Lantern Guest House

United Kingdom , Edinburgh
EDINBURGH, 3 Windsor Street
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75 reviews shown

10/10

Exceptional

01 Jun 2026

Brian

Room was neat with a rustic charm.
Excellent location close to shops, transport and sightseeing areas.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

02 Dec 2025

Jake

Overall and decent place to stay. Great location for getting around the city, our room was very dark, with scaffolding outside our window blocking most of the natural light. The shower was very poor, a trickle of water coming out. On the positive side the room was clean, bed was very comfortable and the TV worked. Overall a good place to stay for exploring the city and sleeping for the night.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

23 Sep 2025

Jeffrey

The room was very clean, host was extremely friendly, and the location was within walking distance to most all tourist spots in the city.

Leisure Partner

2/10

Poor

24 Aug 2025

Simon

Damp and over priced!

Room smells of damp - there’s a reason why there’s a dehumidifier plugged in 24/7. Room and bathroom need updating with mould on the tile grout. Shower is very tight - curtain smelling of damp. Only one small liquid soap for two of us over a three night stay. Unable to open the window and loads of electric adapters and wires plugged in. Room was cold as it’s below ground and the plug in heater was no good. Richard is friendly and responsive but £266 per night in August is rip off Britain at its worst…we know it’s the Fringe but not value for money given the state of the room. Avoid.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

11 Aug 2025

Leyla

A great stay!

I had a really long weekend nice stay at Lantern Guesthouse! As a solo traveler, room 3 was big enough for me. The room was VERY clean and had everything I needed. The mattress was a bit hard for my liking and there was a dip on one side, but I was able to move over and sleep on the other side. Yes the room was a bit damp but that's just the reality of Scotland - there was a dehumidifier in the room and a heater that cut down the humidity level pretty quickly so I wasn't bothered. A note for other North American travelers: position the shower heater to about 9 o'clock for the perfect temperature!

Lantern is conveniently located near multiple bus stops so it was very easy to get around. There were also great restaurants, pubs, and bars in the area.

I'd definitely stay here again!

Self

10/10

Exceptional

29 Jun 2025

Sarah

We greatly enjoyed our stay at lantern guest house. The hosts were very kind and gave us some guide pamphlets to help us find our way around the city. The location was convenient and very walkable! Thank you so much for the lovely stay!

Leisure Partner

6/10

Pleasant

23 Jun 2025

Mark

Our host Richard was very welcoming and very helpful.The location was superb and it was quiet. Our room downstairs was somewhat lacking fresh air, very small for our luggage and damp. Otherwise a lovely stay.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

06 Jun 2025

Jennifer

Lovely convenient location. Room had everything we needed.

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

03 Oct 2024

Billy

The place was lovely, bed was comfortable and the room was just nice to be at! Richard was great in communicating with us, and was very friendly and thoughtful. :)

Leisure Partner

4/10

Poor

09 Jul 2024

Mary

The location of the property was fantastic. Close to town, shops, restaurants, and tourist locations.

The owner represented the property accordingly in photos and did say it was a basement unit. Unfortunately, the room was extremely small with no room for luggage. Very musty smell and bathroom had mold on ceiling and tiles in shower. The comforter was not even long enough to reach to the bottom of the top mattress. Luckily, there was a wool blanket in the cabinet. A proper size comforter would be helpful.

Taylor Swift had just left town and I feel that the price of the room was very overpriced for the first two days we were there.

Room price
Mon, Jun 10
£207.50
Tue, Jun 11
£207.50
Wed, Jun 12
£108.33
Taxes
£104.67

With a little more attention to detail, this location could be a great spot for a stay.

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

30 Jun 2024

makini

While I liked a lot about the property, one thing that not enough hotels and guest stays offer is multiple outlets/surge protectors. At Guest Lantern there were at least four surge protectors in my room. It seems like a small thing but it matters and made my stay easier. Of note, the upstairs family has young kiddos who run/jump ~7-9am, so holiday sleep ins aren't possible, if that's something you're into.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

21 Jun 2024

Tim

Unique place.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

11 Jun 2024

Carolyn

Quiet and cozy place to stay near the city center of Edinburgh. Walkable from Waverly Station. Friendly and personable proprietors! We enjoyed our stay.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

28 Apr 2024

Robert

Great Place and Great Location

Clean, comfortable, and spacious room. Great location as well. Right around the corner are many restaurants and cafes. Every morning I went to KUNA for excellent coffee and savory pastries. They also have sweets. The one thing you should know about the room is that the steps leading down to the room are steep.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

06 Nov 2023

Mariya

Really enjoyed our 3 nights stay in the Lantern Guest House. Accommodation is very centrally located within walking distances to main attractions (25-30 mins) and with plenty of dining options around it. Hosts were very responsive and provided all required information for check in. Room was clean and had everything we need for short stay.

