Free Parking, Eight Bus Routes to Waverley from the Front Step
Climb the front steps of number 17, take in the sweep of mahogany handrail and the navy stair carpet that runs up to the half-landing, and the part of Edinburgh that paid for that handrail is suddenly very close. Bag dropped, you turn straight back out the door: the Mayfield Gardens stop is on the pavement in front of you, and Lothian routes 3, 7, 8, 29, 31, 33, 37 and 49 (plus the N3 night bus) all head north up the A701 to South Bridge and Princes Street in roughly ten minutes. Ask for a rear-facing room on the upper floors and you'll wake up to Arthur's Seat over the Holyrood Park hills, the same view that's quietly been the reason regulars rebook number 17 for years.
The building is a B-listed Georgian townhouse with original ornamental cornicing, ceiling roses and that blue-and-white striped staircase wallpaper; eight room types run from a compact 75 ft² Single up to the 215 ft² Comfort Triple, every one with its own bathroom (en-suite or private external), heated to taste, a flat-screen TV, kettle, tea-and-coffee, ironing facilities and daily housekeeping. It's run as a sister guest house alongside Allison House 16 next door, with self check-in by key locker (code emailed before arrival, from 14:00), free private on-site parking and free 24/7 unrestricted on-street parking a few yards away on Peel Terrace, Ventnor Terrace and Mentone Gardens when the on-site bays fill.
Free parking, the Waverley bus at the door
The two perks that pull repeat bookers back are practical, not picturesque. Free private on-site parking is rare this close to central Edinburgh, and free 24/7 unrestricted on-street parking is available a few yards away on Peel Terrace, Ventnor Terrace and Mentone Gardens when the on-site spaces are full. Then there's the Mayfield Gardens bus stop directly outside, Lothian Buses 3, 7, 8, 29, 31, 33, 37 and 49 (plus night service N3) stop here, with most central-bound services reaching Princes Street and Waverley in around ten minutes. Adult single fare is £2.40 and an unlimited day ticket is £6, contactless on the gates.
Self check-in is the operating model: arrival instructions and a secure key-locker code are emailed before you arrive (from 14:00), bags can be left in the lobby luggage area earlier, and on departure the key drops into the check-out box by 10:30. There's no traditional 24-hour reception and limited daytime staff presence, which is exactly what a chunk of guests value ("feels like a house, not a hotel, like you're one of the locals") and why the property carries a Couples Top Pick badge.
What to expect: stairs, no breakfast, and a 10-min bus to the Castle
Allison House 17 is a Georgian townhouse, which means stairs. There is no lift and the staircase, while beautiful, is the route to every upper-floor room. Step-free guests should request a ground-floor room when booking, subject to availability. The property does not consistently serve breakfast (a frequent traveller question, the answer is treat it as not included), but it sits on a stretch of the A701 lined with independent cafés and restaurants: Delhi Diner is 250 yards away, Wee Greek Kitchen and Haldi are five-minute walks, Leslies Bar is on Ratcliffe Terrace, and Cameron Toll's supermarkets are ten minutes south on foot.
Practical Edinburgh from the front door: Arthur's Seat is a 25-minute walk, the National Museum of Scotland is 1.3 miles, Edinburgh Waverley is 1.4 miles (a 30-minute uphill walk via North Bridge or any of those bus routes), and Edinburgh Castle is 1.9 miles, about 10 minutes by bus. In August, when the city becomes the world's largest arts capital for the Fringe, International Festival, Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and Book Festival, Newington's combination of free parking and a direct bus route to the Royal Mile is the reason guests book months in advance.
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Interesting Points About Allison House 17
- Occupies a B-listed Georgian townhouse at #17 Mayfield Gardens, on the same Newington terrace block as Allison House 16 (#16) and Bellevue Guest House (#40); three independently-run family guest houses sharing one EH9 corridor address.
