Holiday Inn Express Edinburgh Airport, an IHG Hotel

We recently stayed at this hotel and it was actually better than we expected. The front desk staff were very friendly and welcoming. They accommodated our request for a second floor room and provided all the information we needed for our stay. We returned our rental car at the airport and we're very pleased to be able to get a free shuttle back to the hotel. The shuttle to the airport the next day was relatively inexpensive. The meal at the restaurant was good, as was the complementary breakfast. Our only small concern was that room smelled quite musty. Staff took note of it after asking how our room was and seemed genuinely concerned. All all I think we made a good choice with this hotel.

Edinburgh can be an inexplicably expensive city sometimes – more so than anywhere else, the hotels here seem to go through wild swings in price when there’s an event on in town. This was such a night. I wonder what was on? Anyhow, only a one-night stay and a relatively early flight, so I was looking for somewhere convenient for the airport – this Holiday Inn Express seemed a good bet. It’ll be a decent standard etc. Location-wise, it feels further away from the airport than it actually is, being out down a side road and over near the showgrounds for the Highland Show – there were literally Pipers practicing opposite when I arrived. They seemed to be pretty good, but the bagpipes are not my thing, really. The slightly odd location is a bit misleading though as it’s really not that far once you actually think about it – you can walk down to the terminal in about 10 minutes (I did – there is no pavement for parts of the route, but it’s pretty decent if you only have hand luggage) or you can get the shuttle bus, which s very regular. The bus costs £2.50 from hotel to airport and is free the other way – That’s pretty good value really. The hotel itself is an older HIE – probably late 90s from the look of it. Possibly purpose-built for this chain, A low and sprawling building, clustered around a central courtyard, which is used as overspill for the bar. It is not pretty, but it is functional. Inside, there’s a large area with a bar and dining tables- they do a full-service menu here, as I guess a lot of people are like me and stay for the one night before flying. Check-in was good and very efficient – quick and informative. They tell you all about the shuttle bus timings and will sell you the bus ticket. You can also buy sweets and cans of Coke etc from here, although beware, for these are at WHSmith style prices…. Room was decent – no air-con, but there a desk fan. Standard HIE room setup with modern bathroom. Comfortable bed and small desk. Massive television for some reason. The small chain on the door was broken, but I could live without – I’m sure they’d have mended it if I’d asked. I was overlooking the courtyard, but there was no noise from the people eating and drinking in it, so the windows seemed decent. I offer no guarantees if you are the type of person who likes to sleep with the window open though – you may hear planes, drinkers and/or pipers…. Overall, this hotel is perfectly fine for an airport stay, don’t be surprised by the location though and do bear in mind the shuttle bus.

This hotel was a positive surprise. Clean and comfortable rooms. Staff are friendly and the included breakfast is the typical holiday inn. There is a free shuttle to the hotel from the airport (stand 10, just across a small traffic light by the tram station). There is a small fee to get back 2.5 GBP per adult at time of writing June 2025. For a quick stay before going to the airport, this is where your want to stay. Please note that the rooms closer to the reception (room number 017 and lower) can be noisy due to sound from the reception.

Pros: Location convenient to airport. Staff friendly, effective. Low-key kind of charm. Cons: No AC. On hot summer day, doesn't make for a great sleep. The windows provide very limited circulation. The fan only is recirculates warm air. Old building. Banged my head a couple of times on the slanted ceiling.