--- title: "a&o Edinburgh City vs Cowgate Hostel: which hotel is better?" description: "a&o Edinburgh City or Cowgate Hostel in Edinburgh? Compare guest ratings, location, amenities, rooms and prices side by side." url: https://stayversus.com/en/compare/a-o-edinburgh-city-edinburgh-vs-cowgate-hostel-edinburgh/ language: en source: StayVersus (https://stayversus.com) retrieved: 2026-11-05 --- # a&o Edinburgh City vs Cowgate Hostel Both are in Edinburgh, 310 m apart. Here is where each one is stronger. Hostel · Old Town ## [a&o Edinburgh City](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/a-o-edinburgh-city-edinburgh/) - **Guest rating:** 8.0 · Very good - **Location score:** 9.3 - **Score by category:** 1 of 3 [Check rates](https://stayversus.com/go/1092815/agoda/?lang=en) Hostel · Old Town ## [Cowgate Hostel](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/cowgate-hostel-edinburgh/) - **Guest rating:** 7.1 · Good - **Location score:** 9.4 - **Score by category:** 0 of 3 [Check rates](https://stayversus.com/go/1318089/agoda/?lang=en) The short answer ## Too close to call Neither hotel has a clear edge on the facts we have. Your priorities decide. 310 m apart. ### Choose a&o Edinburgh City if you want - the more consistently praised stay (8.0 / 7.1) - a big hotel with more facilities (Rooms: 132 / 36) ### Choose Cowgate Hostel if you want - a smaller, quieter hotel (Rooms: 36 / 132) ### Why is a&o Edinburgh City better than Cowgate Hostel? 1. Higher guest rating (8.0 vs 7.1) (+0.9) 2. More guest reviews (1,799 vs 278), so the rating is more reliable (×6.5) 3. A larger hotel with more facilities (132 vs 36 rooms) (×3.7) ### Why is Cowgate Hostel better than a&o Edinburgh City? 1. Earlier check-in (14:00 vs 15:00) (−1h) 2. A smaller, more intimate hotel (36 vs 132 rooms) (−96) ## All compared facts Every category is scored from 0 to 10 with the same formula for every hotel. | | a&o Edinburgh City | Cowgate Hostel | | --- | --- | --- | | Score by category | | Guest rating | 8.0 (+0.9) | 7.1 | | Location | 9.3 | 9.4 | | Public transport | 9.0 | 9.1 | | Ratings & reviews | | StayVersus score | 8.0 (+0.8) | 7.2 | | Guest rating | 8.0 (+0.9) | 7.1 | | Number of reviews | 1,799 (+1,521) | 278 | | Rank in Edinburgh | bottom 14% (+12%) | bottom 2% | | Location | | Location score | 9.3 | 9.4 | | Distance to Old Town centre | 280 m | 130 m (−160 m) | | To public transport | 330 m | 330 m | | To the airport | 12 km | 11 km | | Restaurants within 500 m | 150 | 150 | | To the nearest food shop | 110 m (−150 m) | 260 m | | Shops within 500 m | 13 | 11 | | Sights within 1 km | 40 | 40 | | Rooms & building | | Rooms | 132 | 36 | | Floors | 6 | – | | Newest building or renovation | 2006 | – | | Listed amenities | 7 | 8 | | Policies | | Check-in from | 15:00 | 14:00 (−1h) | | Check-out until | 10:00 | 10:00 | | Amenities | | Luggage storage | ✓ | ✓ | | Breakfast | ✓ | ✓ | | Bar | ✓ | – | | Meeting rooms | ✓ | – | | Kitchen | ✓ | ✓ | | Blackout curtains | ✓ | – | | Free Wi-Fi | – | ✓ | | Laundry | – | ✓ | | Smoke-free | – | ✓ | | Coffee or tea maker | – | ✓ | ## Live prices around both hotels Real nightly rates from booking partners for the dates you picked above. Tap a price for the offer. [a&o Edinburgh City prices by month](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/a-o-edinburgh-city-edinburgh/prices/) ## Location 310 m apart a&o Edinburgh City: city centre: 550 m, nearest station Transpennine Express: 330 m, Edinburgh Airport (EDI): 12 km, 150+ places to eat within 500 m, 40+ sights within 1 km. Cowgate Hostel: city centre: 300 m, nearest station Newcastle Train Station: 330 m, Edinburgh Airport (EDI): 11 km, 150+ places to eat within 500 m, 40+ sights within 1 km. ## Weather in Edinburgh [Edinburgh weather: 15-day forecast](https://atlasofseasons.com/en/united-kingdom/scotland/edinburgh/weather) ## a&o Edinburgh City or Cowgate Hostel: common questions ### Which is better, a&o Edinburgh City or Cowgate Hostel? a&o Edinburgh City leads in 1 of 3 categories, including guest rating. ### Which is cheaper, a&o Edinburgh City or Cowgate Hostel? Prices change by date. Pick your dates above to see both nightly prices side by side. ### Which hotel is closer to the centre? Cowgate Hostel is closer: 130 m from the centre, against 280 m for a&o Edinburgh City. ### How far apart are a&o Edinburgh City and Cowgate Hostel? The two hotels are 310 m apart in a straight line. ## Compare now Updated 6 Oct 2026. Data: Agoda, Overture Maps, OpenStreetMap, OurAirports and hotels' own websites. We may earn a commission from partner links; it never changes the comparison. [How we score](https://stayversus.com/en/about/) --- Source: https://stayversus.com/en/compare/a-o-edinburgh-city-edinburgh-vs-cowgate-hostel-edinburgh/. Facts are compiled by StayVersus from partner data (Agoda), Overture Maps, OpenStreetMap, OurAirports, public Google Maps listings and hotels' own websites. Scores use one formula for every hotel. Methodology: https://stayversus.com/en/about/