Apartments on the Royal Mile, Half-Way Between Castle and Holyrood
Step onto the Royal Mile at 219 High Street, exactly half-way between Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood Palace, and Tron Kirk Residence is your front door inside the UNESCO Old Town (joint Old & New Towns inscription, 1995). The Category A listed 18th-century tenement sits 50 yards from The Real Mary King's Close, three minutes' walk from St Giles' Cathedral, four minutes from Edinburgh Waverley and roughly fifteen minutes uphill from Edinburgh Castle, with every major Old Town landmark inside a 20-minute walk from the door.
The property is an apartment let, not a hotel. Three configurations are bookable: a 70 m² One-Bedroom Apartment for couples, a 75 m² Two-Bedroom Apartment for families up to 4, and a 220 m² Four-Bedroom Apartment that sleeps up to 20, one of the largest single-let group accommodations directly on the Royal Mile. Every unit is a whole flat with private kitchen, private bathroom, free Wi-Fi, central heating and city views over the High Street or the Old Town rooftops. Pets are welcome at no extra charge, which is genuinely rare for the address.
A Building With a Hospice History
The address has its own story. In 1904, the property at 219 High Street opened as 'The Hospice', Dr Elsie Inglis's maternity hospital and dispensary for Edinburgh's poorest women. Inglis was a pioneer of women's medicine, founder of the Scottish Women's Suffrage Federation and later the Scottish Women's Hospitals during the First World War. A commemorative plaque to Inglis is mounted on the building itself, and the City Council has a live planning application for a public statue of her on the opposite pavement.
The building (numbers 215–219 High Street) is Category A listed (listing LB29047, listed 14 December 1970), Scotland's top tier of architectural protection. The street-level facade carries early 19th-century Doric pilasters; the rear wing sits on a medieval burgage plot. Inside, expect the marks of a real Old Town tenement: high ceilings, deep skirting boards, sash windows that frame slate-grey rooftops at the upper levels, and mid-tier contemporary furnishings rather than designer styling. The building is regulated under the Edinburgh short-term let scheme as licence C, EH-74113-R.
8.0 'Very Good', and Honest About the Stairs
Across its verified stays Tron Kirk Residence lands at 'Very good', with a pattern that tells the real story. The location is doing the heavy lifting and is borne out on the ground. This is the most central address we cover in Edinburgh. Couples rate it the warmest of all for a two-person trip, driving the 'couples top pick' badge. The welcome is the standout supporting theme, and it has a name attached to it: host Harvey is repeatedly singled out in recent reviews for prompt replies, flexibility on early check-in, and personally helping guests with luggage on the staircase. Comfort, cleanliness and value back the picture up; facilities are the one weakness honest reviewers flag.
The recurring caveat across the reviews is the staircase. There is no lift, access is via a tight tenement staircase (some sections described as spiral on the bend), and units sit between the 1st and 5th floors. One guest counted 38 steps; the property's guest Q&A confirms a minimum of 15+. If you have heavy luggage or any mobility concern, this is the wrong building, the staircase is the single most important honesty cue on the page. The other recurring complaints are small-print expectation gaps: no washing machine, and individual unit shortfalls (a missing hairdryer, a TV pictured online but absent on arrival, a worn frying pan, occasional Wi-Fi drop-outs). Several guests specifically note that back-of-building units stay quiet despite the High Street outside, a useful selling point worth confirming with the host when you book.
Check Availability at Tron Kirk Residence
Interesting Points About Tron Kirk Residence
- The Couples Top Pick rating is exceptionally high for any Royal Mile address, and it is the location (literally half-way along the Royal Mile, 50 yards from The Real Mary King's Close) that drives the wide gap between how couples rate the stay and the overall impression.
- The building stands on the site of Dr Elsie Inglis's pioneering 1904 hospital for women and children (a Royal Mile address carrying a commemorative plaque), connecting the property to Edinburgh's early-20th-century medical-and-suffrage history; a heritage angle the standard apartment listing template never surfaces.
- The Four-Bedroom Apartment sleeps up to 20 across four bedrooms of five single beds each, one of the largest single-let group accommodations directly on the Royal Mile; useful for editorial walking tours, university group bookings or family reunions that would otherwise have to spread across multiple Royal Mile self-let listings.
