Your Own Studio, Three Miles Out and Eight Minutes In
Let yourself in and the old pub disappears. Behind the whitewashed frontage of what was the Cross Keys Tavern are twelve self-contained studios, and the one you book is yours entirely: a double bed under a padded headboard, a private shower room, a work desk, a seating corner and a kitchenette along one wall that is enough to keep a week's food and make your own first coffee. Guests keep saying the same thing, which is that it looks brand new, because it more or less is.
What that buys you is independence. There is no reception, no set breakfast time and nobody to check in with. Your access code arrives at two o'clock on the day you arrive and after that you come and go at any hour, which is worth a great deal if you are on a late flight or an early train.
And the transport is the quiet triumph here. Slateford station is a seven-minute walk and puts you in Waverley in about eight minutes. Buses stop a minute away on both sides of Lanark Road and run into Princes Street in twenty-five. Murrayfield is a mile and a half. You are out of the crush and still very much in the city.
A Tavern, a Canal and an Aqueduct
The building is not just old-looking. It is the Cross Keys Inn, a Category B listed nineteenth-century tavern that stood where Lanark Road crosses the Water of Leith, and the studios were carved out of it a few years ago. The owners' own material claims an eighteenth-century frontage; the statutory listing is firmer and later, and that is the version we will stand behind.
Step outside and you are at a genuinely unusual junction of two walking routes. The Union Canal crosses the valley here on the Slateford Aqueduct, eight stone arches completed in 1822, and its towpath runs flat and traffic-free all the way to the Falkirk Wheel. Directly below, the Water of Leith Walkway threads twelve and three-quarter miles from the Pentlands down to Leith. Both are a couple of minutes from the front door.
One practical note about arriving. The way in is a steel side door with a keypad, and more than one guest has stood on the pavement looking at the old tavern entrance instead. Note the code, look for the side door, and it takes ten seconds.
Three Things Guests Wish They Had Known
Parking first, because it is the most common complaint by a distance. There is no private car park here, and Lanark Road is the A70, a busy arterial with a segregated cycleway and effectively no formal parking provision outside the building. The property mentions free street parking; guests report circling for it. One found a space five minutes away on a busy evening, another ended up in a loading bay that had to be cleared by half past seven. If you can arrive by train, do.
Second, sound. The conversion is smart but the insulation is not thick. Studios facing Lanark Road pick up traffic, and one guest reported hearing footsteps from the attic above. If you sleep lightly, ask for a room at the back when you message the property.
Third, what self-catering means here. Every studio has its own kitchenette, and the shared kitchen was withdrawn after the pandemic and has not come back. The fitted equipment varies between units, so if you intend to cook properly rather than reheat, ask what your studio has before you book. There is no breakfast, and on longer stays there is no daily housekeeping either, so bins and towels are yours to manage unless you ask.
Why Book Crosskeys Edinburgh?
This is twelve self-catering studios in a converted tavern three miles out of the centre, and it is aimed at adults who would rather have their own front door and a fridge than a lobby and a breakfast buffet. Here is what that gets you and where it costs you.
Eight minutes to Waverley by train
Slateford station is about 600 yards away, roughly a seven-minute walk, and the train runs into Edinburgh Waverley in around eight minutes. Buses on Lanark Road stop about a minute from the door on both sides and run into Princes Street in about twenty-five.
A studio, not a hotel room
Each unit is self-contained: a double bed, a private bathroom, a work desk, a seating area, a dining table and a kitchenette with a fridge, a microwave and a kettle. Guests describe them as looking brand new, and several mention underfloor warmth and a heated towel rail.
The best-placed base for Murrayfield
The stadium is 1.4 miles away, about six minutes by car or a direct bus of roughly fifteen. On a Six Nations Saturday or a stadium concert night, that is a very different evening from trying to get back into the Old Town.
Parking is the honest problem
There is no private car park. Lanark Road is a busy arterial with a segregated cycleway and almost no formal parking outside, and guests report circling, using side streets or, in one case, a loading bay that had to be cleared by half seven. Come by train if you can.