10/10

Exceptional

03 Oct 2023

Holly

Great Stay - You'll like this one!

We loved our stay at the Lantern Inn Guest House! It was only 10 minutes from the bus station and 12 from Waverly Railway station, without a bunch of confusing turns. There are many places to eat within a block, and we found a 'favorite restaurant': Mama Roma. The room was so nice, clean, and roomy; and we loved the ensuite bathroom. We were very comfortable there. A small refrigerator was dedicated to our use, with cold water and milk supplied! There was a microwave available and even some dishes we could use. We didn't have those any other place we stayed so it was a great surprise.

Richard, our host, was very friendly and anxious to help us. He gave good instructions and always seemed to be around when we had a question. We stayed 4 nights and would have been happy to be there longer if our plans had allowed.

With such a good price, great features, comfortable room, and convenient location, we couldn't have done any better. I would definitely choose Lantern Guest House again if I return to Edinburgh.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

14 Aug 2023

David

The Lantern Guest House is a short walk from the main attractions of Edinburgh and very convenient! Also, the rooms are very clean and the owner is super helpful! i will definitely stay at the Lantern Guest House when i return to Edinburgh and I strongly recommend it to anyone visiting Edinburgh!!!

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

11 Jul 2023

kathy

This is a rowhouse type of housintypical of the city.our room was small with a bath..truth is we were gone q2 hours a day. Bus at corner could walk to old town and lots of little restaurants around fit the bill for us..clean and well located and safe neighorhood

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

25 Jun 2023

ALEXANDRA

A great location, the room was nice and came with a fridge. The host was also responsive and helpful. The only thing I didn't love was that since the room was in a \"basement\" it did smell a little damp.

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

22 May 2023

Michael

The staff was friendly. The shower was small, making it difficult to shave my legs

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

23 Apr 2023

Ramiro

I would stay here again

Great location, and very helpful host.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

10 Oct 2022

Robert

Secure, quiet, well located, owners trusted us to just get on with things, and are ever just a phone message away.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

18 May 2022

Matthew

Will happily return!

What a fantastic place to stay. Brilliant location, barely 10 minutes walk from Waverley station and virtually right on the doorstep for the Playhouse and countless bars and restaurants, yet blissfully quiet in the evening. Easy access with a door code to come and go as you please and undoubtedly the most comfortable hotel bed I've ever slept in! Only spoke briefly with Richard after he came out of his way to see if we were enjoying our stay, but clearly nothing is too much to ask and the milk/water left in the fridge outside of the room were a nice touch. Would definitely look to stay here again on our next visit to Edinburgh.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

16 Oct 2021

benita

Very pleasant stay. Clean and comfortable and walking distance from Waverley Station. In a quiet side street but close enough to a busy road with plenty of bus stops, shops and cafes. A couple of minutes walk to Calton hill.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

09 Mar 2020

Vincent

Worth the stay

Rooms are very well kept even have a microwave you can use thro day and evening and fresh milk in mini fridge with buscuits and a pod coffee machine at only 50p a cup

Partner

8/10

Excellent

19 Sep 2019

Steve

A great location...super close to many restaurants and cafes. 15 minute walk to the train station and the shopping of the miracle mile. Very quiet side street. Richard the owner was extremely helpful and accommodating. First class service!! The only downside was a shower a bit small for my 6ft 215 pound bulk. Will stay again next time in Edinburgh.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

04 Mar 2019

Yin Sum

Enjoyable stay in Edinburgh

We did not expect a Guest House was that clean and quiet. It was convenience to use the pre-set code (sent by email beforehand) to access to the Guest House and room. Also, the location was good and convenient to most of the attractions in the city center. We enjoyed the stay and particularly the welcoming of the Guest House manager (his name is Richard - hope that we were right).

Family

10/10

Exceptional

07 Sep 2018

Piotr

Nice hotel 10 mins walk from the centre

10 mins walk to the main station and main attractions. Friendly staff, clean rooms and very safe.

10/10

Exceptional

10 Aug 2018

S&R

Very close to Scotland’s People. Richard and Rachel very accomodating with early arrival. Nice People!

