Stay near a castle

Where to stay near Edinburgh Castle

No, you cannot stay overnight at Edinburgh Castle. It is run by Historic Environment Scotland as a heritage attraction with day opening hours only, and none of its buildings, including St Margaret's Chapel or the Royal Palace, offer public accommodation.

West Coates Mansion, Edinburgh

Historic places to stay near Edinburgh Castle

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Melville Castle, Edinburgh

Castle hotel

Melville Castle

Lasswade, Midlothian

about 5.5 miles (9 km) from the castle

Melville Castle sits on a 54-acre estate in Lasswade, Midlothian, with 33 bedrooms and grounds where Mary Queen of Scots reportedly once stayed.

  • Dogs allowed
  • Restaurant
  • Family rooms

4-star · Guests 9.0/10

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Dalhousie Castle, Edinburgh

Level 5 True Castle

Dalhousie Castle

Bonnyrigg, Midlothian

about 7.5 miles (12 km) from the castle

A stone keep built around 1450 within later curtain walls, Category A listed. Some rooms are inside the historic castle, others in a separate lodge.

Some rooms inside the walls

  • Dogs allowed
  • Restaurant
  • Family rooms

4-star · Guests 8.4/10

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Other places to stay near Edinburgh Castle

These are ordinary hotels, guest houses and apartments close to the castle, not historic buildings. They are here for convenience.

The castle and the places to stay around it.

Map tiles from OpenStreetMap.

About Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh Castle sits on an ancient volcanic rock above Scotland's capital. Its origins reach back to prehistory, when an Iron Age hill fort stood on the site, and the castle's oldest surviving building, St Margaret's Chapel, dates from the early 1090s.

King James IV completed the Great Hall in 1511 for state banquets, and the Royal Palace was updated in the 1560s for Mary, Queen of Scots, who gave birth to James VI there in 1566. Later buildings, including the Queen Anne Building and New Barracks, were added from the 1650s onward as the castle became a military garrison.

The castle is run today by Historic Environment Scotland and displays the Honours of Scotland, the country's oldest set of crown regalia, along with the Great Hall, the Royal Palace and several gun batteries. It hosts venue hire, weddings and afternoon tea, but has no public overnight accommodation.

Visiting Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh Castle opens from 9.30am daily, with visitor enquiry lines running from 9.30am to 6pm between April and September and from 10am to 4pm between October and March, according to the castle's own website (at the time of checking, September 2026). A separate phone line is provided for accessibility and parking enquiries, though specific parking and nearest station details were not confirmed on the pages checked.

Questions

Can you stay overnight at Edinburgh Castle?

No. Edinburgh Castle is run by Historic Environment Scotland as a day-visit heritage attraction, and none of its historic buildings offer public accommodation. It does host venue hire, weddings and afternoon tea, but not overnight stays.

How old is Edinburgh Castle?

The site's history reaches back to prehistory, when an Iron Age hill fort stood on the rock. Its oldest surviving building, St Margaret's Chapel, dates from the early 1090s, according to the castle's own website.

What can you see inside Edinburgh Castle?

Highlights include St Margaret's Chapel, the Great Hall completed in 1511, the Royal Palace where Mary, Queen of Scots gave birth to James VI in 1566, and the Honours of Scotland, the country's oldest set of crown regalia.

What are Edinburgh Castle's opening hours?

The castle opens from 9.30am daily. Visitor enquiry lines run from 9.30am to 6pm between April and September, and from 10am to 4pm between October and March, according to the castle's own website, checked September 2026.

Sources and checks

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