Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
For over a century, The Balmoral has found a home at Edinburgh’s most prestigious address, No. 1 Princes Street. A landmark Rocco Forte hotel set in the heart of Scotland’s capital city, The Balmoral combines stunning views and warm hospitality with world-class facilities to create the perfect urban retreat. The perfect marriage of tradition and modernity, each of the 167 rooms has been individually designed by Rocco Forte Hotels’ Director of Design Olga Polizzi. Elegant and stylish with unmistakably Scottish accents, each of our 20 Edinburgh suites are generous with magnificent views. Enjoy 4AA Rosette dining at the famous Number One restaurant, sample modern Scottish Afternoon Tea under the glass dome of Palm Court or relax in the serene sanctuary of The Balmoral Spa. Brasserie Prince, launched in 2018, celebrates a 'new alliance': matching the very best of Scottish produce with classic French cooking, while The Balmoral’s signature whisky bar, SCOTCH, pays homage to Scotland’s national drink and is home to one of Edinburgh’s largest collections. Take a seat on one of the tweed sofas and let a kilted Whisky Ambassadors help you choose from over 500 varieties. The Balmoral is the perfect home-from-home to discover Edinburgh and Scotland’s finest attractions. Whatever the season, the hotel’s dedicated Concierge team can open doors to some of the most unique experiences in Scotland. From tickets to the world-famous Edinburgh Festival events, access to the city’s royal establishments - Holyrood Palace and the Royal Yacht Britannia – to the hotel’s Tartan Butler Clan Tour, you’ll find the best of Scotland at your finger tips.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to TheAA: The Automobile Association.
HOTEL STYLE
Business
Classic
Languages Spoken
English, Italian, Polish
Location
1 Princes Street, Edinburgh EH2 2EQ Scotland
The Balmoral Hotel
5,570 reviews
Getting there
Great for walkers
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travelers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
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The Balmoral Hotel emerges as a symbol of historic luxury, with its central location earning consistent praise for easy access to Edinburgh's key attractions. Guests are enchanted by the hotel's traditional atmosphere and luxurious amenities, including spacious rooms and live harp music that elevate the stay.
While opinions on value vary, with some finding it pricey, others feel the quality and service justify the cost. The staff's warmth and professionalism are often highlighted, contributing to the hotel's reputation for impeccable service and cleanliness, though a few guests have noted some rooms could feel cramped.
Location
Central
Atmosphere
Inviting
Rooms
Spacious
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Immaculate
Service
Attentive
Amenities
Lavish
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My partner and I have just returned from a beautiful two day stay at this fabulous hotel for my 50th birthday. We were politely greeted and helped with our bags to reception. We arrived a little early but the young man on reception was outstanding and took care of all our luggage whilst we ventured out for a walk. We received a call soon after informing us our room was now ready and our luggage was in the room waiting. The room itself was beautifully designed and perfect for our stay we loved the shower in the bathroom it's a shame we couldn't take it with us. We went out that evening and when we returned to our room staff had been in neatly tidied everything up in the bathroom and dressing table as well as putting little goodnight mats next to the bed with his and hers slippers etc which was a nice little touch. All the staff here were excellent throughout our stay and very attentive to customers needs. We visited the Prince bar for drinks which had a lovely relaxing atmosphere and also the Whisky bar for a few special drams on our final night of which the young man at the bar certainly knew about his Whisky. I've given this review 5 stars as it truly deserves it but I have two small criticisms one if which is the wording on our original booking which is not the hotels fault it's down to the marketing department for the group as we took advantage of the special offer 20% off on a winter stay of 2 days and the offer reads as well as breakfast daily and complimentary Wi-Fi please see picture attached. The breakfast is not in with the deal and is chargeable at £29 a head totalling an extra £116 which we paid. The breakfast has a lovely selection but on day one was overcooked we couldn't cut the bacon and the mushrooms were crispy etc but day two it was cooked perfectly but even then it's overpriced for what you get but it certainly didn't spoil our visit and we will definitely return.
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Date of stay: February 2020Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from BalmoralEdinburgh, General Manager at The Balmoral Hotel
Responded Feb 19, 2020
Dear S594GBkevinh It was a delight to read your review and I am thrilled that you chose to spend your 50th birthday with us. I am thrilled that you enjoyed our well appointed and luxurious finishes that make a stay at The Balmoral truly indulgent. I regret that you experienced issues with billing of your breakfast. In order for me to investigate further I would like to kindly invite you to email my assistant Yvonne directly (ymcewen@roccofortehotels.com) with a copy of your booking confirmation. It shall be Yvonne's pleasure to look into this matter further for you. Kindest regards Richard C General Manager
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Visited at the beginning of September for a 3 night beak as a treat for my friend & I seeing as we wouldn't risk going abroad at this time.
