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At first glance, the Apex Grassmarket Hotel doesn’t look particularly remarkable from the street. But after spending three nights here, we discovered that its greatest strengths weren’t flashy luxury—they were its outstanding location, thoughtful amenities, and one unforgettable view of Edinburgh Castle–Boom! (You’ll understand that reference if you stay here.)

Apex Grassmarket Hotel Review

Location and Arrival at the Apex Grassmarket Hotel

Getting There: Two Very Important Bits of Information: Don’t Miss This!

Tempted by the lovely May weather we chose to take the tram from EDI and walk from the station to the hotel. Though the walk looks easy on the map, there’s a huge flight of 124 stairs, The Playfair Steps. Two alternatives have their own challenges: Walk The Mound with its heart-pumping incline or take Cockburn Street to dodge tourists with your luggage on the Royal Mile. Heed this advice with your luggage and jetlagged self: Pay for a taxi from EDI directly to the hotel.

Confusion! There are two “Apex Hotels” side by side at Grassmarket. These sister properties have notable differences. The prices of the rooms run similar and the view of the castle is just as good at either hotel. Yet, the Apex City Hotel of Edinburgh has no balcony rooms and no sauna or pool amenities. Also while Apex City Hotel offers breakfast, it does not have a restaurant or bar. Guests are referred to the Apex Grassmarket Hotel for those amenities.

Location! Location! Location!

At Grassmarket you will find independently-owned restaurants, pubs, and shops and many attractions within walking distance. Expect cobblestone streets, narrow alleys, and stairs. A bus station is right at the door of the hotel as an alternative. We felt very safe everywhere we went. Edinburgh is upscale, lively, and people are very friendly.

We approached Grassmarket via Victoria Street which is “Diagon Alley” in the Harry Potter World where JK Rowling wrote her famous book, The area is frequented by Harry Potter fans from all over the world as well as regular tourists. We appreciated that Grassmarket is markedly quieter and with less tourists than the Royal Mile which is only a block away.

Lobby and Front Desk

The lobby is large and opens to both the restaurant at the ground level and bar area ½ level above. Elevators are small but in working order, carpets a bit dated but otherwise, the hotel is clean and well furnished with a modern look and feel. The staff is international and very friendly, helpful, and attentive.

The crocodile statue was a cute surprise with an intentional, international mash-up! The Apex Hotel brand is a supporter of endangered wildlife (including the Siamese Crocodile) and the city of Edinburgh seems to have a unique attachment to exotic reptiles! Read more about the Apex Hotel’s commitment to wildlife.

Room Review of our Castle View Deluxe Room with Balcony

First impression: You see the castle right away when opening the room. The pictures are true–the view of the castle from the balcony rooms was astounding!

Room’s Functionality

The interior was clean with simple décor. The room was a rectangle layout with the bathroom first, then bed, then sitting area, and then balcony. The space around the bed had enough space to both layout the suitcase and walk. The sitting area had comfortable chairs and a coffee table. Our room included a welcome letter, Nespresso machine and kettle, instant coffee, herbal and black teas, and biscuits which are replenished daily along with the glasses and cups from the daily housekeeping service. A welcome gift of a bottle of wine, was also provided which is typically seen at a 5-star hotel rating level instead of 4, so that was a nice surprise.

Review of the Room’s Comfort

The room was comfortable as well as functional. The bed and pillows are comfy. The castle and Grassmarket are lit up at night but the blackout curtains did an excellent job blocking this city light. City noise does creep in, but it is happy human noises rather than honking horns and traffic. Light sleepers might want earplugs especially on weekend nights when buskers are out on the street below.

The Apex Grassmarket Hotel Balcony

Balcony rooms are not all that common across hotels. Having a balcony is very important to us which means the number of available rooms that we can choose from are significantly fewer.  At a hotel with a balcony and a significant view, we expect to pay a higher price point.