- Eight room types from a compact 75 ft² (≈7 m²) single up to a 215 ft² (≈20 m²) Comfort Triple is an unusually wide inventory taxonomy for an 8-room Edinburgh guest house; the practical implication is that room-type selection materially affects the in-stay experience more than the headline 7.7 rating suggests.
- Lothian Buses stop directly outside the door reaching Waverley and Princes Street in around ten minutes; the same Mayfield Gardens stop served by routes 3, 7, 8, 29, 31, 37 and 47 that powers the wider Newington-to-Old-Town commute, and the editorial reason the property converts despite being south of the city centre.
- Free private on-site parking is genuinely uncommon for a three-star Edinburgh guest house at this price band; the combination of an EH9 postcode, free parking and a 10-minute Lothian bus to Waverley is why drivers return here rather than paying £30+/day at a central NCP car park.
Rooms & Accommodation at Allison House 17
Standard Queen Room
Up to 2 guests · 194 ft² · Queen bed · Private bathroom
The best size-to-price ratio in the property, 194 ft² with a queen bed, private en-suite, sash window, oak wardrobe and an armchair. Standard amenities throughout: flat-screen TV, kettle and tea/coffee, heating, ironing facilities, free Wi-Fi and daily housekeeping.
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Standard Twin Room
Up to 2 guests · 161 ft² · 2 single beds · Private bathroom
Comfortable twin layout at 161 ft² with two single beds, private en-suite, button-tufted headboards and a sash window. Standard amenities throughout. Pick this over the Twin No Window if natural light matters; the No Window variant is larger but trades that off for the lower nightly rate.
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Twin Room (No Window)
Up to 2 guests · 183 ft² · 2 singles · No window · Private bathroom
Larger 183 ft² twin laid out without an external window, recessed ceiling lighting carries the room. Two single beds, private en-suite and the standard amenity set. Worth booking if you sleep best in a fully dark room and don't need natural daylight.
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Double Room
Up to 2 guests · 140 ft² · Double bed · Private bathroom · Window
Compact 140 ft² double, typically a quieter rear-facing room with a window, some looking out toward Arthur's Seat and the Holyrood hills. Curved tufted headboard, en-suite, armchair, full standard amenity set. Couples' best bet at the Double price point.
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Small Double Room with Private External Bathroom
Up to 2 guests · 140 ft² · Double bed · Private bathroom across hallway
Compact 140 ft² double with a private bathroom located directly across the hallway, your own bathroom, with a few steps separating it from the bedroom. Same standard amenities as the en-suite double; the trade-off is the cheaper rate plus a slightly more spacious bedroom (no en-suite footprint inside the room).
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Small Double Room (No Window)
Up to 2 guests · 140 ft² · Double bed · No window · Private en-suite
140 ft² double in an internal layout, no external window, with a dressing table, sunburst mirror and adjacent private en-suite. Festival-pricing tier given the unique combination of en-suite, double bed and the lowest exposure to street noise. Pick this if light-tight rooms help you sleep.
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Comfort Triple Room
Up to 3 guests · 215 ft² · Largest room · Private bathroom
The largest room in the building at 215 ft², sleeps three with a private en-suite, two Georgian sash windows, an Edinburgh-skyline feature wall, a sofa and a sitting chair. Best pick for small families, three-person groups or anyone who wants the most room and natural light. Top-tier nightly rate at festival times.
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Single Room with Private External Bathroom
1 guest · 75 ft² · Solo · Private bathroom across hallway
The most affordable room in the property, a compact 75 ft² solo room with a sash window in an attic layout, plus a dedicated private bathroom located directly across the hallway. Genuinely rare to find a true single in central Edinburgh; book early for midweek and festival-shoulder dates.
Check PricesIs Allison House 17 right for you?
Best Suited For
- Couples in Edinburgh on a city break: a Couples Top Pick badge and the location two-person stays praise most
- Drivers visiting Edinburgh: free private parking on-site and free 24/7 unrestricted street parking on Peel Terrace are rare this close to the centre
- Festival-goers in August who want a quieter Newington base with a direct bus route to the Royal Mile
- Solo travellers looking for a true Single Room with a private bathroom: one of the few genuine singles in central Edinburgh
- Light-packing independent travellers who prefer a self-check-in door code to a 24/7 staffed reception
Worth Considering Alternatives If
- You need a staffed 24-hour reception on arrival: Allison House 17 is a self-check-in property; confirm your ETA in advance or book somewhere with full reception cover.