10/10

Exceptional

07 Aug 2018

carol

Edinburgh is an amazing place to stay ,hotel was lovely

10/10

Exceptional

30 Jul 2018

Robert

Very comfortable, well located ... host went above and beyond to help me get my laundry sorted (stay was part of much longer trip)

10/10

Exceptional

22 Jul 2017

Diane

Nice, clean and quiet

Quiet, close to city centre, easy walking distance to Princes Street, Waverly train and airport tram. Richard, the owner was very accommodating.

8/10

Excellent

08 Jul 2017

Verified traveler

Nice place

Very kind host who was very helpful about the local area and things to do. It's more of a guest house than a hotel (the room wasn't made up, for example, between our two nights. But nice to support a small business, and the room was very comfortable and in a good part of town, lots of local bars and restaurants and near, but not in the heart of the most touristy part of town.

Family

6/10

Pleasant

07 May 2017

Verified traveler

Good location, comfortable, clean but very run down

10/10

Exceptional

04 Nov 2016

sarah

lovely building nice hosts

Lovely hosts nice clean warm room

Family

10/10

Exceptional

14 Oct 2016

mark

Good location. Friendly owners. Room was very clean and comfortable.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

25 Sep 2016

Verified traveler

Hotel close to Edinburgh city centre

good location and close to city centre and all the tourist attractions. The only drawback is that there is no convenient street parking in front of the house for those who drive into Edinburgh. There is free street parking about a 10 minute walk from the hotel.

The room where we stayed is at street level and can be noisy.

otherwise a very pleasant stay. Would recommend to anyone.

10/10

Exceptional

23 Sep 2016

kerris

A quiet gem in a central location

The perfect spot for those who like a good night sleep, but being in a central location.

Spacious room, all very clean and tidy.

10/10

Exceptional

07 Sep 2016

Verified traveler

Great location - helpful staff

We had a lovely 3 night stay at the Lantern Guest House. With our own entrance, we could come and go as we pleased. It was a great location - close to transportation and an easy walk to the Old Town. It was a 5 minute walk to Calton Hill. Very reasonable rates.....definitely stay here again.

2/10

Poor

26 Aug 2016

Lorraine

Very dissappointed.

I was so dissappointed with this guest house when i arrived the owner toald me my room was small understement it was tiny it was down in a basement no room to move looking out on 2 walls. The owner moved us to a bigger room not a great one but bigger. The towels that were ment to be whit were a dirty grey and we got one. The house in general was grotty dirty delph in the kitchen clothes drying in the hall on a clothes horse.the owner asked for his money before we even put our bags down i wonder why. It looks like anyone can call there housr a guest house and charge what they want.i wont be back.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

16 Aug 2016

S P

Comfortable stay. Close to town is a plus.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

29 Jun 2016

Debra

Nice place

Richard, the owner, is very friendly and helpful. The room and ensuite bathroom were very clean.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

11 Jun 2016

Peter

Big rooms, great host

A very spacious room with ensuite and fast wifi. The host is very welcoming and made us feel right at home. Lots of information about Edinburgh.
The bed was comfortable and the room very clean. I liked the little extras like a small fridge in the common area for storing food. Milk was also provided for my morning coffee.
We would definitely stay there again on our next visit to Edinburgh.

10/10

Exceptional

07 Jun 2016

John

comfortable and value for money

We stay in hotels often and this place is perfect for the money. The memory foam mattress was good for my bad back. Ignore any pedantic negative reviews, if you want to stay in a 5star hotel then pay to stay in a 5 star hotel.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

25 Apr 2016

Verified traveler

Handy for the city centre.

A pleasant break, nice welcome, liked the fresh milk in the fridge. Would happily use again.

10/10

Exceptional

12 Nov 2015

Wai Yee

A pleasant stay

In general, the stay was pleasant. Owner of the guest house was very nice and helpful. The price was great and the room was really clean and comfy! We stayed and the lower groud floor next to the side entrance which made it convenient to access the building. The only downside was that it took us some time to walk from the guest house to the popular sigghtseeing locations. There are pubs and cafes for meals. Great place for couples and families to stay!

Partner

8/10

Excellent

31 Oct 2015

Central hotel, very good vslue

Incredibly friendly and organised host, basic but good enough sized room, clean, and good value for money.

2/10

Poor

15 Oct 2015

dennis

EEK!!!!!!!!

