Name: Kick Ass Greyfriars
Address: 37-39 Cowgate, Edinburgh, EH1 1JR, GB

4/10

Poor

25 Jul 2026

Oonagh

Showers terrible. Definitely not value for money

10/10

Exceptional

24 Jul 2026

Caren

We had our own room for the 4 of us. The showers were a bit cold but with the heat that was okay. However, there was a lacking of hot water. Overall I would stay here again. We had a lot of fun.

10/10

Exceptional

03 Jul 2026

Gary

Nice hostel: an activity most evenings (e.g., karaoke, pub crawl [Thank you Rose!], trivia night), diverse group of young Europeans, community bathrooms, etc. We found the residents and staff to be friendly and respectful. Fun interior. Checkout the Treehouse! We booked a 4-person room with 2 bunk beds and a sink and always felt safe. As far as its food: decent breakfast bar (appreciate the Corn Flakes as a non-sweet option), below average (over-fried) fish ‘n chips but shockingly good buffalo wings! Guests get 10% off food when you show your room key. (Thank you to the bartender who brought in extra chairs for the Scotland vs. Brazil World Cup game.) We would definitely stay here again if we returned to Edinburgh.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

01 Jul 2026

FRANKIE

Great place, bar is a great vibe, the rooms are perfectly clean and so are the showers/toilets, staff are friendly and helpful

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

07 Jun 2026

Keira

Great staff, Loved Adam at the bar!

Friends

8/10

Excellent

14 May 2026

Susan

The rooms were clean The bathrooms were also pretty clean. The front desk staff was absolutely phenomenal! They were incredibly helpful, friendly and informative! Keep in mind it is a hostel, where you are sharing the bathrooms with other people, but for what it is and the price, it was great. Right now we're staying down the street at a much nicer hotel but the front desk staff does not even compare to how wonderful they were at Kick Ass. In fact, I'm probably going to go in there tomorrow just to say hi.

10/10

Exceptional

12 May 2026

Caroline

This was my first hostel experience, and I absolutely loved it! There are endless opportunities to be social at this place, and every single time I took advantage of it, I met some amazing people. Not to mention the staff is super nice and helpful. I didn’t eat much of the food here, but from the one meal I did have (fish and chip), it was solid! Aside from small things that could be better maintained like the bathrooms (they’re not bad, just could be better with the amount of people using them everyday), I had a great time. Can’t recommend this place enough. Also, the Greyfriar’s location doesn’t have a microwave or fridge, so plan accordingly if you like to bring back leftovers!

Self

8/10

Excellent

04 May 2026

Karringten

It was a great location, friendly staff, clean rooms. The only thing is the bathrooms. They are fine and clean enough but seem a little under maintained and some of the showers drains clogged and took forever to drain so there is always puddles of water on the floors outside of the showers. It is a loud location so if you need quiet just bring your ear plugs and you will be fine. It was a great place to stay for three nights and I loved that the room for three people had a sink so we didn't have to all get ready in the shared bathrooms. Overall, it is a nice place to sleep and recover in a busy city for a good price and location.

Family

8/10

Excellent

04 Apr 2026

Amy

Umberto is most helpful. Bathrooms are not bad but not great.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

30 Dec 2025

Mustafa Zahid

Best hostel in Edinburgh will definitely return

Leisure Self

6/10

Pleasant

13 Nov 2025

Debby

Very limited variety for the breakfast. Cold boiled eggs, no cereal, no milk.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

06 Nov 2025

Spencer

The brekfast was fresh every day

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

11 Oct 2025

steve

Location,Location,Location

Breakfast was very filling with many different options to choose from.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

07 Sep 2025

Kathleen

Great place! And staff was so helpful with storing luggage!

Business_and_leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

18 Aug 2025

Bernadine

I enjoy the staff and the location, with the property being really clean and a convient location We enjoyed it very much!

10/10

Exceptional

16 Aug 2025

Richard

The hostel is clean and in a central location.

However with the hostel being situated around the night life area of the city. If you're looking for a quiet night this may not be the place for you.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

11 Aug 2025

Ruth

Great location for exploring. Noisy outside on a Saturday night in August but would still recommend.

Leisure Self

6/10

Pleasant

19 Jul 2025

Verified traveler

Ok…

We had the private 4 bedroom and let’s just say it was not great. Beds uncomfy, sketchy part of town, nice view of castle when leaving the hostel but other than that not many positives. The night we got there service was decent but the guy there was pushing us to subscribe to his YouTube channel in front of him before going up to our rooms. We also only received one towel for the four of us because they ran out. The rooms were disgustingly hot but we soon realized a lot of places in Scotland are not air conditioned. Not good temperature to sleep in. It is pretty central but overall I would not recommend. They also only have pocket sized fans for the heat. Don’t go here unless you are desperate like we were. Maybe I’m the winter it’s better when the sweltering heat actually works for you.