- You have heavy luggage or step-free requirements: there is no lift in this Georgian building. Request a ground-floor room when you book, subject to availability.
- You want a hotel restaurant, bar or guaranteed cooked breakfast: Allison House 17 doesn't run one. Newington's Mayfield Gardens stretch has independent cafés and restaurants from 250 yards away.
- You want a five-star contemporary boutique experience: this is honest, lived-in, well-priced VisitScotland three-star Georgian. Set expectations to comfortable and practical, not luxury.
- You need cots or extra beds: these aren't available; children aged 6 and over are charged as adults.
Amenities & facilities at Allison House 17
In-room
- Free Wi-Fi throughout (a consistent guest favourite)
- Private bathroom (en-suite or private external) in every room
- Flat-screen TV with Netflix and Prime in selected rooms
- Heating, linen, towels, electric kettle and tea/coffee
- Ironing facilities (one shared iron per floor)
- Hairdryer
- Wardrobe or closet, clothes rack, desk, free toiletries
- Non-smoking rooms throughout
Property-wide
- Daily housekeeping (fresh linen, towels and replenished tea/coffee)
- Luggage storage in lobby, leave bags before 14:00 check-in or after 10:30 check-out
- Rear garden mentioned in editorial coverage of the property
- Not available: No on-site restaurant
- Not available: No on-site bar
- Not available: No cooked breakfast served
- Not available: No swimming pool
- Not available: No gym
Services
- Self check-in via secure key locker, code emailed in advance
- Phone support on +44 131 357 0343 (English, Chinese, Swedish spoken)
- Languages spoken: English, Chinese, Swedish
- Genius loyalty programme participant
- Not available: No 24-hour reception
- Not available: No concierge service
- Not available: No room service
- Not available: No in-house laundry
Parking & transport
- Free private parking on-site (limited spaces, first-come, first-served)
- Free 24/7 on-street parking on Peel Terrace, around the corner
- Free unrestricted street parking on Ventnor Terrace, Glenorchy Terrace, Mentone Gardens (a couple of minutes' walk)
- Mayfield Gardens bus stop directly outside, Lothian Buses 3, 7, 8, 29, 31, 33, 37, 49 (and night service N3)
- Edinburgh Waverley, 1.4 miles · ~10-min bus ride · 30–35-min walk
- Edinburgh Airport, 10 miles · Airlink 100 bus or Edinburgh Tram via St Andrew Square (~30 min)
Accessibility
- Not available: No lift, accessed by stairs only
- Ground-floor rooms available on request, subject to availability
Policies
- Non-smoking throughout (smoke detectors fitted)
- Not available: No pets
- Children of all ages welcome, children aged 6 and over are charged as adults
- Not available: No cots or extra beds
- Quiet hours 21:00–07:00
- Damage deposit of up to £150 may be charged
- Not available: No stag, hen or similar parties
Location & getting to Allison House 17
Allison House 17 sits at 17 Mayfield Gardens, EH9 2AX, on a residential stretch of the A701 in the Newington/Mayfield district of Edinburgh, in the Southside/Newington council ward. It's a leafy, well-established neighbourhood about two miles south of the city centre, with Victorian and Georgian terraces lining the streets, independent restaurants and cafés on the main road, and the University of Edinburgh's George Square campus a short walk north. Locals describe Newington as "vibrant and leafy", an underrated alternative to the Old Town and New Town for visitors who want to be close enough to walk back from a Royal Mile dinner without the late-night crowds at the door.
