---
title: "Southside Guest House vs The Scholar: which hotel is better?"
description: "Southside Guest House or The Scholar in Edinburgh? Compare guest ratings, location, amenities, rooms and prices side by side."
url: https://stayversus.com/en/compare/southside-guest-house-edinburgh-vs-the-scholar-edinburgh/
language: en
source: StayVersus (https://stayversus.com)
retrieved: 2026-11-07
---

# Southside Guest House vs The Scholar

Both are in Edinburgh, 500 m apart. Here is where each one is stronger.

Guesthouse · Southside
## [Southside Guest House](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/southside-guest-house-edinburgh/)

- **Guest rating:** 8.9 ·  Excellent

- **Location score:** 7.4

- **Score by category:** 1 of 3

[Check rates](https://stayversus.com/go/2118445/agoda/?lang=en)

Hotel · ★★★★ · Southside
## [The Scholar](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/the-scholar-edinburgh/)

- **Guest rating:** 8.9 ·  Excellent

- **Location score:** 5.2

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

[Check rates](https://stayversus.com/go/2216374/agoda/?lang=en)

The short answer

## Too close to call

Neither hotel has a clear edge on the facts we have. Your priorities decide. 500 m apart.

### Choose Southside Guest House if you want

-   more restaurants on the doorstep (105 / 30)

### Why is Southside Guest House better than The Scholar?

1.  330 m closer to the area centre (−330 m)
2.  75 more restaurants and cafés within 500 m (+75)
3.  More walkable surroundings (walk grade 78 vs 48) (+30)
4.  4 more sights within 1 km (+4)
5.  Earlier check-in (14:00 vs 15:00) (−1h)

### Why is The Scholar better than Southside Guest House?

1.  More guest reviews (54 vs 18), so the rating is more reliable (×3.0)

## All compared facts

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

 

|  | Southside Guest House | The Scholar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Score by category |
| Guest rating | 8.9 | 8.9 |
| Location | 7.4  (+2.2) | 5.2 |
| Public transport | 8.2 | 8.1 |
| Ratings & reviews |
| StayVersus score | 8.7 | 8.8  (+0.1) |
| Guest rating | 8.9 | 8.9 |
| Number of reviews | 18 | 54  (+36) |
| Google rating | 4.5/5 | 4.7/5  (+0.2) |
| Google reviews | 113 | 499  (+386) |
| Rank in Edinburgh | top 39% | top 27%  (+12%) |
| Location |
| Location score | 7.4  (+2.2) | 5.2 |
| Distance to Southside centre | 640 m  (−330 m) | 980 m |
| To public transport | 490 m | 510 m |
| To the airport | 12 km | 13 km |
| Restaurants within 500 m | 105  (+75) | 30 |
| To the nearest food shop | 50 m  (−390 m) | 440 m |
| Shops within 500 m | 5  (+3) | 2 |
| Sights within 1 km | 4  (+4) | 0 |
| Rooms & building |
| Star rating | – | ★★★★ |
| Rooms | 8 | – |
| Listed amenities | 7 | 11  (+4) |
| Policies |
| Check-in from | 14:00  (−1h) | 15:00 |
| Check-out until | 11:00 | 11:00 |
| Amenities |
| Free Wi-Fi | ✓ | ✓ |
| Luggage storage | ✓ | – |
| Breakfast | ✓ | ✓ |
| Terrace | ✓ | – |
| Balcony | ✓ | – |
| Coffee or tea maker | ✓ | – |
| Free parking | – | ✓ |
| EV charging | – | ✓ |
| Restaurant | – | ✓ |
| Bar | – | ✓ |
| Swimming pool | – | ✓ |
| Gym | – | ✓ |
| Pets allowed | – | ✓ |
| Which hotel suits you |
| Couples | ✓ | – |
| Sightseeing on foot | ✓ | – |

## Live prices around both hotels

Real nightly rates from booking partners for the dates you picked above. Tap a price for the offer.

## Location

500 m apart

Southside Guest House: city centre: 1.6 km, nearest station St Leonards railway station: 490 m, Edinburgh Airport (EDI): 12 km, 105 places to eat within 500 m, 4 sights within 1 km.

The Scholar: city centre: 1.9 km, nearest station St Leonards railway station: 510 m, Edinburgh Airport (EDI): 13 km, 30 places to eat within 500 m.

## Weather in Edinburgh

[Edinburgh weather: 15-day forecast](https://atlasofseasons.com/en/united-kingdom/scotland/edinburgh/weather)

## Southside Guest House or The Scholar: common questions

### Which is better, Southside Guest House or The Scholar?

Southside Guest House leads in 1 of 3 categories, including location.

### Which is cheaper, Southside Guest House or The Scholar?

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

### Which hotel is closer to the centre?

Southside Guest House is closer: 640 m from the centre, against 980 m for The Scholar.

### How far apart are Southside Guest House and The Scholar?

The two hotels are 500 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/southside-guest-house-edinburgh-vs-the-scholar-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/