The Balmoral Hotel

Hotels
•
Rocco Forte Hotels
9.3 (1776 reviews)
1 Princes Street , Edinburgh , gb

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Children allowed
Pets allowed

Facilities

Health or beauty spa nearby
Fitness facilities (surcharge)
Parking
Non-smoking rooms
Air conditioning
Swimming pool
Restaurant
Room service
Family rooms
Pets allowed
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Friendly staff
Beautiful location
Luxurious amenities
Great dining options
Cons:
Lift was out of order
Check-in felt transactional

Categories

Cleanliness
9.19
Well maintained but felt dated, some complaints about check-in lacking warmth.
Service
9.66
Staff were very friendly and attentive throughout the stay.
Location
9.7
Perfect location with excellent surroundings.
Room Quality
9.15
Gorgeous room with a view and a lovely bathroom.
Amenities
9.18
Luxurious with a magical atmosphere and lovely decorations.
Value for Money
8.64
Pricey during Christmas but generally felt worth it.
Food and Beverage
9.19
Breakfast and dining options received high praise.
Overall Experience
9.66
A truly magical stay, felt like a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-01-08 22:32

Property Description

Luxurious Accommodation:
The Balmoral, first opened in 1902, offers elegantly designed rooms with marble bathrooms and interactive TVs. Many rooms boast stunning views of Edinburgh Castle and the Old Town, providing a truly unforgettable stay.

Culinary Delights:
Indulge in a gastronomic experience at The Balmoral's dining establishments. From the fine dining menu at Number One Restaurant to the informal Brasserie Prince and the innovative cocktails at Bar Prince, there's something to satisfy every palate. Don't forget to enjoy a traditional afternoon tea at Palm Court.

Relaxation and Wellness:
Unwind and rejuvenate at The Balmoral Spa, featuring a pool, sauna, Turkish steam room, and 5 treatment rooms. With an exercise studio available, guests can stay active and pampered during their stay.

Experience luxury and sophistication at The Balmoral in the heart of Edinburgh. Book now for an unforgettable stay!

Important information:

Reservations of 7 nights or more will require full prepayment.

Please inform of your expected arrival time in advance. You can use the Special Requests box when booking, or contact the property directly using the contact details in your confirmation.
Guests are required to show a photo ID and credit card upon check-in. Please note that all Special Requests are subject to availability and additional charges may apply.
Guests under the age of 18 can only check in with a parent or official guardian.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 12:00 PM
Airport code: EDI

Property Policies

  • Pets

    Pets are allowed on request. Charges may be applicable.

  • Internet

    WiFi is available in the hotel rooms and is free of charge.

  • Groups

    When booking more than 9 rooms, different policies and additional supplements may apply.

  • Children and extra bed policy

    Children of any age are allowed.
    Children up to and including 3 years old stay for free when using an available cot.
    Children up to and including 3 years old stay for free when using an existing bed.
    Children from 4 years old to 12 years old stay for £50 per person per night when using an existing bed.
    Children from 4 years old to 12 years old stay for £50 per person per night when using an available extra bed.
    Any type of extra bed or child's cot/crib is upon request and needs to be confirmed by management.
    Supplements are not calculated automatically in the total costs and will have to be paid for separately during your stay.

  • Parking

    Public parking is possible at a location nearby (reservation is not needed) and costs GBP 40 per day.

Location

Guest Reviews

9.3
Based on 1776 reviews
Cleanliness: 9.19
Service: 9.66
Location: 9.7
Room Quality: 9.15
Amenities: 9.18
Value for Money: 8.64
Food and Beverage: 9.19
Overall Experience: 9.66
D
Diddell • couple • us
9
Great
2026-05-09 • via Nuitee
E
Evgeniy • family_with_children • ru
8
2026-05-08 • via Nuitee
E
Emma • couple • gb
6
A means to an end.
Pros:

Beautiful building, very comfortable bed close to station.

Cons:

Over priced and Some of the staff were rude and I didn’t like the fact service charge was added to the bill at the end.

2026-05-07 • via Nuitee
G
Gustavo • couple • cl
8
Pudo ser mejor para ser 5 estrellas
Pros:

La habitación

Cons:

Nadie hablaba español y cuando hice las preguntas para coordinar la pedida de matrimonio a mi novia no me pudieron/quisieron ayudar los chicos de recepción.

