When I entered the Cowgate I was immediately distressed to learn that I had spent £150 (2 nights) on a revolting, unsafe hostel. Walking up the vile smelling stairs I saw electrical wires hanging out of power points and a hole punched through the wall to the shower room. The bedroom was furnished with a basic bunk bed. The mattress was thin and ripped open to reveal foam and the bedcover and single pillow was old, tired and flimsy. The room did not have a mirror and the curtains were burned. When I opened them I noticed that the room had bars over the window and looked out onto a noisy builder’s yard. When attempting to take a shower the bathroom had mould, dangerous cracked tiles on the floor and a thong hanging from the window that was never moved by cleaners. The room did not have blinds and I felt I was visible to the builders working on the site.
I felt unsafe because of the electric wiring hanging out from walls and the fact that walls had been punched through by other guests. It was so dirty I was worried about catching something. I would compare it to squatting in an abandoned council tower block. I did not attempt to use the kitchen. When I talked to members of staff they assured me that I was staying in the best block (!) and generally seemed unconcerned. I am still considering contacting Health and Safety because I am so concerned about the low standards.
Staying at the Cowgate ruined my trip to Edinburgh because I did not feel comfortable enough to sleep or shower. It was not cheap; you can get very nice hotel rooms for £75 per night. Please take my advice and never stay here.

I stayed In a six bed dorm with three other friends and a selection of other room-mates over 7 nights in the middle of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The hostel was very easy to find and the staff were fairly useful and provided a luggage storage facility before we could check in.
When we checked in, we headed straight for the room, which was also very easy to find, the outer corridors weren't anything special, but as soon as you enter the apartments, a sense of homeliness and cleanliness comes across.
The rooms are very basic, beds, linen, a radiator and a window - but what more do you need from a place to crash out in after a busy day. The toilets and shower rooms were very well kept and very clean as the cleaners came in every morning to mop floors, clean the toilets, clean the kitchen and also empty the bins.
The kitchen was just a large family kitchen really, very clean and basic, but everything you need to cook a decent meal.
The location, however, is possibly one of the best locations for the Fringe, a two minute walk to the Royal mile, just up a hill, less than a minute to the Underbelly venue, pubs, bars and clubs within stepping distance and a tesco and a sainsburys less than ten minutes away by foot.

Overall, a very good hostel for the price paid, and if you just want somewhere to rest your head, it's perfect.

Fantastic hostel - did everything it needed to including clean facilities, internet access and free tea & coffee. Very central to everything and during the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this was paramount. Location was opposite a pub that was open till 3am which was great as it was an excuse for us to stay out later! Beds were comfortable, rooms were spacious with a very large window. The kitchen had modern facilities and acted as a common room for the flat. Met some lovely people there, and the hostel staff were incredibly helpful (they booked us a taxi for 4am!) Brilliant time.

We stayed at Cowgate for two nights and found it to be one of the poorer hostels we have stayed in. We were in an 8 bed dorm with 3 other friends. Several of the beds were broken (ie frames bent, springs broken), general cleanliness left a bit to be desired and the hostel is located across the road from rowdy/noisy Three Sisters Pub.

Although it is cheap, I would think there is much better value for money elsewhere.