When you stay at Ocean Serviced Apartments in Western Harbour, you are staying in one of the most convenient corners of Leith. Ocean Terminal, the waterfront’s shopping and leisure centre, is a short walk away, and around it sits everything you need for an easy stay: shops, places to eat, a cinema, a supermarket and one of Scotland’s best-loved attractions moored at the quay. This guide walks you through what is on your doorstep and how to make the most of it.
What is Ocean Terminal?
Ocean Terminal is a large shopping mall in Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland, overlooking the Firth of Forth and originally designed by Sir Terence Conran. It opened in 2001 on land formerly occupied by a shipyard. That history ties it closely to the regeneration of Leith’s waterfront and helps make it a significant tourist destination. Across three levels of shopping, the centre has over 76 shops and attractions, plus places to eat, a cinema and, berthed alongside, the Royal Yacht Britannia.
The centre has been going through a significant redevelopment in recent years, with new homes, leisure space and a reworked waterfront taking shape around it, so it is worth checking current opening hours and the latest list of shops and restaurants before a visit. What has not changed is its role as the natural hub of this part of Leith, and its position as the gateway to Britannia and the waterfront.
Shopping
Ocean Terminal covers the everyday basics and a good spread of high-street names, which makes it genuinely useful when you are staying nearby rather than just visiting. Whether you have forgotten to pack something, need a gift, or fancy a browse on a rainy afternoon, you can do it here without heading into the city centre. Popular options include Waterstone’s and Build-A-Bear Workshop. There is also a market showcasing local independent makers and foodies, with chances to create or personalise gifts in a more hands-on way.
For groceries, there is a large Asda right next to Ocean Serviced Apartments, which is hard to beat for a stay of more than a night or two. Being able to do a proper shop and cook in your apartment is one of the quiet advantages of serviced accommodation, and it is a short walk from your door. We cover the practical side of this in our groceries FAQ.
Cinema and leisure
Ocean Terminal has long been home to a Vue Cinema and a gym, which makes for an easy evening out when you do not feel like travelling into town, especially if the Scottish weather has other ideas. The cinema has 12 screens. A film a short walk from your apartment, with dinner beforehand, is about as low-effort as an evening out gets.
The wider redevelopment of the waterfront is adding to the recreational and commercial facilities over time, so it is worth seeing what is on when you arrive. For families in particular, the overall offering, including the cinema and plenty of casual dining within walking distance, takes the pressure off planning every evening in advance.
Dining
The eating options around Ocean Terminal and the wider Western Harbour and Leith area are one of the real pleasures of staying here. Within the centre and along the waterfront you will find casual restaurants and cafés covering most tastes and budgets, from a quick coffee and a bite to a proper sit-down dinner with a view over the water.
Step slightly further and Leith rewards you handsomely. The Shore, the old harbour area a short distance away, is one of the best places to eat in Edinburgh, with everything from relaxed bistros to some of the city’s most celebrated kitchens. We have pulled the best of it together in our guide to the best restaurants and cafés near Ocean, which is the place to start when you are planning where to eat.
The Royal Yacht Britannia
The star attraction at Ocean Terminal is the Royal Yacht Britannia, the Royal Family’s former floating home, now permanently berthed here and open to visitors. She is consistently rated among the top attractions in the UK, and the visitor entrance is right inside the centre, so you can combine a morning on board with lunch and a wander round the shops.
Britannia deserves a proper look, so we have written a full visitor guide to the Royal Yacht Britannia covering what to see, how long to allow and the lovely Royal Deck Tea Room with its views over the Forth. If you do one thing at Ocean Terminal, make it this.
The Western Harbour waterfront
Beyond the centre itself, Western Harbour is a calm, modern stretch of waterfront that many visitors to Edinburgh never discover. The views across the Firth of Forth towards Fife are genuinely beautiful, and it is a pleasant place for a walk, a run or simply a breath of sea air after a busy day sightseeing in the city.
