Holiday Inn Express Edinburgh City Centre, an IHG Hotel
Picardy Place Opposite Edinburgh Playhouse Theatre, 1/4 mile East End Princes Street, Edinburgh EH1 3JT Scotland
Lowest prices for your stay
US$211
Expedia.com
eDreams
Orbitz.com
View all 13 deals
Payments made by partners impact the order of prices displayed. Room types may vary.
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect nightly room rates, including all taxes and fees known to our partners. Please see our partners for more details.
Full view
View all photos (690)690
Room & Suite (169)
Dining (66)
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Travel safe during COVID-19
Visit our Travel Safe hub to see how we're helping you make more informed travel decisions during COVID-19.
What you can expect during your stay
- Hand sanitiser available to guests & staff
- Regularly sanitised high-traffic areas
- Staff required to regularly wash hands
Updated 20/11/20 Safety precautions are provided by the property and are not checked by Tripadvisor for accuracy.
A note from Holiday Inn Express Edinburgh City Centre, an IHG Hotel
Updated 20/11/20 Safety precautions are provided by the property and are not checked by Tripadvisor for accuracy.
About
#101 of 166 hotels in Edinburgh
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Value
Travellers' Choice
Suggest edits to improve what we show.Improve this listing
Property amenities
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Free breakfast
Taxi service
Business Centre with Internet Access
Meeting rooms
Baggage storage
Non-smoking hotel
24-hour front desk
Wifi
Bar / lounge
Breakfast buffet
Complimentary Instant Coffee
Complimentary tea
Express check-in / check-out
Dry cleaning
Laundry service
Ironing service
Show more
Room features
Air conditioning
Desk
Housekeeping
Interconnected rooms available
Coffee / tea maker
Flatscreen TV
Hair dryer
Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
HOTEL STYLE
Centrally Located
Business
Languages Spoken
English
Location
Full view
100Great for walkers
Grade: 100 out of 100
176Restaurantswithin 0.5 km
73Attractionswithin 0.5 km
Contact
Picardy Place Opposite Edinburgh Playhouse Theatre, 1/4 mile East End Princes Street, Edinburgh EH1 3JT Scotland
Getting there
Car HireSee all Edinburgh car hire
2595Reviews50Q+A100Room tips
ReviewsWe perform checks on reviewsTripadvisor’s approach to reviewsBefore posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
We perform checks on reviews
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
Traveller rating
- 729
- 1,132
- 505
- 150
- 79
Time of year
Traveller type
Language
More
Selected filters
- Filter
- English
Popular mentions
Sort by:
Most Recent
Wonderful stay, right in the center of the city, good service by the team. The team was very helpful and resourceful. The rooms were clean. The place is at a walking distance from almost all major tourist attractions. You cannot get anything better at this price.
Read more
Date of stay: July 2022Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
Response from , Owner at Holiday Inn Express Edinburgh City Centre, an IHG Hotel
Responded 2 weeks ago
Thank you very much for your review. I am glad to see that you enjoyed your stay with us and that the hotel location and staff were such a great asset to your experience with us. I hope we can welcome you back again in the future and give you another wonderful time in our hotel. Best Regards, Susan Craig General Manager Holiday Inn Express Edinburgh City Centre
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We stayed for 4 nights, paying over £1,100. For that, we had a poorly cleaned room, stained shower curtain, damaged bathroom fixings and really quite tired and dated decor. Insufficient lighting for putting on make up/shaving The breakfast area felt like an old school canteen. Buffet style. The ‘full English’ comprised only sausages, bacon, beans and scrambled egg. No veggie options. The cards on tables said you could order for specific diets but in reality, I was told that I’d have to wait. Had to ask for cutlery 3 days running as the dishwasher couldn’t keep up with the demand. Reception staff were very pleasant. In summary, the place was adequate but certainly not reflected in the price.
