Wilde Apart Hotels Edinburgh Grassmarket Review: My Honest Thoughts
Don’t get me wrong; when I travel, I’m easily a 20,000 steps-a-day type of girl. There is no distance too far for me when it comes to making sure I hit all of the exciting landmarks, activities, and food spots in every destination I visit. That being said, the location of my hotel is almost always the most important factor to me when planning my trips. It can determine budget, comfort, safety, and just how much you’ll have to rely on certain forms of transportation. When visiting Edinburgh in particular, the location of your hotel can make or break your experience. My fiance and I recently stayed at a hotel in Edinburgh in a fantastic location- I’m talking a hotel with Edinburgh Castle views- and I’m giving you my honest thoughts on whether the location is worth the price. Here’s my full Wilde Apart Hotels Edinburgh Grassmarket Review!
What is Wilde Apart Hotels?
Wilde Apart Hotels is rated a 4-stars apartment-style hotel by StayCity Group. These hotel rooms are perfect for long term stays in destinations across the world because they are designed with daily lifestyle in mind- they all come equipped with a mini kitchen with small appliances and a sink available. These rooms are stylish, modern, and simple, and fun fact, were actually inspired by Oscar Wilde! You can choose from a one bedroom or two bedroom apartment, so they’re also suitable for friends, couples, or families traveling together. With free wifi, smart tv’s, and a dedicated working space in each room, Wilde Apart Hotels is a great location if you find yourself needing to work remotely or just needing to settle into your hotel room for a bit to relax. Wilde Apart Hotels also come with amenities such as a gyms, laundry rooms, and also cafes and bars. Depending on your location, these hotels can offer 24 hour reception and additional services such as airport transfers via taxi.
Are Wilde Apart Hotels Good?
Wilde Apart Hotels are a 4-star rated, reputable hotel chain with several locations across the UK and Europe. You can find them in Berlin, London, Vienna, Lisbon, and of course, in Edinburgh, Scotland! They have been around for nearly 10 years now, so be assured it’s a reputable place to consider staying when traveling. That being said, Wilde Apart Hotels are considered a ‘premium’ hotel, often in excellent and picturesque locations in their destinations, so expect to pay for it. Generally, you can expect a ballpark nightly rate of around $180-350 from what I’ve seen and experienced when I stayed with Wilde. However, if you sign up to be a ‘member’ for free, you can save 10% off your stay. Now that we’ve covered the basics of what the hotel chain is, let’s get to the Wilde Apart Hotels Grassmarket Review!
Where is Wilde Apart Hotels Edinburgh, Grassmarket?
If you’re looking for a hotel with a castle view in Edinburgh, then Wilde is a great option to consider! Located right beneath Edinburgh Castle on King’s Stables Road, I believe it’d be challenging to find a nicer hotel with a better location (and possibly price) than Wilde Apart Hotels Grassmarket. This hotel is just a few minutes’ walk to iconic Edinburgh locations like the Vennel Viewpoint, Victoria Street, and the Royal Mile. Personally, Grassmarket is one of my favorite locations in Edinburgh! It’s of some historical significance as the site where executions and riots took place, and also holds some of Edinburgh’s oldest pubs, such as the White Hart Inn and The Last Drop.
The only drawback (in my opinion) of this location is getting there with luggage. The city of Edinburgh is notorious for its abundance of hills, stairs, and cobblestone. When my fiance and I went to check in at Wilde, we had just arrived from Glasgow at Waverly Station. If you’re going to be arriving to Edinburgh via train, just know that if you plan on walking, it’s roughly a 1 mile walk from the station to the Grassmarket area… and much of it is either uphill or upstairs. If you’re using a navigation app to get around, most have a feature where you can ‘turn off’ stairs in your route. This will certainly make it easier when getting to Wilde (especially when carrying luggage), but do note you’ll be covering lots of rough cobblestone, hills, and crossing the busy Royal Mile. I do like to mention this in case mobility is limited for some, but over, it wasn’t a dealbreaker for us. If you’re worried about this, you could always get a taxi. Additionally, Wilde was great with helping us arrange a taxi on our way out and to the airport. You could ask an employee to assist you with arranging one, but they also have a kiosk in the lobby where you could do it yourself!
Is Breakfast Included at Wilde Apart Hotels Edinburgh Grassmarket?
