Edinburgh visitor Levy Information
Last Updated: October 12, 2026
Welcome
Edinburgh is one of the world’s most popular visitor destinations and, from 24 July 2026, the City of Edinburgh Council introduced a Visitor Levy on paid overnight accommodation.
This document explains how the Visitor Levy applies to bookings made with Edinburgh Escapes and answers some of the questions we are most frequently asked.
Our aim is to be completely transparent about all charges payable before you book.
We appreciate that this is a new charge for many visitors, and we hope this guide explains clearly how it is calculated and when it applies.
What is the Visitor Levy?
The Visitor Levy is a statutory charge introduced by the City of Edinburgh Council under Scottish legislation.
Like all accommodation providers operating within the City of Edinburgh, Edinburgh Escapes is legally required to collect the levy from guests and remit it to the Council.
Edinburgh Escapes does not retain the Visitor Levy.
How much is the Visitor Levy?
The levy is:
- 5% of the accommodation cost;
- calculated before VAT;
- applied to the first five consecutive nights and cleaning fee of your stay;
- not charged on optional extras such as parking, food, drink or transport.
The levy applies to stays taking place on or after 24 July 2026, subject to the legislation and Council guidance in force at the time of your booking.
How is it calculated?
The Visitor Levy is calculated using the accommodation element and the cleaning fee of your booking and applies to the first five consecutive nights of your stay only.
Example 1 – Five-night stay
Accommodation: 5 nights at £200 per night plus £120 cleaning fee
Accommodation Cost: £1,120.00
Visitor Levy (5%): £56.00
Total Accommodation Charge: £1,176.00
Example 2 – Six-night stay
Accommodation: 6 nights at £200 per night plus £120 cleaning fee
Accommodation Cost: £1,320.00
Visitor Levy: £56.00
Total Accommodation Charge: £1,376.00
As the Visitor Levy only applies to the first five consecutive nights, no additional Visitor Levy is charged for the sixth or subsequent nights of the same stay.
The Visitor Levy will normally appear as a separate item during the booking process or on your booking confirmation.
Who pays the Visitor Levy?
The levy generally applies to anyone staying in paid overnight accommodation within the City of Edinburgh, including visitors travelling for leisure, business or other purposes.
Certain exemptions may apply under the Council’s Visitor Levy Scheme.
For the latest information regarding exemptions, please refer to the official City of Edinburgh Council guidance.
Does Edinburgh Escapes keep the money?
No.
Edinburgh Escapes is legally required to collect the Visitor Levy on behalf of the City of Edinburgh Council.
The levy is accounted for and remitted in accordance with the applicable legislation and Council requirements.
What happens if I cancel my booking?
If your booking is cancelled and a refund is due under our Cancellation Policy, any Visitor Levy relating to the refunded accommodation charges will also be refunded where applicable.
Where cancellation charges apply, the Visitor Levy will be treated in accordance with the applicable legislation and Council guidance.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Visitor Levy has been introduced by the City of Edinburgh Council and applies to overnight accommodation across the city.
It is intended to help support and improve services and infrastructure used by visitors.
No.
Accommodation providers operating within the City of Edinburgh are legally required to collect the levy where it applies.
No.
The Edinburgh Visitor Levy currently applies only to the first five consecutive nights of the same stay.
If you stay for six nights or longer, no additional Visitor Levy is charged for the sixth and subsequent nights.
This is one of the reasons why your Visitor Levy does not continue to increase after the fifth night.
The levy is applied in accordance with the legislation and City of Edinburgh Council guidance in force at the time of your stay.
Where possible, the levy will be shown separately so you can clearly see how it has been calculated.
The City of Edinburgh Council publishes detailed information about the Visitor Levy, including guidance on exemptions and frequently asked questions.
Visitor information and exemptions:
https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/business/information-visitors-exemptions/1
General information about the Edinburgh Visitor Levy:
https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/business/visitor-levy-edinburgh
