The Nelson Street Residence

edinburgh, scotland
4 bedroom - 2.5 bath
(9 reviews)
Travel dates:
£895 per night (GBP)
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Property perks

  • Concierge
    A concierge service is available for this property
  • Baby rental
    equipment partner
    We work with a carefully-chosen baby equipment rental partner in this location
  • Kid & Coe
    select
    Kid & Coe Select properties have been visited by our team and checked for their suitability for family travelers
  • Itinerary
    We provide a family-focused itinerary for properties in this destination
  • Professional
    partner
    This property is professionally managed by a trusted partner

Perks for the Parents

This Georgian apartment in Edinburgh New Town, a short walk from Princes Street, is set up perfectly for a family with a fantastic play room, and has dazzling design details to make parents happy too. Ceilings are astonishingly high, walls are hung with modern art and rooms are spacious enough for a large family or 2 families to share. Guests are greeted on arrival and have the host a phone call away for any emergencies. A qualified nanny or babysitter can be arranged along with a private chef. The kitchen includes a Magimix Nespresso machine, Miele appliances, an American style fridge-freezer and a wine fridge and the living space has a workspace, drinks cabinet with vodka and whiskies. In a great location for exploring the city on foot and for the Edinburgh Festival (book ahead).

Why Kids Love it

The residence has a ground floor children’s playroom (pictured with a giraffe) stocked with books and drawers filled with toys for children of all ages - rattles for babies, train tracks, Barbies, play food and more - plus a little play table with coloring pencils and books and a TV. The children’s bedroom has 2 twin beds and trundle beds beneath them. There is a free standing bathtub in the main bathroom, ideal for bath time. The kitchen has child-friendly plates and bowls plus kid-sized cutlery. Wellies and balls are provided in the hall. Child-pleasing local attractions include Edinburgh Castle, Arthur’s Seat, Portobello Beach, the Camera Obscura, and Edinburgh Zoo which has giant pandas and koalas. The hosts provide extensive information including rainy day activities.

Things to Know

Minimum stay: 3 nights during August and 5 nights during Christmas/New Year (Dec 22 - Jan 2), 2 nights at all other times (Friday and Saturday must be booked together). There is a large staircase in the apartment without a stair gate but it is thickly carpeted; children may need to be supervised around the furnishings and decorative items. There is parking down the street, but note that it is expensive (pay by the hour) and time-limited. It is easier and preferable to can visit without bringing a car (taxis and public transport are reliable). A travel crib is available along with plenty of items for young children, including a foldaway stroller/pram, potty and foot stool, sterilizer and high chair. Private chef service available on request. There may be some road noise in the second double bedroom at the front of the house; the children’s bedroom is at the back of the house. There is cable TV and WiFi.

About the Location

The residence is in the upmarket New Town of Edinburgh, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with wide cobbled streets, elegant townhouses and plenty of leafy parks and playgrounds. It is a 10-minute walk from Princes Street and the city center. It is in a fine location for exploring the city at large: the castle is a 10-15 minute walk away, the zoo is a 15-minute drive away and Leith is again 10-15 minutes away by car or taxi. Portobello beach is a 15-minute drive. It is a quiet and safe residential area. Edinburgh Airport is 25 minutes away by car/bus. The airport bus is reliable and runs to Princes Street, a 5 minute cab ride away. Walking distance from Edinburgh Waverley train station, the tram and numerous bus routes. Edinburgh is also the perfect base for exploring further afield to places such as St Andrews, Perthshire, Glen Coe or Gleneagles. Car hire is easy nearby.

Accommodation Details

This 3-bedroom duplex apartment has a vast living room on the ground floor, a large eat-in kitchen and a playroom (with optional single bed) plus a half bathroom. The upper floor has a twin bedroom with 2 twin beds and 2 trundle beds beneath them, a master bedroom with superkingsize bed and ensuite shower room, and a third bedroom with a kingsize bed. There is a family bathroom on this floor with a freestanding bath and walk-in shower. There is a small shared garden at the back of the property and access to Queen Street Gardens, a local park for residents only.

Style Notes

Georgian splendour. Incredibly high ceilings make this apartment truly grand and, along with sensational modern art, give it the feel of an art gallery. Fixtures and fittings are of the highest quality and custom built cupboard use the space to its advantage - a cupboard in the kitchen hides shelves of cookbooks and the playroom, as pictured here, looks neat and tidy but has drawers full of toys and games. Furniture includes locally-sourced vintage finds. Thoughtful touches include the drinks cabinet in the lounge and superior quality Aesop toiletries. Homewares include Missoni home throws.

  • Air Conditioning
  • Baby Bath
  • Baby Monitor
  • Babysitter / Nanny
  • Backyard / Garden
  • Balcony
  • Bathtub
  • Bed Rails
  • Bicycles
  • Cabinet Locks
  • Changing Table
  • Chef / Catering
  • Children's Dinnerware
  • Corner Guards
  • DVD Library
  • DVD Player
  • Dishwasher
  • Elevator
  • Fireplace Guards
  • Game Console
  • High Chair
  • Housekeeper
  • Outlet Plugs
  • Parking
  • Pet-friendly
  • Pool
  • Pool Gate
  • Stair Gates
  • Television
  • Toys / Children's Books
  • Washer / Dryer
  • Wifi
  • Window Guards
SLEEPS 9
2 queen
5 twin / single
sleeps 1
1 travel crib
Kate M.
Member since September 25, 2014
We love to share our Edinburgh home with other families who appreciate staying in comfort and style. We try and make sure every detail is considered for the best possible stay.

