Balormal Hotel

ONE OF THE MOST STUNNING HOTEL VENUES IN SCOTLAND

Incredible hotel right in the middle of Edinburgh city centre

Edinburgh has it’s fair share of hotels, whether it be your local Holiday Inn/Travelodge to one of hundreds of B&Bs to the finest 5-star hotels. In the city, in my personal opinion, there are maybe 4 or 5 hotels that really stand out and make you go wow! The Balmoral Hotel is one of these. Easily the most beautiful from the outside and one of the most inside, the Balmoral is in a prime location for anyone visiting Edinburgh.

I’ve had the pleasure of photographing and attending a few events at the Balmoral and each time I go in I go “wow, that’s a pretty venue”.

ABOUT THE BALMORAL HOTEL

The Balmoral Hotel finished construction in 1895 and the hotel opened in 1902. The hotel has gone through various refurbishments throughout the years and while I believe many of the original fittings have disappeared it’s nonetheless a really beautiful hotel inside. Various celebrities from Laurel & Hardy to Michael Palin have visited. Oprah Winfrey recorded a show there and JK Rowling wrote the Deathly Hallows inside. You can stay in the same suite JK Rowling stayed in, which is now incidentally called the JK Rowling suite, for £1000 (and yes people do pay that!).

HOW DO WEDDINGS WORK?

Very well. The Balmoral is one of the few hotels where you really don’t need to leave the hotel for anything at all (even photos). The staff are some of the most efficient and friendly in Edinburgh and every event I’ve attended at the Balmoral has been perfectly organised. The rooms and suites are huge and there are multiple rooms which accomodate different size wedding parties to get married in.

For the larger weddings there’s often a master of ceremonies who is even better at shouting at groups of people than I am who will usher people around. I love taking photos of people in front of the piano and on the staircase around the second floor and most of the time you can access the roof which offers stunning views of Princes Street, Princes Street Gardens, Old Town and Holyrood Park.

For the more adventurous couple you can venture outside and take photos but of all the events I’ve covered there only one couple has chosen to do so.

WHAT IS THERE TO DO NEARBY?

Dalhousie Castle has a delightful spa, there’s a terraced restaurant and the Dungeon restaurant looks simply amazing. Also there’s a falconry on site, you can do archery and you almost always spot the wee bunny or two running around. Dalhousie Castle is also only a 20 minute drive from Edinburgh City Centre.

THE BALMORAL HOTEL GALLERY

Here is a selection of photographs I have captured at The Balmoral Hotel. To date I’ve photographed a graduation ball there, a coupe wedding receptions and two large weddings (one of which I’m not allowed to show on my website but do ask)

It really is an awesome venue and I’d love to show you more photos in person.