- Licensed by the City of Edinburgh Council short-term let scheme (licence C, EH-74113-R), publicly listed against the property; a regulatory-compliance layer the standard apartment listing does not display and which distinguishes the property from unlicensed Royal Mile short-lets that risk closure under the 2024 Edinburgh STL regulation framework.
Rooms & Accommodation at Tron Kirk Residence
One-Bedroom Apartment
Entire apartment · 70 m² (753 ft²) · 1 double bed · Sleeps 2 · Private kitchen · Private bathroom · Couples 9.8
The entry-level apartment and the property's strongest performer for couples, who rate it the warmest of any unit here and drive its 'couples top pick' badge. An entire 70 m² (753 ft²) one-bedroom flat for two with one double bed, private kitchen (refrigerator, microwave, electric kettle, dining table, kitchenware, cleaning products, ironing facilities), private bathroom (toilet, towels, toilet paper), sofa, linen, central heating, free Wi-Fi, socket near the bed and a carbon monoxide detector. The bathroom data sheet for this unit does not explicitly list a bath/shower, so confirm specific bathroom fittings with the host before you book if it matters to you. Floor placement varies between the 1st and 5th, confirm with the host before arrival, especially if you'd prefer fewer stairs. Bed comfort is a consistent highlight across guest reviews. Pets welcome at no extra charge.
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Two-Bedroom Apartment
Entire apartment · 75 m² (807 ft²) · 1 double + 2 single beds · Sleeps 4 · Bath + shower · Royal Mile views
The mid-tier configuration, the natural pick for families of four or two couples sharing. An entire 75 m² (807 ft²) two-bedroom flat: Bedroom 1 has two single beds, Bedroom 2 has one double, and the unit is the only sheet-confirmed bath/shower combo across the three room types. Full private kitchen plus a separate kitchenette (refrigerator, microwave, electric kettle, dining table, kitchenware, cleaning products, ironing facilities), private bathroom with toilet, towels and toilet paper, sofa, linen, central heating, free Wi-Fi, sockets near the beds and a carbon monoxide detector. City views over the Royal Mile or the Old Town rooftops. Bed comfort is a consistent highlight in guest reviews. Pets welcome at no extra charge.
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Four-Bedroom Apartment (Sleeps 20)
Entire apartment · 220 m² (2,368 ft²) · 4 bedrooms × 5 single beds · Sleeps 20 · 4 private bathrooms
The headline of the property, one of the largest single-let group accommodations directly on the Royal Mile. An entire 220 m² (2,368 ft²) four-bedroom flat sleeping up to 20 across four bedrooms with five single beds in each, plus four private bathrooms. Full self-catering kitchen with separate kitchenette (refrigerator, microwave, electric kettle, dining table, kitchenware, cleaning products, ironing facilities), sofa, linen, central heating, free Wi-Fi, sockets near each bed and a carbon monoxide detector. Each bathroom is private with toilet, towels and toilet paper. Best suited to single-purpose groups travelling together, friends' groups, extended families, school or sports teams, Fringe parties. Note: hen, stag or similar parties are not permitted. Bed comfort is a consistent highlight across guest reviews. Pets welcome at no extra charge. The best per-person value of the three configurations when filled to capacity.
Check PricesIs Tron Kirk Residence Right for You?
