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The Ben Doran Guest House

4.0 star property
Travelers start their Edinburgh day with a hearty breakfast buffet before exploring the historic Royal Mile, just a short walk from this welcoming guesthouse

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The Ben Doran Guest House, near the University of Edinburgh, offers a breakfast buffet for city adventures. Guests enjoy amenities like a library, business center, and in-room WiFi. Express check-in/out saves time, and multilingual staff enhance the experience.

Reviews

8.2 out of 10
Very good

Popular amenities

  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Business services
  • Room service
  • Housekeeping

Room options

Available filters for rooms
Showing 4 of 4 rooms

View all photos for Standard Double Room, Shared Bathroom

Egyptian cotton sheets, premium bedding, iron/ironing board, free WiFi

Standard Double Room, Shared Bathroom

Highlights

Heating
LCD TV
Hypo-allergenic bedding
Premium bedding
Egyptian cotton bed sheets
Designer toiletries
Hairdryer
Coffee/tea maker
  • 30 sq m
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed

View all photos for Standard Single Room, 1 Single Bed, Shared Bathroom

Egyptian cotton sheets, premium bedding, iron/ironing board, free WiFi

Standard Single Room, 1 Single Bed, Shared Bathroom

Highlights

Heating
LCD TV
Hypo-allergenic bedding
Premium bedding
Egyptian cotton bed sheets
Designer toiletries
Hairdryer
Coffee/tea maker
  • 15 sq m
  • Sleeps 1
  • 1 Single Bed

View all photos for Standard Double Room

Egyptian cotton sheets, premium bedding, iron/ironing board, free WiFi

Standard Double Room

Highlights

Heating
LCD TV
Hypo-allergenic bedding
Premium bedding
Egyptian cotton bed sheets
Private bathroom
Designer toiletries
Hairdryer
  • 35 sq m
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed

View all photos for Executive Double Room, 1 King Bed

Living area

Executive Double Room, 1 King Bed

Highlights

Separate sitting area
Heating
LCD TV
Hypo-allergenic bedding
Premium bedding
Egyptian cotton bed sheets
Private bathroom
Designer toiletries
  • 40 sq m
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

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About the area

Located in Newington, a neighbourhood in Edinburgh, The Ben Doran Guest House is in the entertainment district and near a train station. Edinburgh Castle and Royal Mile are notable landmarks, and travellers 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. Discover the area's water adventures with nearby sailing, or enjoy the great outdoors with hiking/biking trails. Visit our Edinburgh travel guide
View more Guest houses in Edinburgh
Map
11 Mayfield Gardens, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH9 2AX

What's nearby

  • University of Edinburgh featuring heritage elements and heritage architecture
    University of Edinburgh
    15 min walk - 1.3 km
  • National Museum of Scotland which includes interior views
    National Museum of Scotland
    5 min drive - 2.1 km
  • sunset time, Royal Mile, Edinburgh, Scotland
    Royal Mile
    5 min drive - 2.4 km
  • Scenic sight in Edinburgh with the Castle in the background. Scotland.
    Grassmarket
    5 min drive - 2.4 km
  • Edinburgh Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland
    Edinburgh Castle
    6 min drive - 2.7 km

Getting around

  • Princes Street Tram Stop
    5 min drive
  • Edinburgh (ZXE-Edinburgh Waverly Train Station)
    7 min drive
  • Edinburgh Airport (EDI)
    28 min drive

Restaurants

  • Haldi
    3 min walk
  • Pizza Hut
    7 min walk
  • Bar @ JMCC
    12 min walk
  • Southpour
    9 min walk
  • The Salisbury Arms
    10 min walk

