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The Balmoral

The Balmoral

The Rocco Forté Collection’s Balmoral hotel is a luxury hotel in the true sense of the word. Complete with a Michelin-starred restaurant, tranquil spa and kilted doormen, the hotel is one of the city’s premier properties. Situated in what was once the North British Station Hotel, the hotel lies in the heart of Edinburgh where Old Town meets New, a True Edinburgh icon at an unparalleled address. While many Edinburgh hotels claim to have Edinburgh’s landmarks on their doorstep, few can say their own doorstep is a landmark!

Rooms : 167 Bedrooms and 20 Suites   Type : Couples, Family, City Breaks

OVERVIEW

The Rocco Forté Collection’s Balmoral is situated in what was once the North British Station Hotel, a Victorian building with Scottish baronial influences.

Originally known as the North British, The Balmoral Hotel was acclaimed as one of the great railway hotels. Hotel porters in red jackets used to meet guests off the train at Waverley Station, taking them into a lift and whisking them from the station hall to the reception desk in the hotel. Though the hotel no longer boasts direct access to Edinburgh Waverley Station, the Balmoral continues to run its clock three minutes early, to ensure travellers never miss their trains.

The property boasting 167 bedrooms and 20 suites is stylish, modern and contemporary. This is evident from the moment you enter via the Lobby, through Palm Court or the most recently added, Scotch Bar.

HIGHLIGHTS

SCOTCH Whisky Experience

Choose from over 500 single malts and blends courtesy of SCOTCH, The Balmoral’s destination whisky bar. The kilted Whisky Ambassadors are on hand to take guests through one of Edinburgh’s largest collections of whisky.
Travel on a tailored journey to distilleries in the Highlands and Lowlands from the comfort of a tweed armchair.

Afternoon Tea Masterclass

Our Afternoon Tea Masterclass promises to unlock the history of a very British ritual in this unique offering for the city. Learn about the origins and etiquette of this tradition over delicate finger sandwiches, scones and expertly poured  A guided explanation of the finer points of Afternoon Tea – from the Scot who first took tea from China in the 19th century to the etiquette of the ritual.
5-course Afternoon Tea including homemade scones, sandwiches and a selection of seasonal pastries.

Balmoral Poet-in-Residence 

The Balmoral is proud to have Marcas Mac an Tuairneir, one of Scotland’s leading Gaelic poets as Poet-in-Residence, or Bàrd air mhuinntireas.

The Balmoral’s Poet-in-Residence can be pre-booked by guests staying at the hotel for a celebration or to commemorate a special occasion. Guests can select a pre-written Gaelic poem or develop a bespoke poem with Marcas, making for the perfect memento.

ACCOMMODATION

Executive Room

Comfortable and welcoming, the executive rooms at Balmoral have a combined bedroom and living space with king size or twin beds & a spacious en-suite. Decorated to reflect traditional Scottish style, these elegant rooms can be interconnected, making them suitable for families.

Deluxe Room

Comfortable and contemporary, these large rooms at The Balmoral have a choice of either a king size bed or two single beds, sitting area and spacious bathroom decorated in marble & ceramic with a large bath.

Superior Deluxe Room

Offering views of the Castle from their higher floor location, these rooms are between 18 and 37 sqm. Superior Deluxe rooms come furnished with marble bathrooms with James Bond prints and a king-size bed with the option of twin beds.

Junior Suite

As their name suggests, these suites benefit from views of the castle and are a step up in size (28-47sqm) from the Balmoral’s bedrooms with the option of an extra bed on request and a comfortable lounge area.

Junior Suite Castle View

As their name suggests, these suites benefit from views of the castle and are a step up in size (28-47sqm) from the Balmoral’s bedrooms with the option of an extra bed on request and a comfortable lounge area.

Classic Suite

The Balmoral’s first room/suite category with a separate bedroom and sitting room, a Classic Suite spans 44-66sqm, offering enough space for two extra beds for children to be added upon request. Views from these suites are either across the old town, Princes Street or Northbridge.

Grand Suite

Each of these suites measures between 51 and 55sqm and four are located in areas of the building affording turret-style alcoves. They are named Braemar, Stirling, Dunrobin, Tay and JK Rowling. A brass owl door knocker indicates the latter, the room where the final Harry Potter book was completed. Each suite has a king-size bed and enough space for two extra beds for children.