Best Suited For
- Couples on a Royal Mile weekend break: couples rate it the warmest we've seen for any Royal Mile address, and it earns the 'couples top pick' badge
- Travellers who want the address itself: 219 High Street is exactly half-way along the Royal Mile, with The Real Mary King's Close 50 yd away and Edinburgh Waverley a 4-minute walk
- Families up to 4 wanting an Old Town apartment with a bathtub: the 75 m² Two-Bedroom is the only sheet-confirmed bath/shower combo of the three configurations
- Group travellers (friends, extended families, sports/school groups, Fringe parties) needing 20 beds at one address: the 220 m² Four-Bedroom is genuinely rare for the Royal Mile
- Pet owners on the Royal Mile: pets are welcome at no extra charge, which is rare for this micro-market
- Fringe, Tattoo and Hogmanay attendees who want to step out of their door onto the city's biggest open-air arts venue
- Self-catering visitors: every unit has a private kitchen, the Royal Mile is dense with restaurants and pubs, and the city centre supermarkets are minutes away
Worth Considering Alternatives If
- You can't manage a tenement staircase with luggage: there is no lift, the staircase narrows on the bends and one guest counted 38 steps; if you have mobility concerns this is the wrong building
- You need a washing machine in the unit: there isn't one (confirmed in the property's guest Q&A and flagged across multiple recent reviews); self-service laundrettes are minutes away on foot
- You want a staffed reception or daily housekeeping: there is no on-site reception and no in-stay housekeeping; arrival is via key safe / door code self-check-in with the host messaging
- You're booking a hen, stag or similar party: these bookings are not accommodated; the building's licence and the booking terms are explicit
- You need a cot or an extra bed: neither is available, and you're capped at each unit's listed bed count
- You expect hotel facilities (pool, gym, spa, restaurant, bar, business centre): none of those exist; the trade-off you make for renting an entire Royal Mile flat
- You need on-site parking: there is none, and a car is genuinely unnecessary at this address; NCP Castle Terrace is the closest 24/7 multi-storey, ~10 min walk
Amenities & Facilities
In the Apartment
- Private kitchen in every unit, refrigerator, microwave, electric kettle, dining table, kitchenware, cleaning products
- Kitchenette in two-bedroom and four-bedroom configurations (separate from the main kitchen)
- Private bathroom in every unit, toilet, towels, toilet paper
- Bath/shower combo confirmed in the Two-Bedroom Apartment (the only sheet-confirmed bathtub of the three unit types)
- Linen, premium-feel bedding, sockets near each bed
- Sofa, dining table, ironing facilities, cleaning products
- Central heating throughout (listed as the property's most popular facility)
- Free Wi-Fi (confirmed in the property's guest Q&A, March 2024, speed not published)
- Carbon monoxide detector
- Not available: Washing machine (the property's guest Q&A confirms no washing machine in any unit)
- Not available: Hairdryer (provided in some units but not guaranteed, pack one if essential)
- Not available: TV (listing photos show one in places but recent reviews flag the TV is not always present)
- Not available: Cots or extra beds (not available, capacity capped at listed bed counts)
Food & Drink
- Self-catering in the private kitchen, the natural way to feed yourselves at this address
- Gordon's Trattoria (231 High Street, immediately adjacent), homemade Italian a few doors away
- Whiski Bar & Restaurant (119 High Street), Scottish produce with live folk music
- Bubba Q (30 yd), BBQ on the Royal Mile · @Pizza (30 yd), modern pizza counter · Filling Station (50 yd), Royal Mile bar/grill
- The Devil's Advocate, whisky-focused gastro hidden in Advocate's Close, a minute off the Royal Mile
- The Witchery by the Castle, theatrical fine dining at the top of the Royal Mile
- Deacon Brodies Tavern and The Royal Mile Tavern, traditional pubs on the doorstep
- Not available: On-site restaurant
- Not available: On-site bar
- Not available: Breakfast service (despite some aggregator pages incorrectly claiming so)
- Not available: Room service
Property-Wide
- Category A listed 18th-century tenement (LB29047, listed 14 December 1970)
- Free Wi-Fi throughout (confirmed in the property's guest Q&A, March 2024)
- Heating throughout (the property's most popular facility listing)
- Licensed under Edinburgh Short-Term Let scheme, licence C, EH-74113-R
- Host Harvey responds to enquiries messaging and is reported in reviews to help with luggage on the staircase
- Not available: On-site reception or front desk
