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Reviews of a&o Edinburgh City - Hostel

2 out of 5
a&o Edinburgh City - Hostel
50 Blackfriars Street, Edinburgh, Scotland

Reviews

7.6

Good

Rating 10 - Excellent. 253 out of 915 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 371 out of 915 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 182 out of 915 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 61 out of 915 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 48 out of 915 reviews" "

7.8/10

Cleanliness

8.0/10

Staff & service

7.4/10

Amenities

7.6/10

Property conditions & facilities

7.6/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

6/10 Okay

Christine Pratts

The worst part of my stay is their policy of checking people in at all hours. There were nights when people walked into the room at 1:00am, turning the light on and waking everyone up. Also, their dining facility was not set up to handle the large student groups that arrived. All food and beverage was gone by 8am.
Stayed 10 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Susan, Kula

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The staff of the a&o are excellent. They are the reason why I gave this place a 5 star. For a hostel, it was also very clean and well taken care of. I appreciated the restaurant and bar that was on the ground level. It was a nice place to relax and wait for our room to be ready. It was minimal amenities and the front elevator was out, so we had to climb stairs or walk around to the back of the building for the other elevator. However, this was a small inconvenience. The location was great! We walked all around and had a ton of options to see, experience and plenty dining options.
Stayed 1 night in May 2024

8/10 Good

Miguel

Business traveller
Liked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities
It was a bit noisy but a bar with young people should be like that,workers was very helpful and nice,share a room is a bit of a palaver for a 54y.o person but i enjoy it anywere
Stayed 1 night in May 2024

6/10 Okay

YU HONG

Liked: Staff & service
Stayed 3 nights in May 2024

4/10 Poor

Anna

Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 2 nights in May 2024

4/10 Poor

seli

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 2 nights in May 2024

8/10 Good

Hemant

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
It was a great space spent two nights at Edinburgh hostel.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Findlay

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Brilliant as usual
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2024

8/10 Good

Ruben

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Decent joint
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Findlay

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Brilliant place to say. Only notes of complaints are that the bracket for holding the shower head up was broken. It was more an inconvenience than a problem. Also the shower drain never seems to be properly cleaned so the water doesn’t drain away quickly.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2024

8/10 Good

Fredrik

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Good for what you pay for
Great option of starting at a backpackers with a private bathroom. Clean enough, quiet enough (only noice came from the courtyard at night/ party, which dies down at about 11.30 but really quiet inside and in the mornings). Cheap and ok breakfast for a once off. Super good location for anyone wanting to see anything in Edinburgh. Sport friendly staff who will give you an honest answer
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2024

2/10 Terrible

Princewill

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
I couldn't get a refund for a booking I didn't use. Ended up booking a new one again. It's annoying
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2024

8/10 Good

Chloe

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
A great hostel for being central to everything in Edinburgh. Room was small but clean with basics for a stay, the bed were very uncomfortable as you could feel ever spring in them but for a few nights it was okay to bare. If you’re looking for a cheap stay this is a great location.
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Findlay

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Excellent as usual
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Zachary

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Blair

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Best Hostel in Scotland!
Really well placed in the centre of Edinburgh, Staff were amazing and really happy with overall cleanliness and comfort of rooms.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Findlay

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Perfect setting

8/10 Good

Chiramet

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
A bit noisy
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

THOMAS

Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Top hostel Cowgate
Great reception staff, en suite bathroom clean, room good, my rooms were partially filled lucky, breakfast £7.50 but exceptional. location good. Making own beds abit ofva pain but ok
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

THOMAS

Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great
Breakfast great, rooms big, bathroom ensuite clean etc etc
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
I shall be returning…
A lovely room with an unexpected free upgrade; bed was comfy, facilities were spotless, and lockable storage in room to boot! Added benefit of a lift up to the various floors, so no lugging heavy cases up flights of stairs.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2023

