2025 and absolutely loved its location with respect to the major tourist attractions in Edinburgh. The property managers were absolutely a pleasure to work and interact with. The instructions for guests were very easy to follow and understand. You can tell that they are experienced with vacation rentals. The flat is located done a narrow-gated alleyway and on the 3rd (top) floor which helped with noise from the neighbors. However, since it is located in the Grassmarket square area, there was noise from the nearby establishments well into the night. With that said, also be aware to keep window blinds closed as the neighboring establishments behind the flat are at your level and people can look in.The WIFI and heaters worked well, and the bathroom and kitchen appear to have been updated recently. Be aware that there is no elevator and the staircases between floor twists up and can be awkward to navigate with bigger-heavier luggage.Furthermore, we came during a “slower” time for tourist in Edinburgh and the weather was cooler/wetter. We cannot speculate how busy the area will be during peak tourism season.
Really nice place and fabulous location but be aware that the winding stone stairs that go up 3 flights have handrail. Not good for seniors. Very organized and welcoming space.
Excellent central location and super clean & comfortable apartment - worked perfect for our family of 4Appreciated the extra nice touches by the hosts - including a well stocked kitchen (w/ some milk, orange juice, tea & coffee waiting for us), a little Christmas tree, some nice maps / guidebooks and the heated clothes drying rack (which did a remarkable job drying the laundry during a cold & wet winter storm)Cool old building with some great people watching from the windows overlooking the Grassmarket
The apartment is spacious and convenient. Derek is extremely responsive. There was a brief power outage during our stay and he made sure to keep us up to date on restoration times from the local utility. The apartment is conveniently located to all of the local sites.
An amazing apartment in the heart of Old Town Edinburgh. Apartment was clean and is way bigger than what it seems in the pictures. Really lovely stay and super great host - easy to speak to and replies straight away.
Close location to castle and tons of pubs and attractions. The apartment was clean and beds were comfortable! Nightclub next door was definitely noisy at times but not too bad. Would definitely recommend!
Ashley C.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2024
About the host
Hosted by Derek Gibb
Pillowstops is run my husband and wife team Catherine and Derek Gibb.
"As a family we have used self catering properties around the world for our own holidays and know how important it is to make sure that when you arrive you are not disappointed with your choice of holiday accommodation. The two main areas of disappointment that we have found are location and standard!
The apartments that we offer are situated in Edinburgh's no 1 historic tourist street and area being the Royal Mile and Grassmarket. Our apartments are maintained and cleaned to a very high standard exactly as we would want to find ourselves when going on holiday.
You maybe interested in on of our other apartments at Lawnmarket, Advocates Close (overlooking High Street) and 166 High Street.
We look forward to welcoming you to Edinburgh.
Why they chose this property
Location, Location, Location.
What makes this property unique
Great views up to Edinburgh Castle. Farmers market every Saturday at Castle Terrace about 5 minutes walk away. Antique and interesting market stalls in Grassmarket most weekends. Great selection of shops and restaurants within short walk of apartment. History everywhere !
Languages:
English
Premier Host
They consistently provide great experiences for their guests