The standout transport story here is the Mayfield Gardens bus stop directly outside the property. Lothian Buses 3, 7, 8, 29, 31, 33, 37 and 49, plus the N3 night service, all stop here, with most central-bound routes reaching Princes Street and Waverley in around 10 minutes. Adult single fare is £2.40 and an unlimited day ticket is £6, contactless on the gates. Edinburgh Airport is 10 miles away via the Airlink 100 bus to Waverley Bridge (around 30 minutes) or the Edinburgh Tram from the airport to St Andrew Square / Princes Street (~30–35 minutes), both well under £10 single.
Local knowledge worth packing: when the on-site parking spaces are full, free 24/7 unrestricted on-street parking is available a few yards away on Peel Terrace, plus Ventnor Terrace, Glenorchy Terrace and Mentone Gardens within a couple of minutes' walk. Cameron Toll Shopping Centre, ten minutes south on the A701, has supermarkets if you're self-catering. And contactless or Apple Pay on the bus reader gives you the same daily fare cap as a physical Lothian Buses DAYticket without the top-up faff.
- Arthur's Seat (peak): 1 mi · ~25-min walk · The 251 m extinct volcano in Holyrood Park, with sweeping panoramic views over the city and the Firth of Forth, start early, the climb is steeper than it looks.
- Holyrood Park: 1 mi · The royal park surrounding Arthur's Seat, hiking trails, Salisbury Crags, and Dunsapie Loch, all open and free.
- The Meadows: 1.1 mi · A large public park used by locals for running, picnics and summer events including pop-up Fringe venues in August.
- National Museum of Scotland: 1.3 mi · Scotland's national collection of world cultures, science and Scottish history, free admission, plan two to three hours.
- Edinburgh Waverley Station: 1.4 mi · ~10-min bus ride · The city's main railway station, direct trains to London King's Cross in roughly four and a half hours.
- Camera Obscura & World of Illusions: 1.6 mi · Victorian-era rooftop attraction at the top of the Royal Mile with panoramic views of the city, older kids and curious adults love it.
- Edinburgh Castle: 1.9 mi · ~10-min bus ride · Scotland's most-visited paid attraction; book Castle tickets in advance to skip the queue at the Esplanade.
- Palace of Holyroodhouse: 1.9 mi · King Charles III's official residence in Scotland, at the foot of the Royal Mile and at the start of the Holyrood Park ascent.
Getting to Key Locations
Photo: Peter Stevens, CC BY 2.0
Edinburgh Castle
Scotland's most-visited paid attraction, a clifftop fortress on its volcanic crag above the Royal Mile, home to the Crown Jewels, the Stone of Destiny and the National War Museum of Scotland. From Allison House 17 it's about 10 minutes on Lothian Buses 3, 29, 31, 37 or 49, then a short walk up to the Esplanade. Buy timed-entry tickets in advance to skip the queue.
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Arthur's Seat
An extinct volcano rising 251 m straight out of central Edinburgh, and the closest landmark to Allison House 17 you can climb. Allow about 25 minutes from the front door to the bottom of the path, then anything from forty minutes to two hours up and down depending on which route you take. Most rewarding free thing to do in the city; sunrise and sunset are unbeatable.
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Photo: Daniel (Galashiels, United Kingdom), CC BY 2.0
The Royal Mile
The mile-long cobbled spine of Edinburgh's Old Town, running from Edinburgh Castle down to the Palace of Holyroodhouse. St Giles' Cathedral, the Real Mary King's Close, the Scotch Whisky Experience and dozens of independent pubs are all on or just off it. From Allison House 17, take any city-bound Lothian bus to North Bridge or South Bridge, about 10 minutes.
View on MapHow to get to Allison House 17 from Edinburgh Waverley
- 1. Exit Waverley up the Waverley Steps to Princes Street: From the Waverley platforms, follow signs for Waverley Steps, the escalator and lift route emerges directly onto Princes Street.
- 2. Cross Princes Street to the North Bridge bus stops: Cross to the south side of Princes Street and walk one block south onto North Bridge. The southbound bus stops are in front of Marks & Spencer at the start of North Bridge.
