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Overlooks historic Royal Mile , 166 High Street, Old Town. City Centre

Family-friendly apartment in Edinburgh

Photo gallery for Overlooks historic Royal Mile , 166 High Street, Old Town. City Centre

Sittingroom window seats overlooking the Royal Mile
Dining kitchen
Adam fireplace in sittingroom
Double bedroom to rear
Twin bedroom to front with secondary glazing

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional
2 bedrooms1 bathroomSleeps 473 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Washer
  • Fireplace
  • Kitchen

Explore the area

View map
Edinburgh, SCT
  • Place, Royal Mile
    ‪1 min walk‬
  • Place, Princes Street
    ‪4 min walk‬
  • Place, University of Edinburgh
    ‪6 min walk‬
  • Airport, Edinburgh (EDI)
    ‪25 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

2 bedrooms (sleeps 4)

Bedroom 1

1 King Bed

Bedroom 2

2 Single Beds

1 bathroom

Bathroom 1

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Spaces

Kitchen
Dining area

About this property

Overlooks historic Royal Mile , 166 High Street, Old Town. City Centre

We are delighted to offer this luxury self-catering holiday apartment situated in the heart of Edinburgh's famous Royal Mile, close to St Giles Cathedral and Edinburgh Castle.
It offers ideal holiday accommodation for a short break in the very heart of Edinburgh. The apartment is on the third floor, with large windows overlooking the pedestrian precinct area of the Royal Mile.
The sittingroom has comfortable, built-in window seats, where guests can sit and watch the ever changing bustle of the Royal Mile below. The sitting / dining / kitchen area is open-plan.
The comfortable sitting area has a digital television with Freeview, DVD player and a CD / radio with an iPod dock. The fully fitted and well equipped kitchen has a gas hob, electric oven, fridge, freezer, washing machine, dishwasher, kettle, toaster, iron and microwave. There is a large dining table that can seat up to eight guests.
Wireless Internet broadband is provided for use with your own laptop, tablet or smart phone.
The sleeping accommodation comprises two bedrooms: one double to the rear of the apartment and one twin with secondary glazing to the front.
The bathroom has a shower over the bath.
The apartment is tastefully furnished with quality furniture that matches the attractive wood finish of the apartment.
Full bedding and towels are provided.
The property has full gas central heating.
The owners provide a complimentary welcome basket containing fruit juice, coffee, tea, sugar, milk and biscuits.

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Kitchen
Washing machine
Parking available
Fireplace

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House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 18
Check out before 10:00 AM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
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Events

No events allowed
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Pets

No pets allowed
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit and a deadlock

We should mention

A car is not required for transport to and from this property

About the area

Edinburgh

Located in Edinburgh, this apartment is in the city centre. Edinburgh Castle and Royal Mile are notable landmarks, and travellers looking to shop may want to visit Grassmarket and Princes Street. Travelling with kids? Make time for Edinburgh Zoo, or head to an event or a match at Murrayfield Stadium. Discover the area's water adventures with windsurfing, sailing and swimming nearby, or enjoy the great outdoors with cycling.
View more Apartments in EdinburghOpens in a new window
Map
Edinburgh, SCT

What's nearby

  • Royal Mile - 1 min walk - 0.2 km
  • St. Giles' Cathedral - 3 min walk - 0.3 km
  • Princes Street - 4 min walk - 0.4 km
  • Grassmarket - 6 min walk - 0.5 km
  • University of Edinburgh - 6 min walk - 0.5 km

Getting around

  • Edinburgh (ZXE-Edinburgh Waverly Train Station) - 4 min walk
  • St Andrew Square Tram Stop - 8 min walk
  • Edinburgh Airport (EDI) - 32 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Bella Italia - ‬1 min walk
  • ‪Starbucks - ‬1 min walk
  • ‪Albanach - ‬1 min walk
  • ‪Gordon's Trattoria - ‬1 min walk
  • ‪The Piper's Rest - ‬1 min walk

Frequently asked questions

Is Overlooks historic Royal Mile , 166 High Street, Old Town. City Centre pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking at Overlooks historic Royal Mile , 166 High Street, Old Town. City Centre?

On-site parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at Overlooks historic Royal Mile , 166 High Street, Old Town. City Centre?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Overlooks historic Royal Mile , 166 High Street, Old Town. City Centre?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Overlooks historic Royal Mile , 166 High Street, Old Town. City Centre located?