The hotel is ideally located on Princes Street, right next door to the main Waverley Railway station, which was extremely handy given we'd arrived in the city by train. Our room was ready upon arrival, so we were able to drop off our bags in our room before heading off to explore the city.
Our room had a great view of Edinburgh Castle but also, alas, of the top of the railway station, which wasn't so pretty! Not the hotel's fault though, of course! However, be aware that if you end up in a room on this side of the hotel, there is a lot of noise into the early hours of the morning from the pop up festival village below, at the other side of the railway station.
Given that we paid around £222 each per night for B&B here, we did expect a larger room than we got, though the bathroom was lovely & spacious with lots of white marble & another great view of the castle! Upon arrival, a basket of fresh strawberries was delivered to our room, which was an unexpected lovely surprise. We also had new bottles of water & chocolates delivered each evening with the turn down service, along with new towels which were lovely touches.
On the Sunday, we spent the morning down at the swimming pool/spa where the staff were very helpful & pleasant. It's definitely worth spending some time here as it was very relaxing & quiet, with a decent sized pool, sauna & steam room. On Sunday afternoon, we indulged in the hotel's famous afternoon tea, which was a lovely treat. The experience was marred, however, by guests of an Asian wedding traipsing through the restaurant back & forth several times throughout our short time in there. Furthermore, hardly any of them were wearing face masks, in spite of this being a requirement of Scottish law at the time. The hotel seriously needs to consider & provide alternative access to the function rooms behind to save folk traipsing through, having a good old gawp at everyone in the process.
Finally, the chefs at the hotel need to learn how to cook eggs! We both had omelettes at our first breakfast; mine was uncooked & runny & my friend's was overcooked, salty & dry. Both went back uneaten. On day 2, I chanced scrambled eggs, but they too were sloppy. On our final morning, I ordered fried eggs which I think had just been shown to the frying pan as they too were under-cooked! Disappointing for a 5 star hotel.
All in all, we had a lovely break here & the staff were delightfully pleasant, helpful & courteous. There were just a few aforementioned niggles which prevented us from giving a 5 star rating.
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Date of stay: September 2021
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:Not overlooking the castle if you like peace & quiet!
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from The Balmoral, General Manager at The Balmoral Hotel
Responded Sep 16, 2021
Dear Caroline P, Thank you for taking the time to share your recent experience with us. I am delighted to know that you enjoyed your stay and found the staff to be helpful and courteous. I was sorry that your egg orders were not up to your expectations and I shall of course relay your comments to our team in the Brasserie. I very much hope that we shall have the great pleasure of welcoming you back to The Balmoral in the not too distant future. Kindest regards Richard C General Manager
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It is so wonderful to see the Balmoral refurbished in all of its glory as the Grande Dame of Princes Street.
Public areas and rooms are tastefully decorated, warm, homely, yet providing for your very need.
The welcome to The Balmoral is exceptional, with staff being very genuine and eager to please - they do make you feel at home amongst the glamour without being too stuffy.
Our room (416) overlooking Edinburgh Castle was well laid out and newly appointed, framing stunning views of the city. The room was so relaxing it was difficult to go out as you can watch the city unfold before you.
The highlight of the hotel however was their breakfast. The new bistro style restaurant was worth the pain of refurbishment. it now offers a relaxed casual environment serving fantastic Scottish produce with International charm. Out waiter on both mornings Cristos was exceptional! I have rarely seen a member of staff work so hard and so well, managing his area to perfection, enhancing the food.
Overall a memorable and relaxing visit.
Thank you Balmoral, a credit to the Rocco Forte brand.
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Date of stay: January 2020Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from BalmoralEdinburgh, General Manager at The Balmoral Hotel
Responded Jan 30, 2020
Dear JKlondon09, I was absolutely thrilled to read your review this morning. Thank you for taking the time to write and share your experience with us. I am so pleased to learn that you enjoyed all aspects of your stay, in particular our breakfast. I agree, it is truly worth waking up early for. Rest assured, I will take great pleasure in sharing your comments with the team and in particular with Cristos, who you have kindly highlighted for his exceptional service. I do hope we have the pleasure in welcoming you back as our guests. Kindest regards, Richard Cooke General Manager
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We booked to stay from Christmas eve through to 29th December. The hotel was amazing from the moment that we stepped out of our taxi and they made us feel so welcome and really took care of us. Nothing was too much trouble, the staff were polite and friendly throughout our stay - even the chap that had to deliver our breakfast to the room on Christmas morning!! We booked our Christmas dinner within Brasserie Prince for 7pm and it was all delicious but we just couldn't eat it all - we waddled away from the table as we were so full! The service during our meal was impeccable. The location of the hotel was also excellent for everywhere that we had planned to go on our trip - everything was roughly a 10 minute walk in any direction. I would definitely stay here again on a trip in the future.