Check Availability at Crosskeys Edinburgh
Interesting Points About Crosskeys Edinburgh
- The building is the former Cross Keys Tavern, Category B listed by Historic Environment Scotland as LB30121 and listed on 12 December 1974
- There are twelve self-contained studios, not the ten some listings show
- The shared kitchen was withdrawn after the pandemic. Each studio now has its own kitchenette instead
- Entry is through a keycode side door in steel, which several guests say is easy to miss behind the old tavern frontage
- The property is adults-only, with a minimum age of 18 and no cots or extra beds
- Three names point at this one address: Crosskeys Edinburgh on the reservation listing, Crosskeys Studios on the property's own material, and The Cross Keys Inn on older review sites
Rooms & Accommodation at Crosskeys Edinburgh
Double Room with Private Bathroom
About 15 m², studio with kitchenette
The bookable studio, at roughly fifteen square metres, with a double bed rather than a queen, a private shower room, a kitchenette along one wall and enough room for a table and a desk. Some studios sit on the ground floor and some are up stairs, and there is no lift. Best for a couple or a solo traveller who wants their own space, their own fridge and no set breakfast time. Ask for a rear-facing studio if road noise bothers you.
Check PricesIs Crosskeys Edinburgh Right for You?
Best Suited For
- Adult couples and solo travellers who want a private studio rather than a hotel room
- Rugby and concert visitors, with Murrayfield a mile and a half away
- Walkers and cyclists, with the canal towpath and the Water of Leith Walkway a minute from the door
- Anyone on an awkward flight, because keycode entry means arriving and leaving at any hour
Worth Considering Alternatives If
- Families, because the property is adults-only with no children and no cots
- Drivers who need to park outside, given there is no car park and the road is busy
- Light sleepers booking a street-facing studio without asking about noise
- Anyone who wants breakfast, a reception desk or daily housekeeping on a long stay
Amenities and House Rules
In Your Studio
- Kitchenette with refrigerator, microwave and electric kettle
- Private bathroom with bath or shower, free toiletries and a hairdryer
- Smart flat-screen TV
- Dining table and work desk
- Seating area
- Wardrobe or clothes rack
- Iron and ironing facilities
- Heating, with underfloor warmth reported in parts and a heated towel rail
- Socket beside the bed and a carbon monoxide detector
- Free Wi-Fi
- Oven or hob
Getting In
- Keycode entry through a steel side door, available at any hour
- Access codes issued at 14:00 on the day of arrival
- Not available: Reception
- Not available: Lift
- Not available: Luggage storage
- Not available: Daily housekeeping
Food and Drink
- Not available: Breakfast
- Not available: Restaurant or bar
- Not available: Shared kitchen
- A supermarket is a few minutes away for self-catering supplies
- The Water of Leith Visitor Centre café is a few minutes' walk
Parking and Transport
- Not available: Private car park
- Slateford station about 600 yards away, roughly a 7-minute walk
- Kingsknowe station about 0.8 miles, roughly 12 minutes on foot
- Lothian buses 44, 34 and 36 stop about a minute from the door on both sides
- Free rapid EV charging about half a mile away on Slateford Road
House Rules
- Adults only, minimum age 18
- Not available: Children and cots
- Not available: Pets
- Non-smoking throughout
- Payment in advance by bank transfer, arranged by the property after you book
- Damage policy
- Not available: Parties and events
Location and Getting Around
Slateford sits in south-west Edinburgh where Lanark Road crosses the Water of Leith and passes under the Union Canal, about 2.8 miles from the city centre. It is residential, green and quiet in the way the Old Town is not, bordered by Longstone, Craiglockhart and Kingsknowe, and it is far better connected than its distance from the castle suggests.
The train is the trick. Slateford station is about 600 yards away, seven or eight minutes on foot, and ScotRail services reach Edinburgh Waverley in roughly eight minutes. If you would rather stay on the surface, Lothian buses 44, 34 and 36 stop about a minute from the door on both sides of the road and the 44 runs through Dalry and Haymarket to Princes Street in about twenty-five minutes.
