First look at luxury new student flats with cinema, gym and private roof terrace in shadow of Edinburgh Castle

The new flats have an unrivalled view of Edinburgh Castle. Picture: Jon Savage

This may sound like a four-star hotel, but in fact it is new luxury student flats just opened on King’s Stables Road.

Each private room in the 166-bed accommodation block comes with its own en suite toilet and shower, kitchen facilities with oven, fridge and hob, double bed and TV.

More than half of the rooms have a view of the castle above, and those on the east side of the block have “projecting pod windows” which stick out to offer an even better view.

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Gone are the days of student accommodation with metered heating, mice droppings and ever-present mould creeping up the walls and ceiling – at least, for those who can afford to stump up between £800 and £1,250 a month.

The block was finished at the end of July this year, and the first students have already began to move in.

However, the building is eerily quiet, as the students are either launching into their recommended reading early or out making use of the range of freshers’ activities put on by universities this week.

One of the single rooms available to rent. Picture: Jon Savage.

Demand has been so high for the ultra-modern rooms that every one has now been let, with the last students due to move in at the end of September. They will be personally welcomed by reception staff at the building, run by Hello Student, which manages student accommodation across the UK, including another site in Edinburgh on Buccleuch Street.

The building was one of five in a £40 million development by British construction firm Bowmer & Kirkland, which also included a hotel and a block of 32 apartments which will be sold for around £200,000 – £550,000 apiece.

The hotel portion of the site at 18-20 King’s Stables Road also includes the mews buildings behind.

The communal lounge. Picture: Jon Savage.

The hotel, a Staycity, will be ready to open at the beginning of November.

During the two-year build evidence of a 19th-century well and slaughterhouse was discovered.

“It has been with great pride that we have so far successfully delivered two thirds of the £40 million development at Kings Stables Road," said Senior Project Manager Philip Bates.

"As with most city centre construction projects we have been challenged throughout but have been successful in our achievement, delivering two high quality buildings (Bairds Close 1 and Bairds Close 2) on time and to the satisfaction of our clients and stakeholders. The final phase of the project (the hotel) is on schedule to be complete for the client in early November, which will see the full completion of the Kings Stables Road project. This development provides a high standard of accommodation in a fantastic location for both residents and visitors to the city centre and without doubt has vastly improved this City Centre space. We would personally like to take this opportunity to thank all local residents and local businesses that have supported us throughout the delivery. The Kings Stables Road project has been a great experience and a development that we are all extremely proud of."

The area was previously home to offices buildings and a nightclub, Silk.