Located in Prestonfield, a neighborhood in Edinburgh, Gifford House is near a train station. Royal Mile and Edinburgh Castle are notable landmarks, and travelers looking to shop may want to visit Grassmarket and Princes Street. Check out an event or a game at Murrayfield Stadium, and consider making time for Edinburgh Zoo, a top attraction not to be missed. Visit our Edinburgh travel guide
Close to Grassmarket, Gifford House has plenty to offer. Stay connected with free in-room WiFi.
You'll also find perks like:
Express check-in, luggage storage, and a nature reserve
Smoke-free premises
Room features
All guestrooms are individually furnished, and feature comforts such as laptop-friendly workspaces and free stocked minibars, as well as perks like free WiFi and desk chairs.
As of 23 Shawwal 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Gifford House on 25 Shawwal 2026 start from SAR 406, excluding taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.
How much is parking?
Limited spots are available. There is free parking nearby.
What time is check-in at Gifford House?
Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; Check-in end time: 9:00 PM. A fee applies for early check-in (subject to availability).
What time is check-out at Gifford House?
Check-out is at 10:00 AM. Late check-out is available for a fee (subject to availability).
Where is Gifford House located?
Located in Prestonfield, this guesthouse is within 1 mi (2 km) of Royal Commonwealth Pool and University of Edinburgh. Royal Mile and Edinburgh Castle are also within 2 mi (3 km). Edinburgh Waverley Station is 27 minutes by foot and Edinburgh (ZXE-Edinburgh Waverly Train Station) is 29 minutes.
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Reviews
Gifford House Reviews
8.0
Very Good
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travelers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.
We were very impressed with this place! The room was very spacious and thr bed so comfortable! We loved our room. Gifford House had their own attraction booklet that they took the time to put together to offer original choices. We were very grateful for the Scottish treats left for us. Any time I had questions, the staff were prompt to reply and help.
Thank you again Gifford team! We hope to see you again soon!
There is no one on staff as it is a self service hotel. But all my questions were answered quickly via email! Our check in was smooth and easy! Our hotel room was beautiful with gorgeous wallpaper! The linens were superior and the beds were comfortable! If you are noise sensitive while sleeping, I would recommend asking for a room away from the street which was quite busy overnight!
Very comfortable and clean an new. We had issues checking in as it’s all kiosk assisted. Somebody helped immediate and help us with a fan for the room as like in most European rooms there isn’t air conditioning. Will stay there again
We enjoyed our stay. The room was clean with comfortable beds. The bathroom had been redone at some point and was nice. There was a slight problem with our room before we got there, but the staff had it all worked out before we arrived. It was also right on the bus route which was convenient.
Very clean, spacious room set in a grand home on the outskirts of the city. Very convenient to the local bus stop. As long as you are comfortable with technology it’s a great place to stay - no staff on site, so you check in on the iPad in the foyer and create your own room key.
Stayed 1 night in May 2026
Verified review
4/10 Poor
Lisa
30 May 2026
Liked: Property conditions & facilities
Disliked: Staff & service, amenities
Looked like and old house that was turned into apartments. One big room with a bathroom box added. Beds were comfortable.
Very small room, although immaculate. Barely enough room for one adult. Fridge was not operational. Good location to bus stop. No parking. No staff on site. Easy entry with clear instructions
This is a lovely hotel, well situated and very clean and well maintained. I was expecting a cosy room and was not disappointed. The room I had had a flight of stairs from the entrance door to the bedroom which were a bit steep and could be a struggle for some, so if that was a problem I’d ask about it when booking. The automated check in was very smooth. Parking is relatively easy in the street at weekends but more limited at other times.
Stayed 1 night in May 2026
Verified review
10/10 Excellent
Brad
14 February 2026
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Lovely staff, very welcoming. room was perfect and very clean. Thanks again
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2026
Verified review
6/10 Okay
Marcus
11 July 2026
Liked: Cleanliness
The space is located close to some good restaurants and tourist attractions and was cheaper than several other options in the area.
It was not clear to us when we booked that “free self parking” meant that we would be looking for parking on the streets nearby, but we found a spot easy enough. The iPad self-check-in was not functioning when we arrived. After about a half-hour in the lobby, we were able to have someone call us and check us in. The room was nice enough, but it was extremely warm inside even with the fan running and the coffee maker didn’t seem to function.
We booked what was described as the deluxe apartment, that slept four. The sofa bed was only suitable for one adult. Above the sofa bed was a sky light with no blind.
The advert in Expedia referred to a shower and separate bathtub and the advert for amenities led us to believe there were two bathrooms. Neither was the case, there was a shower room only.
There was no instruction for the heating system- when we arrived at 6.30pm the heating was on. Then the following morning there was no heating and we were unable to find out why? Two hours after we left we got a Whatapp message to say it was being looked into. At the self service check in we needed a room number which we did not have in our booking confirmation. We were able to ring the number provided and speak to someone to obtain this.
Whilst it was clean and well decorated we found several screws found on the floor. The apartment is in a nice area with good transport links to the city.
Disappointing experience
This was a hard one to rate because the property itself was good and in a good location. However I was very put off about the lie about parking.
Here is what it says on their Hotels.com listing:
Self-parking included
Enjoy the convenience of free self-parking, a rare perk for guests in this location.
Here is what it says when you actually check in:
WHERE CAN I PARK?
If you're travelling south on Dalkeith Road, turn left at the traffic lights onto Priestfield Road. You find limited free on-street parking behind the hotel
-look for spaces without white or yellow lines. You may also use permit spaces outside of restricted hours (9:30am-1lam), but please check signage carefully before parking.
In other words, you can park on the street if you can find it. We arrived at about 5pm and the closest spot was 1km away. So we lugged our bags that far. Needless to say my wife was not too impressed with having to do that. We drove up from London in a rental car and I specifically booked a location that (I thought) would have parking.
I find this unacceptable.
If they said "street parking available near by" that might be a bit of an exaggeration but at least more honest. I would likely have looked for somewhere that actually had parking.
So if you don’t need parking this is a good spot. But I find it unacceptable that Hotels.com allows them to say free self parking when there definitely is not a single spot for hotel guests.
Simple to use and felt homely; everything you need is available. Great price considering the location and time of year. We had an amazing stay, and I highly recommend the Gifford!
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2026
Verified review
4/10 Poor
Jonathan
23 June 2026
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Photos of this place are mainly of larger rooms. I booked a single standard room but ultimately stayed in two different rooms. The first room's bathroom was down a winding staircase from the bedroom. The room itself was very tiny. Because I have arthritis in my leg, I requested a different room. The staff deserve praise for their helpfulness and friendliness in helping me switch rooms.
The second room was larger and bathroom was in the same room (the good). Unfortunately the pillows on the bed smelled faintly of urine. I pointed this out to the cleaning staff, and the second night this improved somewhat. However the smell was still detectable. I wonder if the mattress itself is the problem. This is not the only review to point this out and needs to be addressed. This room is also fronting a busy road so if you're a light sleeper this may not be for you.
Other things to note: the luggage room is on the second floor of the house and there is no elevator. So you must be prepared to lug it up there. If you're not so strong or older, this may pose problems. Some of the reviews suggest there is breakfast served here. This is incorrect.
Overall, I'd say the staff try hard but the facilities are not so nice, especially if you're booking a smaller room and/or if you have physical challenges. I don't think I'd stay here again.