Stay at the Old Waverley Hotel
How Good Is This 3-star Princes Street Hotel in Edinburgh?
Are you considering a stay at the Old Waverley Hotel in Edinburgh? You will not be alone as this traditional hotel enjoys a prime location on Princes Street in the heart of the City Centre and is a clean and comfortable base for shopping and sightseeing the attractions of Edinburgh. But is the Old Waverley Hotel a better choice than other 3 star hotels near the city centre? And does it offer good value for money?
I have been reading hundreds of reviews from guests who have stayed at the Old Waverley over the last 3 years. This is a summary of those reviews, a concise and unbiased conclusion of the quality of service and room comfort.
What's special about the Old Waverley Hotel?
- Some guest rooms have balconies and enjoy fabulous views over Edinburgh Castle and Princes Street Gardens.
- Many of the guest rooms have recently been refurbished and offer clean and comfortable accommodation.
- Location: Situated right in the middle of Princes Street, the Old Waverley Hotel is perfectly located for exploring both the New and Old Town of Edinburgh.
Read Old Waverley Hotel reviews or check for discounted room rates.
What do guests really think?
There were very mixed reviews on the Old Waverley hotel, but the majority of guests did agree that it offered comfortable accommodation at reasonable prices.
- Most reviewers absolutely loved the location which is perfect for the shops, restaurants and attractions of Edinburgh.
- Many guests agreed that the rooms are comfortable and functional although in no way luxurious.
- Given the price location and the relatively cheap discount rates, many guests agreed that the Old Waverley Hotel represents excellent value for money.
- Many of the more critical reviews came from those guests who had paid full price as they felt that they did not receive value for money.
My Recommendation
Although the Old Waverley Hotel is far from luxurious, many of the guests agree that considering the location and the price, it represents excellent value for money. Many guests said they would return to the Old Waverley or would recommend this Edinburgh hotel to others. Others said that they would not stay there at the full price advertised on the website. As long as you're not expecting luxurious accommodation, then I would recommend this hotel for a stay in Edinburgh as long as you can find a good discounted rate.
Book the Old Waverley Hotel or find other good hotel deals in Edinburgh.
In Depth Review of the Old Waverley Hotel in Edinburgh
Affordable and comfortable hotel with great views. Located on Princes Street, excellent city centre location.
Average room price per night: £68-£211 ($107-$332)
What is the Old Waverley Hotel like?
The Old Waverley Hotel offers budget accommodation in one of the most sought after locations in Edinburgh. Whilst it is certainly not in the luxury category, this is reflected in the prices available on the internet. There were some problems reported by guests but many felt that the Old Waverley is a good city centre hotel for the price paid.
Building and room design
- Many rooms were recently refurbished and many guests said that while the rooms were not luxurious, they were clean and comfortable.
- Others said that their rooms were in need of updating, with torn wallpaper, broken fixtures and worn bedclothes.
- Some reviewers said that the guest rooms were extremely small.
- There were a few reviewers who said that the Old Waverley Hotel is old-fashioned but others felt that it had charm and character not often found in modern hotels.
- Some of the more expensive rooms have balconies and enjoy great views over Edinburgh, whilst others are internal facing rooms with frosted glass windows and no view or natural light.
- A few reviewers found that the rooms with views were extremely noisy at night. Others thought that this was to be expected in the city centre and were prepared to accept the noise in order to stay in such a central hotel.
- There were some reports of bed bugs over a 3-4 month period, however this issue has not been brought up by any reviewers in several months, and it might be concluded that this has now been resolved.
- Several reviewers said that the beds and pillows are extremely uncomfortable.
- A few guests were not happy with the amount of wardrobe and storage space in the bedrooms.
- Several guests said that there is a flight of stairs (with no lift) in order to reach reception and this may be a problem for people with limited mobility.
- Many reviewers commented on the perfumed smell throughout the hotel and some felt that it was far too strong and even made them nauseous whilst others liked the smell. It is understood that the smell comes from the next door shop, Lush, and that this is outside of the hotel's control.
- Wi-Fi is available but chargeable and some felt that it should be included in the rate.
Staff and level of service
- There were very mixed reviews on the level of service, as many guests reported that the staff were friendly and helpful.
- However other reviewers found the staff to be brusque and unhelpful and were not happy with the level of service.
- A few guests did not like the fact that late-night drinks had to be paid by credit card as no cash was accepted.
Food and drink
- There is a restaurant Cranston's in the hotel and some reviewers were not happy with the quality, however there were not enough reviews for me to form an opinion.
- There is a bar in the hotel and some guests said that it was extremely expensive even by city centre standards.
- Breakfast received extremely mixed reviews. Many guests were very happy with the quality of the food, describing the breakfast as excellent.
- Others criticised the standard of breakfast and some said that it consisted of the cheapest, poor-quality ingredients.
- Some guests recommended taking breakfast early as the self-service buffet runs out.
Location and parking
- It is located right on Princes Street and many guests thought that this was the best selling point of the hotel.
- Waverley train station is a 2-minute walk away. There is an inexpensive shuttle bus from the airport to the train station.
- There is no parking at the hotel and the nearest NCP car park is a 10-minute walk away for which hotel guests receive a discount. Some guests were not happy at the lack of on-site parking.
Book the Old Waverley Hotel or find other good value for money hotels in Edinburgh.
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