Independent hotel guide
The Balmoral
A first Edinburgh visit, rail arrivals, landmark luxury, spa time and families wanting a central full-service hotel.
- Luxury
Image: The Balmoral. Full attribution
At a glance
Quick facts
- Price band
- Luxury
- Neighbourhood
- New Town
- Location
- Edinburgh
- Classification
- 5-star Five-star hotel (official hotel website classification)
Editorial take
Why consider The Balmoral?
A clock-tower landmark at 1 Princes Street, immediately beside Edinburgh Waverley.
Best for
A first Edinburgh visit, rail arrivals, landmark luxury, spa time and families wanting a central full-service hotel.
Avoid if
you want a small, low-key boutique stay or need a guaranteed castle view without paying for the named room category.
- Couple
- Family
- Business
Strengths and trade-offs
Strengths
- Adjacent to Waverley at the meeting point of Old Town and New Town
- Indoor pool, sauna, steam room, gym and treatment rooms
- Published family rooms and suites alongside castle-view categories
Trade-offs
- Princes Street is busy and a castle-facing category can cost substantially more
- A large grand hotel feels less intimate than the small townhouse choices in this list
Fit check
Who it suits — and who should skip it
Best for: A first Edinburgh visit, rail arrivals, landmark luxury, spa time and families wanting a central full-service hotel.
Skip it if: you want a small, low-key boutique stay or need a guaranteed castle view without paying for the named room category.
Related reading:Edinburgh hotel guide; Best Edinburgh Christmas Hotels 2026; Best Family Hotels in Edinburgh.
Stay details
Rooms and spa
These are the room categories for which our current source set contains useful, comparable detail. They are not presented as a complete live inventory.
room
Classic Room
- 27 m² published size
- Published for up to 2 guests
The official room page gives a 27–30 square metre range and city or courtyard outlook; select rooms have skyline views.
room
Deluxe Castle View Room
- 28 m² published size
- Published for up to 2 guests
Official listing gives Castle views and a king bed that can be twinned.
suite
Junior Suite Castle View
- 38 m² published size
- Published for up to 2 guests
Official listing gives Castle and Gardens views.
suite
Castle View Suite
- 55 m² published size
- Published for up to 2 guests
Official listing gives Edinburgh Castle views.
suite
Family Castle View Suite
- 83 m² published size
- Published for up to 4 guests
Official listing gives Castle views and two kings that can be twinned.
Facilities in our source set
- Irene Forte Spa and indoor pool
The hotel’s 2026 factsheet lists an indoor lap pool, sauna, steam room, gym and five treatment rooms.
On the ground
Location and access
The Balmoral is at 1 Princes Street, Edinburgh, EH2 2EQ. See our Edinburgh hotel guide for the wider area context and other places to stay.
The hotel is adjacent to Edinburgh Waverley. Airport trams stop at St Andrew Square, a short city-centre walk away.
Before you book
Good to know
Policy notes
Check the selected rate for breakfast, cancellation and spa inclusions; confirm family occupancy and connecting arrangements directly.
Accessibility
No accessibility survey has been carried out by BestUKHotels.com. Confirm the step-free entrance, lift route, adapted-room layout and evacuation arrangements directly.
Quick answers
Questions travellers ask about The Balmoral
What is the main reason to choose The Balmoral?
A clock-tower landmark at 1 Princes Street, immediately beside Edinburgh Waverley.
Who is The Balmoral best for?
A first Edinburgh visit, rail arrivals, landmark luxury, spa time and families wanting a central full-service hotel.
Where is The Balmoral?
The hotel is at 1 Princes Street, Edinburgh, EH2 2EQ. The hotel is adjacent to Edinburgh Waverley. Airport trams stop at St Andrew Square, a short city-centre walk away.
What should I check before booking The Balmoral?
Book Deluxe Castle View, Junior Suite Castle View, Castle View Suite or Family Castle View Suite; Old Town View is a separate category.
Featured in our Edinburgh guides
The Balmoral is shortlisted in these editorial guides, each written for a different trip.
Destination guide
Best hotels in Edinburgh
Curated guide
Best Edinburgh Christmas Hotels 2026
Curated guide
Best Family Hotels in Edinburgh
Where to stay
Where to stay in Edinburgh
Curated guide
Best Edinburgh Hotels with Castle Views
Curated guide
Best Spa Hotels in Edinburgh
Alternatives
Other hotels we have written up that may suit a different brief.
Gleneagles Townhouse
- Best for
- Couples, design-minded city breaks, St Andrew Square dining and travellers who prefer an intimate luxury hotel.
- Trade-off
- No on-site or valet parking
A polished 33-room New Town hotel for travellers who want Georgian character, a social club mood and a guest-only rooftop bar.
Booking tipNook rooms are intentionally compact and attic-like; compare the named category, outlook and bath preference before booking.
100 Princes Street
- Best for
- Couples, solo travellers, celebrations and families prepared to book interleading rooms directly.
- Trade-off
- Entry-level Single Rooms average 14 square metres
An intimate Princes Street townhouse with standout castle views, individual rooms and useful interleading options for larger parties.
Booking tipReserve Executive Double - Castle View, Junior Suite - Castle View, Isobel or Archibald; an ordinary Executive King or Terrace Suite is not a view guarantee.
Market Street Hotel
- Best for
- Rail arrivals, short city breaks, contemporary design and travellers splitting time between Old Town and New Town.
- Trade-off
- Cozy rooms start at 19 square metres
A contemporary Old Town hotel directly above Waverley for travellers who value train convenience, modern rooms and skyline views.
Booking tipBook the named outlook you want: Cozy prioritises compact value, while Vista and selected higher categories add city views or more space.
Editorial evidenceSources6 cited references supporting this page
Claims are paired with the publisher and access date used during editorial verification.
Hotel is open; official five-star classification, address, family rooms, spa and current luxury rate context
Official booking pages were open. Luxury is an editorial relative price band, not a quoted live rate.
Classic Room size, occupancy and outlook
Pool, spa facilities and position adjacent to Waverley
Coordinates for EH2 2EQ
OS Code-Point Open centroid for EH2 2EQ
Open Government Licence. Map pin is the postcode centroid, not a surveyed entrance.
Current Irene Forte Spa name, indoor lap pool, sauna, steam room and treatment facilities; resident inclusion not established by this page
Named Castle-view rooms and suites, sizes and occupancies; Old Town View is a separate outlook
How this page was researched: how we review hotels · editorial policy · affiliate disclosure · corrections