For our trip to Edinburgh, we were invited to stay at a local Airbnb to see how they worked for families like us. When we visit a new city, we’re generally up and out as soon as possible, not returning until early evening. But, where we’re staying still needs to tick those boxes!
One of the most important factors we need to get right when we travel is our accommodation. For us, we need to have comfy beds, a relatively quiet location and good links to public transport. Not to mention plenty of places to eat (or at least a decent supermarket if we’re not staying in a hotel!).
Basically, get it wrong and we’re far from rested. It can pretty much ruin a holiday.
A hidden retreat
When booking a stay in a new city, you’re probably inclined to go as central as possible. Whilst this is great for couples or if you have a busy schedule, there’s often more to a city than just the main centre.
If Brighton (and now Edinburgh!) is anything to go by, there are some great things sights and places to eat on the outskirts of town. Most cities also offer great transport links, which means the city centre is often only a few stops away.
For our stay, we chose this gorgeous cottage in the vibrant town of Leith, which is approximately 20-30 minutes from the centre of Edinburgh. For our Brightonian readers, the distance was the equivalent of staying in Whitehawk, Hollingdean or Moulsecoomb and getting the bus into town. It’s certainly walkable thanks to lots of shortcuts, but perhaps not something you’d want to do every day, there and back!
The cottage sat within a private courtyard, just off the main road, with free, on-street parking. In the surrounding area was the River Leith, which offered lovely scenic walks. The airport was 25 minutes away by taxi, and the nearest bus stop was a 2 minute walk!
The cottage was like a Tardis! Inside featured two generously sized bedrooms, a family bathroom and downstairs toilet, a decent sized lounge and dining area, and a modern kitchen.
Other features include:
- Free Wi-Fi
- Apple TV, Netflix, and Disney+
- Washing machine
- Dryer
- Drying rack
- Iron
- Radio
- Essentials (towels, bedding, etc)
- Cooking basics (pans, oven trays, etc)
- Dishes and cutlery, etc
- Central heating and hot water
- Fridge
- Kettle
- Toaster
- Oven
- Microwave
- Dishwasher
- Nespresso machine
In the local area were two decent supermarkets as well as a Sainsbury’s Local. There were also several cafés, restaurants and takeaways, as well as a number of decent pubs!
For us, the highlights were things not included in the list. For example, original shutters on the windows, the amount of storage within the property (despite the fact that it was an old cottage!) and the personal touches added by the host, like extra blankets, coffee pods and a bottle of wine in the fridge!
A home away from home
It’s things like this that make Airbnb properties absolutely perfect for families.
In the mornings we would cook our own breakfast and get dressed at our own leisure. T would often watch a little bit of telly before heading out. In the evenings, we’d cook dinner or bring something home, and then play games or watch a film. Sharon and I even had to work during our stay, but that was no issue thanks to free Wi-Fi and plenty of space on the dining room table.
Rooms were clean and tidy, with a wonderful mix of old and new, and did I mention how much storage there was?! Downstairs there was lots of space for us to spread out, and in the evenings it was super cosy.
Staying with an Airbnb has certainly offered us food for thought when it comes to family travel. We were blown away with what the property offered, and with the host living next door (they basically split their property into two) we would be able to make contact at a moments notice if we needed assistance.
With Airbnb it meant we were able to set our own schedule (in comparison to hotels) and have some privacy (in comparison to a caravan park). Even check-in times could be flexible (within reason, obviously), especially when flights are involved. Prior to our visit, our lovely host messaged to find out if we’d landed safely and met us at the property when we finally arrived in the taxi to give us a brief tour.
Staying out of town also came with tons of benefits. Not only was the property cheaper than in the centre of town, but it felt more ‘local’. It wasn’t as ‘touristy’ and you got to take advantage of things like parks and play areas!
If you’re a regular user of Airbnb, we’d love to know what you love about it. What are your tips and tricks for families?
Disclosure: We were given complimentary stay in exchange for an honest review and social sharing during our stay. All thoughts, opinions and imagery are our own.
