The Balmoral Hotel
1 Princes Street, Edinburgh EH2 2EQ Scotland
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US$743
Fully refundable before Fri, 13 Oct
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US$745
Fully refundable before Thu, 12 Oct
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US$747
US$708
Fully refundable before Tue, 10 Oct
Hotels.comUS$743
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Room & Suite (298)
Dining (168)
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About
#12 of 169 hotels in Edinburgh
Location
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Service
Value
Travellers' Choice
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.
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Property amenities
Valet parking
Free internet
Pool
Fitness Centre with Gym / Workout Room
Bar / lounge
Walking tours
Pets Allowed ( Dog / Pet Friendly )
Airport transportation
Wifi
Paid wifi
Indoor pool
Heated pool
Fitness / spa changing rooms
Fitness classes
Personal trainer
Sauna
Restaurant
Breakfast available
Breakfast buffet
Breakfast in the room
Complimentary tea
Kids' meals
Special diet menus
Wine / champagne
Taxi service
Conference facilities
Banquet room
Meeting rooms
Spa
Couples massage
Facial treatments
Full body massage
Head massage
Manicure
Massage
Pedicure
Salon
Steam room
24-hour security
Baggage storage
Concierge
Currency exchange
Newspaper
Non-smoking hotel
Butler service
Doorperson
24-hour check-in
24-hour front desk
Private check-in / check-out
Dry cleaning
Laundry service
Ironing service
Shoeshine
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Room features
Allergy-free room
Soundproof rooms
Air conditioning
Desk
Housekeeping
Coffee / tea maker
Flatscreen TV
Bath / shower
Bathrobes
Interconnected rooms available
Room service
Safe
Telephone
VIP room facilities
Wardrobe / wardrobe
Bottled water
Clothes rack
Private bathrooms
Tile / marble floor
Wake-up service / alarm clock
Minibar
Refrigerator
Complimentary toiletries
Hair dryer
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Room types
City view
Landmark view
Bridal suite
Non-smoking rooms
Suites
Family rooms
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
HOTEL STYLE
City View
Business
Languages Spoken
English, Italian
Location
100Great for walkers
Grade: 100 out of 100
384Restaurantswithin 0.5 km
208Attractionswithin 0.5 km
1 Princes Street, Edinburgh EH2 2EQ Scotland
Getting there
Car HireSee all Edinburgh car hire
5299Reviews105Q+A100Room tips
ReviewsWe perform checks on reviews.Tripadvisor’s approach to reviewsBefore posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
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We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
Traveller rating
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The hotel is the best in Edinburgh. Having said that, post COVID the service level has come down. Breakfast also takes forever to be seated and it takes a very long time to get your coffee/tea served. Not catered towards businesspeople.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: September 2023Trip type: Travelled on business
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
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.
Helpful
Response from The Balmoral, General Manager at The Balmoral Hotel
Responded yesterday
Dear Zenitsu2023 Thank you for your review and I am delighted that you consider us the best hotel in Edinburgh. However, I was most concerned to learn that you found the breakfast service to be slow during your visit. This is certainly not typical and I shall follow up on this without delay. Indeed as a frequent traveller myself I know just how frustrating it can be to have to wait for tea and coffee first thing in the morning. I apologise sincerely that this was your experience. I appreciate you taking the time to provide this feedback and hope that we shall welcome you back to The Balmoral in the future. With all good wishes Andrew McPherson General Manager
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Beautiful furnishings and decor, friendly, helpful staff, great facilities. The pool was lovely. The room was perfect except the bed which was so hard it was uncomfortable to sleep in. Breakfast was very poor. Hot breakfast buffet was poor quality and unappertising. Would eat out if we stayed again.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: September 2023
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
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.
