Queer travel expert Jack Kenworthy turns 250+ city adventures into your guide for safe, vibrant, and inclusively fabulous global journeys.
Surrounded by trees, pitted with wonderful aristocratic gardens, and backed up by hundreds of years of success, the city of Edinburgh is a truly amazing destination. Known as Dun Eideann in its mother language and now famous worldwide as one of Great Britain’s most populous cities, the Capital Of Scotland may not initially seem like a hotspot for gay hotels, but we assure you that the opposite could not be true.
The gay hotels in Edinburgh, along with the city itself, has much of the international and queer charm that other major British locations have cultivated about themselves, and this also very much extends from Edinburgh’s night and club scene to its accommodation prospects and the way it is known to treat gay holidayers!
Although Edinburgh may be smaller than some travelers expect of a regional capital, it certainly packs a punch within each street and avenue and uses its history in every way possible. There are too many historical and culturally significant sites around the city to possibly count, and that’s without bringing Edinburgh’s modern exhibitions, such as its National Museum and Gallery, into the equation.
Suppose you’re not into art and history. In that case, however, you’ll be happy to know that Scotland’s traditional reputation remains strong in the form of many brewery museums and the Old Town market square.
Aside from its wide range of other attractions, Edinburgh is also home to a queer district known as the Pink Triangle, known worldwide for having a passionate and open attitude towards artists, queer clubs, and travelers of all shapes and sizes. The Pink Triangle is the indisputable core of the city’s nightlife and one of its most lively scenes.
The sheer potential for queer travelers to feel at home, not alone, and surrounded by accepting faces and locations in Edinburgh is nothing short of amazing, and the Pink Triangle is the area in the city where this feeling is the clearest.
Even though queer travelers to Edinburgh are bound to be in for the experience of their lives, the world still isn’t as queer-welcoming as one may hope, and as such, our usual disclaimer still applies here. Obviously – and unfortunately – it’s uncommon for hotels in Edinburgh to be marketed directly towards gay people or queer people in general.
We know that; therefore, we’d like to note that the hotels on this list follow the same logic. Most of them have been listed as accommodating, friendly, and unjudgmental to, for, and by queer people in general, as well as being highly rated.
So, if you’re ready to set off for one of Europe’s most underrated capitals, and if you’re interested in experiencing a bit of that famous Scottish charm and landscape for yourself, then get your reading slippers on, find somewhere comfortable to rest, and get ready to take a lazy stroll through our specially curated list of queer-friendly and gay hotels in Edinburgh!
In this article we will cover...
Alva House
It’s not often that we get to review a gay-owned and explicitly queer-catering location, let alone start with one, but we meant it when we said that the expectations people have of the gay environment in Edinburgh tend to be gross underestimations.
The Alva House may be a guesthouse rather than a full-sized hotel, but it does have more than its fair share of private quarters and individual bathrooms for more picky guests and an astounding dedication to maintenance and personal customer care when one considers its size and independent management.
Not only is this hotel in itself an oasis of queer life, but it is also located within a few minutes walk of the Pink Triangle, and all of the hotspots and exciting nightlife locations that that area has to offer, and public transport is also nearby if you’re looking to go a little further into the city or even to other spots on the countryside.
This includes going to and fro from the airport, thanks to the fact that the linking bus runs directly in front of the Alva House. The Scottish Parliament building is also extremely nearby, including its surrounding neighborhood of other culturally and historically important buildings.
Although we’ve just started this list, it’s already time for us to say that if you’re a queer traveler prioritizing how you’ll feel as a gay person in Edinburgh while planning your trip to the city, then this is the perfect place for you and whoever you’re traveling with, partner or otherwise.
It may not be as fancy and flashy as some of the other locations here, but it makes up for those factors with its homely, close-to-heart management style and the sheer fact that it is dedicated to meeting the needs of queer travelers.
Ballantrae Albany
Even though the Ballantrae Albany is built up within the refurbished hulls of four individual residential and old-style townhouses, there’s nothing old or residential about this location.
The first four-star location on this list of gay hotels in Edinburgh and also the first to appear a bit more like your conventional hotel, the Ballantrae Albany is located in Edinburgh’s New Town district, which means that it has access to not only the modern side of the city’s commercial attractions but also to the refreshing and progressive spirit that makes it so appealing for queer travelers and artists.
The Ballantrae Albany is only a few minutes walk away from George Street, which is where the vast majority of the city’s shops and retail complexes are located, and this makes it a perfect location for both those who like to be practical about their supplies and spending and those who enjoy a good time spent shopping.
One of the Ballantrae’s strongest points is its diversity, which is strengthened by the fact that guests can freely choose between various room configurations to meet their preferences, down to the number of side rooms, bathrooms, bedrooms, and even dining rooms and lounges.