This is the setting for Ocean Serviced Apartments, and it is a big part of why guests enjoy staying here. You get the quiet of the waterfront and the space of a proper apartment, with the shops, cinema, restaurants and Britannia all a short walk away. Our location page gives you a fuller picture of the area and how it fits together.
Getting to and from the city centre
One of the questions we hear most is whether Western Harbour feels too far from the action. In practice it does not. The number 11 bus runs from near the apartments, and Ocean Terminal is served by local Edinburgh Trams and bus routes, with the tram a short walk away and the centre easy to navigate once you arrive on each floor. Both reach central Edinburgh in around 20 to 30 minutes. You get the best of both worlds: a peaceful base by the water and quick access to the Castle, the Royal Mile and the rest of the city. Our transport page sets out the routes, and if you are planning a first trip, our top 10 things to do in Edinburgh will help you fill your days.
With complimentary underground parking on site, you can also keep a car for day trips further afield without paying city-centre parking rates to store it. Ocean Terminal itself also has over 700 undercover car parking spaces.
A sample day around Ocean Terminal
If you want a relaxed day without leaving the waterfront, here is one that works well:
• Morning: tour the Royal Yacht Britannia, finishing with tea on the Royal Deck
• Lunch: a bite at Ocean Terminal or along The Shore
• Afternoon: a browse round the shops, then a walk along the Western Harbour waterfront for the views across the Forth
• Evening: a film at the cinema, or dinner at one of Leith’s excellent restaurants, all a short walk from your apartment
It is the kind of easy, unhurried day that a waterfront base makes possible, and a welcome change of pace from a busy city-centre itinerary.
Why the waterfront suits a longer stay
For a weekend, Ocean Terminal is a handy bonus. For a longer stay, it becomes genuinely valuable. It has changed a lot over the past 20 years. It is now a mixed-use destination rather than only a shopping centre. When you are in Edinburgh for a week, a month or more, everyday convenience matters far more than it does on a short break. Having a supermarket, a cinema, cafés, restaurants and a pharmacy within a short walk means you can live comfortably rather than treating every errand as an expedition into town.
That is one of the reasons Western Harbour works so well for families, relocating professionals and anyone staying a while. You can cook proper meals with a full weekly shop from the Asda next door, take the children to a film without a long journey, and still be in the city centre in around 20 to 30 minutes whenever you want the buzz of the Old Town or the New Town. The waterfront gives you room to breathe at the end of a busy day, which is exactly what a longer stay needs.
Frequently asked questions
How far is Ocean Terminal from Ocean Serviced Apartments? It is a short walk. Ocean Terminal, the shops, the cinema and the Royal Yacht Britannia are all easily reached on foot from our apartments in Western Harbour.
Is there a supermarket nearby? Yes. There is a large Asda right next to the apartments, ideal for a proper shop when you are self-catering.
Can I get to Edinburgh city centre easily from here? Yes. The number 11 bus and the tram both reach the centre in around 20 to 30 minutes, and there is free parking on site if you prefer to drive.
What is there to do at Ocean Terminal on a rainy day? Plenty. Shopping, a cinema, cafés and restaurants and the Royal Yacht Britannia are all under cover or a very short walk apart, which makes it a reliable option whatever the weather.
Stay in the heart of the waterfront
Ocean Terminal and Western Harbour give you a rare combination in Edinburgh: everyday convenience, a genuine attraction, good food and sea views, all in one quiet corner of Leith, with the historic docks still showing Leith’s working past. Staying at Ocean puts it all within a short walk, and the area’s character is shaped by heritage sites such as the Leith Theatre building. Ocean Terminal is now undergoing a £250 million redevelopment. The plans aim to improve pedestrian access and public spaces while supporting over 600 jobs and further job creation. Take a look at our two-bedroom apartments, then request a quote with your dates and settle in by the water.