Helpful
Response from The Balmoral, General Manager at The Balmoral Hotel
Responded yesterday
Dear Badger000_12 Thank you for your review and whilst I am thrilled that you enjoyed many parts of your stay I was very sorry to learn that you were disappointed by a couple of points. Breakfast is frequently cited as a highlight for our guests. I am truly sorry that you were disappointed and I will follow up with my Executive Chef to discuss further. With regard to the beds, whilst of course, we cannot accommodate everyone's preferences, our beds are carefully selected to ensure maximum comfort for our guests. We can add additional mattress toppers to the beds should a request be made. Notwithstanding these points, I am thrilled that you enjoyed other aspects of your stay and many thanks for highlighting the service from our wonderful team members. I will take great pleasure in sharing your kind comments with them. I very much hope that we will welcome back to The Balmoral in the future. With all good wishes Andrew McPherson General Manager
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We stayed at the Balmoral for a 1 night stay, which my sister gifted to us for a wedding present. We stayed on a Monday night, so we got lucky with availability for booking. Location was right in the city centre next door to Waverley Station. They had road works going on outside, but they had soundproof windows so you couldn't hear the hussle and bussle of the outside world. The room was very spacious for both me and my husband. Included in the room was a dressing table, table and chairs, tv, mini fridge (contents you had to pay for), shower over the bath and a bathtub. The bed and pillows were amazing, it was the best night sleep I've had in a long time. They had blackout curtains which ensured we had a good nights sleep, after a long day of travelling. From entering the building to leaving, all the staff were on hand to help. Valet parking (£40 daily cost), they collected your bags, helped you out of the car and delivered your belongings to your room. They went through what you can expect during your stay. We had breakfast included and it was from 7-10:30am, and it wasn't busy at around 9/9.30am which was the time we went down for breakfast. There was a huge selection for the buffet: different croissant options, cereals, eggs, juice's, pancakes, bread, porridge etc. You also had the choice of selected made options such as avocado on toast/eggs benedict. Included in our stay was free access to the gym, swimming pool and sauna. Spa treatments were at an additional cost. I got the swedish massage which cost around £105/115 and it was roughly 60 minutes. It was amazing and really relaxing. Only downside was the room had shocking lighting for when you wanted to do your make up. They had a mirrored light in the bathroom but it wasn't great. Overall, it was an amazing stay. I would highly recommend a stay at the Balmoral. …
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Date of stay: September 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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.
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
Response from The Balmoral, General Manager at The Balmoral Hotel
Responded 5 days ago
Dear Shanoorshah, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience at The Balmoral. I am thrilled to hear that you enjoyed your stay, courtesy of your sister's thoughtful wedding gift. I am delighted that you found your room spacious and well-equipped. A good night's sleep is essential, and it's great to hear that the bed, pillows, and blackout curtains ensured this after a long day. Furthermore, your kind comments on our attentive and helpful staff are so gratefully received. Thank you for highly recommending The Balmoral. We hope to welcome you back for another exceptional stay in the near future. With all best wishes, Andrew McPherson General Manager
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
My family and I enjoyed a wonderful long weekend at The Balmoral at the end of August. The hotel is immaculately presented with and elegant style. Our room was beautiful, with a stunning view of the castle. The highlight of the trip, and the main reason for my leaving a review, was the attention paid to our son throughout the stay. From the treats in our room on arrival to the staff in the restaurant addressing him by name on arrival prepared with Edinburgh focussed Harry Potters facts he was made to feel special from start to finish. This is by far the most child friendly hotel we’ve stayed in .. and we have Disney holidays most years!
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Date of stay: August 2023Trip type: Travelled with family
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.
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
Response from The Balmoral, General Manager at The Balmoral Hotel
Responded 5 days ago
Dear CurlsCarrig, Thank you kindly for taking a moment to share your thoughts following your stay with us. I am absolutely thrilled to learn that you had a wonderful stay, and in particular noted how kind and welcoming the team were with your son. I will take great pleasure in sharing your kind words with the team, whom I know will be greatly encouraged. We look forward to welcoming you again in the future. With all best wishes, Andrew McPherson General Manager
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Hotel is in the midst of town and convenient to major sites. Very friendly staff, great breakfast. The gym is well equipped and clean. The staff is very knowledgeable and have great dining and activity recommendations.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: September 2023
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
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.
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
Response from The Balmoral, General Manager at The Balmoral Hotel
Responded 1 week ago
Dear Irene L I very much enjoyed reading your review this morning and I am thrilled that you enjoyed your recent stay with us. I will take great delight in sharing your kind sentiments with the team and we look forward to welcoming you back to the Balmoral in the not too distant future I hope! With all good wishes Andrew McPherson General Manager
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We arrived on an unseasonably sunny and warm, busy day in Edinburgh. The service was warm, genuine and professional. The valet parking was excellent. The rooms are light, clean and airy. I like the decoration and the architecture of the hotel. It was in a fantastic location and very central, but it was not noisy in the rooms at all. We enjoyed supper in the Bristo and a comfortable night in the hotel, with fluffy white towels, excellent bathing products and a sense of comfort. The marble bathroom is exactly the same as the Mandarin Oriental in London. We would return!
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Date of stay: September 2023Trip type: Travelled with family
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.