This essence of contemporary living extends to the hotel’s common spaces and lobby, the included in-house breakfast bar open for a buffet every morning, and the restaurant and bar, which take up a position of pride on the Ballantrae’s ground floor.
All of the culinary facilities are also exclusively available for guests, which is a massive benefit given that some of the restaurants belonging to other hotels can see extreme crowding even from locals of the city and those who do not stay at the hotel itself. Nothing but plusses for this hotel.
The Caledonian
The next gay hotel on this list is built within an old railway station of all things! Also known as the Waldorf Astoria, the Caledonian shoots up to five stars with its luxurious, exquisitely decorated rooms and common spaces and also boasts a broad array of services that are more than enough to keep you over the moon for the entire duration of your holiday.
While the Caledonian’s prices may not be for everyone, every cent is sure to pay off if you’re comfortable with putting the money on the table for an excellent experience that will go above and beyond your expectations for a gay hotel in Edinburgh.
The Caledonian is known throughout the city’s accommodation scene for its excellent spa facility, indoor pool and relaxation space, and – most of all – its dining, thanks to the hotel’s in-house designer restaurants. That’s right, plural.
The first location, an overall dining experience with varied options, is known as Grazing By Mark Greenaway, and the second – a fine dining suite to suit the hotel’s five-star rating – is known as Dean Banks at the Pompadour and offers everything from wine tastings and top-shelf meals that change daily.
Suppose you’re not much of a traveler for sitting around and enjoying the pleasures that your hotel offers, however, even given that this particular location has five stars to its name. In that case, you will be pleased to know that the Caledonian is well-connected to Edinburgh’s public transport system, which puts you in reach of just about everything that the city and its surrounding suburbs offer.
The city has a lot of gems, and perhaps one of the brightest comes in the form of the Caledonian Hotel.
Kick Ass Greyfriars
Now that’s a name for an exciting gay hotel in Edinburgh! Although this wonderful hotel is located in the very depths of Edinburgh’s Old Town, and although it has a full four stars to its name, all of these positives are completely shadowed by the Kick Ass Greyfriar’s price.
This location is cheaper than some of the lower rank hotels on this list, yet its list of services, amenities, and outright prestige puts it in the ranks of the best hotels in Edinburgh, gay or otherwise. This strong level of satisfaction is easily conveyed by Greyfriars’ immensely high rating on all major platforms, as well as the many positive reviews that one can read about it on the internet.
All lights are green for this hotel, and the best about its accommodation experience is yet to come!
Just as was the case with the Alva House guesthouse earlier on this list, the Kick Ass Greyfriars is incredibly close to the vast majority of the important tourist and cultural centers of Edinburgh, which means that you’ll be spending less time and less money moving around to get from place to place.
The one advantage that this hotel has one the guesthouse we began with is a more traditional accommodation structure and free access to its on-site parking lot.
If you’re looking for a trendy, top-shelf hotel that is cheap enough to make it an absolute no-brainer, this is the location for you. The Kick-Ass Greyfriars is sure to boot away just about any hesitation you have about traveling to Edinburgh and finding a good gay hotel in about as long as it takes you to walk through its front doors, if not shorter, thanks to the sheer strength and positivity of its reviews.
Mercure Edinburgh City
Yes, we know. The Mercure name is known internationally as something to be closely associated with affordable accommodation, and while that isn’t necessarily a bad thing depending on what you’re looking for in the city, it certainly doesn’t bring forth an image of a gay-friendly hotel in Edinburgh that is there to meet all of your needs.
When it comes to practical chains like Mercure, however, it takes a good set of unique advantages and an above-average service reputation to propel a particular location onto one of our lists of gay hotels, and that is exactly what the Mercure Edinburgh City has.
Known in full as the Mercure Edinburgh City Princes Street Hotel, this location is a three-star and full-service hotel with a top-rated breakfast bar, a close connection to public transport, much like the other hotels here, and well-designed common spaces with balconies attached to some rooms.
This hotel is well known for standout service performance, and as such, guests here can expect to have all of their needs catered to without having to feel invaded or as though they cannot expect the distance and privacy that they need to fully enjoy their holiday and to experience Edinburgh for everything that it is worth. There’s nothing like having a reliable hotel as a base for your travel!
It may detract a little away from the actual point of this entry into the list of gay hotels in Edinburgh, but there is also another Mercure location in the Haymarket fraction of the city, so if you’re interested in staying in that district or if you have other plans that the Edinburgh city location doesn’t cater to, then this is a definite option for you which will also put just a little more money in your pocket!
Hilton Edinburgh Carlton
In exact contrast to the last hotel on this list, which belonged to the Mercure franchise, the Hilton brand, more often than not, stands as the very meaning of luxury and exuberance, as well as elevated prices and often stunning locations.