The room was smelly, there was mold in the bathroom.
You could all most touch the walls from each side of the bed -very very small. There is NO parking. No frills in this place.
We would never book again or tell anyone to stay here

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

10 Oct 2015

Verified traveler

Great location!

Our stay was great, and Richard was simply wonderful! Our late night flight was delayed and he stayed up pretty late to let us in. The location is unbeatable since it's super close to all the major attractions and excellent restaurants and yet, it's located on a quiet street which is great for getting a good nights sleep. The room was clean, our wifi worked great and we had access to a communal microwave and fridge. I just wish that our towels were replaced once during our stay, but that's something minor. Richard would check on us and made us feel very welcome!

Partner

4/10

Poor

08 Oct 2015

Michael

A young couple , for one night

booked the hotel because of the distance from the train, only 10 min walk.
but was very disappointed from the room,
very old room, the shower has lots of mold stains.
It was fine for one night, but i wouldn't recommend it

Partner

8/10

Excellent

01 Oct 2015

Verified traveler

Great base to explore Edinburgh. Clean & Tidy, with everything you need for a weekend away.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

21 Sep 2015

Sally

Pluses and minuses

This guest house had pluses and minuses. It was a 5 min walk from York Place tram stop so very easy to get to from airport.Bed comfortable and shower pressure good. Owner gave good recommendations for local restaurants. The black caulking in the shower needs replacing and light mould starting to grow on tile near toilet could eadily be cleaned off. Perhaps the yellow postit notes used for the glasses could also easily be upgraded. A business card with the address would also be helpful. To get back to positives, the room was definitely reasonably priced for Edinburgh and it was quiet.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

19 Sep 2015

Verified traveler

Don't pick this if you have a mold allergy

Upside: Manager was nice. Check-in was easy. The location was great. Price was good. Bedroom was clean.
Downside: Close to bars and noisy when they closed. Basement unit had mold growing on the bathroom walls and ceiling.

6/10

Pleasant

27 Aug 2015

Josh

Great place, great host but check bathroom...

We loved lots about the Lantern. The host, Richard, was extremely pleasant, helpful and kind. The location of the Lantern is ideal to maximize easy access to Edinburgh's gorgeous attractions. The bedroom itself was delightful and comfortable. Our only grievance was that the bathroom had a mold problem (as to be expected in a garden-level room where the bathroom doesn't have proper ventilation.) It was not horrible, but there was an odor, and the only way around that was to leave the bathroom light/fan on all the time to air out).
It's possible that not all rooms have this issue. But if you're sensitive to air quality, as I am, this would be something to check about before booking.
Otherwise, really lovely place.

2/10

Poor

17 Aug 2015

Kim

Disappointing stay

A single room made up to be a double to take advantage of festival goers, a real shame!

8/10

Excellent

26 Jul 2015

Verified traveler

Very convenient for the city centre.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

06 Jul 2015

Mat

A Good Value

The Lantern was as expected. The somewhat cramped room was below street level, but still had enough natural light. Richard, the owner, was very welcoming and helpful. A large person may find the very small shower difficult to use, but we were fine! The location is excellent. It's about a 12-minute walk to the train station, with the Royal Mile just beyond. An Edinburgh tram station is very close by. Excellent restaurants, too!

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

30 Jun 2015

Verified traveler

Edinburgh stay

The hotel was good for the price. I received a welcoming email from Richard before I arrived. The only problem was that I forgot that in Scotland, Ground Floor means one floor down from first floor and there was no elevator to take me up and down. Richard kindly carried my bag down when I arrived but I had to do all further carrying up the stairs on my own.

8/10

Excellent

21 Jun 2015

Verified traveler

Room was fine but A bit cold. Host was very nice. Area was quiet and felt safe

8/10

Excellent

31 May 2015

Edward

Lantern Guest house review from May 2015

We found this hotel extremely well situated. Richard, the host was very helpful and courteous. I would recommend this hotel.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

30 May 2015

kelly

Nice hotel close to Calton Hill

The Host, Richard, was there to greet us when we first arrived. He was very kind and helpful. The room was very spacious and clean. The hotel was in a good location near sites and restaurants. I would definitely stay again.

8/10

Excellent

06 May 2015

Verified traveler

Lantern Guest House

Great location. Basic facilities but clean.