About this property

The Ben Doran Guest House

Upscale guest house near University of Edinburgh
Consider a stay at The Ben Doran Guest House and take advantage of a free breakfast buffet, a library and a business centre. Stay connected with free in-room WiFi.
You'll also find perks such as:
  • Express check-out, express check-in and tour/ticket information
  • A front desk safe, concierge services and smoke-free property
  • Luggage storage, a computer station and multilingual staff
  • Guest reviews give top marks for the helpful staff
Room features
All guest rooms at The Ben Doran Guest House include comforts, such as premium bedding, as well as
Extra conveniences in all rooms include:
  • Hypo-allergenic bedding and Egyptian cotton sheets
  • Designer toiletries and hairdryers
  • 22-inch LCD TVs with digital channels and DVD players
  • Coffee/tea makers, heating and daily housekeeping

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Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transport

  • Limited on-site parking

Food and drink

  • Free buffet breakfast available daily 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM

Things to do

  • Library

Conveniences

  • Limited-hour front desk
  • Luggage storage
  • Safe at front desk

Guest services

  • Concierge services
  • Housekeeping (daily)
  • Multilingual staff
  • Tour and ticket assistance

Business services

  • Business centre
  • Computer station

Accessibility

  • No lift

More

  • 1 building
  • 3 floors
  • Built in 1800
  • Smoke-free property

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Egyptian cotton sheets
  • Hypo-allergenic bedding

Bathroom

  • Designer toiletries
  • Hair dryer
  • Towels provided

Entertainment

  • 22-inch LCD TV with digital channels
  • DVD player

Food and drink

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Limited room service

More

  • Heating
  • Iron/ironing board on request
  • Phone

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; check-in end time: 5:00 AM
Contactless check-in and check-out are available
Express check-in available
Minimum check-in age - 18

Check-out

Check-out before 10:30 AM
Contactless check-out
Express check-out available

Special check-in instructions

The property charges GBP 50 for credit card payments
The front desk is open daily from 7 AM - 7:00 PM
Guests planning to arrive outside of normal check-in hours must contact the property in advance for check-in instructions and lockbox information; front desk staffed during limited hours
To make arrangements for check-in please contact the property at least 24 hours before arrival using the information on the booking confirmation
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools

Renovations and closures

The property is closed between 24 December and 27 December.

Access methods

Front desk (limited hours), lockbox, private entrance

Pets

Pets not allowed

Children and extra beds

Children 12 and younger are not allowed at this property; all guests older than 12 are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are not available.
Cots (infant beds) are not available

Payment types at the property

Important information

Optional extras

  • Credit card charges are subject to a surcharge of GBP 50

The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts credit cards; cash is not accepted
Noise-free guestrooms cannot be guaranteed
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a smoke detector
Please note that cultural norms and guest policies may differ by country and by property; the policies listed are provided by the property

We should mention

This property does not have any lifts
This property's policy is to refuse certain bookings for the purpose of group events or parties, including stag and hen parties
Children 12 years old and younger are not permitted at this property
Only registered guests are allowed in the guestrooms

National rating

This establishment has received its official star rating from VisitScotland, the National Tourist Board for Scotland.

Property is also known as

Ben Doran
Ben Doran Edinburgh
Ben Doran Guest House
Ben Doran Guest House Edinburgh
Ben Doran Hotel Edinburgh
The Ben Doran Guest House Edinburgh, Scotland
Ben Doran Guest House Guesthouse Edinburgh
Ben Doran Guest House Guesthouse
The Ben Doran Guest House Edinburgh
The Ben Doran Edinburgh
The Ben Doran Guest House Edinburgh
The Ben Doran Guest House Guesthouse
The Ben Doran Guest House Guesthouse Edinburgh

Frequently asked questions

Is The Ben Doran Guest House pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking at The Ben Doran Guest House?

Limited spots are available.

What time is check-in at The Ben Doran Guest House?

Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; check-in end time: 5:00 AM.

What time is check-out at The Ben Doran Guest House?

Checkout is at 10:30 AM.

Where is The Ben Doran Guest House located?