Murrayfield is 1.4 miles away, roughly six minutes by car and about fifteen on a direct bus, which is the single strongest reason to book here on a Six Nations weekend or a stadium concert night. Edinburgh Zoo is 2.1 miles, the conference centre 2.2, and the castle and the Royal Mile about three, or twenty to twenty-five minutes by bus. The airport is only four miles: take the tram from Balgreen, or a bus to Haymarket and the tram or Airlink from there, and a taxi does it in twelve or thirteen minutes.
- Union Canal and Slateford Aqueduct: About 100 m, a 2-minute walk
- Water of Leith Visitor Centre: A few minutes' walk along Lanark Road
- Lanark Road bus stops: About a 1-minute walk on both sides
- Slateford station: About 600 yards, a 7 to 8 minute walk
- Kingsknowe station: About 0.8 miles, a 12-minute walk
- Murrayfield Stadium: About 1.4 miles, a 6-minute drive or 15 minutes by bus
- Edinburgh Zoo: About 2.1 miles, a 5-minute drive
- Edinburgh International Conference Centre: About 2.2 miles
- Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Mile: About 3 miles, 20 to 25 minutes by bus
- Edinburgh Airport: About 4 miles, 12 to 13 minutes by taxi
Getting to Key Locations
Within a 15-minute walk: 2 of the 3 places below.
Photo: Rosser1954, CC BY-SA 4.0
Union Canal and Slateford Aqueduct
2 min walk
A 2-minute walk from the door, the Union Canal crosses the valley on eight stone arches, carrying boats and a towpath high above the Water of Leith. The path is flat, traffic-free and runs west out of the city all the way towards the Falkirk Wheel, which makes it the easiest good walk or cycle in Edinburgh.
View on Map
Photo: Sergiy Galyonkin, CC BY-SA 2.0
Water of Leith Walkway
4 min walk
A 4-minute walk downhill, the Water of Leith Visitor Centre sits in a restored schoolhouse with a free exhibition and a community café, and it is the natural starting point for the twelve and three-quarter mile walkway that follows the river from the Pentlands down to Leith. Herons, kingfishers and old mill weirs, all of it off the road.
View on Map
Photo: Iain Lees, CC BY-SA 2.0
Murrayfield Stadium
15 min bus
A 15-minute bus ride, about 1.4 miles away, Scotland's 67,000-seat national rugby ground doubles as the city's biggest concert venue. Staying this close on a match day means walking away from the crowd rather than into it, which anyone who has tried to leave Murrayfield towards the Old Town will appreciate.
View on MapHow to Get to Crosskeys Edinburgh
- From Edinburgh Waverley: Take a ScotRail service via Haymarket to Slateford station, about eight to ten minutes, then walk roughly 600 yards to Lanark Road. Alternatively walk up to Princes Street and take the Lothian 44 towards Balerno, getting off at the Water of Leith Centre stop after about twenty-five minutes; the door is a minute from there. A taxi takes about nine minutes.
- From Edinburgh Airport: The airport is only four miles away but there is no direct bus to Slateford. Take the tram towards the city and change near Balgreen, or take the tram or Airlink 100 to Haymarket and pick up a 44, 34 or 36 bus to the Water of Leith Centre stop, about thirty minutes in total. A taxi does it in twelve or thirteen minutes.
- Finding the door: Look for the whitewashed former tavern with the Crosskeys Studios sign, then look again: the way in is a steel side door with a keypad, not the old pub entrance. Several guests have missed it. Your code arrives at 14:00 on the day you arrive.
- By car: Possible but not recommended. There is no private car park, Lanark Road is a busy A-road with a segregated cycleway and little formal parking, and the surrounding streets fall inside controlled parking zones. Allow extra time, be ready to use a side street, and do not count on stopping outside the door.