Deluxe Suite

All of these six suites are named after Scottish rivers or castles – Rothesay, Dee, Drummond, Brodick, Bothwell and Spey. Most have original working fireplaces and offer views of Edinburgh Castle and Princes Street Gardens are possible and there is the option to add an extra bed for children. (Each measure between 47 and 58 sqm)

Balmoral Suite

The Balmoral Suite offers guests a king size master bedroom, the option to interconnect with a Classic Room, separate dining room for six people, living room, bathroom and guest powder room. At 66 sqm this suite is ample in size and located so as to provide views of Arthur’s Seat and the historic old town.

Glamis Suite

A contemporary suite with sitting room views of Princes Street, Glamis measures 85 sqm and comprises a dining table for four and signature Balmoral bathroom. A king size bed comes as standard with the option for twin beds, an extra bed for children and the possibility to connect to an Executive Room.

Scone & Crombie

The signature suite at The Balmoral, this iconic residence is the largest offered at the hotel and offers the potential to sleep two adults and two children (extra beds added on request) and to be connected to an executive room. Views from the suite are over the historic Old Town and the interior is abundant in traditional and elegant Scottish touches.

Deluxe Old Town View Room

Comfortable and contemporary, these large rooms at The Balmoral have a choice of either a king size bed or two single beds, sitting area and spacious bathroom decorated in marble & ceramic with a large bath. These rooms benefit from beautiful views of the old town.

Deluxe Castle View Room

Comfortable and contemporary, these large rooms at The Balmoral have a choice of either a king size bed or two single beds, sitting area and spacious bathroom decorated in marble & ceramic with a large bath. These rooms benefit from fantastic views of Edinburgh Castle.

DINING

Experience the finest in luxury dining at the Balmoral’s restaurants.

Brasserie Prince by Alain Roux

Combining classic French cuisine with sublime Scottish produce, Brasserie Prince by Alain Roux is a chic, relaxed restaurant housed within the hotel

Number One

Number One is where Michelin-starred modern Scottish cuisine meets world-class service. Head Chef Mark Donald and his team have developed a menu fusing modern Scottish cuisine with international flair.

Sink into one of the dove grey wool banquettes and admire the contemporary art on the lacquered red walls, from pieces lent by London’s Royal College of Art, to Adam Ellis’ stunning Scottish oak triptych.

Palm Court

Enjoy award winning afternoon tea at the Palm Court. Take a seat under the green leaves of palm trees, under the sparkling glass dome and the Venetian chandelier. Listen to the harp, gently playing from the elegant gallery and ddmire the hand-painted de Gournay wallpaper. It’s difficult to imagine a more decadent, indulgent treat.

 

ACTIVITIES

 

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Edinburgh is a breathtaking city with many bars, theatres and museums. Guest can visit the famous Edinburgh Castle which is within walking distance from the Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh will certainly be a memorable visit.

If you don’t want to venture out of the hotel, there are a wide range restaurants and also the award winning Spa which has a pool, sauna, steam room, weights room and modern gym.

FAMILY

For little ones there is a special Owl Teddy Turndown Service. Babysitting, night lights and play mats are available.

Children can look forward Kids’ check-in cards, colouring books, comment cards and newspapers, as well as the special Rocco Forte Kids passport and Balmoral passport. The is a city activities fact sheet and activities. Not forgetting the all important rubber ducky for the bathroom! Special experiences for teens include teen spa treatments.

LOCATION

HOLIDAY IDEAS / SAMPLE ITINERARIES

  • "Relaxed Elegance"

    Brownell Travel Educational Visit

  • "Luxury, Location, Service"

    Brownell Travel Educational Visit

  • "The Balmoral is THE place to stay"

    Brownell Travel Educational Visit

GET IN TOUCH
 

ACCOMMODATION COLLECTION

Ballyfin

Built in the 1820’s, Ballyfin has long been admired as the most lavish Regency mansion in Ireland. Here classical grandeur meets with a landscape of rolling hills, follies  and ancient grottoes in the magnificent property, set at the foot of the Slieve Bloom Mountains. Ballyfin has been designed as a home-away-from-home making the experience entirely intimate. Enjoy estate-grown food prepared by award-winning chefs, take part in wine & whiskey tastings in the cellar, enjoy treatments in the spa, swim, or simply spend an afternoon in the large library, finishing with a fireside cocktail in the Ballyfin Bar.