8/10 Good

Cameron

Stayed 1 night in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Cameron

Stayed 1 night in Oct 2023

8/10 Good

Lori

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed in a private room everything ok
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2023

6/10 Okay

David

Travelled with partner
Disliked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Place was super dirty, there was toilet paper all over the washroom actually. Dirt on the floor as well, we could tell no one had cleaned the room. Bed is pretty rough, the place is pretty much very worn. If you’re a young adult or staying for just a few days, you won’t really care that much as the place is in an amazing location and Edinburgh is not a cheap city.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2023

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Better hostels
Room was really noisy, right beside bar, room wasn’t clean, no shower gel bathroom was filthy
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2023

2/10 Terrible

Rebecca

Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2023

6/10 Okay

Cameron

Liked: Room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2023

6/10 Okay

Cameron

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2023

6/10 Okay

Andrew

Travelled with family
Liked: Amenities
If I was a very drunk 20 year old who wanted to scream and sing loudly until the wee small hours, it would have been ideal.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2023

6/10 Okay

Michele

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
The light in the bathroom is a motion light, so if you don’t take a 2 minute shower, the light will turn off. I tried waving my arms to get it back on, didn’t work. If you need to get to sleep early, request a room not overlooking the bar area.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2023

2/10 Terrible

Gregor

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Disliked: Staff & service
Tragic
Total car crash, could not check in due to ‘system failure’. Had to leave bags and head to our event without being able to freshen up. Even at midnight we had to negotiate getting our room. Felt sorry for staff but no leadership or systems in place to sort. Farcical.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2023

8/10 Good

Molly

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
N/A
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2023

6/10 Okay

Qing Fei

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2023

2/10 Terrible

Hannah

Stayed 10 nights in Aug 2023

8/10 Good

This Phone

Stayed 1 night in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Margaret

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
We only stayed for 1 night but we were very impressed with everything from check in to check out
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2023

8/10 Good

Lupe

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Los colchones un poco incomodos. Resto fenomenal. Lo mejor la UBICACIÓN.
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2023

2/10 Terrible

Joonwoo

Stayed 1 night in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Michael

Stayed 1 night in Aug 2023

2/10 Terrible

Marko

Disliked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities
Did not enjoy my stay here. Have emailed manager. Changed rooms 5 times. Spent over 2 hours. Was told to find another place and get a refund.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Michael

Stayed 1 night in Aug 2023

4/10 Poor

Michael

Stayed 1 night in Aug 2023

8/10 Good

Huw

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
I was very pleasantly surprised staying two nights in the hostel - being the only accommodation that was affordable for myself during the fringe etc I was not sure what to expect. My first impressions were favourable - excellent efficient service with the staff. The dormitory was clean, presentable ( ok some bunks looked like a luggage holdall!) had two accessible showers. There was one window - despite being always open - it was very warm. Sauna conditions at times! However one thing did not spoil everything else. When I left Sat am I completed the circle - the staff member was smiling and helpful.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2023

8/10 Good

George

Travelled with group
Liked: Staff & service, amenities
Good location, bar area and outside space is nice. Rooms do the job, however there are no fans or adequate ventilation, and it was warm when we were there so rooms were boiling. Also the shower lights are on a motion sensor so turn off every few minutes.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Mary

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2023

8/10 Good

Rosa

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
I like the location, cleanliness, i got a room for myself, was comfortable and clean I didn't like the noise coming from outside. Its a busy season, some people are noisy, but is not the hostel's fault. But i will stay again if I come back to the city
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2023

4/10 Poor

Anastasia

Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Babajide

Liked: Amenities
Great
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2023

2/10 Terrible

Celina

Travelled with group
Disliked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Why do you have a window that doesn't seal properly directly above a bar? We had to listen to a cacophony of drunk people singing until 4am. The washroom had no soap and the blanket was not washed. The toilet reeked so bad my eyes watered. Very confusing building layout. This place has turned me off from hostels entirely.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2023