- Not available: Lift / elevator, apartments reached by tenement staircase only (1st–5th floors)
- Not available: Concierge
- Not available: Daily housekeeping
- Not available: Luggage storage (not advertised; ask Harvey if needed)
- Not available: Pool · gym · spa · garden · terrace · balcony · business centre
Parking & Transport
- Edinburgh Waverley railway station, 300 yd / ~4-min walk · direct LNER to London Kings Cross (~4h 30m), Glasgow, Aberdeen, Inverness
- Haymarket station, 1.7 mi
- Lawnmarket / High Street / South Bridge bus stops, within 200 m, served by Lothian Buses
- Edinburgh Tram terminus at St Andrew Square, ~5-min walk via North Bridge · single airport fare £7.50 pre-purchased
- Edinburgh Airport (EDI) 9 mi · Airlink 100 bus every 10 min, 25–30 min to Waverley Bridge · £6.00 single (revised 27 July 2025) · taxi £25 to £35
- NCP Edinburgh Castle Terrace (Castle Terrace, EH1 2EW), 750 spaces, 24/7, standard 24-hour tariff up to £35.95 · ~10-min walk
- NCP Edinburgh New Street (off the Royal Mile, EH8), closest large multi-storey, a few minutes' walk downhill toward Holyrood
- Q-Park St James (10 St James' Place, EH1 3BP), under St James Quarter, ~10-min walk
- Glasgow Airport (GLA) 53 mi · Dundee Airport (DND) 59 mi
- Not available: On-site parking
- Not available: Airport shuttle
Policies
- Check-in 15:00–00:00 (self check-in via key safe / door code arranged with host in advance)
- Check-out 08:00–10:00
- Pets allowed at no extra charge, rare for the Royal Mile
- No smoking anywhere on the property
- Children of any age welcome · no age restriction for check-in · cots and extra beds are not available
- No parties or events · hen, stag or similar parties not permitted
- Damage deposit of up to £200 charged after check-out only if damage occurs (not a pre-authorisation)
- the booking provider handles payment · cash accepted on arrival for any on-site extras
- Edinburgh Visitor Levy applies to stays on or after 24 July 2026, short-term lets are in scope
- Available languages (remote): English, Spanish
219 High Street, Edinburgh, Half-Way Along the Royal Mile
Tron Kirk Residence sits at 219 High Street, at the midpoint of the Royal Mile, the cobbled medieval spine that runs roughly a Scots mile from Edinburgh Castle on its volcanic crag down to the Palace of Holyroodhouse. The address is in the UNESCO Old & New Towns of Edinburgh World Heritage Site (joint inscription, 1995), directly opposite the Tron Kirk (the 17th-century church now housing the Scottish Design Exchange artists' market, not the apartment, despite the shared name).
Within a 5-minute walk of the front door: The Real Mary King's Close (50 yd, the preserved underground 17th-century close beneath the Royal Mile), St Giles' Cathedral (a few minutes' walk, the High Kirk of Edinburgh), National Museum of Scotland (400 yd, free entry), Camera Obscura (450 yd, Victorian-era optical curiosities and a roof-terrace city panorama) and the Scottish National Gallery (550 yd). Edinburgh Castle is 0.8 mi uphill (~15 min walk), the Palace of Holyroodhouse ~1 mi downhill (~20 min), and Arthur's Seat, the volcano walk-up, 1.7 mi away.
The transport story is almost obnoxiously good. Edinburgh Waverley station is 300 yd / a 4-minute walk, direct LNER trains to London Kings Cross, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Inverness. The Edinburgh Tram terminus at St Andrew Square is ~5 minutes via North Bridge (single airport fare £7.50 pre-purchased). The Airlink 100 bus runs every 10 minutes between Edinburgh Airport and Waverley Bridge in 25–30 minutes for a £6 single. A taxi from the airport runs £25 to £35 and 20–25 minutes. The location praise isn't marketing, this is the most central address we cover in Edinburgh.
- The Real Mary King's Close: 50 yd · ~1-min walk · Preserved underground 17th-century close beneath the Royal Mile, plague-era history tour with timed-ticket entry; sells out same-day in peak season so pre-book.
- St Giles' Cathedral: A few minutes' walk · ~3 min · The High Kirk of Edinburgh and the historic civic and ecclesiastical heart of the city; the crown spire is a Royal Mile landmark.
- National Museum of Scotland: 400 yd · ~5-min walk · Free entry · Scottish and global collections from prehistory to contemporary design; includes Dolly the cloned sheep and Scotland's largest museum collection.
- Camera Obscura & World of Illusions: 450 yd · ~5-min walk · Victorian-era optical curiosities plus a roof terrace with the city's best free panorama; six floors of interactive illusions.
- Scottish National Gallery: 550 yd · ~7-min walk · National collection of European fine art on The Mound; free entry; Titian, Velazquez, Botticelli and the Scottish Colourists under one roof.