Rooms : 20 Luxury Bedrooms and Suites  Type: Couples, Active, Historic

Eilean Shona

Sleeps: 20  Bedrooms: 11 Bathrooms: 6

Type: Seclusion, Mindfulness, Celebration, Family

Features & Activities: Boating, fishing, kayaking, rural

Location: Loch Moidart, off the West Coast of Scottish Highlands

Those Looking For: Time to reconnect, get off the grid and re-energise

 

Inverlochy Castle

Nestling in the foothills of the mighty Ben Nevis, Inverlochy Castle sits amidst some of Scotland’s finest scenery. Being in Scotland’s finest Country Hotel, you will enjoy the holiday of a lifetime, where every detail for your comfort and enjoyment has been carefully considered and one which you are sure never to forget.

 

Rooms : 15 rooms / 2 Suites / 1 Gate Lodge         Holiday Type :  Family, Couples, Outdoor

View entire accommodation collection

Edinburgh

  • "Incredible service ! The BEST tour guides, tour options and always available to help smooth over any "snafus" that we ran across during our vacation. 5-star, A+ rating from us."

    Clients of Jessica Thompson, Fairway Travel, Virtuoso

  • "....their time in the U.K. was PERFECT – loved everything you guys did for them, and sang praises for everyone! Thank you!! "

    Connie Hanes, Herff Travel

  • "Everyone, from the Tour Guides to our excellent driver, were amazing. All aspects of the trip were beyond expectations. Even changing our day schedule for outside reasons (like the airline sending my bag to a city 120miles away) they were always happy to help and move the schedule around so we could keep enjoying our trip. Everyone made us feel at home and like family."

    Client of Leah Molinari, Molinari Travel, Gifted Travel Network

  • "Dream Escape was the trip of a lifetime. Excellent choice of hotels, tour guide was awesome, the planned tours were wonderful and very informative."

    Client of Trisha Rathke, VIP Travel Designs, Gifted Travel Network

  • "Dreamscape designed an itinerary that combined an exploration of Scottish history and culture and a visit to some of the filming locations for the hit TV show Outlander. The tour guides provided were personable and knowledgeable and responsive to our interests. Our driver who was with us for the entire trip was professional and pleasant and again, flexible and sensitive to our interests. The hotels were magnificent and the pacing of the trip, spending at least two nights in each hotel was perfect. The itinerary was everything we wanted!"

    Client of Susan Morley, Journeys around the World, Cadence

  • "Sally Strange was wonderful so knowledgable, friendly and fun. 100% would use her services again. We feel like we have a friend for life! We LOVED our tours, where we ate lunch, and spending the days with Sally......Thanks (once again!) for looking after our clients so well. We so appreciate you. "

    Lauren Ainsley, Black Tomato

  • "Rosie...thank you for giving us such a world-class experience in Scotland. Everyone had such a wonderful time and your presence was a large part of that. Your warmth and generosity in taking care of us on our little excursion is so beyond appreciated and I can’t wait to work with you again soon."

    Alex Martinetti

  • "Thank you so very much for the amazing trip to Scotland that you planned for us!! It was truly a once in a lifetime fabulous family trip!! Not only were the accommodations perfect, the activities were above expectations, given the people involved with so much knowledge and compassion for what they do....Many, many heartfelt thanks for making this trip so very special for our family. "

    Clients of Kristen Meckem, Kristen Meckem Travel, An Affiliate of Brownell

  • "I work regularly with Michael Davies, who I can not praise enough! Michael is a gem to work with and always delivers extraordinary client itineraries. "

    Jennifer McCrea, Boutique Travel Advisors

  • "We cannot thank you enough for all you did for us during our stay in Scotland! We loved every minute of it....and we loved you teaching us the history of each town and visit. "

    The Pogue Family - Clients of Amy Spence, Strong Travel

  • "We are so grateful for professionalism, expertise, and purely fun personality to entertain and educate our clients in all things royal! I do believe it was a smashing success. 😊"

    Pat Bowden, Red Letter Travel, an independent affiliate of Brownell

  • "Michael does such an outstanding job with making sure every itinerary he works on with me is well thought out. He is attentive to detail and always allows for the clients interest to be reflected in their tours. He makes sure that the perfect tour operator and chauffeur is paired with each client. I wanted you to know what a pleasure it is working with Michael and knowing my clients will always be well cared for when traveling with Dream Escape! "

    Jennifer McCrea, Boutique Travel Advisors

  • "Without a doubt, what made all of it so special and unforgettable was having the true pleasure of having Sally Strange as our guide. She was truly incredible..so full of life, energy, amazing historical knowledge anywhere we visited was extraordinary. Her sense of humor and fun personality made her extra special. Sally was a winner in every way."

