You'll have seen the clock before you ever see the hotel. That sandstone tower at the east end of Princes Street, set deliberately three minutes fast since 1902 so railway travellers never miss a train, belongs to The Balmoral, Edinburgh's grandest, most iconic hotel by a fair Scottish mile. Inside, just past the kilted doorman, you'll find a 500-strong whisky bar, afternoon tea in the glass domed Palm Court and a serene spa with a distinct touch of the Sicilian. Decor is all moor-greens and heather-purples and the odd splash of tartan and despite the fact that you're right on Princes Street, one of Edinburgh's most popular shopping streets, all is calm once you're safely inside and in the hands of the ever-charming team.
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The lobby sets the tone with its sweeping staircases, high ceilings and tartan-clad staff who know every city close and wynd impeccably. Restaurant-wise, Brasserie Prince pairs Scottish produce with French technique (the table-side steak tartare is fabulous), while Number One, in an intimate, underground space, is worth booking ahead. The Afternoon tea is iconic and takes place in the Palm Court, under Venetian chandeliers and a beautiful glass dome, every day from 3pm. There's also a beautiful Irene Forte Spa, which is a real surprise: a calm, pistachio-and-mauve Sicilian sanctuary with a lap pool, deep beneath the Scottish stone.
The 187 rooms and suites are individually designed and generously sized, but do note that the Classic Rooms have interior courtyard views. All are dressed in suitably elegant, muted Highland tones with Italian marble bathrooms and some even have a working fireplace. Suites carry Scottish names and views to match: the Bowes-Lyon (after the Queen Mother) has porthole windows over Princes Street, while several look straight up to the Castle. The famous one is 552, where J.K. Rowling finished the last Harry Potter book. And if you book a suite, your packing, unpacking and pressing are all handled for you. Bliss.
You're utterly spoilt by the address. The Royal Mile and Castle are just uphill, the boutiques of both Princes and George Street are on the doorstep, and Hamilton & Inches (the jewellers who built the clock 120-odd years ago) is a short stroll away. Spend the day meandering along the New Town's Georgian terraces, then hike up Calton Hill for the best view of the tower, or let the concierge arrange a Highland golf day or a Speyside distillery run. But make sure you're back in time for tea... You'll have three extra minutes to make it, after all!
The kilted Whisky Ambassadors at SCOTCH, who'll walk you through 500-odd single malts by region. Pick a tweed sofa and a dram, and settle in.
Book a suite and you'll get the full 'Suites & Beyond' programme for a proper Edinburgh experience, including a one-on-one bagpipe lesson and a session with the resident Scent Butler.
Number One, the basement fine-dining room, held a Michelin star from 2003 until it slipped off the list in 2022. However, the cooking is still four-AA-Rosette serious and on La Liste.
Scotland’s alluring capital city of ancient architecture, charm, culture and cuisine in spades.