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

14 Jul 2025

Wojciech

Been there second time and deffo be back again! Good price, amazing location!

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

06 Jul 2025

Verified traveler

Good stay just wished the kitchen/fridge was here

Self

6/10

Pleasant

08 Jun 2025

Derrick

Conviniently located in the most vibrant part of town... has some great pubs, walking distance to grass market and many other locations. The property itself is well maintained...but one important thing to remember is that it is a hostel. We happened to have a private 3 bed room. But it was still extremely noisy from the drunk yelling in the street...and stomping their way back to their bunks...way into the early morning...very limited toilet and shower spaces for the amount of inhabitants.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

05 Jun 2025

Tianlai

Even though this was a \"hostel\", but it really exceeded our expecations. Room we got was quite big. The only complaint I had was the mattress had some hard bumps, it almost felt like it was upside down.

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

05 May 2025

berenice

This was a good place to stay for convenient and affordably but I do not like the idea of sharing so that is my personal problem. If you don't mind it, its a good place to stay

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

03 May 2025

Honie

Amazing staff

I did not get to stay due to a card issue but they service was great on 2 MAY 2025. Great staff. They were very kind.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

01 May 2025

Stephen

Very comfortable, great location.

I am a senior male travelling Solo from Toronto, Canada - here on an annual 1 month holiday I take, since early retirement.
This year I visited UK for my first time.
Edinburgh was the last part of my 1 month exploring UK, and Kick Ass Greyfriars was an exceptional accommodation.

Staff were great, lodging very comfortable, I suggest buying their breakfast.
I will recommend this hostel.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

30 Apr 2025

Michelle

Liked the Treehouse lounge and ability to sit and relax in the bar area or upstairs. Breakfast was also availabe if you wanted and lockers to hold your luggage if you came before check in

Leisure Self

8/10

Excellent

22 Apr 2025

Issy

Hostel was absolutely great! Perfect distance from the city centre and their bar was very nice too. However, showers only ever seemed to be lukewarm or would fluctuate in temperature.

Leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

21 Apr 2025

Mackenzie

Excellent customer service, friendly and welcoming staff. Cleanliness was on point, shower and toilet facilities were cleaned very regularly and were spotless.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

12 Jan 2025

Rachelle

Good for a night. Great location.

My family of four adults just needed a place to sleep after getting off a bus tour and before boarding an early flight. I booked a whole room, so we would have it to ourselves, but there are common bathrooms shared. Property was clean. We lucked out and got to take part in a trivia night in the bar. We lost but had fun. Food and drinks were good. Location is awesome. We roamed the streets and walked to the castle one last time before going to bed and catching our flight.

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

24 Dec 2024

Alexandro

The Hostel is in a great walkable area near Grassmarket Edinburgh. Lots of local pubs and shops within blocks. Great location.

Compared to another hostel I stayed at in Glasgow, the Kick Ass had clean bathrooms, usable showers with good pressure & hot water.

Having a pub downstairs with food was quick and convenient.

Overall, a great and affordable place to stay if you dont mind bunking with other travelers. Everyone was nice and respectful in the dorms. No issues at all.

Leisure Self

4/10

Poor

17 Oct 2024

Rebecca

Clean place. Broken heat while weather was 0-1 degrees at night. Cold room and uncomfortable while moving throughout the space. Tried working with staff ti resolve the issue, solution was extra blankets. No warning or switch of room to have heat. No offers to make stay better.

10/10

Exceptional

15 Oct 2024

DISHA

It had a very lively atmosphere. Staff was very amazing and friendly helped us find best local places for food.
Night was the best part of this place as they organized Karaoke and chill night which made it easy to interact with people and have fun. Even though we were party of 5, making new connections is always fun.
The room and toilets were very clean. If I visit Edinburgh again this would be my stay to place.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

08 Oct 2024

Alyssa

I thoroughly enjoyed my stay here. As a solo female traveler I felt incredibly safe and appreciated how you had to badge through each area to get to your room. The entire place was very clean and spacious, bathrooms included. The bar below served well priced drinks and was a great place to meet people. I would absolutely stay here next time I come back to Edinburgh!

Leisure Self

8/10

Excellent

28 Sep 2024

UJJAWAL

Great location, common amenities and rooms are super clean and modern..great vibes overall

Cons: wifi super slow in rooms, spring mattresses are highly uncomfortable

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

06 Sep 2024

Wray

The facilities are very clean, and I appreciate that. I had not stayed in a dorm-like environment for nearly 40 years, but it all worked out just fine. Thank you!

