Booking a monthly apartment in Edinburgh is a different decision from booking a weekend away. You are not just choosing somewhere to sleep, you are choosing somewhere to live for a while. That changes what matters: space, value, flexibility and the little comforts that make a place feel like home rather than a stopover. This guide walks through what a month at Ocean Serviced Apartments is actually like, what is included, and how a monthly serviced apartment compares to the alternatives.
Who books an apartment for a month?
Month-long stays are more common than you might think, and the reasons vary widely. Over the years we have hosted:
• Professionals in Edinburgh on a fixed-term contract or project
• Families between homes while a move goes through
• People relocating to the city who want to learn the neighbourhoods before committing to a permanent home
• Guests staying while insurance work is carried out on their own property
• Visiting academics and researchers spending a term or a season in the city
• Couples and retirees taking a slow month to explore Scotland properly
What they have in common is a need for something more than a hotel room and more flexible than a tenancy. Ocean Serviced Apartments is one of the short term rentals in Edinburgh that suits a month-long stay better than a brief visit, giving guests the space and routine a hotel room usually cannot. If your stay is tied to a move, our guide to relocation accommodation in Edinburgh is worth a read alongside this one when comparing term rentals, a monthly rental, and other properties available as rentals in Edinburgh.
What a month at Ocean includes
The appeal of a monthly apartment is that everything is sorted before you arrive and there is nothing to unpick when you leave. At Ocean, your monthly stay includes:
• A fully furnished two-bedroom apartment with two bathrooms, generous living space, and a spacious open-plan living area and dining area
• A fully equipped kitchen with an in unit washing machine, plus other apartment features designed for longer stays
• All bills: heating, electricity, water and super-fast WiFi
• Complimentary underground parking on site
• Weekly housekeeping, with fresh linen and towels
• Self check-in and flexible check-in and check-out
Unlike shared apartments with rooms for rent that are popular among students, a private rental gives more independence for month-long stays.
There are no utility accounts to open, no deposit tied up for months, no council tax to register and no furniture to buy. You arrive, settle in and live. Our facilities page lists exactly what comes as standard, including key property features and amenities.
How it compares to short term rentals
People often assume a private monthly let will be cheaper than a serviced apartment. Once you add everything up, the gap narrows or disappears, and the serviced apartment usually wins on convenience and a more comfortable stay.
A private let typically means a deposit, a tenancy agreement, separate utility bills, a broadband contract to set up and wait for, and often an unfurnished or part-furnished flat. A serviced apartment rolls all of that into one price with none of the admin, which is why many people rent this option instead. There is no waiting for an engineer, no chasing a landlord, and no risk of losing part of a deposit over a disputed mark on the wall.
Typical apartment features include a spacious two-bedroom, two-bathroom layout with a separate living area, a fully equipped kitchen with a dishwasher, and often an in unit washing machine. Some apartments offer free Wi-Fi for guests, alongside the super-fast WiFi many travellers now expect. Many rentals provide private parking options for guests. Some properties are located close to transport links and city attractions, while others are situated in quieter residential areas. Some apartments also include access to a shared courtyard or garden.
There are no utility accounts to open. For a comparison of serviced apartments against the other obvious option, a hotel, our article on serviced apartment versus hotel breaks down where each one wins. For a month-long stay, the apartment tends to come out ahead on space, cost and comfort.
The value of a monthly booking
Monthly guests get our best rates. The Stick Around and Save discounts reward longer stays, with 25% off stays of 30 nights or more, plus 10% and 15% tiers for shorter spells. You can see how the tiers work on the Stay and Save page. We also guarantee the best rate when you book direct and will price match a lower Ocean rate found elsewhere.
When you set that discounted monthly rate against a nightly hotel price with parking and eating out on top, the saving over a month is considerable. A kitchen alone changes your food costs entirely, letting you shop at the large Asda next door and cook at home as you would anywhere else.
Living well for a month on the waterfront and Royal Mile
A month is long enough to fall into a proper routine, and Western Harbour is a good place to do it. Mornings can start with coffee and a view across the Firth of Forth, with stunning views on clear days, and a walk along the waterfront before work. The everyday essentials are close: a supermarket next door, Ocean Terminal nearby for shops, a cinema and cafés, and plenty of dining options around Leith and The Shore a short walk away. From here, the Royal Yacht Britannia is nearby, and the green spaces around the waterfront help the area feel calmer than the centre of town.