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Date of stay: December 2019
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Myself and my boyfriend have just returned from a two night stay here. The hotel is beautiful and our room was a classic double which was stunning, loved the wallpaper, high ceilings and marble bathroom. We ordered room service on our second evening as we didn’t feel comfortable eating out in Edinburgh because of the Covid restrictions, we have the balmoral burger with fries which was lovely one of the best burgers we had there! The one thing that let the hotel down are the windows are incredibly thin and you can hear everything outside, which kept myself and my partner up for two nights, we came back exhausted as we had no sleep. We could hear ambulances/police cars all night long and kept us up for two nights, also heard people shouting etc as our room overlooked princes street, lovely view but kept us up! Also maybe some of the mini bar could be included in the price of the room as the prices were incredibly steep, it was £2 for a chocolate bar! Overall hotel was beautiful inside and out and staff were friendly from the moment you walked through the door but noise at night from outside was horrendous.
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Date of stay: September 2020Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from The Balmoral, General Manager at The Balmoral Hotel
Responded Sep 7, 2020
Dear zoelauren90, Thank you for your review following your recent stay at The Balmoral. It is a pleasure that you were so pleased with the decor and style of our bedrooms and the quality of our in-room dining service. I am glad that you felt reassured by our safety measures, which we consider a very important part of our service at this time. It is disappointing, however, to learn that your sleep was disturbed by street noise and I would like to convey our most sincere apologies for the inconvenience you experienced. I would very much welcome the opportunity to discuss this further and would be grateful if you could contact me by telephone on 0131 556 2414. Kind regards, Richard C General Manager
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It was a surpise booked for me and it really was teh most relaxing stay. We were allowed to check in early and upgraded to one of the prettiest hotel rooms I have stayed in. Everything was immaculate. The bed large and very comfortable and the room had everything you expected from a 5 star hotel. The best quaility teas and coffee with fresh milk in the fridge along with all the favorites in the bar area. The bathroom was all marble but with enough towles and mats so you didi nt slip The bathroooms huge but soft and smelt lovely. The slippers really soft and silky. The room we had I think had just been redecorated - it had enough wardrobe space with a great dressing table sofa and little designer table. The brassiere prince is great food
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Date of stay: February 2020
Value
Rooms
Service
Room Tip:Ask for a room looking out onto the iconic edinburgh skyline at back of hotel
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from BalmoralEdinburgh, General Manager at The Balmoral Hotel
Responded Feb 5, 2020
Dear Vetti J, What a pleasure to read such a lovely review. I am so glad you enjoyed every aspect of your stay with us. I will take great pleasure in sharing with my team, it goes to show no detail too small goes unnoticed. I do hope we have the opportunity to welcome you again. Kindest regards, Richard C General Manager
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All the staff were very attentive and friendly. The concierge knew our names. The room was excellent. A large marbled bathroom. The toilet flush was slightly faulty but a Plumber was sent immediately and fixed the problem. Silky fine bed linen, large and small slippers and a turn-down service that also left a card with the next day's weather forecast were nice touches. The breakfast was excellent with freshly squeezed orange juice and correctly cooked scrambled eggs (always a good test!)
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Date of stay: November 2021
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from The Balmoral, General Manager at The Balmoral Hotel
Responded Nov 26, 2021
Dear 404alastairw, Thank you for taking the time to feedback to us following your stay. You have clearly highlighted various elements of your stay and I am delighted that you found everything to be excellent. From a comfortable bed, friendly staff to perfectly cooked eggs, I will take great pleasure in sharing this with our team, whom I know will be encouraged by your recognition. We hope to have the pleasure to welcome you again in the near future. Kind regards, Richard C General Manager
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We stayed in a suite for two nights, the room was immaculate, spacious and very bright, it also had fabulous views over Edinburgh Castle. The door staff were very friendly, they took care of our luggage, and park our car. Check in was very simple, the reception staff were all very professional and friendly, we were taken up to our room and then showed around. The only negative about the room was the little shower gels had been used and they were half empty, we mentioned this at reception and asked when the turn down service was complete could they add some shower gels. The turndown was done but still no shower gels, lucky for us we had our own backup. A stunning traditional hotel in a great location.