Located in Newington, this guesthouse is within 1 mi (2 km) of National Library of Scotland and University of Edinburgh. Edinburgh Castle and Royal Mile are also within 2 miles (3 km). Edinburgh (ZXE-Edinburgh Waverly Train Station) is 28 minutes by foot and Edinburgh Waverley Station is 30 minutes.

Can I cancel my reservation for free and receive a full refund?

Yes, this property offers free cancellation on selected room rates because flexibility matters! Please refer to the property cancellation policy on our site for more details about any exclusions or requirements.

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Reviews

The Ben Doran Guest House Reviews

8.2

Very good

9.0

Cleanliness

7.8

Location

8.6

Staff & service

8.2

Property conditions & facilities
Rating 10 - Excellent. 175 out of 475 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 193 out of 475 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 65 out of 475 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 31 out of 475 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 11 out of 475 reviews

Reviews

8/10 Good

Pete

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Excellent breakfast
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2025

8/10 Good

Alexander

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great B&B in old Edinburgh mansion. Great hot breakfast and super friendly staff ( Odette was engaging, charming and very helpful). Not glamorous but highly recommended.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Warren

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Ben doran

Great spot. Close to the royal mile. Very comfortable rooms. Fantastic breakfast in a quaint dining room. Very welcoming and helpful staff. I definitely recommend staying here
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

evelyn

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The Ben Doran is a 300 year old mansion converted to a hotel. The ceilings are like 16 feet tall. The walls are really thick. So it is really quiet. The owners and personnel are so nice and friendly. Odette is a sweetheart. The location is awesome. You can walk if you want or take a bus from close by or uber. Loved our stay!!
Stayed 6 nights in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

Anita

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Sorry that there was no elevator, but because it is an historical property, it can not be installed. Staff was wonderful and breakfast and the room it was served was beautiful. Well worth the money if you can do 47 steps to the top floor. Were in our late 70’s and we did it!!!! Great spot and great people running it.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2024

8/10 Good

toni

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Room was clean,bed comfortable but the traffic noise was awful even with window shut all through the night
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Robert

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This is a classic structure with loads of personality. Well maintained and comfortable. Beautiful gently curving spiral staircase. Staff and owners were very helpful. They focus on guests’ needs. Broad choice of breakfast foods. Bus stop very close by. Don’t bother with a car in Edinburgh - it’s too congested and the streets are narrow. Walk or take the bus. We did!
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Kate

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The manager was super friendly and the breakfast was great. Plenty of food and the eggs were amazing.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2023

10/10 Excellent

Patrick

Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Staff was very friendly! Close to many different things to do if you just want to take a day from being downtown. Highly recommended!
Stayed 3 nights in May 2023

8/10 Good

Shaun

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Dated but very clean & perfect for overnight stay

A very honest Guesthouse. Doesn’t try to be anything but a pleasant overnight stay. Rooms are dated but facilities are very clean and accessible. Breakfast was very good with excellent service
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2023

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveller

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Think twice

Shared shower and toilet in the corridor
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2024

8/10 Good

Cheryl

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
I was up on the 2nd floor so had to go up a lot of stairs with my heavy suitcase. The shower didn't function well. The water was either very hot or very cold.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2024

4/10 Poor

Verified traveller

Liked: Staff & service
This is not a 4 * hotel!!! It is not more than a 2½ *. The Guest House do not have elevator and rooms are 1 or 2 floors upstairs and nobody helps you at the arrival. Some rooms are sharing bathroom. No front desk with employees. Only 1service: breakfast Is included.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

larry

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
I had problems with the TV the lady on duty was more than helpful in resolving the problem and getting me a replacement nothing seemed too much trouble just what you need to be , looked after
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2024

6/10 Okay

John

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities

Not really a four star hotel….