When you need the city centre, the number 11 bus and the tram reach it in around 20 to 30 minutes, with a tram stop close by, so commuting to an office or heading out for the evening is straightforward. That gives you easy access to public transport as well as convenient access to nearby attractions in the West End, New Town, and Old Town. Princes Street and Princes Street Gardens are within reach, and many visitors also head on to Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Mile, the National Museum of Scotland, Camera Obscura, Dynamic Earth, and Arthur’s Seat. Many of these sights are within walking distance once you are central, and some are only a minute’s walk from each other, which makes it easier to plan a full day. The location also offers excellent access for getting across town without needing a car. And with parking included, keeping a car for weekend trips out of the city costs nothing extra. It is a genuinely comfortable way to spend a month, with the calm of the coast and the convenience of the city both within reach.
Flexibility when plans change
Month-long plans have a habit of shifting. A contract runs longer, a house purchase slips, a project wraps early. We would rather work with that than penalise it, so talk to us about extending and we will do our best to keep you in the same apartment. We also offer a choice of cancellation policies and payment options at the time of booking, explained in our cancellation policy FAQ, so you can pick terms that match how settled your plans are. Around Ocean Terminal, essentials and plenty of dining options are close by, and Leith generally offers better value than central Edinburgh.
Edinburgh’s neighbourhoods include New Town, Old Town, Leith, and Stockbridge. New Town is a great choice for accommodation in Edinburgh. Old Town is popular for its historic charm and central location. Stockbridge is a highly desirable residential area, around 2.1 km from Edinburgh Waverley station. Haymarket is centrally located with ample pubs and restaurants.
For more on how longer bookings work, including monthly stays and beyond, see our extended stays page and our guide to serviced apartments Edinburgh long term. Edinburgh has a strong serviced apartment market concentrated around the city centre and Old Town, with short term rentals including apartments, condos, and townhouses. Many properties in this market are pet-friendly, and some rentals offer free parking in central Edinburgh, while Ocean includes parking on site at the waterfront. With a nearby tram stop and strong public transport links, guests have easy access into the centre and excellent access to key sights. From there, several attractions are within walking distance, including Princes Street, Princes Street Gardens, and the Royal Mile. Public transport also gives convenient access to Edinburgh Castle, the National Museum of Scotland, Camera Obscura, Dynamic Earth, Arthur’s Seat, and the Royal Yacht Britannia. Once the new long-stay service page is live, this article should also link up to it.
Settling in for a month: making it feel like home
A month is long enough that the small things matter. The good news is that a serviced apartment gives you the framework to live properly rather than merely stay, and a few habits help it feel like home quickly.
Edinburgh offers over 10,634 short-term rental options, so flexibility on terms and support can matter as much as price.
Do a proper shop in your first day or two. With a large Asda next door and a well equipped kitchen, you can stock the cupboards and cook the meals you would at home, which does more than anything to make a place feel lived-in. In a beautiful apartment, details like a private balcony or a master bedroom can make everyday routines feel easier. If you book a layout with two bedrooms, a single bedroom can double as a workspace while the main room keeps a double bed for proper rest. Find your local routine early: the café you like, the walk you take, the spot on the waterfront where you have your morning coffee. Because housekeeping is weekly rather than daily, the apartment stays genuinely yours between visits, so you can leave your things out and settle in without feeling like a guest in a hotel.
Working during your stay is straightforward too, with super-fast WiFi and room to set up at the dining table or in the second bedroom. Short-term rentals are often an ideal choice because they provide comfort and privacy for families as plans shift. And because the bills, the WiFi and the parking are all included, there is nothing to manage month to month, while good support also helps if you need to stay in the same property or manage availability. You simply live, which is exactly what a longer stay should feel like. If your month is tied to a move rather than a project, our guide to relocation accommodation in Edinburgh has more on using the time to find your feet in the city.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a monthly apartment in Edinburgh cost? It depends on your dates and the apartment, but monthly stays get our best value thanks to 25% off stays of 30 nights or more. The best way to get an accurate figure is to send us your dates for a quote.
Are bills included in a monthly stay? Yes. Heating, electricity, water and super-fast WiFi are all included, along with weekly housekeeping and parking.
Can I extend my stay if my plans change? Yes. Talk to us about extending and we will do our best to keep you in the same apartment.
Is a monthly serviced apartment cheaper than renting a flat? Once you account for deposits, utility set-up, furniture and council tax on a private let, a serviced apartment is often comparable on cost and far simpler, with everything included and nothing to arrange.
Book a monthly bedroom apartment in Edinburgh
If you need somewhere to live in Edinburgh for a month or more, we would be glad to host you on the waterfront. Have a look at our two-bedroom apartments, an ideal choice if you need two bedrooms, and our long-stay options, then request a quote with your dates and party size for an accurate monthly rate. You can also call the team on 0131 553 7394 to talk through a longer stay.