    Clients of Betsy Talbot, Travel by Talbot (Brownell)

  • "Your team excelled on all levels! The execution of the itinerary was flawless!!! Well done. The clients LOVED Sally and this was just the second note from them about how exceptional she was. "

    Cathy Major, Cerulean World Travel

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    Krista Boyles, Unique Romance Travel

  • "I want to extend my deepest gratitude for your incredible work on this project, we really could not have gotten it across the finish line without you and your team 😊"

    Marieta Carrrero, Boost Journeys

  • "I just wanted to take a moment to thank everyone at Dream Escape who helped in making the Gialamas' visit to London special. I know Dream Escape has many people behind the scenes that work on making an itinerary such as this flow seamlessly and I just wanted to say thank you for all of your hard work! "

    Jennifer McCrea, Boutique Travel Advisors

  • "Activities & Tours - All the events and guides were outstanding.- Guides - Simply the best. All of them. All outstanding! "

    Black Tomato Clients

  • "Thank you for everything you did to make the entire trip, special presentations and events so special. It has added a sparkle in my life!"

    Gretchen Ashworth Stewart, Client

  • "Dream Escape, to no one’s surprise, is the best in the business. I cannot begin to thank you for crafting a perfect vacation for these clients. They had nothing but fabulous things to say about each and every event."

    Nancy Ebel, Virtuoso Travel Advisor

  • "Couldn’t have asked for a better 1st trip to London!......The sites we saw were the best & Sally, you went above & beyond to make it memorable"

    Shannon Marie Long - Reed and Mackay

  • "Delightful to spend time and see the incredible city of London with you all. Dream Escape for a flawless job in seeing the best bespoke sites, Sally you are amazing. Thank you again as this was amazing"

    Josh Whitaker - Owner, Rudi Steele Travel

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    Rob Arrow, Al Tayyar Group

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    William A Heim, Client

  • "I had the most wonderful time with you and learned so much...What you offer is rare and much needed in the truly exclusive travel world. "

    Jean Newman-Glock, Signature Travel Network

  • "You were the heart and soul of the trip….I truly admired your sunny personality, sense of humor, organization and professionalism.  You also demonstrated  that a guide’s work is never done as you were constantly researching….. Did you ever rest??? "

    Sharon Delano, Frosch

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    Thomas Cohen, Client

  • "THANK YOU a zillion times over for choosing/assigning Rosie to be with this family.  She MADE the trip for them – there’s no other way to put it! "

    Jill Jergel, Frontiers International Travel

  • "Our holiday in Scotland now tops their lists of best trips…… To their growing list of amazing and memorable first-time experiences, our sons may add fishing for trout and salmon on the River Tay; steering a motor boat on Loch Ness; and taking private guided tours on Culloden Moor Of the eight full days we were in Scotland, Alex and Mattie thought each and every day was the best"

    Michael Guadarrama & Trammi Nguyen, clients of Peter Carideo. CRC Travel

  • "All six of us were deeply moved by the whole experience. Bravo Dream Escape "

    Max Levy, Direct client

  • "Thank you Karen and all of the staff and guides affiliated with Dream Escape…..the Flemings are having an awesome tour of Scotland. You all have made me look like a star! "

    Joni Gerace, The Travel Society, LLC

  • "Thanks for all your help and we can chalk this one up as a big success!   Our anniversary celebration was all we could have hoped for "

    Clients of Courtney Regan, Affiliate of Brownell Travel

  • "Rosie was MORE than outstanding – she went out of her way to help us in every regard...She was so knowledgeable – we all loved her"

    Jill A. Jergel, Frontiers International Travel

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    Cindy Evans, Travel Consultant

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    Carole McFarland, Universal Travel

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    Donald M. Davis, President, Luxury Travel, Inc.

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    Peter Carideo, CRC Travel

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    Ann Lipschitz, Worldview Travel

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    Financial Times, How to Spend it

  • "It was, without doubt, one of the most spectacular weekends I have ever had"

    Country Life

  • "David Tobin’s an ace at getting inside private castles and estates and he’s well connected.... "

    Conde Nast Traveller Magazine

  • "The level of service they provide is outstanding. They truly care about every aspect of the trip to ensure you have a fantastic stay. Rosie is a hidden gem of a tour guide. Just fabulous."

    Yvonne Malka, Signature Travel Network, April 2018

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