The Balmoral

Located in central Edinburgh so easy to walk to. Busy, but not too busy. The interior was stylish. The service staff were attentive and professional and we felt we looked after. Would highly recommend for a classy evening meal.

We had an absolutely wonderful stay and enjoyed every moment of our experience. A special thank you to Zaynep at Palm Court, who was absolutely lovely, professional, and made us feel so welcome. Paolina at breakfast was equally wonderful — always so friendly, attentive, and welcoming. Her lovely service was the perfect way to start each morning. And a very special mention to Michael at the Scotch Bar. His professionalism, passion, and exceptional knowledge of Scotch were truly impressive. He guided us through a wonderful experience, sharing his expertise with such enthusiasm and attention to detail. Every one of them went above and beyond to make us feel welcome and cared for. Their genuine hospitality made our stay truly memorable.

The Balmoral hotel was exceptional, and the staff went above and beyond to meet our needs. We had an issue with a faulty rental car from Green motion and the Balmoral valets tested the car and helped us return it as it was unsafe to drive.

We had a wonderful stay at The Balmoral and would absolutely return. The experience started beautifully with the valets, who were lovely and made arrival completely effortless. They took the car right away when we pulled up, and the location could not be better - just a short walk from the Royal Mile, Scott Monument, Waverley Station, Princes Street Gardens, and so much of central Edinburgh. Check-in was a little lengthy after a long travel day, and while the front desk associate was perfectly polite, the interaction felt somewhat formal rather than especially warm. That said, our first room was extremely comfortable, beautifully appointed, and had everything we would expect from a five-star hotel. We especially loved the still and sparkling water replenished each day, as well as the fudge waiting for us when we arrived. Halfway through our stay, we needed to change rooms because we had added extra nights to our reservation and our original room category was no longer available. I was admittedly a little anxious about the logistics of moving our belongings between check-out and check-in. When we asked the night before about the possibility of moving directly into another available room that morning, I initially felt somewhat brushed off when I was told not to worry and that everything would be taken care of. Looking back, I think the staff member was simply trying to reassure me; however, at the time, I was still worried. The next morning we met Shubham at the front desk, who was absolutely phenomenal. He immediately put me at ease and had arranged for us to move into a larger suite at a reduced rate within about an hour. He went well beyond what was necessary, even showing us the suite beforehand to make sure we were happy with it. Later, he sent complimentary champagne and truffles to the room for what was, in the grand scheme of things, a very minor inconvenience and not one the hotel could have helped in terms of us adding to the reservation. Shubham was easily the most memorable staff member of our stay: gracious, thoughtful, professional, and genuinely wonderful. The suite itself was gorgeous, as you would expect. Housekeeping was impeccable every single day - truly impeccable! In-room dining was also beautifully presented and felt like an occasion rather than simply a meal delivered to the room. Throughout our stay, everyone was helpful whenever we needed anything, and we never waited long for a request to be handled. The service consistently felt attentive and efficient. One of my favorite final touches came when we left: the valet had placed spring waters and mints in our car for the drive. Such a small gesture, but such a lovely and thoughtful surprise. Overall, this was a true five-star stay, and the way the staff handled even minor issues only reinforced that impression. We would stay here again and again.

The Balmoral is an outstanding hotel and easily one of the best properties we have stayed at anywhere in the world. The location, service, and overall level of hospitality are exceptional. That said, there are a few areas where we think the experience could be improved. PROS: The location is excellent, especially for anyone planning to explore central Edinburgh and the Royal Mile. It makes a fantastic home base for sightseeing. The hospitality is also first-rate. The overwhelming majority of the staff clearly understand what guests expect from a premium luxury hotel. They are friendly, professional, efficient, courteous, and genuinely helpful. Shubham, in particular, was exceptional. He is clearly one of the Balmoral’s superstars and went out of his way to make our stay memorable. Service like his is a major reason the hotel leaves such a strong impression. AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT: The check-in process was slower and more cumbersome than it needed to be. After a long day of traveling, standing at the front desk for roughly 10 minutes completing paperwork takes away from what should be a seamless luxury arrival experience. There has to be a way to streamline that process. As with any large organization, not every employee delivers service at the same level. We encountered a couple of staff members who seemed as though we were inconveniencing them simply by asking for assistance. This was definitely the exception rather than the rule, but it stood out because the service throughout the rest of the hotel was so strong. Our biggest criticism is the Balmoral’s practice of adding an optional/discretionary gratuity charge to the final bill. We strongly prefer tipping individual employees directly when someone provides exceptional service, rather than having a general gratuity automatically added to the bill. We understand the explanation that such charges may recognize staff working behind the scenes, but personally, we do not believe guests should be expected to provide an additional gratuity simply for employees performing the jobs the hotel already pays them to do. Guests should also be aware that these discretionary charges can become significant over the course of a stay. If you feel the same way, review your final bill carefully and ask the front desk to remove the discretionary gratuity before checking out. For a hotel at this level, automatically adding these charges detracts somewhat from the luxury experience and can leave guests feeling as though an additional fee is being slipped onto the bill rather than earned through exceptional service. In our opinion, that is not a great look for a property of the Balmoral’s caliber. Despite those criticisms, we had an excellent stay and would absolutely consider staying at the Balmoral again. The location, atmosphere, and especially the outstanding service provided by most of the staff make it a truly special hotel.