---
title: "a&o Edinburgh City vs West End Hostel: which hotel is better?"
description: "a&o Edinburgh City or West End 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-west-end-hostel-edinburgh/
language: en
source: StayVersus (https://stayversus.com)
retrieved: 2026-11-07
---

# a&o Edinburgh City vs West End Hostel

Both are in Edinburgh, 2.0 km 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:** 2 of 3

[Check rates](https://stayversus.com/go/1092815/agoda/?lang=en)

Hostel · West End
## [West End Hostel](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/west-end-hostel-edinburgh/)

- **Guest rating:** 7.7 ·  Good

- **Location score:** 8.2

- **Score by category:** 0 of 3

[Check rates](https://stayversus.com/go/2316010/agoda/?lang=en)

The short answer

## Pick a&o Edinburgh City

It leads in 2 of 3 categories. 2.0 km apart.

### Choose a&o Edinburgh City if you want

-   the more consistently praised stay (8.0 / 7.7)
-   to walk to the sights (550 m / 1.5 km)
-   a big hotel with more facilities (Rooms: 132 / 10)

### Choose West End Hostel if you want

-   a smaller, quieter hotel (Rooms: 10 / 132)
-   a newer or recently renovated building (2025 / 2006)

### Why is a&o Edinburgh City better than West End Hostel?

1.  Higher guest rating (8.0 vs 7.7) (+0.3)
2.  960 m closer to the city centre (−960 m)
3.  More guest reviews (1,799 vs 279), so the rating is more reliable (×6.4)
4.  49 more restaurants and cafés within 500 m (+49)
5.  More walkable surroundings (walk grade 100 vs 87) (+13)
6.  25 more sights within 1 km (+25)
7.  A larger hotel with more facilities (132 vs 10 rooms) (×13.2)

### Why is West End Hostel better than a&o Edinburgh City?

1.  Newer or more recently renovated (2025 vs 2006) (+19y)
2.  Later check-out (11:00 vs 10:00) (+1h)
3.  A smaller, more intimate hotel (10 vs 132 rooms) (−122)

## All compared facts

Every category is scored from 0 to 10 with the same formula for every hotel.

 

|  | a&o Edinburgh City | West End Hostel |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Score by category |
| Guest rating | 8.0 | 7.7 |
| Location | 9.3  (+1.1) | 8.2 |
| Public transport | 9.0  (+0.8) | 8.2 |
| Ratings & reviews |
| StayVersus score | 8.0  (+0.2) | 7.8 |
| Guest rating | 8.0  (+0.3) | 7.7 |
| Number of reviews | 1,799  (+1,520) | 279 |
| Rank in Edinburgh | bottom 14%  (+6%) | bottom 8% |
| Location |
| Location score | 9.3  (+1.1) | 8.2 |
| Distance to the centre | 550 m  (−960 m) | 1.5 km |
| To public transport | 330 m  (−150 m) | 490 m |
| To the airport | 12 km | 9.6 km  (−2.1 km) |
| Restaurants within 500 m | 150  (+49) | 101 |
| To the nearest food shop | 110 m  (−350 m) | 450 m |
| Shops within 500 m | 13  (+8) | 5 |
| Sights within 1 km | 40  (+25) | 15 |
| Rooms & building |
| Rooms | 132 | 10 |
| Floors | 6 | 4 |
| Newest building or renovation | 2006 | 2025  (+19y) |
| Listed amenities | 7 | 9  (+2) |
| Policies |
| Check-in from | 15:00 | 15:00 |
| Check-out until | 10:00 | 11:00  (+1h) |
| Amenities |
| Wi-Fi | ✓ | ✓ |
| Luggage storage | ✓ | ✓ |
| Breakfast | ✓ | – |
| Bar | ✓ | ✓ |
| Meeting rooms | ✓ | – |
| Kitchen | ✓ | ✓ |
| Blackout curtains | ✓ | – |
| Laundry | – | ✓ |
| Terrace | – | ✓ |
| Smoke-free | – | ✓ |
| Balcony | – | ✓ |
| In-room safe | – | ✓ |
| Which hotel suits you |
| Couples | ✓ | – |
| Sightseeing on foot | ✓ | – |
| Business trips | ✓ | – |

## 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

2.0 km 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.

West End Hostel: city centre: 1.5 km, nearest station Haymarket ScotRail: 490 m, Edinburgh Airport (EDI): 9.6 km, 101 places to eat within 500 m, 15 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 West End Hostel: common questions

### Which is better, a&o Edinburgh City or West End Hostel?

a&o Edinburgh City leads in 2 of 3 categories, including location, public transport.

### Which is cheaper, a&o Edinburgh City or West End Hostel?

Prices change by date. Pick your dates above to see both nightly prices side by side.

### Which hotel is closer to the centre?

a&o Edinburgh City is closer: 550 m from the centre, against 1.5 km for West End Hostel.

### How far apart are a&o Edinburgh City and West End Hostel?

The two hotels are 2.0 km 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/)

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Source: https://stayversus.com/en/compare/a-o-edinburgh-city-edinburgh-vs-west-end-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/