CODE Pod Hostel opened its door for the first time in Edinburgh’s old town at the start of August 2019. A refurbished former court house and jail on the famous Edinburgh Royal Mile, it promises to bring the capital city of Scotland up to speed with the boutique hostel market. Flash-packing in Edinburgh never felt so good!
Want cool free things to do in Edinburgh? Take a look at my post: 100 Free Things to do in Edinburgh
The Court by CODE Pod Hostels Location
With its cobblestone roads and towering tight closes, Edinburgh’s old town is one of the most desirable accommodation spots for tourists.
CODE Pod Hostel is located on Parliament Square, a stones throw away from Edinburgh’s St. Giles Cathedral, and just quick skip down the road from Edinburgh Castle.
This area is a continuous hive of activity, littered with bars, souvenir shops, free city tours and secret sightseeing spots.
Sleeping in Jail Rooms
A multistory maze of 12 private cell rooms set over 5 floors, the hostel offers both dorm and private rooms, alongside state of the art bathrooms and communal areas.
The 19th-century A-listed building (a building of national importance) was initially home to both holding cells and courtroom facilities, including the former district court. The new hostel team have kept this in mind during the redesign, keen to keep as much of the building’s roots in tact as possible. As a result, a lot of the exterior historic features of the Georgian building have had minimal alterations (other than preservation and restoration).
Whilst private rooms come with clever Scottish themed finishing touches and private showers, dorm goers are treated to spacious personal pod beds.
Edinburgh Pod Beds
Each pod comes with personal LED lights, USB chargers, hooks, shelf, standard plug sockets and a curtain for privacy. What’s more, CODE Pod Hostels have include a dormitory staff service button, whereby guests can report unruly behaviour to the hostel team without having to confront their room companions directly. That’s on top of free earplugs, which can be picked up at reception on arrival!
Old Edinburgh City Extras
The historic aspect of the hostel doesn’t end with the rooms. The team have made sure the history of the building is commemorated through displays in reception, showcasing the criminal past and gripping events that took place there.
But wait … there’s more! Not only can you sleep in a jail, but you get to party in a jail! This building comes with a centuries-old underground tasting room, where the staff offer local craft beer and whiskey tastings. This makes for an awesome night-time starting point for weary travellers looking to meet new people and sample a taste of Scotland.
How much does a night in a CODE Pod Hostel cost?
Despite it being easy to mistake The Court for an Edinburgh boutique hotel, a night’s stay in this sharp hostel will only set you back around £28 per night for a pod bed in one of their larger dorms. Understandably, this cost will increase as you reduce the dorm size. CODE also offer female-only shared dorms.
Book a Night in Jail …
Book a night in Edinburgh’s pod hostel here.
CODE already have two other hostels, one in Dublin and another in Edinburgh. However, they now have their sights set on major destinations across the world, including London, Paris, Amsterdam, Lisbon, Madrid and Warsaw.