6/10

Pleasant

09 Jan 2015

Verified traveler

Ideal location, short walk to town

Owner very kindly secured us a parking space which was greatly appreciated. Ideal location for what we wanted. Thank you.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

29 Oct 2014

Tom

Lovely weekend stay

We had a lovely weekend staying here. The location was brilliant; close to several good restaurants. When we arrived there was a smell of mould from the bathroom; however, it is an old Georgian house so this isn't unexpected. The room had a homely feel with hand made furnishings.

10/10

Exceptional

21 Oct 2014

Overall very good

For the price, it was overall a nice place. Rooms were a bit dated, but bathroom was very modern. Easy access to rooms through pin code. Good value for money

10/10

Exceptional

16 Oct 2014

Verified traveler

Great stay

1st time travelers to Edinburgh. My wife and I enjoyed our stay here. The owner was very friendly and helpful. Located near a bus stop which is great for getting around town if you do not want to walk. About a 15 minute walk from train station. Didnt hear much traiffic. The owner let us leave our luggage as our train didnt leave until later that day which saved us money from using left luggage at train station. Great place to stay if you are looking for a comfortable bed to sleep on. Rooms are a bit small but we didnt come to hang out in our room.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

02 Oct 2014

Verified traveler

great spot

This is a nice stop in a great location. Access to transportation and nightlife was good. Near enough to the Royal Mile to walk if you are so inclined.

10/10

Exceptional

12 Sep 2014

Verified traveler

Great location

Lovely room in quiet location and only a few minutes walk to eating places and the city centre.

8/10

Excellent

26 Aug 2014

Jeff C

Comfortable and friendly hotel in a good spot

Arrived at hotel and greeted by Richard, very friendly and helpful individual. Room and hotel was as articulated/displayed in ad, so no surprises and expectations met. Very close to Edinburgh landmarks and key areas. Codes for the doors instead of keys made it very easy on arrival/leaving; no lengthy check-in/check-out processes. Also, as we had been heavily rained on the night prior, Richard put an external dehumidifier into our room while we were out, to help dry out our clothes. This was just an act of kindness on his part, we never requested it. All in all, would stay there again.

Family

6/10

Pleasant

10 Aug 2014

Traveler

Location, location, location

The location can't be beat! Walkable to much of the city, right near bus lines and the tram for the airport. The inn itself offers very small rooms, and not a lot of amenities. The rooms are down an outside stair. Richard, the proprietor, is very nice.

8/10

Excellent

14 Jul 2014

Sam

A good choice

We chose this room because it was close to many attractions and the reviews said it was quiet, and we were not disappointed. The host Richard greeted us when we arrived and gave us many suggestions about places to eat and sights to see. The rooms are on the basement level, but our room (No. 1) has two large windows that look outside onto an exterior area that has a stairway leading up to the street. So, there was lots of light in the room. And, the room was quiet as promised. We definitely recommend the Lantern Guest House.

6/10

Pleasant

22 Jun 2014

Michelle

Passable, not great

This place was fine for one night, which was all we were there for. It was quite conveniently located, not too far from the university which is where I was coming and going from. The bed was fine, but pillows were thin, and the bathroom really wasn't very clean. There was mold both in the shower and on some tiles next to the sink and it started smelling pretty funky once we had taken showers. Wouldn't go out of my way to recommend it to others. Had no contact with staff as we just had a code to get in, though the proprietor was certainly helpful and pleasant enough as far as email contact before our arrival.

8/10

Excellent

19 Jun 2014

Baljit

Small but ok.

We were first time visitors to Edinberg and didn't know much about the place. This guest house provides the basic facilities, but because of its convenient location and affordable tarrif, it becomes a better choice. Owner of the place is a helpful person and takes care of guests' needs. Rail station is just about 10 minutes by walk. The guest house does not cater to any meals, but there are plenty of restaurants within 5-10 minutes walk. There are a few Indian and Asian restaurants nearby. We had dinner in an Indian restaurant, but were disappointed.
We do not regret staying in this guest house, but can see other options available in this price range.

Family

8/10

Excellent

13 Jun 2014

Colin

Great location

The room was clean and the bed was comfortable,exactly what we wanted.We were greeted by Richard, the owner,when we arrived.This hotel is only about five minutes walk from Edinburgh city centre,again exactly what we wanted. The only down side is that there is limited parking near the hotel,raking in the area is free at weekends, so it tends to fill up quickly

10/10

Exceptional

11 Jun 2014

Rita

Good central location & quiet

The guest house is in a very convenient central location very close to everything. Clean, quiet room, we had everything we needed for a reasonable price. Easy access from airport too.

Family