- 3. Board Lothian Buses 3, 7, 8, 29, 31, 37 or 49 southbound: Any of these routes run via North Bridge → South Bridge → Nicolson Street → Newington Road → Minto Street → Mayfield Gardens. Tap on with contactless or Apple Pay; £2.40 single, £6 day ticket cap.
- 4. Stay on for ~10 minutes, alight at “Mayfield Gardens”: About six stops from North Bridge. The stop sits opposite Peel Terrace, Allison House 17 is on the opposite side of the road, directly behind you. Number 17, sandstone facade, Allison Hotel awning over the door.
Newington, the Old Town & Edinburgh's August festivals
Few European cities pack as much into so small a footprint. Walk a mile from Edinburgh Castle and you've crossed eight centuries of history: the medieval Old Town of vaulted closes, narrow wynds and the sloping Royal Mile, then the elegant Georgian grid of the New Town, both inscribed together as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995. Above it all rises Arthur's Seat, an extinct volcano you can hike from the city centre, one of very few European capitals where a genuine summit sits on the metro map.
The cultural calendar is just as remarkable. In August, Edinburgh becomes the world's largest arts city: the Edinburgh Festival Fringe brings over 2,000 shows, the Edinburgh International Festival programmes world-class opera and orchestra, and the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo lights up the Castle Esplanade. Outside festival season, the city's museums (National Museum of Scotland, Scottish National Gallery and Surgeons' Hall Museums among them) are largely free, the Old Town pubs are some of Britain's oldest, and the food scene has matured into one of the UK's most exciting, from Indian institutions like Mother India's Cafe and Dishoom to Michelin-starred contemporary Scottish dining.
From Newington's Mayfield Gardens specifically, the practical city is unusually accessible. Lothian Buses 3, 29, 31, 37 and 49 cover most central-bound trips in 10 minutes. Walk 25 minutes north and you're at Arthur's Seat; another 15 and you're on the Royal Mile. And on the Sundays when even Princes Street feels frantic, the Meadows is a 20-minute walk away, the local park where Edinburgh actually comes to relax.
What guests say about Allison House 17
Scores and review counts are aggregated from verified guest bookings on major travel platforms.
Good
Allison House 17 reads consistently as a competent, honest, well-priced family-run guest house. The location is the standout and the reason the property carries a Couples Top Pick badge, with cleanliness and the free Wi-Fi both praised well above the norm and comfort close behind. The most consistent themes in guest feedback are the bus stop directly outside the door, the free private parking, the smooth self-check-in and the spacious, clean rooms. The weakest points guests raise are shower-fixture niggles in older bathrooms and the smaller no-window rooms feeling cramped at festival pricing.
Loved being so close to the city centre. The room was clean, well-lit, and check-in and check-out went smoothly.
Parisha
Comfortable room and easy entry. It got a bit warm but it didn't really bother us.
Great value for money in a clean, spacious room. Perfect for walking up Arthur's Seat and into the centre. Netflix and Prime were a bonus.
Spacious clean room in a quiet, peaceful spot, about 20 minutes by bus to the centre. Self check-in was easy and the heating and shower worked perfectly.
Good location near a main bus route, spacious room. Only one iron per floor, had to ask a couple of times to get hold of it.
Excellent self check-in for the keys, and we managed to park our Ford Transit out front.
Easy to find with clear instructions emailed in advance. Good bus route into town. The bathroom heater and bedside lights weren't working, minor things, but worth flagging.
Cosy, feels like a house, not a hotel, like you're one of the locals. Small mix-up with the cleaning staff one day.
Good to Know Before You Book
Self check-in via key locker, confirm your ETA
Allison House 17 doesn't run a 24-hour reception. Arrival instructions and a secure locker code are emailed before you arrive (check-in from 14:00). Bags can be left in the lobby luggage area earlier; on departure, drop the key in the check-out box by 10:30. Guests who confirm their expected arrival time when they book overwhelmingly report a smooth check-in.