Breakfast is not included in the price of your hotel stay at Wilde Apart Hotels Edinburgh. That being said, they DO have a breakfast bar and buffet that includes cereals, yogurts, breads, and warm options like bacon and eggs. Per adult, expect to pay 16 pounds (about $20). For the options available, I thought that it was incredibly overpriced. I would recommend not getting breakfast at Wilde and instead venturing around Edinburgh for a nice breakfast in a restaurant. While it may not be buffet, you will receive a much higher quality breakfast for a similar price.
Is Wilde Apart Hotels Edinburgh Grassmarket worth staying at?
If you’re looking for hotels in Edinburgh Old Town or hotels with a view of Edinburgh Castle, Wilde Apart hotels Edinburgh Grassmarket has probably come up in your searches. But, is staying there actually worth it? Here’s my thoughts:
The Pros of Staying At Wilde Apart Hotels Edinburgh Grassmarket:
- Rooms available with views of Edinburgh Castle. This is the room we got- it was so cool being able to lay in bed and see Edinburgh Castle across the street on the hill above!
- EXCELLENT location in the Grassmarket area of Old Town. Just a minutes’ walk away from various pubs and shops, as well as iconic Edinburgh landmarks such as the Vennel Viewpoint stairs, Victoria Street, the Royal Mile, and of course, Edinburgh Castle.
- Clean rooms! Upon arrival, our room was spotless. I also appreciate that cleaning service does not come during your stay (if a short-term stay) unless specifically requested. If you run out of towels or toilet paper, the reception is happy to provide you with more.
- Friendly Staff. Wilde Apart Hotels Edinburgh was extremely welcoming during the entire stay, and we greatly appreciated it.
- Easy Taxi Arrangement: Wilde Apart Hotels Edinburgh Grassmarket is extremely helpful in arranging transportation to and from Edinburgh airport. You can easily arrange one from a small kiosk in the lobby- no worrying about reputable taxis or whether or not an Uber will be available when you need to depart- especially for early morning pickups! We got one for 5:30 am and spent about 36 pounds for a private trip to the airport. Worth it, if you ask me, to avoid navigating the Edinburgh cobblestone so early in the morning!
- Amenities such as laundry, gym, free wifi, smart tvs, and a snack bar. We personally didn’t use most of these, but it was nice knowing the options were there.
- 24 hour reception is an additional plus, especially if you’re out exploring the city late and find yourself needing resources at night.
Cons of staying at Wilde Apart Hotels Edinburgh Grassmarket:
- Price: Price is subjective since everyone has a different budget, but a stay at Wilde will usually cost more than the average price of a hotel in Edinburgh (which is about 200 pounds per night). And that cost can rack up quickly if you plan on staying for more than a few days. I do appreciate the 10% savings when you sign up to be a member- it does make a difference in making your stay more affordable.
- No included/continental breakfast: If you prefer eating breakfast at your hotels to save money on food, it could be a dealbreaker that Wilde does not include a free breakfast in your stay. And with a basic breakfast spread that costs 16 pounds per adult, I would say breakfast at Wilde is no-go.
- Somewhat loud at night every now and then- we were on the second floor and could certainly hear people when they were going in or out of the Grassmarket area, but it wasn’t frequent enough to bother us much.
I initially was going to mention cobblestone/stairs/accessibility if traveling by foot as a con, but truthfully, if you’re going to stay in Old Town Edinburgh, this is just a small price you’ll have to pay. That being said, it’s so worth it to be in the center of Edinburgh’s historic district!
Overall, I believe that Wilde Apart Hotels in Edinburgh is a great place to stay! Despite the higher cost you’ll be paying, I do think that the cost is worth it when you consider the quality and cleanliness of the rooms, incredible location in Old Town, and also friendly and helpful staff. We’ve stayed in three different places in Edinburgh over the years, and Wilde has by far been our favorite. You can view the hotel, find more information for your stay, or book here:
Wilde Apart Hotels Edinburgh Grassmarket Review
If you’re looking for a nice hotel with a view of Edinburgh Castle, a central location in Old Town, and easy access to transportation such as Waverly Station, then Wilde Apart Hotels Edinburgh Grassmarket is a great option, and I highly recommend staying there. I hope this review helps you in planning your next trip to Edinburgh, and if you’re looking for activities or tours for your stay, check out this post The Best Guided Tours in Edinburgh.
