a&o Edinburgh City vs Cowgate Hostel
Both are in Edinburgh, 310 m apart. Here is where each one is stronger.
HostelOld Town
a&o Edinburgh City
- Guest rating
- 8.0 Very good
- Location score
- 9.3
- Score by category
- 1 of 3
HostelOld Town
Cowgate Hostel
- Guest rating
- 7.1 Good
- Location score
- 9.4
- Score by category
- 0 of 3
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?
- 1Higher guest rating (8.0 vs 7.1)+0.9
- 2More guest reviews (1,799 vs 278), so the rating is more reliable×6.5
- 3A larger hotel with more facilities (132 vs 36 rooms)×3.7
Why is Cowgate Hostel better than a&o Edinburgh City?
- 1Earlier check-in (14:00 vs 15:00)−1h
- 2A 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 vs Cowgate Hostel: which hotel is better? | 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 | – | ✓ |
Price for your dates
Prices come from booking partners and can change. The final price is shown before you book.
Live prices around both hotels
Real nightly rates from booking partners for the dates you picked above. Tap a price for the offer.
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
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