Princes Street Suites

Princes Street Suites is one of central Edinburgh's strongest picks for travellers bringing a dog. The boutique aparthotel sits on Waterloo Place - the eastern continuation of Princes Street - with the apartments occupying a Georgian terrace just two minutes' walk from Waverley Station. For owners arriving by train, that walk-in convenience is hard to beat in a city centre.

The pet policy is openly published and well structured. Dogs are welcomed in any of the 37 apartments (one-bed through to a three-bed penthouse) for a 60 GBP one-off cleaning fee paid before check-in. Up to two dogs per apartment with advance notice at booking. Assistance dogs stay free of charge with no restrictions, and the property explicitly does not impose weight or breed limits - instead reserving the right to refuse on grounds of behaviour or temperament. Dogs must be kept on a lead in public areas and off the beds and upholstered furniture, both standard for boutique aparthotels.

Guests travelling with dogs consistently mention three things. First, the staff: the reception team welcomes dogs visibly and warmly, not as a tolerated nuisance. Second, the apartments themselves: with full kitchens, separate living areas, and (in the two and three-bed layouts) genuine space for dogs to settle without being underfoot. Third, the rooftop terrace: residents-only, panoramic, and a useful way to give a dog quiet outside time without stepping onto Waterloo Place.

The location is the other major reason this comes up so often on dog-traveller shortlists. Calton Hill (Edinburgh's signature short city walk, 100m gain to the Nelson Monument) is adjacent. Holyrood Park and Arthur's Seat are 12 minutes on foot. Princes Street Gardens, the Meadows, Inverleith Park and Leith Links are all reachable by lead, and Portobello Beach plus Cramond Beach are short bus or taxi rides for off-lead time. The property publishes a curated walking-and-pubs guide for dog owners on its dog-friendly page.

A few honest caveats. The pet fee is towards the upper end of the central-Edinburgh boutique range (typical 30-45 GBP). The lead-in-public-areas rule is firmly enforced. Dogs need to be confident around lifts, narrow hallways, and the occasional unfamiliar guest in the morning - the Georgian conversion means the lift and corridors are compact rather than airy.

Best suited to: city-break owners with calm, well-socialised dogs of any size, particularly those arriving by train or wanting an apartment-style base near Edinburgh's main sights. Less well suited to large, anxious or boisterous dogs - the boutique, vertically-stacked layout rewards a settled travel temperament.