Located in the heart of Edinburgh, this family-friendly apartment building is steps away from Real Mary King's Close and Royal Mile. Edinburgh Castle and University of Edinburgh are also within 10 minutes. Edinburgh (ZXE-Edinburgh Waverly Train Station) and Edinburgh Waverley Station are within a 5-minute walk.

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 233 out of 251 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 16 out of 251 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 2 out of 251 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 251 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 251 reviews

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

9.8/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

8/10 Good

Martin O.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great location and lovely flat. Lots of stairs to climb.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2025

10/10 Excellent

Jean R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Amazing location! Lovely historic accommodation that provided a very convenient starting point for the exploration of Edinburgh.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Shannon N.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Can’t beat this location! Loved staying here while visiting Edinburgh. Clean, comfortable and family friendly flat. Great kitchen and comfortable beds.
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Brendan S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
What an incredible location. The flat itself was immaculate - clean, gorgeous, and incredibly stylish. And it quite literally could not be in a better location. I couldn't believe how perfect it was for the price we got it at. We had an amazing time and the next time I'm in Edinburgh, I will seek out this spot specifically. Also, worth mentioning that our point person was incredibly responsive and helpful throughout our trip. 10/10.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2025

8/10 Good

Joanne P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
This flat is stunning, beds were very comfortable and we really loved have a bathtub. The welcome basket was nice especially the milk for coffee was a welcome site. No problems with communication. Great location for getting around. I understand we were told it was on the 3rd floor but I never expected spiral steep stairs it was a challenge. I would have given a 5 star except for the stairs.
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Mark L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Spacious and well appointed apartment. Fantastic location being right on the Royal Mile and walking distance to just about everything! The owners communicated very well prior to and during our stay. I would highly recommend this rental and would stay here again without question. Also the views of the street to be able to watch all the activities was a plus!
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Loved it!

Location was perfect for exploring
Stayed 3 nights in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
I think having an oxygen can hunt up the 52 steps would have made my 80 year old mom and our friend happy. Breathe climb 30 more, breathe enter the beauty flat. The chips, cookies, milk, oj and paper towels made their breathing wane. We loved every minute in the flat and will book again next time.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2025

8/10 Good

Genevieve B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, location, listing accuracy
Disliked: Communication

Great stay!

My family and I had a great time at this property.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Meg U.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect spot!

This was the absolute best location! The property is very spacious and the beds were comfy. Would love to come back one day and Derek was a fabulous host.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2023

8/10 Good

Adam P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Birthday Bash!

Fantastic central location on the Royal Mile. Apartment good for our needs and we enjoyed our stay. Would recommend. Communication great throughout booking process, check in and stay.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kurt S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Absolutely perfect place to stay

Really enjoyed our time here and if I am ever back here I would stay here again. Everything was as described and the location could not have been any better so close to everything so that even when we had picked up something and didn’t want carry it around we could just drop it off. The place was perfectly clean and the owners super responsive. Highly recommend to anyone staying there
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kerry N.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect Spot in Edinburgh

Could not be happier with our stay! Perfect location in Edinburgh, close proximity to all the sites and public transportation. Apartment was charming and a great spot to relax after a day in the city.
Stayed 7 nights in Apr 2023

10/10 Excellent

Ellen L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Top Notch Location

What a lovely property! Be prepared to haul your bags up some steps, but boy oh boy is the location, view and interior worth it. Parking and drop off was a little hard for us Edinburgh newbies but we figured it out.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Shane T.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Loved People Watching

Great Place to stay as long as you have a noise maker to drown out the wood floor from people walking around and the crowds outside.
Stayed 8 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Jenifer R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Must stay

Very comfy and clean. Beds were very comfortable. Great location in the heart of it all. Everything needed was available in the flat. Will book again
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2023

10/10 Excellent

Gail P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Incredible apartment on the Royal Mile

The location is fabulous! The apartment is charming, unique and more than fully equipped. Derek has thought of every eventuality. It was an extremely comfortable space for two couples and it’s window seats overlooking the Royal Mile afforded much entertainment. Would highly recommend for a visit to historic Edinburgh.
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Grant C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Very comfortable and convenient. Worth every shilling.