Read more
Date of stay: July 2022
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from , Owner at Holiday Inn Express Edinburgh City Centre, an IHG Hotel
Responded 3 weeks ago
Thank you for your recent feedback. We use any and all feedback to ensure we can always evolve and provide an ever expanding ability to assist guests and an even greater experience of the hotel and of Edinburgh itself. I can understand that not everything you experience went well so your review will go a long way in training and practice to ensure that we can avoid such disappointments in the future. Thank you for taking your time to pass this information to us. These reviews do come to us anonymously so I am unable to thank you more personally but I hope we can welcome you back again in the future with a preferably better stay. Kind regards, Susan Craig General Manager Holiday Inn Express Edinburgh City Centre
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
186534Shazza wrote a review Jul 2022
Dumfries and Galloway, United Kingdom163 contributions136 helpful votes
This hotel is in a fabulous area not to far from theatre, st James quarter and train station. It was clean, tidy and breakfast was okay for the price in city centre. The staff were brilliant everyone of them who helped us and would definitely return when in Edinburgh.
Read more
Date of stay: July 2022Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from , Owner at Holiday Inn Express Edinburgh City Centre, an IHG Hotel
Responded 10 Jul 2022
Thank you very much for your recent feedback, I am very happy to see that you have enjoyed your stay with us and that we were a great asset to your experience of Edinburgh. I hope we can welcome you back again in the future for another wonderful time! Kind regards, Susan Craig General Manager Holiday Inn Express Edinburgh City Centre
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We have stayed at the Holiday Inn Express Edinburgh, Picardy Place several times. The overall quality has remained consistently high over the years. It has an excellent location, from which most visitor attractions in Edinburgh are within walking distance. It is also well served by the economical tram and bus services of Edinburgh and its surrounding areas.
Read more
Date of stay: February 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from , Owner at Holiday Inn Express Edinburgh City Centre, an IHG Hotel
Responded 10 Jul 2022
Thank you very much for your review. I am glad to see that you enjoyed your stay with us and that the hotel location was such a great asset to your experience with us. I hope we can welcome you back again in the future and give you another wonderful time in our hotel. Best Regards, Susan Craig General Manager Holiday Inn Express Edinburgh City Centre
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
The location of the hotel is obviously very good. Other than that, we found ourselves lucky that we only stayed for one night. The rooms were not properly cleaned, noisy, old and very welcoming in general. The breakfast was very poor. At least the staff was friendly, but for £200 per night we had significantly higher expectations.
Read more
Date of stay: June 2022
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from , Owner at Holiday Inn Express Edinburgh City Centre, an IHG Hotel
Responded 2 Jul 2022
Thank you for your recent feedback. We use any and all feedback to ensure we can always evolve and provide an ever expanding ability to assist guests and an even greater experience of the hotel and of Edinburgh itself. I can understand that not everything you experience went well so your review will go a long way in training and practice to ensure that we can avoid such disappointments in the future. Thank you for taking your time to pass this information to us. These reviews do come to us anonymously so I am unable to thank you more personally but I hope we can welcome you back again in the future with a preferably better stay. Kind regards, Susan Craig General Manager Holiday Inn Express Edinburgh City Centre
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We spent two night here to see The Lion King at the Playhouse Theatre just across the road. The staff are a credit to Holiday Inn from the reception staff to the housekeeping staff nothing was a bother. Our room was clean with comfortable bed and breakfast was great choice and plentiful again staff friendly and cleared and sanitised tables very quickly. On checking out today the Receptionist even carried our case down the outside steps for us Many Thanks one and all! Great location from Bus Station about 5 minutes and Princess Street in easy reach too. We took a bus to Oceans Terminal yesterday as we had never been to Leith really enjoyed our time in Edinburgh There is also a Tesco Express just next to hotel and plenty of restaurants and pubs across in the Omni Centre.
Read more
Date of stay: June 2022
Location
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip: We had a first floor room by choice as we have mobility issues We were offered choice on checking...
