Classic Room
- 19 m² · 205 ft²
- 1 queen bed
- Sleeps 2 adults
- Pay now
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$500.00 / night
Taxes & fees shown at selection
Not available for the dates chosen
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The Balmoral,Edinburgh
The Balmoral, a Rocco Forte Hotel
In short
Edinburgh's clock-tower landmark at the east end of Princes Street, right beside Waverley station, so rail arrivals and first-time visitors can walk to both towns. The Irene Forte Spa with a 15 m pool is free for guests, and Number One holds four AA Rosettes. Rooms start from US$500 a night.
The Balmoral, a Rocco Forte Hotel, is a five-star hotel at 1 Princes Street, Edinburgh, at the east end of the street beside Edinburgh Waverley station. Its clock tower is a landmark of the city skyline. It suits rail travellers, first-time visitors who want the Old Town and New Town on foot, and whisky drinkers.
The station hotel and its clock
The Balmoral opened on 15 October 1902 as the North British Station Hotel, built to serve Waverley. The clock on the tower runs three minutes fast so passengers do not miss their trains, and it shows the right time only at Hogmanay. J.K. Rowling finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in room 552 in January 2007, and the room is now the J.K. Rowling Suite. Sir Rocco Forte bought the hotel on 1 March 1997.
Waverley station, trams and shopping nearby
Waverley station is about 200 m away and the St Andrew Square tram stop about 250 m, with a taxi rank in front of the hotel. The St James Quarter shopping centre is across the road. The Royal Mile is about a five-minute walk uphill, St Giles' Cathedral and Calton Hill about 500 m each, the National Museum of Scotland about 600 m and Edinburgh Castle about 11 minutes on foot. Edinburgh Airport (EDI) is about 15 km away.
Classic rooms, castle-view rooms and suites
The Edwardian building has 167 rooms and 20 suites. Classic rooms of about 19 m² face the courtyard. Executive and Deluxe rooms come next, and Deluxe Castle View rooms guarantee a view of the castle and gardens. Junior suites and larger suites sit above. Families can book an interconnecting room made from two Executive View rooms, and some suites connect to a neighbouring room. Extra beds cost GBP 50 per night, subject to availability.
Number One, Brasserie Prince and breakfast prices
Number One holds four AA Rosettes and serves modern Scottish food at dinner. Brasserie Prince serves French-style dishes and breakfast, which costs GBP 34 for adults and GBP 17 for children aged 11 and under. Afternoon tea is served in the Palm Court. SCOTCH stocks more than 500 Scotch whiskies, and Bar Prince mixes cocktails.
The Irene Forte Spa
The basement spa has a 15-metre indoor lap pool, a Finnish sauna, a Turkish steam room, five treatment rooms and a Technogym gym. It opens daily from 7:00am to 10:00pm and is free for hotel guests; book swims and treatments ahead in busy periods.
Sources: Wikipedia: Balmoral Hotel Facts checked November 2026.
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See Location & area below for the map and what's nearby.
See the full facilities list below.
See House rules below for check-in times, children & beds, pets and payment methods.
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OpenSun - 24 hours
Monday24 hours
Tuesday24 hours
Wednesday24 hours
Thursday24 hours
Friday24 hours
Saturday24 hours
Sunday24 hours
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Why stay here?
Breakfast info
A la carte
Buffet
Continental
Rooms with:
Castle view
City view
Courtyard view
Old Town view
Internet – WifiAvailable at this property
Parks nearby
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Deluxe Castle View Room
- 30 m² · 323 ft²
- 1 king bed or 2 twin beds
- Sleeps 2 adults + 2 children
- Pay now
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$750.00 / night
Taxes & fees shown at selection
Not available for the dates chosen
Executive Room
- 25 m² · 269 ft²
- 1 bed
- Sleeps 2 adults + 1 child
- Pay now
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$500.00 / night
Taxes & fees shown at selection
Not available for the dates chosen
Interconnecting Family Room
- 2 beds
- Sleeps 4 adults + 2 children
- Pay now
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$500.00 / night
Taxes & fees shown at selection
Not available for the dates chosen
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Health & safety
This property has self-certified the following health, cleanliness and safety measures. Learn more
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Extra health & safety measuresThis property has taken extra health and hygiene measures to ensure your safety is their prioritySee health & safety details
Hotel Facilities
Most popular facilities
Restaurant Parking Spa and wellness center Family rooms Bar Fitness center Restaurants Shopping area Sightseeing Near public transport
Location highlights
- Restaurants
- Shopping area
- Sightseeing
- Near public transport
- Old town
- Parks nearby
Facilities
- Laundry and dry cleaning
- Internet – Wifi
- Swimming pool
Hotel Service
- Family-friendly
Great for your stay
- Restaurant
- Parking
- View
- Spa and wellness center
- Family rooms
- Bar
- Fitness center
Bathroom
- Slippers
- Bathrobe
- Shower
- Bathtub
View
- City view
- Landmark view
Parking
Valet parking is available for a nightly charge.
