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Princes Street East Youth Hostel – reviews, photos

5 W. Register St., Edinburgh EH2 2AA, Scotland
Hotel amenities
Princes Street East Youth Hostel
3.0 of 5 stars 14 Reviews
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14 reviews from our community

    Trip type
Traveller rating
    2
    2
    5
    3
    2
Date Rating
Ireland
Senior Contributor
30 reviews 30 reviews
Reviews in 22 cities Reviews in 22 cities
15 helpful votes 15 helpful votes
“Not that bad!”
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 19 September 2010

Before I review this I think it's important to note that we payed £13 a night each for a four bed dorm. This gives you an idea of what to expect. Yes the paint was peeling of the wall but the showers and toilets were clean as was the sink in our room. The staff were friendly and there was free tea and coffee with a dining area. Don't get your hopes up too high here but at the same time it's fine for young groups, students etc. Excellent locations and I didn't see any gentlemans club or dirty bins etc as mentioned in other reviews.

  • Stayed September 2010, travelled with friends
    • 4 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 2 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 4 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 4 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 4 of 5 stars Service
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Weiden, Germany
Reviewer
3 reviews 3 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
“In a word...gross”
2 of 5 stars Reviewed 7 September 2010

Do not stay here unless it is all you can afford, bed and pillows are old. The bathroom is decently clean enough, but bring your own towel even for the private rooms. Location is excellent. Stairs up were not too bad.

  • Stayed August 2010, travelled as a couple
    • 4 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 2 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 2 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 2 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 2 of 5 stars Service
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Ask liylith815 about Princes Street East Youth Hostel
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scotland
Reviewer
3 reviews 3 reviews
Reviews in 3 cities Reviews in 3 cities
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
“not great!”
2 of 5 stars Reviewed 20 April 2009

The close up to the hostel has a pub at the bottom, and a mans social club on the second floor. to get to the hostel you have to go past these and we found some very drunk men lingering about the close smoking, which was not too pleasant. Rooms were dingey and not particularly clean. Shower room on our floor did not work and only one toilet for a floor of 4 dorms...
not great would not go back.

  • Stayed April 2009, travelled with friends
    • 3 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 1 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 1 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 3 of 5 stars Service
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Ask rachael_reid about Princes Street East Youth Hostel
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
Warwick, United Kingdom
Senior Contributor
49 reviews 49 reviews
Reviews in 14 cities Reviews in 14 cities
24 helpful votes 24 helpful votes
“The Most Disgusting Place I Have Ever Visited”
1 of 5 stars Reviewed 23 August 2007
2
people found this review helpful

I feel an actual sense of revulsion as I write this review. I am currently writing a letter to the Scottish Tourism Board and the Enviromental Health at the council.

Where on earth to start? OK, let's start at the 'front door'. The hostel is located in the arse-end of the town, where the drunks and druggies hang around, and where the rubbish bins pile up, stinking the street out.

The alley-way type entry has the front door permenantly open for the smokers, and we actually smelt cannabis being smoked, and there were beer cans, cigarette butts and other rubbish littering the place.

Then you have to climb 80-odd steps up a spiral staircase to get to the place. It is dingy, and 'reception' is a desk amongst a very disorganised mess. The girl at the desk asked £5 for a key deposit and we got to the room, which she warned us hadn't been cleaned yet. Bracing ourselves, we went in...

The room was AWFUL. I don't want people to think I'm some sort of snob who's used to hotels; I HAVE stayed in many hostels around the world - but this was ridiculous. The 'curtain' was SELLOTAPED onto the window, which couldn't be fully opened in case of a fire. The carpet was worn, the paint was chipped, and the 'wardrobe' barely held together.

The bed? Oh god, the bed. I alway check the duvet and pillows, and I was in for a shock. The pillows were YELLOW with sweat and spit, and the duvet had a LARGE DRIED BLOOD STAIN on it, about FOUR INCHES in diameter. I went and complained, and was told 'oh, well it's been washed since'. What?!?!?! So that's alright then?!

Looking at the bathrooms, there were large holes punched into the thin plasterboard, electrics and pipes on show, and condensation rotting the wood.

I immediately said I wasn't stopping there and she then tried to charge me for a night! Needless to say, they're not getting anything out of me. This place brings the name of hostels around the world to shame.


  • Liked — Nothing
  • Disliked — It Is Filthy And In A Bad Part Of Town
  • Stayed August 2007, travelled as a couple
    • 1 of 5 stars Value
    • 2 of 5 stars Location
    • 2 of 5 stars Check-in / front desk
    • 1 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 1 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 2 of 5 stars Service
    • 1 of 5 stars Business service (e.g., internet access)
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Additional Information about Princes Street East Youth Hostel

5 W. Register St., Edinburgh EH2 2AA, Scotland
Price range (per night):* INR952 - 4,537

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