See more room tips
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from , Owner at Holiday Inn Express Edinburgh City Centre, an IHG Hotel
Responded 15 Jun 2022
Thank you very much for your recent feedback, I am very happy to see that you have enjoyed your stay with us and that we were a great asset to your experience of Edinburgh. I hope we can welcome you back again in the future for another wonderful time! Kind regards, Susan Craig General Manager Holiday Inn Express Edinburgh City Centre
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Very centrally located within walking distance of all that Edinburgh has to offer. There is construction (extension of the tram) out front but you could barely hear it and it’s only during the day. The staff is what really makes this hotel outstanding. Extremely friendly and helpful. I had my large bag lost for the first 6 days of my 9 day stay (thanks British Airways). Along with helping me make countless calls the staff supplied me with the necessities to get by until I could get to the local stores (minutes away also). The room was large and well cared for although they really need to replace the carpets. Clean but old and stained. Great and plentiful hot shower in a large surgically clean bathroom. The (free) WiFi was barely usable in the room but string and steady in the lobby and breakfast room. A breakfast buffet awaits every morning beginning at 6:30. Get there in the first hour to avoid the tour group crowds. Scrambled eggs bacon, sausages, toast, croissants, muffins, yogurt, cereals. Something for everyone. Note: the Scots don’t serve 1/2 & 1/2 or even whole milk. It’s skim milk everywhere! Even in Starbucks. Bring your own or be warned! Bottom line I would highly recommend this hotel and would stay here again. Thank you to the staff and managers for providing me with a comfortable home away from home.…
Read more
Date of stay: May 2022Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
The hardest part of staying here is trying to find the hotel. Because it is in historical Picardy Place, no flashy green HI signs and most people did not know where it was. Plus with the road closures due to the construction of the tram, trying to find the place is a nightmare. But once you find it, you realize what a great location! Lots of restaurants to try and the modern St James Quarter mall is three minutes away. St Andrews Square is about 10 minute walk and the Royal Mile is 20 minutes walk. In fact, the road closures are so ubiquitous that walking is faster for most things. The HI Express means just room and breakfast. No pool, fitness center, business center, microwave, mini fridge, safe or washing machines. Our room was clean, beds were comfortable. Housekeeping never gave us new towels so if you want new towels you have to put the towels on the floor. Shower only. Breakfast is really crowded 8:30-9:30 am. No one wears masks. 24 hour coffee or tea. If you are lucky to have a second floor room, you can eat in your room. Staff were very helpful and friendly. When the tram is completed maybe in two years, this location will be ideal.…
Read more
Date of stay: May 2022Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip: If you take the train, closest exit is way out to princes st. Then walk to St James Qtr mall and...
See more room tips
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from , Owner at Holiday Inn Express Edinburgh City Centre, an IHG Hotel
Responded 1 Jun 2022
Thank you for taking the time to share your comments about your recent visit to the Holiday Inn Express Edinburgh City Centre. We appreciate all the feedback we receive, positive or negative, because we know it helps us in our goal of creating Great Hotels, Guests Love. Sadly as you mentioned, the road works are such a hassle that we have dealt with for so long that we can't even remember what it looked like before it began. I must admit, i also love your optimism. The tram line finishing in two years is what we thought 5odd years ago! Once this tram line is done, Edinburgh Council intend to create a new tram line (not on our doorstep this time thankfully) that will go from Princes Street along North bridge and all the way to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. Let me assure you that your comments have been shared with the hotel team so we can provide a better experience in the future. We hope that you will give us another chance to serve you again in the future. Kind regards, Susan Craig General Manager Holiday Inn Express Edinburgh City Centre
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
stayed in this hotel for 2 nights. Staff were very friendly and happy to help, our room was very clean and warm upon arrival. The only downside to it was that, the walls are paper thin so you can hear what people next door are saying word for word, the doors of the rooms were pretty heavy so when they shut after someone had gone through them it made quite a bang. we asked for a quiet room which was overall quite especially on the second night but despite hearing conversations by other people in the room next door the noise outside was quite disturbing although this had finished at around 2am. Breakfast was lovely both mornings although it wasn’t a full English. Everywhere was clean and the staff didn’t hesitate to keep on top of cleaning tables and topping up food which was also hot! overall we enjoyed our stayed these were only minor concerns that we had but would definitely stay again.…
