The flat is in an absolutely lovely location! The #24 Royal Infirmary bus stops just around the corner. We often looked at bus schedules to get to different areas of town, but, frankly, it was just easier to walk! It's a very easy and beautiful walk through the park to most of the main areas - Edinburgh Univ., Old Town, etc.
The hike up the stairs with your luggage at the beginning and end of the trip isn't much fun, but the views and beauty out the windows do make it worth it! The space itself is historic and large! The kitchen is extremely spacious and well-equipped with everything from a dishwasher, to a washer to extras like tea and coffee. The three bedrooms provide excellent privacy for everyone in the group; and there's a true king-size bed in the master.
There's an exposed stone wall which is part of the original structure of the building. There are beautiful plaster moldings in the lounge, which warrant a gander. The kitchen is huge for an AirBnB flat and includes a washer, which is a convenient addition. Do beware of the shower; it's finicky and difficult to get an acceptable temperature, but we finally discovered Eco with a temp somewhere around the middle number seemed to work fairly well for everyone in our family.
On the way to Old Town is a Sainsbury Local which has enough groceries to keep you well-enough stocked for eating in. There's a fantastic local pub called The Cloisters, which has local brews and amazing fish n chips! Be warned that no one under 16 is ever allowed in here though. In the park is the most absolutely cafe that has fantastic vegan options and terrific coffees.
Linda was a lovely hostess, and answered all sorts of random questions before we arrived. We did have a disastrous opening two hours with trying to figure out how to get inside the flat and get the electricity turned on (be sure you have a working mobile, either your own or a purchased temporary one, in case things don't go well and you need to call Linda for assistance), but an angel of a neighbor kindly helped us contact Linda and it all got sorted. After that, things were smooth sailing!
We highly recommend Little Fish's Skip the Line tour of Edinburgh Castle! It was THE perfect way to start our vacation in Scotland!!! We got great historic background on Scotland and politics and Edinburgh - just what we needed. Luca was funny, informative and kept both our teens entertained, which is a feat. We also enjoyed the Real Mary King's Close tour. It was interesting and amusing.
All in all, we had a lovely stay in Linda's flat. And if you meet the angel neighbor, you'll recognize him! :)