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Into the Vault: Walk-In Safe Converted to Hostel Room in Edinburgh | Frommer's St. Christopher's Inn

Into the Vault: Walk-In Safe Converted to Hostel Room in Edinburgh

Developers in Edinburgh discovered a surprise while working to convert a 19th-century produce market in the Scottish city's Old Town into a modern hostel for the St. Christopher's Inns chain.

During preparatory explorations of the building, architects happened upon a secret, walk-in safe that wasn't on any blueprints.

The vault was likely used to store each day's earnings from the market. No hidden hoard of cash was still in there, but the hostel made the most of the find, turning the tiny, 34-square-foot space into a unique guest room conveniently located amid the historic pubs and castles of Scotland's hilly capital.

There's just enough space for a double bed behind the vault's foot-thick walls (talk about soundproofing) and steel door, which weighs a ton and is 6 inches thick. Don't worry—the door has been welded open to avoid trapping travelers in any Lucy-and-Mr.-Mooney scenarios.

Featuring wallpaper designed to look like rows of safety deposit boxes, the room also has an en suite bathroom as well as a smaller safe stocked with treats. It can only be opened by cracking a code, escape-room style.

The Vault is the showpiece of the just-opened 139-bed, 18-room hostel. It's located across the street from another St. Christopher's Inn property, which is getting an upgrade as well. At the new site, guests can choose between private rooms like the Vault and dorms sleeping up to 12 people.

Nightly rates for beds start at just £9.90 ($13). Private double rooms go for a still-affordable £68 ($89) per night. For more information or to make a reservation, visit the St. Christopher's Inns website.

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