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Smart City Hostels Edinburgh

50 Blackfriars Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1NE
Good
Overall rating from 21 reviews

Guest reviews of the Smart City Hostels Edinburgh

Excellent
Gisela from Erith, GB (Group of work colleagues) 14 October 2008

A great hostel. Would definately book again. (108005212)

positive comments Linen and towels provided in rooms was great! (Also the handwash/handcream and showergel/condioner in the bathrooms!)
negative comments There weren't really any. Not the hostel's fault, but the people above us were a bit noisy, but other than that, a great stay. Oh- just one suggestion, an earlier check-in time would be great!
Poor
sarah from Chesterfield, GB (Solo leisure traveller) 26 August 2008

Good and bad points - generally OK. Great central location was best bit about this. I'm not that fussy about decor etc and this was just basic bunk beds and a side table so not much to go wrong. Lights not working meant I bumped legs on bed when getting up in the night so as a bit bruised at the end. I think (97360655)

positive comments Comfy beds, decent shower and great central city location - perect for exploring edinburgh. Other residents polite and no scary incidents that a solo traveller might be worried about! Clean towels every day was good.
negative comments At check in staff did not give any info or explain anything so I spent a fair bit of time trying to find out really basic info about the hostel such as where the kitchen was, how to connect to wireless internet, what time the bar closed etc. Lights in bedroom room didnt work and batteries in clock had gone. Very noisy constantly slamming doors all night meant disturbed sleep. Impossible to rest after about 8am even with earplugs as walls and bed were shaking from slamming doors. Bar closed and guest kitchen locked at 11pm, which seemed weirdly early for a busy city at festival time.
Average
Anonymous (Group of work colleagues) 25 August 2008

No overall comment. (107165088)

negative comments Check in process took a long time, and with only 2 staff on and so many people checking in at the same time we had to queue for about 15 minutes.
Good
Raphael from Grand-Saconnex, CH (Family with older children) 19 August 2008

Tr (97397569)

positive comments Tr
negative comments La douche fuyait et de l'eau coulait en permanence dans la salle de bain. Odeur d
Good
Anonymous (Same sex couple) 05 August 2008

No overall comment. (108068419)

negative comments long check in
Good
Anonymous (Group of adult friends) 28 June 2008

Apart from the fact that I din get a nice sleep during my stay in the hotel, everything is fine and the price is reasonable. (108083003)

positive comments Excellent booking process with quick check in and check out. Everything is very new and the best among all I would say the fantastic shower room with strong water power! It's really nice to have a nice shower after a long walk outside.
negative comments Only two things that turn me down. 1. There is only a piece of window inside the room which could be opened to very minimal extent. The poor ventilation of the room's really awful! 2. I could cleary hear ppl(believe to be customers of the hotel) talking outside the cafe at 3.30am. Their voices just clear enough to make me stay awake.
Good
Anonymous (Group of work colleagues) 23 June 2008

good, would stay there again (97415892)

positive comments great location clean, tidy and not too squeezy although the room was small.
negative comments the room we were in was on a busy road side of the hotel and opposite a bar and was very noisy at night
Excellent
Lexie from Hilliard, US (Group of adult friends) 03 July 2007

No overall comment. (99471337)

positive comments VERY clean and new, comfortable beds, nice showers and quiet!
Excellent
Patrick from Co Cork, IE (Group of adult friends) 25 June 2007

We had a great stay in smart city hostel, staff were very friendly especially gary the chef (99547695)

positive comments We thought the hostel was amazing just like a hotel.
Excellent
Tim from Carlisle, GB (Young couple) 20 June 2007

The hotel was generally very clean, relaxed, modern an overall great place to go for an inxpensive weekend away. (99706421)

positive comments It was in the centre of the city. It was inexpensive. The onsite bar is very cheap.
negative comments Some of the general cleanliness of the room was a bit lax as the carpet had not been vacumned and there were a few hairs on the bed linen.
Good
Anonymous (Group of adult friends) 14 June 2007

