Axel's take on Southside & Newington: #6 of 7 in Edinburgh, 6.7/10
Good for parks, student-priced eating and quieter Newington side streets. Southside & Newington offers strong hotels and better value than most central areas, but fewer doorstep attractions and weaker airport connections lower its rank.
Nicolson Street and Clerk Street lead through Edinburgh’s university-influenced Southside towards the more residential streets of Newington. The Festival Theatre, independent cafés and the Meadows give the northern streets plenty of purpose, while Holyrood Park is another draw to the east. A recent University of Edinburgh student account highlights the area’s accessible green space and budget-friendly daily life.
Do not treat the whole neighborhood as equally central or quiet. Staying farther south adds walking or bus journeys, and the main roads remain busy. Residential side streets suit families and light sleepers better than the student-pub stretches; August brings extra activity around the university venues. Skip it if airport rail or immediate New Town access is essential.
- Best for: travelers on a budget, families, a quiet stay
- Skip it if: You want a direct airport tram nearby; You want New Town shopping immediately outside
- Getting around: Buses including 3, 8 and 31 serve the main streets; walk to the Meadows, university and, from the northern streets, Old Town. From EDI, take Airlink 100 to Haymarket and change to bus 31.
- After dark: Student pubs and university venues keep the northern streets active; visitors seeking calm should favor residential Newington streets and account for festival activity.
- Rates: Typical Axel rate $273 a night
Where to stay in Edinburgh: every neighborhood ranked
Where to look in Southside & Newington
- Holyrood Park Road. The park-side university setting suits walkers and campus visitors who prefer greenery to immediate city-center access. Hotels here: The Scholar, The Scott, Hotel Ceilidh-donia.
- Salisbury Road. Residential Newington suits calmer evenings, with buses and the university district within reach rather than sightseeing at the door. Hotels here: The Salisbury Hotel.
- Craigmillar Park. Farther south, larger houses and gardens suit bus-based stays; choose this for residential surroundings rather than a central address. Hotels here: Kildonan Lodge Hotel, Northumberland Hotel.
How to choose
- Choose Hotel Ceilidh-donia if warm personal hospitality and breakfast matter most, and you are happy taking buses.
- Choose Prestonfield House if you want romantic country-house seclusion and antique-filled interiors rather than doorstep sightseeing.
- Choose The Scholar if Holyrood Park or university visits shape your trip and a leafy campus setting appeals.
What paying more buys
Cheaper-than-most Hotel Ceilidh-donia already delivers personal service, comfortable beds and praised breakfast. Much pricier Prestonfield House buys secluded grounds, elaborate historic interiors, destination dining and fireside lounges—not a shorter sightseeing walk. Travelers who value hospitality over theatrical surroundings have little reason to stretch beyond Ceilidh-donia. Typical rates with Axel here run from $158 a night at Northumberland Hotel to $731 at Prestonfield House (last 30 days).
The best hotels in Southside & Newington, ranked by Axel's take
Each hotel scored for what it is by Axel's own review; the rate is one stay Axel priced this week, beside the public rate for the same dates.
- Hotel Ceilidh-donia 9.2/10, family-run 3-star with a B&B feel in a quiet Edinburgh neighborhood. Exceptional hospitality and breakfast make this quiet, family-run hotel worth the bus ride. Why it's here: Personal hospitality and praised breakfast at a cheaper-than-most rate. Accept: outside the sightseeing core, with stairs to most rooms. $123 a night with Axel against $150 a night on Expedia for the same dates and party: $27 a night less (18%). Sign up free to book this rate
- Prestonfield House 9.1/10, theatrical 5-star country-house hotel just outside Edinburgh’s centre. Prestonfield delivers romantic country-house luxury, provided you prefer antiques to modern minimalism. Why it's here: Romantic country-house seclusion with antique-filled interiors and extensive grounds. Accept: a substantial sightseeing journey, dim lighting and furniture-heavy rooms. $434 a night with Axel; no public rate was seen for these dates. Sign up free to book this rate
- The Scholar 8.7/10, university-owned 4-star hotel on Edinburgh’s leafy Pollock Estate. A comfortable campus base with excellent breakfast, but not a city-centre doorstep. Why it's here: A comfortable leafy-campus base with praised breakfast beside Holyrood Park. Accept: no air conditioning and a 20–30-minute walk into the center. $158 a night with Axel; Expedia listed $155 a night for these dates when seen. Sign up free to book this rate
- The Scott 8.7/10, historic 4-star boutique hotel on Edinburgh’s university estate. A characterful Edinburgh base with excellent hospitality, if you don’t need doorstep sightseeing. Why it's here: Historic boutique character and warm hospitality beside Holyrood Park. Accept: no lift or air conditioning, and a lengthy sightseeing walk. $183 a night with Axel; no public rate was seen for these dates. Sign up free to book this rate
- The Salisbury Hotel 8.0/10, small 4-star Georgian townhouse hotel in residential Newington. A friendly townhouse base, stronger on character and breakfast than full-service polish. Why it's here: Cheaper-than-most residential townhouse character with warm staff and a garden. Accept: stairs, limited reception hours and uneven room condition. $276 a night with Axel against $302 a night on Expedia for the same dates and party: $26 a night less (9%). Sign up free to book this rate
- Kildonan Lodge Hotel 7.8/10, small Victorian 4-star with a guesthouse feel south of central Edinburgh. A characterful Edinburgh base with helpful staff, but uneven rooms temper its four-star promise. Why it's here: Victorian guesthouse character with limited free parking and buses outside. Accept: uneven room upkeep, stairs and no evening restaurant. $244 a night with Axel against $286 a night on Expedia for the same dates and party: $42 a night less (15%). Sign up free to book this rate
- Northumberland Hotel 5.8/10, basic independent 3-star south of Edinburgh city centre. Free parking and handy buses cannot quite offset inconsistent upkeep and service. Why it's here: Free parking and buses outside at one of the neighborhood’s lowest rates. Accept: inconsistent cleaning, thin walls and limited reception availability. $252 a night with Axel against $281 a night on Expedia for the same dates and party: $29 a night less (10%). Sign up free to book this rate
