The Balmoral

I've reviewed this hotel before in 2013 and 2019. It is consistent with previous visits. I had a castle view suite and a connecting room. We enjoyed the suite and the hotel for 2 nights. Breakfast and dinner in the brasserie are excellent; my wife asked for the recipe for their banana cake which was probably the best pastry we had all week on our visit to Scotland. The gym hits all the right areas, although it still closes at 10 and I would like 24/7 access in a good hotel. The pool is well heated and large, and the steam room / sauna are very good. What I didn't like is that even in a suite there is no walk-in shower and it is a challenge to climb in and out of these bath tubs. The hotel says there are some rooms with walk-in showers. The room goes dark if the key is taken out of the wall socket and I cut my chest against the furniture in the connecting room walking in at night from the suite after being out. Location is great just near the shopping areas and right at the crossing into the old town and next door to the train station. Other hotels one could look at are the Hilton or Scotsman just across the bridge, or the Intercontinental on George Street (parallel to Prince Street) where there are decent restaurants and a Pret nearby. The new Virgin hotel is in the old city and from their website it seemed it would be in a busy area with small rooms. One pain point here: When I checked in, nobody would give me an ETA for our rooms and we had to wait about 2 hours for them. I wouldn't have cared except that the hotel called me prior to arrival asking when I would arrive and if there was anything they could do for me. Felt like an empty promise and I felt they could have done more to get me into my room quicker. Usually a good hotel will give you an ETA for your room if you ask. On the plus side, they improved their accounting system and the hotel bills are now easy to navigate. This is a good hotel for the fringe festival; all the venues are within 15-20 minutes walk of the hotel; some within 10. If I were returning, I would probably take something less than a suite if it had a walk-in shower and I wouldn't be too particular about the view. The castle is far away and it is glary in the afternoon and evening.

The Balmoral is a beautiful hotel with an excellent staff. We stayed a total of 3 nights. One night before we toured the Scottish Highlands and 2 on our return 2 days later. We had a wonderful upgrade for our last 2 nights, thank you Shubham for taking such good care of us. Thanks also to Carli in The Prince for making our meals such fun. We can’t say enough good things about the staff. We would totally recommend The Balmoral.

My recent stay here in Edinburgh was nothing short of exceptional. On Princes Street, this grand hotel perfectly blends historic charm with modern luxury — and you couldn't ask for a better location, especially during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The hotel is stunning, and helpful staff. Breakfast was gorgeous, praise to all the staff.

The Balmoral was a great home base for our first visit to Edinburgh. Ideal location on Princes Street immediately next to Waverley Train Station and within easy walking distance of all the sites in both Old Town and New Town. We were offered complimentary meet and greet service at the train station and the charming doorman meet our car to assist with the luggage and escort us to the hotel. Service throughout was kind and welcoming. Our castle view rooms were quiet, comfortable, beautifully decorated in serene colors and the windows were perfectly positioned to showcase the impressive views. The marble bathroom was luxurious and included a seated vanity. Note that the shower is inside a very deep soaking tub which for me meant careful maneuvering to get in and out. Accessible rooms are available if that is a concern. The Balmoral is an absolute legend and lives up to its reputation. We would not hesitate to recommend or return.

I was lucky enough to stay at The Balmoral in the JK Rowling Suite for a birthday trip and what can I say - it was simply exceptional. The hotel itself is grand elegance and perfectly located for all the main Edinburgh attractions (for which there are many in this beautiful city). The Spa has recently been remodelled (it’s gorgeous) and I would recommend a massage by one of their expert team. The pool is lovely too and never seems too busy (in the morning), great for a relaxing swim. The suite itself was one of a kind, complete with Hermes bust signed by JK Rowling when she had finished The Deathly Hallows in the suite. Everything was extremely well thought out, from the bedding, fragrances, speaker and book cabinet to all the little finishing touches (which were so thoughtful and appreciated). The views across Calton Hill were stunning, especially when the sun was setting. What really made the stay perfect though, aside from the gorgeous room, Brasserie (which is excellent), Scotch whisky tasting (a must for lovers of a dram!) was the whole team at the Balmoral. Everyone is so friendly, helpful and goes above and beyond - you feel so special and it’s really lovely seeing the same faces each time you visit. I would recommend The Balmoral for a truly memorable stay and am looking forward to hopefully returning soon.