- Edinburgh Castle: 0.8 mi · ~15-min uphill walk · Crown Jewels, the Stone of Destiny, the One O'Clock Gun · Castle Esplanade hosts the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo every August; pre-book in peak season.
- Palace of Holyroodhouse: ~1 mi · ~20-min walk downhill the Royal Mile · The King's official residence in Scotland · Holyrood Abbey ruins and the State Apartments are open when no royal occupants are in residence.
- Scottish Parliament: Adjacent to Holyroodhouse · ~15–20-min walk · Enric Miralles's award-winning contemporary parliament building; free public tours and rolling architectural exhibitions.
- Arthur's Seat & Holyrood Park: 1.7 mi to the start of the walk-up · ~30–40 min on foot · 251 m extinct volcano with the city's best 360° panorama; hikeable in roughly 45 minutes from the Holyrood entrance.
- Tron Kirk: Directly opposite (across the High Street) · 17th-century church, now housing the Scottish Design Exchange artists' market, free to enter and worth 15 minutes for local artists' work.
- Royal Yacht Britannia: 3 mi north at Ocean Terminal Leith · ~10-min taxi · Queen Elizabeth II's former floating royal residence; five-deck self-guided tour.
Getting to Key Locations
Old Town & the Royal Mile
Edinburgh's Old Town is the medieval ridge that climbs from Holyrood up to the Castle Rock, a UNESCO World Heritage Site (inscribed 1995) of around 4,500 listed buildings, narrow closes and wynds, and the densest concentration of living heritage in any UK capital. The Royal Mile is its cobbled spine, and 219 High Street sits exactly half-way along it, between St Giles' Cathedral and the Tron Kirk. Step out of the door and you are on the same stretch where Daniel Defoe described market-day crowds in the 1720s, where Adam Smith and David Hume's Enlightenment circle drank claret, and where Dr Elsie Inglis opened her pioneering 1904 maternity hospice in this very building. The street is also Scotland's busiest event arena: the Fringe and the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo turn it into a 24-hour open-air stage every August, the Christmas Markets bring hundreds of thousands of visitors from mid-November to early January, and Hogmanay's Street Party fills the High Street and Princes Street with 45,000 revellers on 31 December.
View on MapHow to Get to Tron Kirk Residence from Edinburgh Waverley and the Airport
- 1. From Edinburgh Waverley station (300 yd · ~4 min walk): Exit Waverley via the Waverley Steps / Princes Mall onto Princes Street (or via the Market Street exit at the rear of the station). Cross to Cockburn Street, the curving cobbled street climbing up to the Royal Mile, or take Market Street and the steps up to the High Street. At the top of Cockburn Street you meet the Royal Mile at the junction with North Bridge / South Bridge, directly opposite the Tron Kirk. Turn east (downhill, toward Holyrood) and 219 High Street is on the right-hand (south) side of the street within a few paces. Total time on foot: 3–5 minutes.
- 2. From Edinburgh Airport (EDI) by Airlink 100 bus (~30 min): Board the Airlink 100 from outside the terminal, every 10 minutes through the day, 25–30 minutes to Waverley Bridge for £6 single (revised 27 July 2025). From Waverley Bridge, walk south up Cockburn Street to the Royal Mile (~5 minutes) and then east a few paces to 219 High Street.
- 3. By Edinburgh Tram from the Airport (~35 min + 5-min walk): The Edinburgh Trams run from the Airport terminus to St Andrew Square in around 30–35 minutes, single airport fare £7.50 when pre-purchased. From St Andrew Square, walk south across North Bridge and onto the Royal Mile (~5 minutes); 219 High Street is on the right (south) side of the High Street just east of the Tron Kirk.
- 4. By taxi from the Airport (~20–25 min): Hand the driver '219 High Street, EH1 1PE' and expect £25 to £35 metered. Cars cannot pull up directly on the cobbled Royal Mile during the busiest hours, ask the driver to drop near the Tron Kirk / North Bridge corner and walk the final 50 yards. Bring minimal luggage; the building has no lift and a tight tenement staircase to your unit.