We didn’t know that four star hotels had shared bathrooms. The water temperature regulator in the shared shower was on engineer level to get right. It was either ice cold or volcanically hot and nothing in between. The walls might have been thick, which was good because you could barely hear the traffic from the busy street outside. But the door however was the weak spot. You could basically hear people two floors down as if they were in the room with you. Service however was supreme and the included Scottish breakfast was very good.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2022

2/10 Terrible

Alexandra

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Förstår inte klassificeringen, 2-3, 3 är verkligen Max. Slitet, smutsigt, gammalt, ofräscht, säng för kortväxta, varmt, kvalmigt, fönstret gick inte att öppna, luktade unket.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Susanne

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities

Super overnatning i Edinburgh

Dejligt sted, pænt rent, meget sødt og imødekommende personale. Nemt at komme til Edinburg Centrum. Eneste forbedring kunne være en bredere dobbeltseng - 140 cm er lidt knebet som dobbeltseng til 2 voksne.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

nathalie

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Tres bien

Chambre sur cour tres propre et calme. 25 mns à pieds du centre. Sinon bus stop en face de l hotel tres bien desservi. Parfait pour visiter la ville.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2022

10/10 Excellent

Sara

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Great Guest House - Clean & Warm Room

The room was very spacious and clean. It seemed as it was recently refurbished. They were really accommodating and provided us with a packed breakfast as we had an early tour one day and couldn´t stay for breakfast. The buffet breakfast was good and freshly made. The guest house is very well communicated, it is about 30 min walk from the city centre but has restaurants 10 minutes away. Also the bus stop is right opposite the house. There was barely face to face service and the man I spoke to wasn´t very welcoming, but other than that it was a pleasant stay and I would recommend this place if you are visiting Edinburgh.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2022

2/10 Terrible

alastair

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Booked this for my daughter to stay for two nights. First night we couldn’t get access to hotel. Nobody answers the phone.. 2nd day arrived 3pm. Hotel room freezing no heating on no hot water for a shower room not cleaned properly and smelt damp. My daughter returned home and drove back next morning.couldn’t talk to anyone as no staff present
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2021

4/10 Poor

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Honest Review

The city was beautiful and we chose this hotel as it was the perfect location and it offered a full Scottish breakfast to prepare us for the day but that didn’t happen they served egg and sausage both of which were just topped up from the day before the cereal was stale and same as the bread. There was no body to greet you and the emergency number provided was in contactable on several occasions as we tried to get in contact as we had no front door keep and a problem with our bed.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2021

10/10 Excellent

ALEXANDER

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Very good

The guesthouse was very tasteful and quiet.The hosts were excellent. The shower could have been better in the room and the switch for the kettle was broken though still usable. We would visit again.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2021

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, room comfort

Ok, men ikke det beste

Pent og rent, men eier ? ikke særlig vennlig. English breakfast 😊. Tv virket ikke ettersom noen hadde tatt med seg kabelen ! 😩
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2021

10/10 Excellent

Gavin

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

1st Class, Recommended

Great stay, very friendly
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2021

2/10 Terrible

Orlando

Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Staff & service

This place ough to be renamed Fawlty Towers!!

Room was acceptable if stuck in 70's. On the other hand breakfast was like an episode of Fawlty Towers... We arrived at 8.30 (half way through the hour window for breakfast) to find that other than a handful of bacon rashers they were out of cooked breakfast options. When i asked for more, the owner/waitress checked each of the chafing dishes and announced 'there was still bacon'. I had to beg for an egg, i mean i almost had to drop to my knees... We then discovered that the orange juice was bad. Informed the hostess who took my glass; returned a little later, took the jug and that was it. Had to ask what the outcome was, only to be told there was nothing wrong with it, but that she'd open a new one if i wanted. There's more, a lot more... a full 10 minute wait for eggs and bacon (which all came on separate plates minutes apart); shoulders slumping and eyes rolling when any request was made (coffe, toast) ; noisiest clean up ever which began before we received our food.... Under no circumstances would i ever stay at this hotel again. But if they were to take their show on the road i might get tickets!!!
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2020