About

Welcome to Edinburgh's original backpackers hostel. We offer a fun, friendly, comfortable, easy-going historic place seconds from the Royal Mile right in the heart of the centre of Edinburgh. Backpackers, budget travellers, students, explorers, revellers and friendly folk are all welcome to experience the best of our beautiful and historic city. Open year-round, we offer up daily events for travellers to come together and make the most of being right in the middle of it all. We are an 18+ hostel, no children are allowed to stay at any time.

Alongside our awesome vibe, we have two comfortable lounges, a kitchen, and terrace in a building that was once the mansion of the Earl of Morton, the right-hand man of the King of Scotland. We offer a laundry service for £5, breakfast every morning for just £4, towel hire for £2 and more in both our communal dormitory and private rooms. There's free luggage storage on the days that you check in & out, and we have a 24/7 reception so you can arrive to the building at any time, and check in any time after 3pm. Since 1986, we've been the original choice for travellers to explore Scotland's compact, beautiful and hilly capital city.

House Rules

Check In

15:00 - 23:00

Check Out

until 10:00

  • Taxes Included
View House Rules

Facilities

  • Free City Maps
  • Free WiFi
  • Free Internet Access
  • Bicycle Parking
  • Adaptors
  • Jobs Board
  • Luggage Storage
  • 24 Hour Reception
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Reviews

9.2Superb(8804)
  • Value for Money
    9.1
  • Security
    9.4
  • Atmosphere
    9.0
  • Cleanliness
    8.6
  • Staff
    9.5
  • Location
    9.9
  • Facilities
    8.7
Stayed in Dec 2025
10
E
Esther
All Female Group, 41+, England
What a great stay! Ive stopped in this hostel before, and the reception team this time were so helpful. Nice to have a peaceful welcome (previously always been booked in by a sweary bloke effing and jeffing!). Because of this, it was much more friendly. The room was lovely and the showers were hot. Huge thanks for the team doing the ceilidh last night. Awesome time! So much fun. Best stay ever. Thank you everyone at High Street Hostel this time. 🙌🏼. Great atmosphere.
Stayed in Nov 2025
9.1
K
Kenzie
Female, 18-24, Canada
I love hostels that are in older buildings like this. Everything felt so homey and the social vibes were great!
Stayed in Nov 2025
9.4
C
Claudia
Female, 25-30, Australia
great location! only issue was that the lockers are extremely tiny - can only fit a small backpack. this meant that everyone had to have their luggage just out in the open, which might be fine in a smaller room but there weren’t many places to put bags in the 18 bed dorm. also not super secure to have to have luggage outside of a locker.
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Location

8 Blackfriars Street, Edinburgh, Scotland
0.9km from city centre
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Hostelworld says

We're proud to say that High Street Hostel has been with Hostelworld for more than a decade, and it's little wonder why, as one guest said, they have a "top location right off the Royal Mile, very friendly and helpful staff, great steady beds, hot showers at every time of the day, free Wi-Fi...what more can you wish for?!" We like that they also have a high standard of security, with free lockers and safes and staff on-hand 24 hours a day. Many of our users say they'd stay here again.