The Location
Rock House stands in a secluded pocket at the foot of Calton Hill, behind its own gate, five minutes from Waverley and Princes Street. Here is what the hill is, and exactly how to reach us.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site
Calton Hill rises abruptly at the east end of Princes Street, a small volcanic outcrop crowned with the neoclassical monuments that gave Edinburgh its old nickname, the Athens of the North. It sits within the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Rock House sits at its foot.
The hill is compact enough to see properly in half an hour, and generous enough with its views to make the climb worth doing more than once. Most visitors come up for the panorama and stay for the buildings; both are better with the city's whole skyline laid out below.
On the Hill
Four structures give Calton Hill its skyline. All are a short climb from Rock House's gate.
1816
A tall stone tower shaped like an upturned telescope, built to commemorate Admiral Lord Nelson. Its time ball still drops daily as it has since Victorian times, once a signal for ships in the Firth of Forth to set their clocks.
1822 · Unfinished
Twelve columns of a planned Parthenon-style memorial to the Napoleonic Wars, abandoned for lack of funds and known ever since, fondly, as Edinburgh's Disgrace. It is the hill's most photographed feature.
1831
A circular temple designed by William Playfair after the Choragic Monument of Lysicrates in Athens, built for the philosopher Dugald Stewart. It appears in more Edinburgh postcards than almost any other single structure.
Founded 1776
Edinburgh's first observatory, a small Gothic and neoclassical complex that anchors the hill's western brow. Its buildings now house exhibitions and a café with one of the finest views in the city.
On Foot
Approximate walking times from Rock House's gate.
A Secluded Position
From Rock House's own terrace, the Dugald Stewart Monument, the City Observatory and the Nelson Monument sit almost within touching distance, framed by garden and hedge. It is the rare case of a landmark view that comes with a front door.
The house itself is hidden from the street, reached through its own gate and a short flight of steps, so the quiet of the garden holds even with the city on every side.
The Postcard View
Climb the last few minutes to the summit and the whole of Edinburgh opens out: the Castle on its rock, the spire of the Scott Monument, the Balmoral's clock tower, and on a clear day the Firth of Forth and the hills of Fife beyond. It is the view every guidebook uses, and it is five minutes from the gate.
Go up near sunrise or sunset for the light Hill and Adamson would have recognised: low, golden, and raking across the same stone.
Getting Here
Waverley is Edinburgh's main station and sits almost directly below Calton Hill, in the dip between the Old and New Towns. From the concourse, walk up Waterloo Place towards the hill and you are at the gate in about five minutes. Regular direct services connect Edinburgh to London, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Inverness, along with the overnight Caledonian Sleeper from London.
Edinburgh Trams run directly from the airport into the city centre, calling at Haymarket and Princes Street before reaching York Place, a five minute walk from Rock House. The full journey takes around thirty minutes, with trams roughly every seven minutes through the day. The Airlink bus is a similar option, running to Waverley Bridge. A taxi from the airport takes about 25 minutes outside busy periods.
There is no private parking at Rock House. Secure public parking is available at the OMNI Centre, a few minutes' walk from the gate, and central Edinburgh has metered and permit-controlled on-street parking elsewhere. Because Waverley, the tram and most of the city's sights are within easy walking distance, many guests choose to arrive without a car and simply leave it at home, or hire one only for day trips beyond the city.
Arriving
The last stretch of any journey to Rock House is the same, whether you have come from Waverley on foot or by taxi from the airport: a wrought-iron gate off the street, and a few worn stone steps down into the garden. It has read “Rock House” since long before self-catering existed as a word, and it still marks the moment the city drops away.
Full directions and a map are sent ahead of arrival, and taxis can drop luggage directly at the gate.
Where to Stay
Very few places to stay are actually on the hill. Rock House is one of them.
Calton Hill is one of the most searched-for corners of Edinburgh to stay in, and one of the hardest. It is a conservation area of monuments and open ground, so there is very little accommodation on the hill itself. Most hotels described as being near Calton Hill actually sit on Leith Street, York Place or Princes Street, a few minutes down the slope, on busy city roads.
Rock House sits inside the hill's own grounds, behind a private gate, with the monuments above it and the city laid out below. Condé Nast Traveller included it in its selection of the best Edinburgh hotels, though it is not a hotel in the usual sense. There is no reception desk and no corridor of rooms. You take a whole house, or a whole apartment, and it is yours.
For many travellers that works out better than a hotel room in the centre. You get more space, a kitchen, a sitting room with a real fire, and a front door of your own, usually for less than the equivalent number of hotel rooms would cost. Families and groups can share one address rather than scatter across floors, and the three stays can be booked together for up to fourteen people.
Good to Know
Calton Hill is a protected conservation area, so there is very little accommodation on the hill itself. Most hotels advertised as near Calton Hill are on Leith Street, York Place or Princes Street, a short walk down the slope. Rock House is one of the few places to stay within the hill's own grounds.
Not in the usual sense. Condé Nast Traveller included it in a selection of the best Edinburgh hotels, but there is no reception and no corridor of rooms. Rock House is self-catering: you take a whole house or a whole apartment, with its own front door, kitchen and sitting room.
The Edinburgh tram runs directly from the airport into the city centre, calling at Haymarket and Princes Street before terminating close to York Place, about a five minute walk from Rock House. The journey takes around half an hour. The Airlink bus to Waverley Bridge is a similar option, or a taxi takes about 25 minutes depending on traffic.
There is no private car park at the house. Secure public parking is available at the OMNI Centre, a few minutes' walk away. Central Edinburgh has restricted and metered on-street parking, so most guests find it easier to arrive by train or tram and go without a car for the stay.
About five minutes on foot. Waverley sits in a dip between the Old Town and the New Town, and Rock House is reached by a short walk up Waterloo Place towards Calton Hill.
Most guests do not use one. Waverley, Princes Street, the tram and the Royal Mile are all within five to ten minutes on foot, and Edinburgh's compact centre means the car is often more hassle than help. A car is more useful if you plan day trips further afield, such as to the Highlands or the coast.
Yes. Rock House sits at street level at the foot of Calton Hill, behind its own gate, and is reached without having to climb the hill itself. Taxis can drop off close to the gate.
The house and the surrounding streets are level and easy going. The hill above has a mix of terrain: a gently graded path from Regent Road suits those who would rather avoid steps, while the direct routes to the summit involve some steps and uneven ground.
Keep Exploring
28 Calton Hill
See the three accommodations, then leave the car at home.
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