Hostelling Scotland is delighted to announce the completion of a £450K renovation project that has transformed the ground floor of Edinburgh Central Youth Hostel.
Having appointed award-winning Glasgow design team, Graven, Hostelling Scotland has transformed the reception, lounge, cafe bar and restaurant into welcoming social spaces perfect for eating, drinking, relaxing and socialising. Edinburgh Central now delivers a more contemporary city centre experience making the hostel the top choice in the city’s competitive budget accommodation market.
Hostelling Scotland Chief Executive, Margo Paterson, said: “Hostelling Scotland is the best hostelling organisation in Scotland and we are delighted with the positive feedback from the Edinburgh Central project. This truly supports our mission to make more of Scotland more accessible to more people than anyone else, especially young people. Our aim is to provide great value, affordable, flexible and welcoming accommodation in the best locations across this beautiful country of ours.”
When it comes to food and drink Hostelling Scotland is working with quality suppliers; from household Scottish food brands to local heroes. In order to celebrate authentic Scottish brewing, Edinburgh Central also offers guests Innes and Gunn beer on tap. The restaurant and café bar (licensed from 11:00 to 01:00 every day) will serve a new and exciting range of food and drink that showcase the best fresh, seasonal produce that Edinburgh and Scotland has to offer.
Margo Paterson added: “I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved. You don’t have to be an overnight guest to enjoy our warm and welcoming hospitality. With Edinburgh Central, we are open to all and have created a vibrant city centre venue for everyone to enjoy great food and drink in a comfy and relaxed environment.”
The renovation of Edinburgh Central follows on from recent notable projects including Glen Nevis, Inverness and Aberdeen and forms part of the organisation’s growth strategy to be the first-choice hostelling accommodation provider in Scotland.
Hostelling Scotland continues to invest in its network and is carrying out renovation work at Cairngorm Lodge Youth Hostel. Going forward it is delighted to confirm that it has several further projects in the pipeline.
Hostelling Scotland is a self-funding charitable organisation with 33 hostels located throughout Scotland, accommodating more than 340,000 guests every year, with a turnover of £9m and an estimated contribution to the Scottish visitor economy of £25m.
Ends
Media contact:
Paddy Cuthbert | Littlehouse Media | E: [email protected] | M: 07913 951717
For further downloadable hi-res images of the Edinburgh Central Youth Hostel renovation go to:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/cxneubmec3l7vod/AAC-Ka23IQxgHUS741h7N4Hga?dl=0 – Please Credit David Cheskin
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/cxneubmec3l7vod/AAC-Ka23IQxgHUS741h7N4Hga?dl=0 – Please Credit Hostelling Scotland
Useful links:
Hostelling Scotland – https://www.hostellingscotland.org.uk
Edinburgh Central Youth Hostel, 9 Haddington Place, Edinburgh EH7 4AL – https://www.hostellingscotland.org.uk/hostels/edinburgh-central/
Hostelling Scotland on Twitter – https://twitter.com/hostellingscot #ourplaceisyours
Hostelling Scotland on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/hostellingscotland
Notes to Editors:
Hostelling Scotland is a self-funding charity operating a network of nearly 60 exceptional youth and affiliate hostels for the benefit of all those wishing to learn and experience what Scotland has to offer. Our unique sites provide affordable, comfortable, safe and quality-assured accommodation with a warm friendly welcome, local knowledge, activities and services for guests travelling around Scotland.
Members enjoy a range of exclusive benefits including dual membership of Hostelling International, providing access to more than 4,000 youth hostels in over 90 countries worldwide. Membership and guest overnight income supports our charitable youth programmes and the maintenance of the hostelling network.
Following a strategic review of the organisation, early in 2018, the much-loved hostelling accommodation provider is now known as Hostelling Scotland. The new identity follows on from extensive marketing research and reflects the organisation’s commitment to understanding the needs of its members, guests and employees as the modern face of Scottish Hostelling. The name also more clearly indicates its representation of Hostelling International within Scotland.
Both the changes in trading name and logo highlight a commitment to ensuring Scotland’s leading hostelling organisation remains relevant in the modern context.
Background to modernisation
Since June 2004 the not for profit, self-funding charity has gone through its most radical period of modernisation in its 89-year history. Throughout this period Hostelling Scotland’s vision has been to ensure that it remains the principle hostelling organisation of choice in Scotland through the provision of a sustainable, modern, high-quality affordable accommodation network that meets the needs of today’s hostellers as they look to explore and discover the real Scotland.
Recent modernisation projects include:
The renovation of Oban Youth Hostel
The Renovation of Lochranza Youth Hostel, Isle of Arran
Development projects at Loch Ossian and Achmelvich Beach
The purchase and renovation of Portree Youth Hostel, Isle of Skye
The renovation of Aberdeen Youth Hostel
The major renovation of Glen Nevis Youth Hostel, Fort William
The renovation of Inverness Youth Hostel
The renovation of Edinburgh Central Youth Hostel
The renovation of Cairngorm Lodge Youth Hostel (in progress)