Walking out on the balcony really made the castle and Grassmarket come alive from a different vantage point and added to our experience. Yet… being “balcony snobs” this wasn’t our favorite balcony in terms of comfort. No furniture was provided; it would have been nice to have a café table and chairs which there was enough space for.

Additionally, the balcony was actually a terrace which meant that it ran along the entire length of the hotel level with only a single bar dividing each room’s portion. Essentially it didn’t feel private. A fake hedge between each room’s portion of terrace would have done the trick.

Two additional items of note. First, if you stay at this hotel with a small child, that bar is perfect for a small child to duck under. Not dangerous but it would be awkward to have to chase a child along this terrace at the door of the other guests. Second, the balcony is accessed via a step up from the room’s floor which is a little unusual.

Bathroom Review

The bathroom was spacious and had a tub separate from the shower. Only one sink was provided but it did have a shelf and medicine cabinet for our items. Cotton weave bathrobes and slippers were provided. Towels were soft and fluffy. The toiletries were high quality.

Amenities Made the Stay Worth the Cost

This hotel offered more than just a gorgeous view and an excellent location. The additional included amenities are where the hotel exceeded expectations.

The heated pool, fitness center, and sauna were all shared by both hotels so we expected the pool to be busy with kids but it was not. The included a dry sauna was a big plus for us and because it “textile optional,” no children were allowed which we appreciated. There are changing areas, showers, and lockers in the pool/sauna area and the hotel provided extra towels when requested. Getting into the sauna rooms after a day with crowds at Edinburgh Castle in traditional Scottish weather was so nice!

Dining at the Apex Grassmarket Hotel

Both the restaurant and bar had a wonderful view of the castle through large picture windows. The restaurant seemed to be popular with locals. We overheard several business meetings, and locals came to connect with their out-of-town guests. The food was excellent. I had always heard that Scottish food was bland, but I still hold that Scottish food was the best regional cuisine I have eaten to date (yes, even after visiting Italy!).

The included breakfast was a traditional Scottish breakfast buffet along with cereals and fresh fruit. The cook-to-order menu included smoked salmon and kippers—both were so good. Coffee machines for expresso and drip were available. I had trouble with the machine at first, and the wait staff made my coffee and taught me how to use the machine for the future.

Although the restaurant was open all day, we only ate breakfast here because there were so many other options that we could walk to. We especially enjoyed The Black Bull, directly across Grassmarket from the hotel, and Greyfriars Bobby, a 5-10 minute walk NE from the hotel.

Things to Know Before Booking a Stay at the Apex Grassmarket Hotel

Our favorite feature of this hotel had to be location and view. Our main experience for Edinburgh was going to the castle so having the view, which felt so close, was part of that experience. For me, this is where the hotel was worth the price.

Just out of the doors of the hotel, Grassmarket was fun, lively, and vibrant, a little quirky, independent, and historic. Restaurants and pubs in the square are excellent and had a ton of charm. Saturday morning is the weekly outdoor market featuring pop-up vendors selling handmade food and crafts. During the day and into the night, street muscians played cover songs. Though Grassmarket is lively, it is not crowded. You will notice a marked difference between the number of people here than on the Royal Mile.

What could have been better

A better balcony experience with privacy and a chair would have really put the icing on the cake for CT since his favorite thing to do anywhere is Europe is to sit with a relaxing drink and watch the world happen.

Was the Stay Worth the Cost?

The Apex Grassmarket Hotel is the priciest stay we have experienced so far. Given this price point, I compared our experience with the 2^nd most pricey stay we’ve experienced which was the Villa Athena Resort in Sicily (read our review here). As we compare hotel experiences, we further build our personal preferences and our trained eye for what to look for in a hotel’s booking description.

I ultimately felt that the resort in Sicily was a less worthwhile stay because its value-added amenities were reduced to the view and access to the one attraction. Whereas Apex Grassmarket Hotel, on the other hand, had a view, access to more attractions, access to more food options both in and out of the hotel, and included a heated pool and sauna in the room price.

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