Host was very clear and quick with communication. Parking spot was a godsend. Being on the Royal Mile was a lot of fun. Being able to access apartment whenever we needed was amazing. Pictures are 100% accurate.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2023

10/10 Excellent

Elizabeth E.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect Family Getaway

166 High Street was the *perfect* location for our family with adult children! Communication with Derek was thorough with a very quick response time. Directions were excellent. The walk up the hill from the train station and up the stairs to the apartment were fine for us, but we appreciated the heads up ahead of our stay. Every single Edinburgh tourist site was walkable, with lots of fun pubs, coffee shops, and restaurants along the way. What a great week!
Stayed 2 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Sharon M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

The best flat for your Edinburgh visit

We loved our time in this flat. The location was central to nearly everything we did in Edinburgh. The flat is exactly as pictured, but perhaps even more spacious. The bedrooms were comfortable and had lots of closet space and some dresser space for clothing storage which was wonderful. Derek was very easy to reach and was able to offer an early check-in which was much appreciated. I highly recommend this flat for your Edinburgh vacation!
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Lesa S., Frisco, Texas

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Better than 5 stars!!

We had an absolute blast at this flat. Couldn’t have been better! The location was fantastic and right in the middle of everything in Old Town (where all the fun is) and the sounds from the street added to the experience. The music from below was magical when the windows were open. I highly recommend this flat and it’s owners. They have everything you need for a perfect vacation. If we ever make it back to Edinburgh we would definitely stay here again.
Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Becca P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Second Stay in 2 years

We love this property. We stayed here the first time about a year ago and when we came back to Edinburgh we knew we wanted to stay here again. Perfect walking distance from everything you want to do and eat. Super cute, just the right space for us. Love the window seats overlooking the royal mile. There are stairs, which can be a pain with large suitcases, and the wood floors are squeaky, but its an old building, what do you expect. The apartment is super clean and tidy with all the amenities. The owners are very communicative and helpful. check in process is flawless and the owners give great directions and advice. Will stay again!!
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2023

10/10 Excellent

Susan C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect location

This place is all about location. You are in the middle of everything going on in Edinburgh when you stay here. The other reviews and listing are helpful to letting you know that you will have to navigate a lot of stairs but for us it was definitely worth it. Tip if you have a car- find a spot to pull over on St. Giles if you can- unload luggage, Have one person stay with car and one person go up to apartment to get placard for parking. It is great that a parking spot is included but it is .7 miles away and you need to put placard on dashboard. It does get noisy during the day but if you close windows and shutters it is not too bad. We actually really enjoyed watching all the action when we were in. The apartment is very comfortable and includes everything you would need. Highly recommend.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2024

8/10 Good

Grant H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, listing accuracy

Good for our purposes

Everything about the place was quite nice. The owner was very attentive to questions and a great help. We couldn’t ask for better customer service. I turned 77 during our stay and my wife is 72. The spiral staircase to this third floor apartment was a rough go especially with luggage. Every evening there were buskers on the street outside until 9:00-10:00 pm that were sometimes insufferable. From what I understand, the local authorities were in the process of taking steps to curb the later so that may be improving in the near future. We had a nice time.
Stayed 10 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Cathy & Rick S., Bridgewater, NJ

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

5 star property

Derek was very responsive, accommodating and easy to deal with. The property is very clean and comfortable and in a great location. Street noise was not an issue for us as we slept in the master bedroom which is in the back of the flat. The unit was stocked with a vast array of snacks and condiments- nice touch. Very small details offered simply as an FYI to prospective guests for planning: Washer has capacity for small loads only and no dryer. Only one mini ice cube tray in freezer. If you are looking to entertain or enjoy cocktail hours, buy or bring ice cube trays. There is plenty of room for many more full size trays between refrigerator freezer and stand alone unit. Please don't let these small details detract from booking.
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2022

About the host

Hosted by Derek Gibb

Host profile image
Pillowstops is run my husband and wife team Catherine and Derek Gibb.

"As a family we have used self catering properties around the world for our own holidays and know how important it is to make sure that when you arrive you are not disappointed with your choice of holiday accommodation. The two main areas of disappointment that we have found are location and standard!

The apartments that we offer are situated in Edinburgh's no 1 historic tourist street being the Royal Mile and Grassmarket area. Our apartments are maintained and cleaned to a very high standard exactly as we would want to find ourselves when going on holiday.

We look forward to welcoming you to Edinburgh.

Why they chose this property

Brilliant location on Edinburgh`s number one tourist street. So much to see and do all on your door step. Main attractions all within walking distance and in fact you could walk to the seaside in about 60 minutes if reasonably fit otherwise take a bus in 30 minutes. Main train station Waverley is a 5 minute walk and the Bus station is a 10 minute walk. There many flats described as being on the Royal Mile which are not, this one is !

What makes this property unique

Location, Location, Location !

Languages:

English

Premier Host

They consistently provide great experiences for their guests