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Date of stay: February 2020Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Austin Shields, Other at The Balmoral Hotel
Responded Aug 5, 2020
Dear 5starsecretpunters, I am so delighted you found your suite to be immaculately clean and spacious. I agree that the views overlooking Edinburgh Castle are some the best the city has to offer. It truly showcases Edinburgh, even in bleaker weather! I appreciate your kind comments on our team, I will take great pleasure in sharing these. I do hope we have the pleasure in welcoming you back as our guests. Kindest regards, Richard C General Manager
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Stayed here for 3 nights with my husband on the 24th, 25th & 26th December, the reason for our stay was that it was my 60th birthday on Christmas Day. We had a old town view room which was great & very quiet never heard a sound in the 3 nights stay. On arrival we were greeted @ the door with fabulous staff, checked in quickly & cases taken to our room. Was touched by the balloons, box of fudge & macaroons as well as a card welcoming us & wishing me a happy birthday, what a great gesture. Room was bigger than expected, beautifully made bed, big walk in wardrobe with mirror, slippers, hairdryer shoe horns etc. In the bedroom was a safe, tea & coffee making facilities, fridge full of drinks & snacks which you have to pay for obviously & plenty bottles of still & sparking water which were free & replenished every day or night. Bathroom was great with bath, shower & rain shower, bathrobes, plenty clean fluffy towels & bath & shower gel if needed. On returning to the room each night our bed was turned down & slippers on a mat by the bed & 2 facial skin masks to help you relax, can’t remember the maids name but she done a brilliant job. Christmas morning I was super excited, opened the door & there was a Hamleys stocking filled with goodies including jelly beans, fruit & nuts, mince pies, candy canes, fudge, apple, orange & so much more, felt like a kid again. Had our breakfast which was excellent, went for a swim, sauna & steam room which was all free to use & lay on the sun loungers for a while, totally relaxed. Christmas dinner was booked for 5.30, again it was excellent, attention to detail & the staff are great especially the Greek guy who I think his name was something like Artos?? Drinks in the bar after dinner, again staff all good. (There is a girl in the bar, she’s Scottish & was really good @ recommending wines & helped me choose cocktails, heard her with other customers recommending other drinks as well). We came here without high expectations but were totally stunned with everything, I could go on & on, this experience will stay with us a long time. Balmoral you should be proud of everyone that works here. Thank you for a fantastic stay.
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Date of stay: December 2021Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from The Balmoral, General Manager at The Balmoral Hotel
Responded Jan 4, 2022
Dear 36carolg We were delighted that you chose to spend Christmas with us and thrilled that you had such a lovely stay. I particularly enjoyed your comment that 'you felt like a kid again' opening your stocking on Christmas morning and that magic is what we aim to create for our guests, particularly at Christmas. I am delighted that left charmed by your stay with us and very much hope we will have the pleasure of welcoming you back again in the future. You are most welcome. Kindest regards Richard C General Manager
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Superb hotel for comfort cleanliness and friendliness. Zoë who booked our stay was so helpful with nothing being any trouble for her and while we were having a drink in the reception area chatted to us. Checking in was seamless and we were made to feel very welcome by Scott who helped us to our room, checkout was equally smooth done by Andrea who is another great asset to this smashing hotel. Our large ground floor room was well furnished and decorated, window had a blind and a blackout curtain and despite it being on the front of the hotel we heard no traffic noise when the window was closed. Room was spotless and the radiator worked plus the heated towel rail worked. Very comfortable beds with top quality bed linen. Dinner was very tasty and serving staff extremely efficient and friendly. Breakfast also was an enjoyable experience with efficiency and friendliness being a priority with the servers, the food again was fresh and delicious. Each and every member of staff we met had a smile on their face, despite wearing the obligatory face masks it was easy to see their smiles in their eyes. It's clear to see they are a happy team and enjoy working in the hotel. We highly recommend a stay here. Happy to say we've got another two overnighters booked.
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Date of stay: August 2021Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Greater London, United Kingdom7 contributions1 helpful vote
Yes, you can use the tram. I forgot how much I paid, but it wasn’t more than £3/4 (although I travelled from “inner” to “outer” Edinburgh.) Just search ‘Edinburgh Trams’ or you can take the bus. I highly recommend the trams as they’re spacious.
Fort Lee, New Jersey873 contributions145 helpful votes
You can order a La cart off the menu and the options are great, ranging 15-25 pounds, or you can opt for a buffet which is about $20-25 I think. Buffet has yogurt, cereal, smoked salmon, etc
Would recommend porridge as an a la cart item, so good.
Also like kippers dish and the full Scottish breakfast.
There are more places to choose from in the Edinburgh area.
PRICE RANGE
$307 - $593 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
balmoral hotel edinburgh, balmoral edinburgh hotel
LOCATION
United KingdomScotlandEdinburghPrinces Street and Gardens / Old Town
NUMBER OF ROOMS
187
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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