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
Response from The Balmoral, General Manager at The Balmoral Hotel
Responded 1 week ago
Dear MPCotswolds I very much enjoyed reading your review and thank you very much for taking the time to post. I'm appreciative of you taking the time to mention the various aspects of your stay which you enjoyed, but in particular for highlighting the service you received from our wonderful team members. I will greatly enjoy sharing your feedback with them. I am delighted you plan to return - you are most welcome and we hope you will consider us your home when next in Edinburgh! With all good wishes Andrew McPherson General Manager
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Quality of rooms were great - clean, roomy, mattresses were great. Staff were all helpful and friendly. Location of hotel was good. We experienced no problems at this hotel. Breakfasts were excellent quality.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: September 2023
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
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.
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
Response from The Balmoral, General Manager at The Balmoral Hotel
Responded 1 week ago
Dear Thomas R, Thank you so much for taking the time to share your positive feedback. I am delighted to hear that you had such a great experience during your stay with us. I am thrilled to learn that the helpful and friendly service left a positive impression on you, and that you enjoyed our convenient location. We truly appreciate your kind words and hope to have the pleasure of hosting you again in the future. With all best wishes, Andrew McPherson General Manager
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
For the price I would have expected more. Great location, got the feeling tje conceriage steered you to his buddies and did not include breakfast. Just an ok experience not tremendous compared to the 1000 pound price per night, you could do better elsewhere
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Date of stay: September 2023Trip type: Travelled 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.
Helpful
Response from The Balmoral, General Manager at The Balmoral Hotel
Responded 1 week ago
Dear GJPRUD Whilst I am delighted that you were happy with the location of the hotel, I am sorry that you felt disappointed following your stay with us. I was very surprised with your comment regarding our Concierge, and I can only imagine, you were passed on to another member of the team who may have been more knowledgeable on a given subject. Either way, I sincerely apologise that you felt overlooked. We offer both Bed and Breakfast rates as well as Room Only and of course breakfast can be added should you wish. I am sorry you did not feel that your room rate represented value for money, and I must advised we are priced comparatively with other 5 star properties in the city. Thank you for your feedback and I do hope you will pay us another visit in the future. You are most welcome. With every good wish, Andrew McPherson General Manager
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Generally speaking the Balmoral was excellent--so glad to be able to have spent 4 nights there for my birthday trip. Almost perfect with one significant glitch which is probably only relevant to those who are booking through the American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts' platform and want/expect the hotel to at least try to fulfill the benefits categories that come along with these bookings. First though, the positives: the hotel is excellently located in the "new town" right next to the main train station--while this does make it a very busy location it's convenience can't be beat--I loved how it was right across from St. James' Quarter with Starbucks, etc, there. The hotel has great "noise insulation" so we didn't hear anything from our room despite its busy location. Hotel is obviously a historic icon in the city--gorgeous. I didn't consider it "tired" at all but it does in many areas have a more "traditional" style which is to be expected. Rooms are very comfortable, great beds, great quality towels, excellent, nightly turndown service which I consider a sign of a true "five star hotel". Bathroom does have the issue of the "step in" shower/tub combinations which my mother had a somewhat hard time with--they really should replace those completely. Staff were in general great--special shout out to Ben at the concierge desk who was so kind and so helpful--thank you, thank you, thank you! What a positive asset to this hotel! Food was also very good at the Brasserie Prince--loved it for dinner. Breakfast was decent too although they don't have items like waffles or French toast. Not a big deal. Their Michelin-starred "Number One" restaurant though was another story--but I think it's probably more so due to the fact that we're not serious "foodies" and also don't drink wine. Our experience there was not pleasant--2.5 hours to get through the 7 courses, none of which were very impressive and some that were gross--like "sweatbreads" (ie. cow brains). Yuck lol. But again, if you're a major foodie then you'll probably like it--other than the over $400 it costs per person WITHOUT wine if you factor in tip, tax, and service charges. Oh well--lesson learned. The major flat with this hotel and why I can't give it a full 5 stars or fully recommend it is more so for those considering booking it through the Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts' platform. One of the (non-guaranteed) benefits is a room upgrade based on availability. Unfortunately, this did not occur--and the front desk agent made no mention as to why. She simply said they couldn't upgrade the room and when I said that's a real shame made no further comment. Later, based on me looking up the hotel's availability that night (September 9) it turned out the hotel was full--which makes sense then why there was