- 5. On arrival, self check-in via key safe / door code: There is no on-site reception. Confirm your expected arrival time with the host (Harvey) messaging before you set off. Check-in is between 15:00 and 00:00 with door code or key safe instructions sent in advance; check-out is 08:00–10:00. Units sit between the 1st and 5th floor, pack light. Multiple reviews mention Harvey helping with luggage on the staircase when notified, but assume self-carry. If your unit faces the back of the building it will be markedly quieter than the High Street suggests, worth asking about when you confirm your ETA.
Edinburgh at a Glance, Around the Royal Mile
Edinburgh is the only major UK city whose entire historic core, the medieval Old Town and the Georgian New Town, is collectively a UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed in 1995. The Old Town's narrow closes climb the volcanic ridge from Holyrood up to Edinburgh Castle; the New Town's grid of ashlar terraces and Charlotte Square neoclassicism was so influential that planners across 19th-century Europe took notes. Around 4,500 listed buildings sit inside the property boundary, and the city is also a UNESCO City of Literature (designated 2004). The Royal Mile is the Old Town's cobbled spine, and 219 High Street sits exactly half-way along it.
The event calendar sets the city's pulse. The Edinburgh Festival Fringe (7–31 August 2026) and the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo (7–29 August 2026, Castle Esplanade) run concurrently with the Edinburgh International Festival, Book Festival (15–30 August), Art Festival (14–30 August) and Film Festival, the Royal Mile becomes a 24-hour open-air stage. Hogmanay (29 December 2026 – 1 January 2027) is the other peak: Torchlight Procession from The Meadows on 29 December, the Street Party admitting 45,000 revellers on 31 December and the midnight fireworks launching from Edinburgh Castle. Edinburgh's Christmas Markets (mid-November to early January each year) fill East Princes Street Gardens, George Street and St Andrew Square. April's Beltane Fire Festival on Calton Hill is the Celtic May-Day ritual. May and September are the smart shoulder seasons, longer daylight than London, lower prices than August, fewer crowds than Hogmanay.
First-time visitor tips: wear comfortable shoes (cobblestones, gradients and tenement stairs make the Old Town hard on feet); pre-book Edinburgh Castle and The Real Mary King's Close in peak season; pack a light rainshell rather than an umbrella (the wind off the Firth of Forth eats umbrellas); a Lothian Adult DAYticket gives unlimited use of Lothian Buses and Edinburgh Trams in the city zone for a flat fare. Important: Edinburgh's city-wide Visitor Levy starts for stays on or after 24 July 2026 and short-term lets are in scope; the rate is set by the City of Edinburgh Council and is collected by the accommodation provider on top of the published room rate.
Hollie Jade Travels's free-and-cheap Edinburgh day guide, a city-area video (not a tour of the property) covering Castle viewing tips, Quinn's Cafe, The Writer's Museum (a 4-minute walk up the Lawnmarket from 219 High Street), Castle Street Market, St Andrew's Square, Calton Hill, free art tours, monuments and views, the Treasures exhibition at the National Library of Scotland, the Edinburgh Central Library music sessions, Mosque Kitchen, The People's Story Museum and the Haymarket area. Useful planning context for travellers building a Royal Mile day around the property rather than a property tour.
What Guests Say About Tron Kirk Residence
Scores and review counts are aggregated from verified guest bookings on major travel platforms.
Very good
Across its verified stays Tron Kirk Residence lands at 'Very good', and the pattern tells the real story: the location is doing the heavy lifting, Edinburgh Waverley is a 4-minute walk, The Real Mary King's Close is 50 yards away, and the building sits exactly half-way along the Royal Mile. Couples give it the warmest marks of all for a two-person trip, earning the 'couples top pick' badge. The welcome is the standout supporting theme: host Harvey is repeatedly singled out in recent reviews for prompt replies, flexibility on early check-in and personally helping guests with luggage on the staircase. Comfort, cleanliness and value back the picture up; facilities are the one weakness honest reviewers flag. The dominant praise themes are the address itself, the responsiveness of Harvey, the spaciousness of the units (Old Town tenement apartments rarely feel this generous) and the warmth/comfort of the beds. The dominant complaints cluster around two themes: first, the staircase, no lift, tight tenement steps (15+ minimum, 38 in one count), units between the 1st and 5th floors, and intimidating on the bends with luggage; second, missing-amenity expectation gaps, no washing machine (confirmed in Q&A), occasional missing hairdryers, a TV pictured online but not always present in the unit, and the odd worn pan or slow-draining sink. Several guests specifically note that back-of-building units stay quiet despite the High Street outside, which is worth asking the host about when you book if noise matters. International spread across the recent review window, UK, USA, Canada, Australia, Egypt all represented.