Read more
Date of stay: May 2022Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
Response from , Owner at Holiday Inn Express Edinburgh City Centre, an IHG Hotel
Responded 28 May 2022
Thank you very much for taking the time to leave a feedback on your recent stay at the Holiday Inn Express - Edinburgh City Centre and thank you for the kind words. I am glad to hear that you have enjoyed our great location and the helpfulness and efficiency of our staff. I will most certainly pass your comments onto the staff members and hope that we will have the opportunity to welcome you back in the future. Kind regards, Susan Craig General Manager Holiday Inn Express Edinburgh City Center
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
It's the first time I have ever stayed at a hotel the bathroom was dirty the room was freezing cold had to ask to turn heating up no toast on the breakfast menu had a drink at the bar vodka and lemonade was £10.90 what a rip off saw the manager spitting in where the empty bottles go first and lime I would ever stay at this hotel
Read more
Date of stay: May 2022Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from , Owner at Holiday Inn Express Edinburgh City Centre, an IHG Hotel
Responded 22 May 2022
Thank you for your recent feedback, I am sorry to see that your experience with us has been so poor and can only apologize for the difficulties you have faced during your time with us, however there are a few things i do have to mention so that those reading this review will understand. Sadly these review do come to us anonymously, so i can't look into your booking details directly. The bathroom being dirty is something that should never happen and would need to be brought to the Housekeeping or Maintenance depending on what the problem is. All rooms have control of their own Air Con/Heating systems. The staff can increase the 25c limiter placed on the rooms. The breakfast does have toast available, but it comes as bread which the guests toast themselves using the rotating toaster so i am unsure why you said breakfast did not have toast. The bar charge is somewhat missing some information if it is correct. For a single Vodka and Lemonade, you would pay £6.60. For a double vodka, this does bring it to £11 exact, so for your vodka to come to that cost you would have had to have bought something else along with it. The Manager spitting i can't imagine, i have worked with the staff for many years and never seen this and must question how valid it is. It does come across to me that perhaps your review was intended for another hotel? there are 6 Holiday Inn hotels in Edinburgh. It would explain the difference in cost at the bar, the lack of toast, the inability to manage your own rooms heat and the manager. Susan Craig General Manager
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
PRICE RANGE
US$140 - US$263 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
holiday inn express - edinburgh city centre hotel edinburgh
LOCATION
United KingdomScotlandEdinburghBroughton & Calton
NUMBER OF ROOMS
161
Is This Your Tripadvisor Listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim Your Listing Frequently Asked Questions about Holiday Inn Express Edinburgh City Centre, an IHG Hotel
Which popular attractions are close to Holiday Inn Express Edinburgh City Centre, an IHG Hotel?
Nearby attractions include Calton Hill (0.5 km), The Stand Comedy Club (0.4 km), and The Black Bull Tavern (0.3 km).
What are some of the property amenities at Holiday Inn Express Edinburgh City Centre, an IHG Hotel?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free wifi, free breakfast, and a lounge.
Which room amenities are available at Holiday Inn Express Edinburgh City Centre, an IHG Hotel?
Top room amenities include air conditioning, a flat screen TV, and a desk.
What food & drink options are available at Holiday Inn Express Edinburgh City Centre, an IHG Hotel?
Guests can enjoy free breakfast, a lounge, and complimentary tea during their stay.
What are some restaurants close to Holiday Inn Express Edinburgh City Centre, an IHG Hotel?
Conveniently located restaurants include Howies Waterloo Place, L'Escargot Bleu Restaurant, and Pickles.
Is Holiday Inn Express Edinburgh City Centre, an IHG Hotel located near the city centre?
Yes, it is 0.4 km away from the centre of Edinburgh.
Are any cleaning services offered at Holiday Inn Express Edinburgh City Centre, an IHG Hotel?
Yes, dry cleaning and laundry service are offered to guests.
Does Holiday Inn Express Edinburgh City Centre, an IHG Hotel offer any business services?
Yes, guests have access to a business centre and meeting rooms during their stay.
Are there any historical sites close to Holiday Inn Express Edinburgh City Centre, an IHG Hotel?
Many travellers enjoy visiting Palace of Holyroodhouse (1.0 km), The Real Mary King's Close (0.8 km), and Edinburgh Vaults (0.8 km).
Is Holiday Inn Express Edinburgh City Centre, an IHG Hotel accessible?
Yes, it offers facilities for disabled guests. For specific enquiries, we recommend calling ahead to confirm.