No lift, request a ground-floor room if needed
The building is a B-listed Georgian townhouse, so upper floors are reached by stairs only. If you need step-free access, request a ground-floor room when you book, they're allocated subject to availability.
Parking is first-come, plus free street parking nearby
On-site spaces fill quickly, especially during festival season. If they're taken, free 24/7 unrestricted on-street parking is available on Peel Terrace around the corner, plus Ventnor Terrace, Glenorchy Terrace and Mentone Gardens within a couple of minutes' walk.
Quiet hours run 21:00–07:00
Mayfield Gardens is a residential street and the property doesn't accept hen, stag or similar parties. Children of all ages are welcome, children aged 6 and over are charged as adults, but cots and extra beds are not available.
Breakfast is not consistently served, eat next door
Treat breakfast as not included. Mayfield Gardens has independent cafés and restaurants from 250 yards away, Delhi Diner, Wee Greek Kitchen, Haldi and Leslies Bar are all five-minute walks. Cameron Toll Shopping Centre, ten minutes south, has supermarkets if you're self-catering.
Call Allison House 17
+44 131 357 0343Photos of Allison House 17
Allison House 17, frequently asked questions
Allison House 17 is at 17 Mayfield Gardens, Edinburgh EH9 2AX, in the Newington/Mayfield district on Edinburgh's south side. It's about 1.4 miles from Edinburgh Waverley and roughly 1.9 miles from Edinburgh Castle, with a Lothian Buses stop directly outside the property reaching Princes Street and Waverley in around 10 minutes.
Check-in is from 14:00 and check-out is until 10:30. Allison House 17 runs a self-check-in operation via a secure key locker, arrival instructions and a code are emailed before you arrive, so confirm your expected arrival time when you book.
Yes. Free private on-site parking is available on a first-come, first-served basis. When the on-site spaces are full, free 24/7 unrestricted on-street parking is available on Peel Terrace around the corner, plus Ventnor Terrace, Glenorchy Terrace and Mentone Gardens within a couple of minutes' walk.
Breakfast is not consistently served at Allison House 17, treat it as not included when you book. Mayfield Gardens has independent cafés and restaurants from 250 yards away, including Delhi Diner, Wee Greek Kitchen, Haldi and Leslies Bar within a five-minute walk.
No. The building is a B-listed Georgian townhouse with stairs only. There is no lift. If you need step-free access, request a ground-floor room when you book; ground-floor rooms are allocated subject to availability.
Allison House 17 sends arrival instructions and a secure key-locker code by email before you arrive, rather than meeting you at a reception desk. Tell the property your expected arrival time when you book and they'll message you with the code on arrival day. Phone support is available on +44 131 357 0343 if you run into trouble.
Edinburgh Castle is 1.9 miles away, about 10 minutes by Lothian Buses 3, 29, 31, 37 or 49 from the Mayfield Gardens stop directly outside the property. Arthur's Seat in Holyrood Park is closer, 1 mile, around a 25-minute walk.
No, pets are not permitted at Allison House 17. The property is non-smoking throughout (smoke detectors fitted) and does not accept stag, hen or similar parties. Children of all ages are welcome, children aged 6 and over are charged as adults, but cots and extra beds are not available.
Other great stays in Edinburgh
Allison House 16, Edinburgh
Our next-door sister guest house at 16 Mayfield Gardens, same Newington street, same self-check-in operation and free parking, a useful sister option when Allison House 17 is sold out on your dates.
Arrandale Guest House, Edinburgh
A Victorian sandstone villa a few doors along the same street at 28 Mayfield Gardens, VisitScotland 3-star, with recently renovated rooms, a terrace garden several rooms look out on, free parking and contactless self check-in.
New Town Rooms, Edinburgh
Budget-friendly rooms on Dundas Street in the Georgian New Town, the opposite side of the centre from Newington, for travellers who'd rather stay north of Princes Street than bus in from the south side.
Ready to book Allison House 17?
Family-run Georgian guest house on Mayfield Gardens, free private parking and the bus to Waverley directly outside the door. Eight room types.
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