Edinburgh, Scotland

Magic in the air

With its turreted sky-line, brooding Gothic architecture, towering crags and immense history, Edinburgh is not only one of Europe’s most beautiful cities but also one of the most interesting and awe-inspiring. It’s a city where an ‘Auld Reekie’ world of whisky, folk music, gritty late-night comedians, winter harr and cobbled wynds collide with lofty ideals, high culture and world-class attractions, all with the added zing of a capital in the age of nationalist fervour and the magical twist of Harry Potter, written and filmed here and nearby.

9 reviews

Jamie M.
Visited in November 2022
Our family of 5 had excellent stay at Nelson Street residence. Super location for exploring the city and was so nice to have such a well appointed home base for our visit. Kids loved playing in the 'secret garden.' Highly recommend.
Darin S.
Visited in June 2022
The residence was amazing and exceeded our expecations. Our only regret was that we could not stay longer. The living spaces are designed for family gatherings. The bedrooms were spacious and appointed tastefully. One of my favorite places I've rented in Europe. A stark contrast to the offerings of other rental services.
Brelyn V.
Visited in June 2019
What an elegant and graceful home. We could not have asked for a more perfect place to land our heads in the middle of Edinburgh. It was well appointed and very comfortable, especially the beds. Thank you for a wonderful stay.
Emma T.
Visited in May 2018
This is a beautifully designed, spacious apartment in a wonderfully central location. We loved the opportunity to entertain family and friends, to watch the children play happily in the fabulous private gardens a few steps away, to explore the nearby art galleries and many cultural landmarks that Edinburgh has to offer (from ages 7 to 78 we enjoyed Arthur's Seat, the National Gallery, the Royal Yacht Britannia, the pandas at the zoo, Dynamic Earth and the Scottish parliament building). In the absence of guests leaving and arriving on our arrival and departure days, Jo, who looks after the property, was helpfully flexible about our arrival and departure times and only a text away. There is an extremely helpful guide in the property with local recommendations. It was an absolute pleasure to stay here and we plan to do so again.
David C.
Visited in December 2017
My short but very sweet stay at The Nelson Street Residence was perfect. The home is very centrally located and close to everything you need. We arrived on a freezing cold Saturday evening and was welcomed into a warm, beautiful and stylish home. The staircase alone made us feel like we were staying in a very grand home indeed (it is also not steep and very wide so safe for kiddies). The Master Bedroom is huge, and you definitely would not lack for space in any of the other bedrooms! Little touches such as Aesop products in the bathrooms, crisp bedlinen and fresh white towels added to the luxury of the property. The host left some breakfast essentials and an all important bottle of wine which really did add that bit extra to a wonderful stay in Edinburgh. The host is super responsive, and recommended a wonderful restaurant called 'The Gardeners Cottage'. If you do stay at Nelson Street - you must book a table here - it really is amazing. The weather was perfect for the time of year - blue skies and freezing cold - just right for walking the Christmas Markets and drinking in the festive atmosphere. I would highly recommend this property and cannot wait to stay again. Thank you Kate & Jo :)
Alison H.
Visited in November 2017
This was a wonderful vacation rental for our group of 3 ladies and 2 small children (4&7). It was spacious and contemporary, the beds and bathrooms were beautiful and luxurious and it was easy to contact the host. It absolutely exceeeded our expectations and we would definitely stay again. The location was fantastic and perfectly central for site seeing with amazing dining nearby. The booklet on site that was provided for guests gave us some great ideas of activities nearby. We can’t wait to visit again soon xx
Kent R.
Visited in October 2016
I cannot recommend a stay here enough. The pictures do not do justice to the size of the rooms, the layout is perfect, Jo (the property manager) was so helpful, and the sitter she arranged for us was so great with our boys. The location is second to none in Edinburgh, and its access to Queen Street Gardens was an added plus. We cannot wait to come back for another stay.
Kat D.
Visited in June 2016
This property is absolutely amazing. It has enormous character and charm -- and the host is a dream to work with. At Nelson Street you are situated in a lovely Edinburgh neighborhood that is conveniently situated next to public transit. And with kids, it's so nice to be able to take the bus around town (we usually walked over a couple of blocks to Hanover Street and caught it there) so you can save their legs for the hike to Arthur's Seat and the Royal Mile. And from the airport, it's an easy Tram ride away if you get off at the end of the line at York Place and then walk a few blocks. Plus, Kate has a wonderful treat for guests: special access to two nearby parks. My kids loved playing in the lush oasisis at the end of a day full of castle exploring, hiking and museum visiting. You simply must stay here if you're going to Edinburgh. And if you're not going to Edinburgh, you simply must do that, too.
Laura H.
Visited in February 2016
This is pretty much the perfect pad in Edinburgh. We had a fantastic time here in February - myself, my husband and our two small daughters (1 and 5). The pictures do not do it justice - the ceilings are so high that you feel like you’re in an art gallery, the playroom has toys and books that delighted all of us and the kitchen was heavenly. Bath time in the large egg-shaped bath was super fun. It’s the most beautiful apartment and was great for us - we appreciated the little details, like the shortbread and breakfast cereals left for us, and the scented toiletries. Great guest book too with plenty of ideas of things to do nearby. The only issue for us was car parking - in central Edinburgh it is pricey and you have to move your car every 4 hours if you park on the street. Next time we’d fly or come by train and use taxis and buses to get around.