Independent hotel guide
Fingal
Couples, special occasions, maritime design, Leith dining and repeat visitors seeking a stay outside the centre.
- Luxury
Image: Fingal. Full attribution
At a glance
Quick facts
- Price band
- Luxury
- Neighbourhood
- Leith
- Location
- Edinburgh
- Classification
- 5-star AA five-star hotel (official hotel website statement)
Editorial take
Why consider Fingal?
A former Northern Lighthouse Board ship converted into a permanently berthed luxury hotel.
Best for
Couples, special occasions, maritime design, Leith dining and repeat visitors seeking a stay outside the centre.
Avoid if
you need to walk straight onto the Royal Mile or dislike compact cabins and shipboard proportions.
- Couple
Strengths and trade-offs
Strengths
- A genuinely unusual floating-hotel experience with only 23 cabins
- Two-minute walk from the Port of Leith tram stop
- Close to The Shore and the Royal Yacht Britannia
Trade-offs
- Leith is roughly two miles from the city centre rather than a walk-out Old Town base
- The quayside includes cobbles and boarding is via an inclined gangway
Fit check
Who it suits — and who should skip it
Best for: Couples, special occasions, maritime design, Leith dining and repeat visitors seeking a stay outside the centre.
Skip it if: you need to walk straight onto the Royal Mile or dislike compact cabins and shipboard proportions.
Related reading:Edinburgh hotel guide; Best Boutique Hotels in Edinburgh; Where to stay in Edinburgh.
Stay details
Rooms and spa
These are the room categories for which our current source set contains useful, comparable detail. They are not presented as a complete live inventory.
cabin
Classic Cabin
- 20 m² published size
- Published for up to 2 guests
King or twin configurations are published; two accessible Classic Cabins are bookable through reservations.
Facilities in our source set
- Guest car park
Private parking at the bow is available to hotel guests on a first-come, first-served basis.
On the ground
Location and access
Fingal is at Alexandra Dock, Leith, Edinburgh, EH6 7DX. See our Edinburgh hotel guide for the wider area context and other places to stay.
Port of Leith tram stop is about a two-minute walk. The tram links Leith with St Andrew Square, Haymarket and Edinburgh Airport.
Before you book
Good to know
Policy notes
Cabin layouts differ. Confirm twin configuration, accessible-cabin availability and any Britannia or breakfast inclusions before paying.
Accessibility
The hotel publishes lift access to each deck and two accessible Classic Cabins. The approach includes cobbles and an inclined gangway, so discuss assistance in advance.
Quick answers
Questions travellers ask about Fingal
What is the main reason to choose Fingal?
A former Northern Lighthouse Board ship converted into a permanently berthed luxury hotel.
Who is Fingal best for?
Couples, special occasions, maritime design, Leith dining and repeat visitors seeking a stay outside the centre.
Where is Fingal?
The hotel is at Alexandra Dock, Leith, Edinburgh, EH6 7DX. Port of Leith tram stop is about a two-minute walk. The tram links Leith with St Andrew Square, Haymarket and Edinburgh Airport.
What should I check before booking Fingal?
Choose a cabin category for layout as well as price: standard cabins are compact, while Duplex and Skerryvore options add space and stairs.
Featured in our Edinburgh guides
Fingal is shortlisted in these editorial guides, each written for a different trip.
Destination guide
Best hotels in Edinburgh
Curated guide
Best Boutique Hotels in Edinburgh
Where to stay
Where to stay in Edinburgh
Alternatives
Other hotels we have written up that may suit a different brief.
The Witchery by the Castle
- Best for
- Romantic celebrations, atmospheric Old Town stays and travellers who want the hotel itself to feel like an occasion.
- Trade-off
- Historic buildings and individual layouts demand careful access checks
The most theatrical romantic stay in central Edinburgh: nine individually designed suites in historic buildings beside the Castle.
Booking tipStudy the exact suite page and access route. Every suite has one king bed, no extra beds are available and layouts differ sharply.
Prestonfield House
- Best for
- Romantic breaks, celebrations, drivers, Arthur’s Seat and travellers who want a secluded hotel experience.
- Trade-off
- Not a walk-out city-centre base for most sightseeing itineraries
A romantic 23-room country-house experience within Edinburgh, trading walk-out sightseeing for parkland, drama and privacy.
Booking tipPick the room for mood and floor as well as price; top-floor Luxury Bedrooms have mansard ceilings, while larger Estate Rooms add space and views.
Gleneagles Townhouse
- Best for
- Couples, design-minded city breaks, St Andrew Square dining and travellers who prefer an intimate luxury hotel.
- Trade-off
- No on-site or valet parking
A polished 33-room New Town hotel for travellers who want Georgian character, a social club mood and a guest-only rooftop bar.
Booking tipNook rooms are intentionally compact and attic-like; compare the named category, outlook and bath preference before booking.
Editorial evidenceSources4 cited references supporting this page
Claims are paired with the publisher and access date used during editorial verification.
Hotel is open; floating-hotel format, 23 cabins, official AA five-star classification, accessibility and current luxury rate context
Official booking pages were open. Luxury is an editorial relative price band, not a quoted live rate.
Classic Cabin size, beds and accessible-cabin availability
Leith address, tram journey, parking and approach
Coordinates for EH6 7DX
Open Postcode Geo centroid for EH6 7DX
Open Government Licence. Map pin is the postcode centroid, not the ship’s surveyed berth.
How this page was researched: how we review hotels · editorial policy · affiliate disclosure · corrections