no ability to provide an upgrade--but the remainder of the 3 nights there WAS pretty much all additional categories available. (And beds can be "twinned" in most rooms, so that's not an excuse either.) The following morning I sent a message asking if it would be possible for an upgrade for the remaining three nights of the reservation--and promptly got back a reply telling me that they (the agent Andrea who responded) couldn't assist with that matter and for me to try going to the front desk and seeing what they could do if I wanted. It was disappointing that they wouldn't even bother to handle it themselves but would rather have a guest (paying over $3,000 for the room and then another almost $1,000 in incidentals) to go to the front desk and "plead their case".) I decided this was going to be a fool's errand so I didn't bother to pursue the matter further. It's clear the hotel didn't want to provide an upgrade as it would cost them $$$ and isn't a guaranteed benefit. However, in my opinion, a hotel of this caliber should try harder and when an upgrade is not available (for guests who are booking through any program that offers possible upgrades that is) should first explain WHY an upgrade isn't available and then find an alternative--such as "Unfortunately, we're completely booked tonight but if you'd be willing to move rooms tomorrow (or whenever) we'd be delighted to upgrade you to a XXX category room." Oh well. First world issue but nonetheless disappointing as this was the first time that I have booked through Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts and been completely denied any upgrade whatsoever. Overall, the hotel is recommended--very expensive but worth it in my opinion if you're looking for a luxurious stay--just keep in mind the points I mentioned if you're going to book through a platform like Amex FHR.…
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Date of stay: September 2023Trip type: Travelled with family
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.
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
Response from The Balmoral, General Manager at The Balmoral Hotel
Responded 1 week ago
Dear matthew618, Thank you for taking the time to share your detailed review and feedback. We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed many aspects of your stay, from the hotel's location and amenities to the helpful staff. We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience you experienced with the room upgrade benefit through the American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts. Your feedback is valuable to us, and rest assured that I will personally follow up with the individuals involved. We appreciate your recommendation and hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back in the future for another luxurious stay. Please feel free to reach out directly if you plan to return, and we will do our best to ensure your stay exceeds expectations. Thank you for choosing The Balmoral. With all best wishes, Andrew McPherson General Manager
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
They messed up badly with check out invoice (several times). They wanted to charge several times for same services and didn´t got it right even on 3 time. If they had invoice correctly on chek out it would be excellant stay.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: September 2023
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
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.
Helpful
Response from The Balmoral, General Manager at The Balmoral Hotel
Responded 1 week ago
Dear rutip570 I was most sorry to learn of the error made on your invoice. I have spoken with my Front Desk Team and understand that a gesture was made by way of apology and that the matter was concluded. Errors on guest invoices are very rare, however should it occur we always review our processes and provide additional training and support where necessary. I very much hope that otherwise you had a wonderful stay and that we shall have the great pleasure of welcoming you back to The Balmoral in the too distant future. Kindest regards Andrew McPherson General Manager
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
PRICE RANGE
US$415 - US$767 (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
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Claim Your ListingTHE BALMORAL HOTEL - UPDATED 2023 Reviews & Price Comparison (Edinburgh, Scotland) - Tripadvisor
Frequently Asked Questions about The Balmoral Hotel
Which popular attractions are close to The Balmoral Hotel?
Nearby attractions include The Real Mary King's Close (0.4 km), The Chocolatarium (0.4 km), and Escape Hunt Edinburgh (0.4 km).
What are some of the property amenities at The Balmoral Hotel?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include an indoor pool, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge.
Which room amenities are available at The Balmoral Hotel?
Top room amenities include a minibar, air conditioning, and a flat screen TV.
What food & drink options are available at The Balmoral Hotel?
Guests can enjoy an on-site restaurant, a lounge, and breakfast during their stay.
What are some restaurants close to The Balmoral Hotel?
Conveniently located restaurants include Makars Gourmet Mash Bar, Howies Waterloo Place, and Duck & Waffle Edinburgh.
Are there opportunities to exercise at The Balmoral Hotel?
Yes, guests have access to an indoor pool, a fitness centre, and a sauna during their stay.
Does The Balmoral Hotel have airport transportation?
Yes, The Balmoral Hotel offers airport transportation for guests. We recommend calling ahead to confirm details.
Is The Balmoral Hotel located near the city centre?
Yes, it is 0.3 km away from the centre of Edinburgh.
Are any cleaning services offered at The Balmoral Hotel?
Yes, dry cleaning and laundry service are offered to guests.
Are pets allowed at The Balmoral Hotel?
Yes, pets are typically allowed, but it's always best to call ahead to confirm.