U.K. and Ireland - Edinburgh: Best area to stay

Neighborhoodwise, any recommendation where to stay in Edinburgh or where to avoid?

For how long are you intending staying and what sort of accommodation are you after. You could have asked all of these as one question BTW

3 nights. Safe area and decent accommodation (not expensive, not cheap, somewhere in the middle), but most importantly, not too far from tourist places.

Please don't take this the wrong way, but to some people £100 is expensive, whilst to others £200 may be cheap.

IMO, the centre of Edinburgh is pretty safe, aside from the usual weekend late night drunks (who in reality are mostly harmless). There's a Premier Inn near Haymarket and a number of Travelodges in the centre (Saint Mary's Street). Going up from that a little, you have places like the two Apex properties in Grassmarket or the Novotel just round the corner, then moving up another notch you have places like the Balmoral or Scotsman.

All the above are well located and the list goes on. Yes, you could save 10% or 20% and stay further out etc etc, but this really is a very open ended question!

I would avoid staying out at places like the Holiday Inn (West), the Marriott or down at Leith - they aren't bad areas, just not so convenient for the main throng.

There's really no place you could stay as a tourist which would be too unsafe. Don't walk across the Meadows by yourself late at night. Some places are a little seedy (Dalry Road area of West End) but even there are generally safe.

Swiss Tony has nailed some good selections, add to those Jury's Inn on Jeffrey St.

If you want B&Bs or cheaper hotels, then try Newington - but you'll have to get acquainted with buses - but buses there are plentiful.