The Stevenson House

We had almost a week at the Robert Louis Stevenson House and it was excellent. The hosts are welcoming and very interesting. The house itself is extraordinary - a beautiful Georgian home filled with books, art, and all sorts of intriguing things. I believe the mattresses in our room were the most comfortable we have ever slept on. It's also centrally located so that you can walk into town within minutes or grab a nearby bus. The owners also have a key to the private park across the street which is beautiful and serene.

We had such a memorable stay at the Stevenson House. It was a pleasure spending time with our hosts who had a wealth of knowledge about Stevenson and the city. They really made us feel like part of the family. You will certainly want to join the “Talk and Tea” to get the most out of your stay. Between bookshelves nicely crammed with books of all sorts to the whimsical and wild decor, there is something to spark your curiosity at every turn. Be prepared to be the envy of the tour-bus-sitters as they rush to grab a snapshot of the famous house while you leisurely enjoy your homemade marmalade in style.

My friends and I had the absolute pleasure of staying in this charming, family-run house for a few unforgettable days. From the very first moment, we were wrapped in the warmth and care of the wonderful hosts, who treated us not just as guests, but as dear friends. Their attentive hospitality, delicious homemade breakfasts, and heartfelt conversations made us feel completely at home.||The house itself is a true gem, perfectly located in the heart of Edinburg, with all the main attractions just a short and pleasant walk away. What makes this place so special is its unique character — an old house with high ceilings, shelves filled with books, beautiful paintings, and charming decorations that give it a soul of its own. Every corner tells a story, and staying here allowed us to truly feel the authentic spirit and vibrant colours of the city.||We left with our hearts full of warmth and gratitude, and we are already dreaming of returning to this magical place. Thank you for making our stay so special — we will cherish these memories forever!

We enjoyed our 2 nights at the Stevenson House. The house and furnishing are interesting. Books are everywhere and the art and furnishings look to be from all over the world, especially South Africa. John was very welcoming and made sure we were comfortable and had everything we needed. One of us in our party had a biking accident and John made sure to let us eat dinner at the house and stayed with us to make sure we were ok. We also enjoyed chatting with John after dinner and while enjoying some whiskey, learning about his and his wife’s family history. Breakfast was great and accommodated our schedule. Would recommend staying here to see a different side of Edinburgh and its people.

Stevenson House is where you go for a 3-dimensional encounter with Edinburgh. The magic begins with the expansive welcome from the McFie family to their historic home. It continues whenever you follow their nuggets of advice. This is an extraordinary--and extraordinarily accessible--household of hospitality. The walls have portraits, landscapes, and whimsical (but also serious) contemporary art; the shelves have P. G. Wodehouse, histories, poetry, travel guides, and of course, the works of Robert Louis Stevenson. Count on a clean, comfortable bed, and a breakfast that sets you up for a day of exploring or working in Edinburgh. If you are fortunate enough to plan an event there, you'll get Felicitas's high-quality cuisine. She accommodated a party that featured people with quite a few dietary constraints, sourced nearly all the food locally, and somehow matched the food to the family atmosphere we brought to the table. Yes, extraordinary. Period.

We stayed her for 2 nights at the end of April for our 20th Wedding Anniversary. What a wonderful experience. The family are so welcoming and knowledgeable about their historic home and it's famous resident. We stayed in the double room with a very comfortable 4 poster bed. The Victorian bathroom has an original enamel bath. All toiletries and towels provided. If you are looking for history and hospitality we would highly recommend this wonderful home.

This was such an interesting home and the hosts were wonderful. The Stevenson House is filled with Art, Books and beautiful and unique things. The house itself is magnificent and has such history that that is reason alone to stay there. We stayed in the Africa room with a huge window, beautiful view and African art. It was perfectly comfortable and had everything we needed - it is a third floor walk up but the stone steps and staircase is a wonder to behold. The best part of the stay was getting to know John and Felicitas the hosts, who were very accommodating, engaging and filled with stories of the history of the grand old home and Edinburgh and Scotland too. I most highly recommend a visit. Oh and breakfast is a real treat - the dining room is stately with beautiful antique portraits, and the breakfast jams - all home made are delicious, but the company is the best!

Follow the house on Instagram at @thestevensonhouse !||The Stevenson House is the childhood home of R.L Stevenson and keeps the theme of literature going with mountains of books stacked on shelves and on top of cupboards. It is a family home with a lot of history so the style of decorating is eccentric in the best way and you’ll notice something new each time you go up or down the stairs - trinkets dot about every surface but it doesn’t feel cluttered in the slightest. The house is perfectly situated a couple of blocks from Princes Street so you are close to the bustle of the shopping quarter, National Gallery and Christmas market but far enough away to get a good night’s sleep - but there are still plenty of bars, cafes and restaurants nearby! (Highly recommend Buck’s Bar for a good chicken burger, or The Magnum for fine dining)||We stayed in the twin room on the third floor which was cosy, well decorated, warm and had the most beautiful view reaching all the way to the other side of the Firth of Forth. The quilt was a bit short for my body but that’s mostly because I’m an adult sleeping in a single bed, and a lovely big blanket was also provided so it didn’t matter much. The en-suite is small but warm and fit for purpose and the shower had lovely water pressure. A towel and face towel are provided for each guest, and the wash basin is in the room rather than in the bathroom as with more modern buildings which was interesting and not a problem at all.||We stayed for four nights and were treated very well. The family who runs the B&B are super friendly and inclusive. They made us feel very welcome and made sure we knew we could shout down the stairs for a cup of tea if we needed, and they were happy to prepare breakfast to our timings. Felicitas and John were both fountains of knowledge on the history of Edinburgh and gave us a great overview of why the New Town’s streets are designed so differently to the streets around the Royal Mile. We happened to be the only guests staying at the time so were privileged to have lots of interesting conversations and while our privacy was of course respected, the stay was a lot more friendly and sociable than if we had stayed in a hotel or larger B&B. ||Breakfast was lovely, with a variety of breads for toast, various condiments for your toast, different fish, cold cuts of meat and cheese each morning, apple juice, the option of tea or coffee and the option of a soft boiled egg should you ask - all delicious ||The room was £145/night which was on the cheaper end of a stay in Edinburgh’s central residential areas||It was our first time in Edinburgh and we couldn’t have picked a better place to stay for a visit to learn about the city, we’d love to stay again.