Gladstone House

About Gladstone House

Gladstone House is a Victorian guest house in Newington, on the south side of Edinburgh, a short bus ride or a brisk walk from the Old Town. It is a four-star property run directly by its owners, and the small scale shows in the way it operates — you are greeted by the people who run it, and they will help with restaurant bookings, taxis and getting around the city. The building has the sandstone frontage, bay windows and high ceilings typical of the street.

Bedrooms are en suite and comfortably furnished rather than fashion-led, with good beds, tea and coffee facilities, televisions and free wi-fi. Rooms vary in size, so it is worth reading the descriptions when you book; the larger ones at the front take advantage of the bay windows and get plenty of light. Housekeeping standards are consistently praised, which is often the differentiator at this end of the market.

One genuinely useful feature is the private car park. Parking in central Edinburgh is expensive and often impossible, so a guest house with off-street spaces is worth seeking out if you are driving up or planning day trips out to the Borders, Fife or Stirling. Breakfast is cooked to order and included, with Scottish produce and vegetarian choices available.

There is no bar or evening dining, but Newington has a good spread of pubs, curry houses and neighbourhood restaurants within a few minutes. Buses into town run frequently along the main road, and Arthur's Seat, the Royal Commonwealth Pool and the University are all close. It suits couples, families and older travellers who want a quiet, well-kept base with a proper breakfast and somewhere to leave the car, at a fair price.