2026-05-07 • via Nuitee
S
Sil • family_with_children • nl
10
Great family hotel
Pros:

Amazing place with great facilities

Cons:

Maybe the rooms can have a light upgrade

But it was waxing

2026-05-05 • via Nuitee
C
CARLOS • couple • es
10
2026-05-04 • via Nuitee
A
Andreas von Salis • solo_traveller • br
10
2026-04-30 • via Nuitee
J
Jonathan • family_with_children • nl
10
2026-04-28 • via Nuitee
D
Daniel • solo_traveller • gb
9
Pros:

Staff very friendly and give a personal touch to your stay.

Cons:

Bar Prince Breakfast had few clichés with orders re time management but food was plentiful and lots of choice.

2026-04-26 • via Nuitee
C
CARLOS • couple • es
10
2026-04-26 • via Nuitee
B
brendahK5283KI • NONE
10
PRINCE at Balmoral
Pros:

LOVE this hotel … the staff are friendly, professional, and smile with style … we’ll definitely come back … perfect location

2026-04-23 • via Tripadvisor
B
Bobbycomp • Business
10
A gem
Pros:

This hotel was the first part of a work function in Scotland. I was able to take my wife. It is a tremendous hotel. It has to be in the top 1% of global locations, if there are such stats. Perfectly situated. The food was fantastic for our events, the rooms a nice size, clean, and a great buzz in the hotel. A perfect city hotel. The staff is engaged and truly top of craft. A pre dinner drink in the scotch bar is highly reccomended. The bell hops gave us great tips on neighborhoods to explore.

2026-04-23 • via Tripadvisor
R
rbmz • Couples • South Ayrshire, Ayrshire, Scotland
10
Edinburgh at its best
Pros:

Enjoyed an excellent overnight stay at a choice Edinburgh location
Very efficient check-in. The room was super comfortable and quiet (inward facing) with all amenities as one would expect form a RF hotel -quality furniture, fittings, bed linen and towels.
The combination buffet and cooked breakfast was superb and a great start to the day.
Also enjoyed afternoon tea with excellent savouries, sandwiches, scones and pastries. The team running the venue were attentive and contributed to a very happy experience. Highly recommended!

2026-04-22 • via Tripadvisor
S
sjm2132015 • Family • Scotland
4
Disappointing Billing Handling Marred an Otherwise Lovely Stay
Pros:

Beautiful hotel and an enjoyable stay overall, but the experience was soured by a genuine internal billing mistake that was handled poorly. Five people were copied into the email chain before the account had been properly reconciled, which was embarrassing and unnecessary from a guest’s perspective. The issue was eventually explained, but only after confusing communication that left me to untangle a problem that should have been resolved internally before any payment chase was sent. As regular guests who spend significant amounts when we stay, this has genuinely made us think twice about returning. In the luxury hotel market there are simply too many strong alternatives for service at this level to fall short in this way.

2026-04-22 • via Tripadvisor
B
boozysusie31 • NONE
10
Wonderful evening
Pros:

We returned to The Balmoral for our anniversary. It was a lovely dinner . The service was exceptional. Our waiter, James, was superb. The food flavours were delightful.

2026-04-20 • via Tripadvisor
N
Nicholas • extended_group • gb
8
Costly, but great location and wonderful rooms.
Pros:

A luxurious hotel with an excellent location - this is reflected in the price which is at the top end of the spectrum. The room was very large and felt even bigger than it was! The staff were very friendly and helpful.

Cons:

I liked everything.

2026-04-20 • via Nuitee
C
craigandgail • Family • Edinburgh, Scotland
10
Afternoon tea for 80th birthday!
Pros:

We had a wonderful afternoon tea at Palm court at the Balmoral yesterday (have been lucky to have been before!) … the service by all of the staff was wonderful and the surroundings luxe and a harp player too ! Would highly recommend!

2026-04-19 • via Tripadvisor
S
Schiffman • family_with_children • us
9
2026-04-19 • via Nuitee
D
DANILO • solo_traveller • br
10
2026-04-18 • via Nuitee
R
Robin • couple • us
10
2026-04-16 • via Nuitee