Edinburgh from Slateford
Basing yourself out here changes how you use Edinburgh. Rather than living in the Old Town crush, you commute into it: eight minutes on the train, twenty-five on the 44, and back out again to a quiet street and your own kitchen. It suits people who want to see the city rather than be permanently inside it.
Time it if you can. August is the Fringe and the International Festival, when the centre is full and prices climb everywhere. February and March bring the Six Nations to Murrayfield, a mile and a half away, and the stadium hosts big summer concerts too. Hogmanay fills the last days of December. Late spring and early autumn are the best of it for the canal and the walkway.
Locally, the Water of Leith Visitor Centre café on Lanark Road does tea, coffee and baking daily until four, and the Village Inn on Inglis Green Road, about half a mile away, is a proper local pub with real ale and bar food. There is a supermarket a few minutes away for the kitchenette.
Watch: Three Days in Edinburgh
A three-day run through the city you would be riding the train into, from Stockbridge bakeries and independent shops to Calton Hill and the best-value lunches in town.
Is Crosskeys Edinburgh worth it?
For two adults travelling by train, yes. You get a clean, modern, self-contained studio with your own bathroom and kitchenette, eight minutes from Waverley and a mile and a half from Murrayfield, at a price the centre cannot touch. You do not get parking, thick walls, breakfast or anybody to talk to. Book a rear-facing studio, arrive by rail, bring your own basics for the kitchenette, and it does exactly what it says.
What Guests Say About Crosskeys Edinburgh
Scores and review counts are aggregated from verified guest bookings on major travel platforms.
Good
These reviews are remarkably repetitive, which makes them easy to trust. Guests praise the cleanliness, the modern refurbished studios, the in-room kitchenette and the transport links, and they complain about the same three things almost every time: parking on a busy road, thin soundproofing, and no housekeeping on longer stays. Nobody is disappointed by the room itself. What lowers the score is the surrounding logistics, which is why they are all on this page.
The studio looked brand new: clean, spacious and very comfortable. The one snag was parking. With nothing on site they ended up in a loading bay that had to be cleared by half past seven in the morning.
Cassie
A compact studio that still had everything they needed, including a kitchen corner with a microwave, a sink and washing-up liquid. Spotless throughout, with small thoughtful touches from an owner who clearly cares, and good communication. Against that: thin walls meant they heard everything, the street-facing room was noisy, and the pillows were too firm.
2026-08-18A comfortable bed, a clean and roomy space and a location they loved for its transport and nearby shops. Their main wish was window screens so they could air the room without insects. Over a week-long stay nobody came to service the studio, so bins were not emptied and towels not refreshed, though they did not raise it at the time and noted guests in smaller units were serviced.
2026-08-15The studio looked brand new: clean, spacious and very comfortable. The one snag was parking. With nothing on site they ended up in a loading bay that had to be cleared by half past seven in the morning.
2026-08-08A nice, clean room with entry instructions that were easy to follow, well placed for Murrayfield and handy for shops. Parking was the weak point: they counted themselves lucky to find a space five minutes away on a busy evening.
2026-07-30Better for a one-night stop than a long stay, but very clean and private and they would come back, though next time they would ask for a room at the back. Their studio ran far too hot, the blinds were broken and the curtain was too thin and too small for the window.
2026-07-26The hosts sent check-in details ahead and the unit was easy to get into. Their ground-floor studio kept road noise low, the floor seemed heated near the kitchen sink and there was a heated towel rail. Buses stop within about a hundred metres on both sides for a twenty-five minute ride into town, with a supermarket around four hundred metres away and the station about four hundred and fifty. Gripes: the bed was a double rather than a queen, there was a quilt but no top sheet, the extractor fans were weak and nothing explained where the rubbish goes.
2026-07-21Called it a really handy spot with easy access and everything you need, and liked the neat little kitchenette. Two suggestions: label the side entrance more clearly, and improve the ceiling insulation, because footsteps in the attic above were very loud.
