We stayed at the Balmoral for one night after a week of touring the Highlands by car. We arrived at the front of the hotel in our car around 9AM, and a doorman promptly greeted us by opening the door, a cheerful "Welcome to the Balmoral!" and escorting us to the front desk. He then gave us our claim tag, welcomed us again, and - even though he could see me reaching in my pocket for a tip - whisked away quickly and unobtrusively.

Check-in was efficient, friendly, and we were given an deluxe category room with some very cool touches. Our luggage was brought up shortly thereafter. Unfortunately, the room was on the 1st floor (i.e. one story above the street) and was thus rather noisy. We had been escorted to the room by the front desk clerk, and had initially been happy, but we changed our minds and called to request a new room on a higher floor. Within an hour, they called to inform us that a new room was clean (remember, it was still the morning and we had checked-in early), and the front desk manager came up to the room to escort us to the new room. This room had a fabulous view of the main road leading to the Royal Mile, was completely silent, and although a little smaller, was every bit as luxurious. We also had a customized welcome note, signed by the front desk manager, thanking us for staying. Again, our luggage was brought for us once we arrived in the room.

The concierge was excellent, both in his knowledge and demeanor, and - notably - wore a Clefs d'Or lapel pin. His colleagues were also very efficient and knowledgeable. I should emphasize that all the concierge staff and doormen were absolutely, definitively avoiding accepting any form of tips from us. I know enough about hotels to realize that they have been specially trained to politely, but non-verbally (i.e. pre-emptively) refuse a tip. The concierge also got us last minute prime-time reservations at one of Edinburgh's top restaurants; upon arrival, we knew that we absolutely would not have gotten a reservation without his help, it was that busy (and turnover was so delightfully relaxed).

We took high tea in the Palm Court, which was a nice setting with good sandwiches and tea. However, the service was a bit slow with just two waiters and a manager; they could have used an additional waiter.

Breakfast the next morning in Hadrian's Brasserie was excellent, with good service and a wide selection of hot and cold items. The only touch which would have been nice is an on-site chef for omelettes, etc., but those were available (at additional charge) from the kitchen.

The pool area was very clean and attractive, with a complimentary juice and coffee bar. The pool was not particularly large, but it was deep enough for low-diving and it was zero-entry. The sauna was fine, and the steam room was exceptional. I usually dislike steam rooms but this was somehow special; perhaps the combination of lighting effects and a pleasant scent in the air did the trick.

Check-out was promptly and efficiently handled. We were escorted to our car, and since there was another valet-parked car blocking our way, the doorman literally hustled to move it for us (again, avoiding any form of tip). On the dashboard he had left a box of mints and a card wishing us a safe trip and welcoming us back soon, perfectly aligned in front of the speedometer.

Overall, the Balmoral was a superb hotel worthy of its 5-star status. Unlike a Ritz-Carlton or Four Seasons, it was far less corporate-feeling, and it also had the cachet of being known for its name as an individual property rather than being part of a chain. Some who stay here might complain about the service being merely adequate, or the rooms simply 'okay,' but I suspect these people are seduced by the allure of chains and don't notice the many discreet touches this hotel has to offer in terms of service and facilities.