6/10

Pleasant

12 Aug 2024

Verified traveler

Right downtown, easy walking distance

The hostel itself was fine. Even good, considering it was a hostel. The bathroom stalls and showers are teeny tiny. If you are a larger person, good luck. I don’t know how that would work.
The restaurant/bar onsite was great. Good, quick food and you get 10% off as a guest of the hostel.
If you are visiting during the Fringe, however, be aware that the noise from outside is incredibly loud and goes until all hours of the night. Not sure what time, as I finally was exhausted enough to fall asleep around 3am. I booked a hotel out of town for the remainder of my trip. If you are looking to be in the middle of the festival, or plan to stay out all night, this is the perfect place for you. If you like to get to sleep at a decent hour- don’t stay here or bring noise-cancelling headphones.

Self

8/10

Excellent

05 Aug 2024

Isabella

Dodgy area

Leisure

8/10

Excellent

01 Aug 2024

Elly

Cheap, cheerful, good location.... but a bit noisy

Stayed in a private room with bunkbeds. Choice of gender specific OR co-ed showers down the hall but cleaners were in the female bathroom at 0800 which caused congestion. There is an outside courtyard bar down below and there were some really noisy people ranting and swearing at 0300.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

13 Jul 2024

Karen

Basic but great!

Convenient location, helpful staff, good bar, basic rooms but all you need!

Friends_and_family Friends

8/10

Excellent

07 Jul 2024

Allison

It was my first time in a hostel. While everything was great, I’d love to let people know the showers are cramped. You could put yourself in there, but don’t expect your things to stay dry in the stalls with you from lack of shelving. But the breakfast was great, staff amazing and helpful, great location (loud on weekends), and worth the trip

Leisure Self

8/10

Excellent

05 Jul 2024

Bertrand

Nice hostel, good social areas and comfy beds and thick duvets (needed in this weather) - only thing is the showers were not well designed (needed somewhere to put your stuff in the cabin otherwise you had to put on the ground)

Self

6/10

Pleasant

02 Jul 2024

Hillary

Great location & clean rooms

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

24 Jun 2024

Renz Myron D

THIF

This is a hostel in the red district and I am aware that it is an cult place to stay. We are there for a night to sleep and it was comfortable.

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

18 Jun 2024

Priscilla

A good first experience for a hostel accommodation. Would be using again if needed.

Leisure Self

8/10

Excellent

15 Jun 2024

Will

Property was close to all locations of interest

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

11 Jun 2024

Verna

We enjoyed having room 208 which was a private room. It was great to have a sink in the room. The deadbolt on the door didn’t work and the room was a bit hot at times but otherwise fit our needs. I’m

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

10 Jun 2024

Mandy

This was my first time in a hostel, so I went in not really knowing what to expect. The building is centrally located so it was very easy to walk around the city and get to places. The staff were friendly, and the building was quite clean. Because it’s right in the city, it does get very loud at night with people partying on the street. I was staying there for 6 days and wasn’t expecting to have so many different roommates but for the most part the people were respectful. One downside is the bed isn’t very comfortable and the pillow was very flat. The bathrooms are quite small and cramped, but they were functional, updated and clean. The bar downstairs was a bit expensive (but so was everywhere in Edinburgh). Overall, for my first time in a hostel I had a good time and felt very comfortable and safe. For those looking for a decently priced place to stay while in Edinburgh, this hostel is definitely one I would recommend.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

09 Jun 2024

Karla

Great hostel

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

09 Jun 2024

Paolo Gio

Very suitable for solo travel. It is at the center of the city and you literally can walk anywhere you want to go ie grassmarket, old town, Edinburgh castle, etc.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

09 Jun 2024

M

I really enjoyed my stay at kickass hostel. I dont usually stay in hostels but kickass definitely changed my views. The staff were all so helpful and kind, the rooms were clean. They had showers and bathrooms in almost every corner and it was always so clean. They have laundry room and lockers services which I found so convinent. I would highly recommend Kick Ass hostels and would definitely stay here again.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

02 Jun 2024

Jane

Great place!

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

02 Apr 2024

Jarvis Ivan

The dorm and washrooms were clean. Staff was helpful and warm. Almost everyday there was a social event in the hostel.

6/10

Pleasant

28 Mar 2024

Alisha

Definitely extremely over priced for just a bed. Showers are timed so you have to press the button every 15seconds so having a shower is so annoying - the showers are tiny with no space to place your belongings. There was vomit in the sink for hours. Very loud throughout the night. Honestly I could find hotels better priced.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

18 Dec 2023

Mark

Great place for a short or long stay. Lobe the vibe with the social area. 30 bed dorm was pretty well laid out, quirky. Comfortable beds, and quiet for getting a good sleep too!