2026-07-21Good to Know Before You Book
Self check-in, and a side door that hides
There is no reception. Your keycode is issued at 14:00 on the day you arrive, and after that you can come and go at any hour. The catch is that the entrance is a steel side door with a keypad rather than the old tavern front, and guests regularly walk past it. Note the code and look for the side door.
Plan the parking, or skip the car
There is no private car park, and Lanark Road is a busy A-road with a segregated cycleway and almost no formal parking outside. Guests report circling for a space, parking five minutes away, or using a loading bay that had to be cleared early. Slateford station and the 44 bus mean you may not need a car at all.
Self-catering, not a guest house
Each studio has a kitchenette with a fridge, a microwave and a kettle. The shared kitchen was withdrawn after the pandemic and has not returned, and there is no breakfast. A supermarket is a few minutes away, and tea and coffee are provided. If you intend to cook properly, ask what your studio has before booking.
Adults only, and paid in advance
The property is 18 and over, with no children and no cots or extra beds. Payment is required before arrival by bank transfer, and the team contacts you after you book with the details. A damage policy of up to £250 may be applied after check-out.
Cancellation terms depend on the rate
Cancellation and prepayment conditions vary by the room and rate you choose, and the exact terms show before you confirm. Read them alongside the bank-transfer requirement, because the two are separate things.
Call Crosskeys Edinburgh
Message or ring ahead to ask for a rear-facing studio, confirm what your kitchenette has, or flag a very late arrival. The property also answers in Chinese on a separate line.
+44 7741 319835Photos of Crosskeys Edinburgh
Frequently Asked Questions
There is no reception and nobody on site. The property sends your access code at 14:00 on the day you arrive, and from then on you can come and go at any hour, which suits late flights and early departures. The entrance is a steel side door with a keypad rather than the old tavern front, so look for the side door.
There is no private car park. Lanark Road is the A70, a busy arterial with a segregated cycleway and almost no formal parking outside the building, and the surrounding Slateford streets fall inside controlled parking zones. Guests report finding spaces on side streets a few minutes away, sometimes after circling. If you can arrive by train or bus, do.
No. Breakfast is not served and there is no restaurant or bar, despite the building's history as a tavern. Tea and coffee are provided in the room, there is a supermarket a few minutes away, and the Water of Leith Visitor Centre café is a short walk along Lanark Road.
Each studio has its own kitchenette with a refrigerator, a microwave and an electric kettle. The shared kitchen that used to exist was withdrawn after the pandemic and has not come back. Some studios appear in photographs to have a hob as well, so if you plan to cook properly rather than reheat, ask the property what your specific studio has before you book.
Slateford station, about 600 yards away, which is a seven to eight minute walk. ScotRail services reach Edinburgh Waverley in roughly eight minutes. It is unstaffed, with ticket machines and a footbridge between platforms. Kingsknowe station is a little further at about 0.8 miles.
About 1.4 miles, which is roughly six minutes by car or about fifteen on a direct bus. That proximity is the main reason people book here for Six Nations weekends and stadium concerts, because you are heading away from the crowd rather than back through the city with it.
No. The property is adults-only with a minimum age of 18, and there are no cots or extra beds available.
No, pets are not allowed. The whole property is also non-smoking.
Yes, all three names point at 41 Lanark Road. The reservation listing calls it Crosskeys Edinburgh, the property's own material calls it Crosskeys Studios, and older review pages still carry The Cross Keys Inn from when the building was a pub. It is one property: twelve studios inside the former Cross Keys Tavern. Note that unrelated Cross Keys pubs trade in Peebles, Selkirk and New Galloway, and the Village Inn nearby on Inglis Green Road is a different business.
The property requires payment before arrival by bank transfer and will contact you after you book with the details. A damage policy of up to £250 may be applied after check-out. Cash is accepted for extras.
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Ready for Your Own Studio?
Twelve self-contained studios in a listed Edinburgh tavern, eight minutes from Waverley by train and a mile and a half from Murrayfield, with a keycode instead of a queue. Check the dates.
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