Superb. A very strong family stay overall, the only quibble was the lack of a hairdryer in the unit.
Aleksandr
Superb. A very strong family stay overall, the only quibble was the lack of a hairdryer in the unit.
2026-04-06Loved Edinburgh and would definitely return. Found the stairs intimidating with luggage, but host Harvey stepped in to help carry bags up.
2026-03-02Lovely location. Amazing central spot on the Royal Mile. Marked down for lack of some amenities and the difficult staircase.
2026-02-18A great place in a great location, just be ready for the stairs, 38 of them. The host replied quickly, and you're very close to Waverley and the heart of town. The staircase does narrow on the bend with luggage, but we knew to expect it.
2025-11-23Would absolutely recommend. Beds clean and comfy, nice towels, towel warmer was a great touch, and an early check-in was approved at no extra cost. Some snags: slippery tub, slow-draining sink, the advertised TV/washing machine weren't usable.
2025-11-24Location was ideal, many restaurants and attractions within walking distance. The stairs were a little difficult with suitcases; would have appreciated advance notice that the washing machine wasn't working.
2025-11-07Superb. Great location right on the Royal Mile, we enjoyed our stay. Just take care on the stairs going down.
2025-10-25Excellent location and, because the unit was at the back of the building, surprisingly quiet despite the High Street outside. Wifi strong and reliable. Knocked points for old lamp wiring, a missing bulb and a worn frying pan.
2025-10-08Memorable stay in a spacious historic building on the Royal Mile. Very comfortable beds and prompt, friendly replies from Harvey whenever we asked anything. No washing machine, and no TV was actually present despite the photo shown online.
2025-06-08Good central location and a good-sized apartment with an attentive owner. Plenty of hot water and a comfy bed. Wifi dropped out and the owner tried to fix it but couldn't.
2025-08-17Good to Know Before You Book
There is no lift, tenement staircase to units on the 1st–5th floors
This is the single most consistent pre-arrival caveat across 93 guest reviews, and we're flagging it in plain sight. The 18th-century building has no lift and never has. Access is via a narrow tenement staircase (some sections described as spiral on the bend), and units sit between the 1st and 5th floors, the property's guest Q&A confirms 15+ steps minimum, and one guest counted 38 in total. If you have heavy luggage or any mobility concern, this is the wrong building. If you're fit and travelling light, host Harvey is reported to help with luggage on request, confirm your ETA with him before arrival.
Self-catering format, no reception, no breakfast, no washing machine
This is an apartment let, not a hotel. There's no on-site reception, no breakfast, no restaurant, no room service and no in-stay housekeeping. Arrival is by self-check-in (key safe / door code) arranged in advance with the host. The property's guest Q&A also confirms no washing machine in any of the units, multiple recent reviews mention being caught out by this. Plan to cook in (every unit has a fully equipped kitchen) or eat out (the Royal Mile is dense with restaurants and pubs immediately outside the door). Some aggregator pages incorrectly claim breakfast is included or that there's no internet access, both are false; the property's own information is authoritative.
No on-site parking, and a car is unnecessary at this address
There is no on-site parking at 219 High Street, and the Royal Mile is closed to non-essential vehicles during the busiest hours. The good news is you don't need one: Edinburgh Waverley is a 4-minute walk, the Airlink 100 runs every 10 minutes to the airport, the Edinburgh Tram terminates at St Andrew Square, and the city is comfortably walkable from this address. If you must drive in, NCP Edinburgh Castle Terrace (Castle Terrace, EH1 2EW) is the closest 24/7 multi-storey, 750 spaces, about a 10-minute walk away, with a standard 24-hour tariff up to £35.95 (some local partners negotiate guest rates lower; worth asking on enquiry).
