Edinburgh Airport hotels — Expedia and Hotels.com

Edinburgh Airport is the main gateway to the Scottish Highlands, and a large share of its car hire goes to visitors driving on to Skye, Inverness or the North Coast 500 rather than into the city. Pickup is at the airport rental car park, a short walk from arrivals — simpler than most large UK airports. Demand peaks hard through July and August, overlapping the Fringe, and one-way drop-offs to Inverness or Glasgow are worth pricing separately because the fees vary widely between providers. The M9 and M90 head north within minutes and the A720 bypass avoids the city centre entirely. If you only want Edinburgh itself, the tram reaches Princes Street in about 35 minutes and a car is a liability in the Old Town.

Typical nightly rate: £60–£170