Self

6/10

Pleasant

26 Nov 2023

Danielle P

This place was a bit lower quality than I expected from reviews, but the staff were nice upon check-in and the area is great. However, when I returned to my bed at 2:30am, somebody else was sleeping in it. He slept there because somebody slept in his bed, and the whole thing started a chain reaction and the night receptionist realized they were overbooked. I didn’t have anywhere to sleep and was offered a couch in the chill room, even though my tag was on the bed and my stuff was in the locker. I was told this has happened here before. So… beware.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

13 Nov 2023

Tatiana

Wonderful place,friendly and politely staff,nice pub in the old heart of this marvellous city

10/10

Exceptional

25 Sep 2023

Verified traveler

100 mark hostel

Friendly environment and good kitchen
Great location in old town of Edinburgh

Self

8/10

Excellent

24 Sep 2023

Stephan

Room clean and quiet. Plenty of shared bathrooms, showers on timers. Could purchase a continental breakfast on site. Only issue was the 4am fire alarm. We evacuated but no instructions or involvement by staff, we seemed to be on our own. What if there was a fire, yikes!

Leisure Self

6/10

Pleasant

01 Sep 2023

Ciaran

Fine for a night

Basic but pleasant enough hostel. Friendly staff. Overpriced but the location is good.

Self

8/10

Excellent

22 Aug 2023

Joye

I liked the location across from the graveyard and Kirk. The ambiance was relaxed and the beer garden was a nice addition. While we were there several of the showers and restrooms were out of order but otherwise a solid cheaper option for staying in Old Town. Also found some great pizza and local brews at Brew Dog just a few doors down.

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

22 Aug 2023

Joan

Very close to everything on the Royal mall. Good value for the money spent. The mattresses could have been softer.

Leisure Friends

6/10

Pleasant

22 Jul 2023

Verified traveler

Party place

Place was very noisy and beds were mediocre.
Host were nice and helpful.
In center of nightlife.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

02 Jul 2023

Stephen

Staff were very helpful.

Leisure Self

8/10

Excellent

24 May 2023

Brian

This is a place where people are partying / drinking. Fun, but if you're looking for quiet, not the place

Leisure Friends

8/10

Excellent

07 Apr 2023

Diana

OK

Clean and friendly staff, easy check-in, fair price.
Complicated paths to rooms, key card or button at every door - and there's MANY doors to get to room or any facility. Like a labyrinth.
Glad there was plugs for each bunk, but reaching them on the top bunk requires a good bit of flexibility. Mattress was 5/10 but all bedding provided and beds made for you.

Self

6/10

Pleasant

18 Oct 2022

Giulia

The hostel is perfectly located in the city centre (old town), the staff is super friendly and the rooms are ok.
The only bad side were the bathrooms, they definitely need more cleaning during the day/night considering the amount of people that use them.

Leisure Self

8/10

Excellent

04 Sep 2022

Lewis

Good value for money

It's a backpackers hostel, but the location is really good, and I was able to explore the city. The staff are friendly, and food is good, but facilities are basic (which is expected). I liked it for the price.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

24 Jun 2022

José Gabriel

An optimus stay

Excelent experience, located in an excelet point of the old city. Great atendance.

Self

4/10

Poor

12 Jun 2022

Verified traveler

Poor air in the room, so the window had to stay opened towards the street, noisy.
Uncomfortable beds.
Needed to purchase a padlock (or bring one) for locking my luggage.

No calm area for relaxing.

Self

8/10

Excellent

02 Jun 2022

Christian

Enjoyed

Good standard, clean and comfortable. Well worth the money paid. Nice and relaxed with storage and washrooms available.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

08 Jan 2022

Emily

Amazing little hostel with really friendly staff

Amazing clean hostel with friendly and helpful staff. Has secure lockers you can hire to leave property there if you need to due to day trips or over night detours. Place is nicely clean and staff genuinely care about their visitors comfort and safety.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

26 Nov 2021

Ruozhu

It was a super nice stay :) friendly staff, easy checkin and checkout, and nice location as well. Great value. Recommend!

Self

10/10

Exceptional

04 Oct 2021

John

1 night stay in a 4-bed room

I stayed in a 4-bed room which had a shared bathroom with a powerful shower, plenty of space in the room and a large locker. Staff where great and really helpful, and provided lockers before check in and after checkout so I could leave my bags while I explored Edinburgh. Nice bar area with plug sockets dotted around, so a good space to relax! Great location a 10 minute walk from the station and a 7 minute walk to the Royal Mile. Would definitely recommend and stay here again next time I'm in Edinburgh!

Self

10/10

Exceptional

02 Oct 2021

Verified traveler

Nice, clean stay!

Very hip, very friendly and helpful staff

Self

10/10

Exceptional

08 Sep 2021

joseph