No overall comment. (99404633)

positive comments nice friendly staff
negative comments room not ready on time
Excellent
JONATHAN from HOLMFIRTH, GB (Group of adult friends) 02 June 2007

There are many rooms full of a variety different people all who we met were friendly and easy to get on with. The rooms are not massive but are adequate and very clean. The location could not be better. (99611640)

positive comments Realy good hostel with clean rooms and excellent staff. We will be visiting again.
Excellent
Anonymous (Group of adult friends) 25 April 2007

Excellent location, friendly staff. A great option when visiting Edinburgh. (99519802)

Good
Anonymous (Group of adult friends) 04 April 2007

No overall comment. (99364377)

Good
Anonymous (Group of adult friends) 14 March 2007

Same as above really.Everything was very good except for the shower (99212947)

positive comments Was very central location wise.Was reasonably priced and had good amenities on site.Rooms were also very clean
negative comments Shower in our room didnt work,i.e. water was absolutely boiling which made showering impossible.When we notified staff they said they would fix it the following day but never did.Was very disappointing
Excellent
Philip from Nr Stourbridge, United Kingdom;GB (Group of adult friends) 14 March 2007

No overall comment. (99461192)

positive comments Central location, quiet and spotlessly clean. Beer and food is cheap too!
Excellent
Raymond from KIRKWALL, United Kingdom;GB (Family with older children) 14 March 2007

Enjoyed the experience, the hostel was busy as it was a Rugby weekend - the reason for our travel. Being Scottish we were in the minority as most guests were Irish. However the atmosphere was excellent, good friendly banter. The food was excellent and I welcomed being able to purchse a pint with my meal. Staff were very helpful and the toilets and eating area's very clean. I dropped something on the bedroom floor, I was disappointed by the dust under the beds. Would I recommend - yes without hesitation. (99684644)

positive comments Value for money, food on site.
negative comments Although bedding was clean the carpet showed that it was needing to be hoovered under the bed and behind the chair.
Average
Anonymous (Mature couple) 02 March 2007

Tenuto conto che i prezzi sono in media pi (99673460)

positive comments LA citt
Poor
stephen from BURY ST EDMUNDS, United Kingdom;GB (Family with older children) 14 December 2006

check in was useless, was sent to three rooms before we had one that was ok.the place was still a bulding site in areas.Rather basic rooms but served purpose, it would have been nice if I did not have to make my own bed.Location was very good for centre of town. (99820767)

positive comments Central
negative comments Rooms no facilities and generally grubby
Excellent
Anonymous (Group of adult friends) 06 December 2006

No overall comment. (99567195)

positive comments I really liked how easy it was to check in and that each member of our party had their own room keys. The room was fantastic and so clean! The staff at the desk were friendly and gave us advice about where to go for a good night out in edinburgh. We all loved the great value for money breakfast in the cafe too!
negative comments The only thing I can think of would be check out time of 10am, but I guess that was because we didn't get in until 3 the night before!
Average
Anonymous (Young couple) 06 December 2006

Having looked for hotels and found this hostel in the search, offering a family room (which professed to be different from booking a whole mixed dorm to sleep the same number), it was a bit of a let-down to find there was no difference and the room contained only bunks. Probably OK as hostels go, but expensive for that market and had sufficient information been provided, I would never have booked it - definitely no substitute for a hotel if that's what you are looking for, despite being marketed as such. Some of the bedding and behind bunks wasn't clean - which probably went un-noticed due to bedding being piled on beds for guests to fit themselves. (99575348)

positive comments It was modern and well-equipped and the location was good.
negative comments Bedding wasn't clean - just as well we had a 5-bunk room so there was an alternative set. Room was pitched as an alternative to a hotel room, with a choice between a mixed dorm and a family room both for 4 people, giving the impression a family room may have a double bed. However, this hostel is definitely no substitute, despite a 5-star rating - bedding was left in piles to be self-assembled, only bunked accomodation was available and very little in the way of creature comforts in room, despite a 5-star rating. Over-priced for what is offered if you book a whole room.

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