The Royal Mile gets very lively, ask Harvey about quiet units
The Royal Mile is the world's largest open-air arts venue every August (Fringe + Tattoo, 7–31 August 2026) and the heart of the Hogmanay Street Party every 31 December. Even on a normal weekend, the High Street outside the door is busy. Multiple recent reviewers note that units at the back of the building stay surprisingly quiet, Jennifer's October 2025 review explicitly calls this out, so ask Harvey about unit positioning when you confirm your arrival if noise matters to you. The Edinburgh Visitor Levy starts on stays from 24 July 2026 onwards; short-term lets are in scope and the levy is added on top of the published room rate.
Photos of Tron Kirk Residence
Frequently Asked Questions about Tron Kirk Residence
Yes, the property sits exactly half-way along the Royal Mile at 219 High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1PE, directly opposite the Tron Kirk (the 17th-century church now housing the Scottish Design Exchange artists' market). It is in the heart of the UNESCO Old Town: Edinburgh Castle is about 0.8 mi uphill, the Palace of Holyroodhouse around 1 mi downhill, and The Real Mary King's Close is 50 yd away.
Edinburgh Waverley is 300 yd / a 4-minute walk from the front door. Exit Waverley via the Waverley Steps onto Princes Street or via Market Street at the rear, climb Cockburn Street to the Royal Mile, and 219 High Street is a few paces east of the junction with North Bridge.
No. The 18th-century tenement has no lift and never has. Access is via a narrow tenement staircase, with some sections described by guests as spiral on the bend, and units sit between the 1st and 5th floors. The listing's Q&A confirms a minimum of 15+ steps; one guest counted 38 in total. If you have heavy luggage or any mobility concern, this is the wrong building. If you're fit and travelling light, host Harvey is reported to help with luggage on request.
Three configurations: a 70 m² One-Bedroom Apartment for couples (sleeps 2, one double bed), a 75 m² Two-Bedroom Apartment for families up to 4 (sleeps 4, one double bed in Bedroom 1 plus two single beds in Bedroom 2, the only sheet-confirmed bath/shower combo of the three), and a 220 m² Four-Bedroom Apartment sleeping up to 20 across four bedrooms of five single beds each with four private bathrooms. The four-bedroom unit is one of the largest single-let group accommodations directly on the Royal Mile. Cots and extra beds are not available.
No on-site parking, and a car is genuinely unnecessary at this address, Edinburgh Waverley is a 4-minute walk and the Royal Mile is closed to non-essential vehicles during the busiest hours. If you must drive in, NCP Edinburgh Castle Terrace (Castle Terrace, EH1 2EW) is the closest 24/7 multi-storey, 750 spaces, ~10-min walk, 24-hour tariff up to £35.95. NCP Edinburgh New Street and Q-Park St James are alternative public car parks nearby.
Yes, pets are allowed at no extra charge, which is genuinely rare for the Royal Mile and one of the property's defensible selling points. Smoking is not allowed anywhere on the property. Children of any age are welcome, but cots and extra beds are not available.
Check-in is between 15:00 and 00:00 and check-out is between 08:00 and 10:00. There is no on-site reception, arrival is via self-check-in (key safe / door code) arranged in advance with host Harvey. Confirm your expected arrival time messaging before you set off; late arrivals are workable within the 15:00–00:00 window but should be confirmed.
No, hen, stag and similar parties are not permitted at the property, and no parties or events are allowed on site. The listing terms and the City of Edinburgh Council short-term let licence (C, EH-74113-R) are explicit on this. The Four-Bedroom Apartment that sleeps 20 is suitable for friends' groups, extended families, school or sports groups and Fringe parties travelling together, but not for stag/hen-style bookings.
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Ready to Book Tron Kirk Residence?
Self-catering apartments inside a Category A listed 18th-century tenement at 219 High Street, exactly half-way along Edinburgh's Royal Mile, 4 minutes' walk from Edinburgh Waverley and 50 yards from The Real Mary King's Close. Three configurations: a 70 m² One-Bedroom for couples, a 75 m² Two-Bedroom for families up to 4 (the only unit with a bathtub), or the 220 m² Four-Bedroom that sleeps up to 20 across four private bathrooms, one of the largest single-let group accommodations on the Royal Mile. Pets welcome at no extra charge. Guests rate it 'Very good', singling out an unbeatable Royal Mile location and the host's warm welcome. Note: no lift, a tenement staircase to units on the 1st–5th floors, and no on-site parking.
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