Apartments Royal vs Cowgate Hostel
Both are in Edinburgh, 180 m apart. Here is where each one is stronger.
ApartmentOld Town
Apartments Royal
- Guest rating
- 8.7 Very good
- Location score
- 9.5
- Score by category
- 2 of 3
HostelOld Town
Cowgate Hostel
- Guest rating
- 7.1 Good
- Location score
- 9.4
- Score by category
- 0 of 3
The short answer
Pick Apartments Royal
It leads in 2 of 3 categories. 180 m apart.
Choose Apartments Royal if you want
- the more consistently praised stay (8.7 / 7.1)
- a smaller, quieter hotel (Rooms: 6 / 36)
Choose Cowgate Hostel if you want
- a big hotel with more facilities (Rooms: 36 / 6)
Why is Apartments Royal better than Cowgate Hostel?
- 1Higher guest rating (8.7 vs 7.1)+1.6
- 2Earlier check-in (13:00 vs 14:00)−1h
- 3Later check-out (11:00 vs 10:00)+1h
Why is Cowgate Hostel better than Apartments Royal?
- 1More guest reviews (278 vs 40), so the rating is more reliable×7.0
All compared facts
Every category is scored from 0 to 10 with the same formula for every hotel.
| Apartments Royal vs Cowgate Hostel: which hotel is better? | Apartments Royal | Cowgate Hostel |
|---|---|---|
| Score by category | ||
| Guest rating | 8.7 +1.6 | 7.1 |
| Location | 9.5 | 9.4 |
| Public transport | 9.4 +0.3 | 9.1 |
| Ratings & reviews | ||
| StayVersus score | 8.6 +1.4 | 7.2 |
| Guest rating | 8.7 +1.6 | 7.1 |
| Number of reviews | 40 | 278 +238 |
| Google rating | 4.4/5 | – |
| Google reviews | 69 | – |
| Rank in Edinburgh | top 42% +56% | bottom 2% |
| Location | ||
| Location score | 9.5 | 9.4 |
| Distance to Old Town centre | 170 m | 130 m |
| To public transport | 260 m | 330 m |
| To the airport | 11 km | 11 km |
| Restaurants within 500 m | 150 | 150 |
| To the nearest food shop | 220 m | 260 m |
| Shops within 500 m | 9 | 11 |
| Sights within 1 km | 40 | 40 |
| Rooms & building | ||
| Rooms | 6 | 36 |
| Listed amenities | 5 | 8 +3 |
| Policies | ||
| Check-in from | 13:00 −1h | 14:00 |
| Check-out until | 11:00 +1h | 10:00 |
| Amenities | ||
| Free Wi-Fi | ✓ | ✓ |
| Parking | ✓ | – |
| Coffee or tea maker | ✓ | ✓ |
| Blackout curtains | ✓ | – |
| Laundry | – | ✓ |
| Luggage storage | – | ✓ |
| Breakfast | – | ✓ |
| Smoke-free | – | ✓ |
| Kitchen | – | ✓ |
| Which hotel suits you | ||
| Couples | ✓ | – |
| Business trips | ✓ | – |
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
180 m apart
Apartments Royal: city centre: 360 m, nearest station Newcastle Train Station: 260 m, Edinburgh Airport (EDI): 11 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
Apartments Royal or Cowgate Hostel: common questions
Which is better, Apartments Royal or Cowgate Hostel?
Apartments Royal leads in 2 of 3 categories, including guest rating, public transport.
Which is cheaper, Apartments Royal or Cowgate Hostel?
Prices change by date. Pick your dates above to see both nightly prices side by side.
How far apart are Apartments Royal and Cowgate Hostel?
The two hotels are 180 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