I confess that I have not stayed in a Youth Hostel for many years - about the same length of time…read moresince I last considered myself to inhabit the 'youth' category in fact - but in looking for venues to host a small conference, I came across the Stirling hostel, which turned out to be the perfect solution. Located just down from the castle in the heart of the town, the hostel was built in 1994 behind the façade of an 1826 church, so the facilities are in reasonably good order throughout. They have a good selection of private en-suite rooms (mostly twins), and a licensed kitchen where you can pre-order breakfast and evening meals. There's a good DIY kitchen area too, and common areas to chill out in, with TV and free Wi-Fi (although I could never get that to work). The location is just dripping with history - a huge monument out front marks the site of the original church and the grave of Rev. Ebenezer Erskine, leader of the Secessionist movement in 1733 that split from the Church of Scotland and eventually became the Presbyterian Church. The grounds still have plenty of interesting gravestones around, and I suspect that some of these denizens may still inhabit the darker corners of the hostel..! The conference room accommodates up to 30 people and comes with tables, chairs, a screen and flip-boards (you'll need to provide your own projector); we had exclusive use of this room and were able to lock it when not in use so our equipment was secure. It's a hostel, so you can't expect hotel standards of accommodation of course; however it's a lot better than many student halls that I've stayed in at other conferences, and very reasonably priced too, even if you're not a member of SYHA.

I stayed there for one night in an ensuite room. I found it very pricey for what I found once…read morethere. The room was extremely simple, but I find the price we paid was closer to a B&B. Our room was next to a door that was banging since early in the morning. The worst part was waking up with the fire alarm. We had to evacuate the building twice in a 10 minute slot, learning afterwards the fire alarm was caused by a shower in one of the rooms. Staff apologised for it, but I would have expected some kind of compensation for the inconvenience.

Very friendly, comfortable, reasonably priced and high standard accommodation. Staff are relaxed…read moreand knowledgeable. Modern facilities. Well equipped members kitchen. Left luggage lockers available for a couple of quid (automatic). Can't beat the enormous full Scottish breakfast!

I think the most important thing when it comes to staying in a hostel is a clean room and a working…read moreshower. Glasgow Youth Hostel has both. The staff was very friendly and welcoming. This made checking in an easy and stress free exerience. They also had a locked room where we could store our cycles indoors which helped us a lot. My only complaint was that the wifi cost 1 pound for an hour and most every other hostel we have stayed at had free wifi.

This has to be the nicest hostel I have ever stayed in. I am blown away by it!…read more The rooms are tidy, linen is provided, there is a Wi-Fi lounge and a tv room, there are toilets a plenty, self catering fully stocked kitchen, laundry, and more! They are environmentally conscious and offer power saving outlets, recycling, compost, and etc. The staff is friendly and very helpful. The other people in the hostel were quiet, tidy, and nice. We greatly enjoyed our stay here. Definitely worth the extra money to stay in a hostel this nice!

We've spent there two nights during our recent trip to Scotland and it was a great experience…read more People are really nice and you'll always meet someone interested in sharing a game of Jenga with during an evening. Also late check-in (till 12:30am) makes it a great spot for travelers. Kitchen is quite well stuffed and you should not have any troubles preparing any kind of meal you imagine. Location of the hostel itself is very convenient - just on the main street in Pitlochry, very easy to find. They have their own parking lot if you're planning to come by car. It is also possible to get a private room there. The pricing is quite moderate, so it is quite a competition the all B&Bs in the area.

I'd been to the sister hostel in Inverness (…read morehttp://www.yelp.com/biz/inverness-student-hotel-inverness ) and even saw a same staff person here, so I knew what to expect. Unlike my time at the Inverness hostel, this hostel wasn't fully booked which made a world of difference. A £10 key deposit or photo ID is required. Best to leave an ID that is NOT your passport. There were only two other girls staying in the all female dorm so plenty of space to spread out your stuff. No lockers in the room, however you can lock up your valuables for free at the reception desk. Each bed had two pillows, which was greatly appreciated. The common room/dining room with the pool table is a great place to meet people and chill out. I even bumped into a couple German girls I met at a hostel in Fort William. It was noisy the two nights I was there which is generally not a big problem for me. But after a day of hiking (some of it in the rain), I just wanted a quiet evening. The wi-fi didn't work in the dorm rooms so I had to be in the common room to use internet. There was a TV lounge room where you could get wi-fi signal; but the one time I was there, a couple was watching a movie. Showers for the dorm rooms were on the small side, and there was no place to change your clothes. Free coffee and tea as seen in hostels in England, Scotland, Ireland. Kitchen was properly stocked with pans, pots, cooking utensils, oil, salt, and the ever so useful "free food" section. Location was awesome, in the town center near The Co-operative Food market and bus stop. Overall, great place to stay while hiking and exploring Pitlochry, Scotland.

I absolutely loved my stay at castle rock. I would absolutely come back every time I visit…read moreEdinburgh. It's close to Waverly station and you can get lots of places from there. The hostel is just in the shadow of Edinburgh castle (I included a photo I took from the sidewalk). Couldn't ask for a better location. The staff was kind and hospitable, and the vibe was very chill. I WILL SAY THIS. the bathrooms are not gendered, so you'll be showering/pooping (in private stalls of course) with both sexes, so if that's not your tea, be aware of that--but it didn't bother me. LOVE LOVE LOVE CASTLE ROCK!!!!!!

The location is amazing, the staff is so helpful and so kind. The rooms are fine, very small. My…read more"roommates" were extraordinarily messy so if I got up during the night I tripped over all their crap. I ended up leaving a couple days early because I hardly slept a wink. The building is old and very creaky with every step someone takes. Doors slam at all hours. I could hear someone snoring so loudly from next door the last two nights. It would be nice if halls lights dimmed at night so that when people come in at 4am it isn't so bright. Take earplugs and an eye mask. I mean, there is nothing staff can do about the many guests always coming through. It's just if you want a good night's sleep I wouldn't stay here. The showers are fine, hot water and mostly clean. There were contacts in one of the showers for four days so I don't know often they are cleaned. But I felt very safe and the location cannot be beat. Lots of great activities offered.

This was one of the better hostels I've stayed in! The rooms were smaller, only 6 beds, and the…read morebeds were more comfortable than many. The downstairs room was fun. I would stay here again.

There were many things we loved about High Street…read more The location is amazing. You truly can't get better. You are right off the Royal Mile, which makes your stay quiet, but close enough to everything you want to see! The building is gorgeous. It is over 400 years old and it is beautiful with stone and rustic lodging. This makes the stay so special. There are many stairs, but you know that before booking. The wifi is great, and everything is clean! You can rent a towel for only 1 pound. The hostel offers events and breakfast, though we didn't get to try either. The staff is very friendly and helpful. The only reason I'm taking off a star is that our room was TINY. There are bigger private rooms, so I'm not sure how we got unlucky and got the small private room. Overall, I would definitely tell people to stay here!