- Valet parking Additional charge
Business Facilities
- Meeting/Banquet facilities
Spa
- Fitness
- Steam room
- Spa facilities
Policies
The Balmoral, a Rocco Forte Hotel takes special requests – add in the next step!
Check-in
From 3:00 PM
Check-out
Until 12:00 PM
Cancellation and prepayment
Cancellation and prepayment terms depend on the room type and rate booked. Check the conditions of your rate before booking.
Check what conditions apply to each option when making your selection.
Children and beds
Child policies
Children are welcome.
Interconnecting family rooms are available, and extra beds can be requested subject to availability for GBP 50 per night (about US$67).
Breakfast costs GBP 17 for children aged 11 and under and the adult price of GBP 34 from age 12.
Cot and extra bed policies
All ages
Extra bed upon request
$67.00 per night
Cot and extra bed prices aren't included in the total price and are paid separately during your stay. All cots and extra beds are subject to availability.
Age restriction
The minimum age for check-in is 18.
Pets
Pets are allowed on request. The hotel is dog friendly. Pets are allowed on request for GBP 50 per pet per stay; service animals are welcome.
Accepted payment methods
VISAMasterCardAMEX
Parking
Valet parking only, charged per night.
Location & area
See availabilityWhat's nearby
- St Andrew Square220 m
- Royal Mile400 m
- Princes Street Gardens500 m
- St Giles' Cathedral500 m
- Calton Hill500 m
- National Museum of Scotland600 m
- Grassmarket800 m
- Scottish Parliament Building800 m
Public transit
- Train · Edinburgh Waverley200 m
- Tram · St Andrew Square250 m
Shortest estimated walking or driving distances displayed. Actual distances may vary.
Getting around
From the airport
- Edinburgh Airport (EDI)15 km
- Drive time to the hotelaround 25 min
Road distance and drive time from OpenStreetMap routing (OSRM), without traffic.
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Travelers are asking
See availabilityReception is staffed 24 hours, so you can arrive at any time after the 15:00 start. The guest checking in must be at least 18.
The pool, sauna, steam room and gym in the Irene Forte Spa open daily from 7:00am to 10:00pm and are free for hotel guests.
Yes, by valet. With Waverley station next door and a taxi rank in front of the hotel, many guests manage without a car in the city centre.
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The property answers questions here
Things to do nearby
Sights and attractions around The Balmoral, a Rocco Forte Hotel, nearest first. Times are estimates from the straight-line distance.
Edinburgh
About 11 min walk · 880 m
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle crowns Castle Rock, a volcanic plug at the top of the Royal Mile in the centre of Edinburgh. It forms part of the Old and New Towns of Edinburg...
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Events during your stay
Festivals and events in and around Edinburgh over the next two months. Pick your dates above to narrow the list.
Edinburgh's Hogmanay
Edinburgh · 780 m away
Nearby restaurants
Places to eat within easy reach of the hotel, with cuisine, price range and reviews.
The Kitchin
78 Commercial Quay, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6LX, United Kingdom
Cuisine:Modern ScottishSeasonal
- Dine-in
Need help?
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
General
At 1 Princes Street, Edinburgh EH2 2EQ, next to Edinburgh Waverley station. The Royal Mile is about a 5 minute walk and Edinburgh Castle about 11 minutes.
Yes, but tell the hotel before you arrive, since pets are accepted on request. The fee is charged once per pet for the whole stay, not per night.
It runs three minutes fast so travellers catch their trains at Waverley. It shows the correct time only on 31 December.
Stay & facilities
Check-in is from 15:00 and check-out is until 12:00.
Yes. The Irene Forte Spa in the basement has a 15 metre indoor lap pool, a Finnish sauna, a Turkish steam room, five treatment rooms and a gym. It opens daily from 7:00am to 10:00pm and is free for hotel guests.
Number One (fine dining, four AA Rosettes), Brasserie Prince, the Palm Court for afternoon tea, Bar Prince and the SCOTCH whisky bar.
Yes. An interconnecting family room combines two Executive View rooms, and some suites can connect to a neighbouring room to form a family suite. Extra beds are available on request.
Deluxe Castle View rooms, which guarantee a view of Edinburgh Castle and the gardens. Classic rooms face the courtyard.
GBP 34 for adults and guests aged 12 and over, and GBP 17 for children aged 11 and under.
Yes. Room 552, where she finished the last book in January 2007, is now the J.K. Rowling Suite.
The Balmoral, a Rocco Forte Hotel has Wi-Fi; the listing does not say whether it is free. Listed: Internet – Wifi.
Booking
Yes, but only by valet, and the fee is added for every night the car stays.
What's included
Extra beds cost GBP 50 per night (about US$67) and are subject to availability.
Cancellations & changes
The cancellation and prepayment terms of The Balmoral, a Rocco Forte Hotel are set out under House Rules on this page.
Prices & payment
The Balmoral, a Rocco Forte Hotel accepts VISA, MasterCard and AMEX.