Although the first from this latter pair of factors may cause shrewd travelers to shy away from a Hilton location without even looking further than its rates, it must be said that the franchise’s Edinburgh Carlton location is something special to behold.
Although Hilton hotels are rarely considered as a ‘middle ground’ when it comes to cost and quality, this particular location isn’t all that expensive at all when one considers what is on offer to guests that stay here, and as such, we would comfortably list it as one of the better choices for those looking to balance expenses with an enjoyable travel experience in Edinburgh.
We know that we’ve said that many of the hotels on this list are connected well to the city’s public transport system, but there is no closer and better in-touch location than the Hilton Carlton. This hotel overlooks the Royal Mile uptown district, which sweeps on through the city directly into its central train station.
More interested in what the Hilton has to offer in its rooms? No problem – that aspect of the hotel doesn’t disappoint either! The individual rooms of the Hilton Edinburgh Carlton are nothing short of what one would expect from the franchise, outfitted with full kitchenettes, en suite bathrooms, and – as is relatively important at most times of the year in Edinburgh – air conditioning to make sure that you keep cool or warm depending on the temperature outside.
There’s a restaurant and bar downstairs for your convenience and wheelchair-accessible rooms!
The Principal Edinburgh
Seated within the heart of a 1700s building complex that has been spruced up to the cutting edge of exquisite design and also known as the InterContinental Edinburgh, the George, The Principal is the crown jewel of this list.
However, traditional accommodation and holiday living styles may not sound like factors that go well hand in hand with queer travelers. When it comes to The Principal, queer holidayers to Edinburgh are in for an absolute treat.
The Principal may not have as tight of a connection to the modern world, modern fashion, and convenience as the other hotels on this list, but its strengths in other ways greatly outweigh the hotel’s classical approach to accommodation. This is a bonafide luxury location that we’re talking about, with the four stars, the reputation, and the history to match.
As we’ve mentioned before, the hotel’s classical approach to accommodation takes nothing away from its viability as a gay hotel, and this is nowhere clearer than when it comes to The Principal’s explicit dedication to being LGBTQ+ friendly, as indicated on their online listing.
Other advantages advertised alongside this one include the hotel’s in-house bar, restaurant, and fitness center for all of your food and exercise needs, and reviews tend to highly commend the state of the individual rooms and the convenience of the available parking.
With all that said, it need not be said that The Principal is the perfect location for those looking for a more traditional and historically-focused travel experience. No matter what your taste in design is, and if you’re used to or rather to staying in places that are more modern than classical, you will still stand in absolute awe of the attention to detail that The Principal puts into its spaces and service.
Apex Waterloo Place Hotel
One only needs to take a quick look at the Apex Waterloo Place Hotel to understand exactly what kind of location it is.
Boasting four well-earned stars and a shining reputation with customers over a long service life, the Apex Waterloo is a luxury location that meets every mark and ticks every possible box without raising its price to a level much higher than the average through this list, and this is exactly the factor that allows guests here to fully enjoy what it has on offer.
The Apex Waterloo also has an indoor pool for travelers looking for a bit more of a holiday feel during their time in Edinburgh, although it’s unlikely that you’ll be spending long enough in that part of the hotel to properly enjoy it!
If you do manage to, however, you’ll be happy to learn that there’s a spa facility connected to the pool and that that service mentality there is as strong as it is for the rest of the hotel, including when it comes to the amenities located in the individual rooms. These include hot tubs, air conditioning, and laundry service, to name a few.
No matter what your special requirements are, and no matter what you like to be treated to while you stay at a hotel, the Apex Waterloo is determined to earn every inch of its prestige and backs up every promise made by its extravagant appearance.
The hotel’s breakfast buffet is wonderful, filled to the brim with fresh snacks to get your day off to a perfect start, and if you’re looking for a bite towards the end of the day, the Apex Waterloo also has a restaurant and bar ensemble for evenings spent hanging out with other travelers and enjoying a selection of local culinary pleasures!
Gay Hotel Map Of Edinburgh
Feeling a bit lost while planning your journey to Edinburgh? No worries, darling! Our detailed LGBTQ+ tailored map is here to guide you. We’ve pinpointed all the vibrant gay-friendly bars, exhilarating clubs, extravagant parties, cozy hotels, relaxing saunas, and soothing massage parlors to ensure you find the perfect spot.
And these aren’t just any spots; we’re talking about the creme de la creme of locations in the heart of the city’s vibrant gay scene. Think panoramic views, easy access to nightlife, and all the amenities to make your stay as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.
But hold on to your feather boas! These hot spots are so fabulous they vanish quicker than a drag queen’s five o’clock shadow. Don’t delay; book now to secure the best deals and locations. Remember, the early bird catches the best deals in Edinburgh! So, pack your rainbow flag, and get ready to experience the ultimate gay-friendly holiday in Edinburgh.
