Balmoral Hotel

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North elevation, seen across Princes Street past the Iron Duke in bronze by John Steell

The hotel from the south east, beyond Waverley Station which is under the North Bridge

The Balmoral Hotel is a luxury five star hotel and landmark in Edinburgh, Scotland. Originally opened in 1902 it was designed by architect W. Hamilton Beattie and was known as the North British Hotel, a traditional railway hotel built for the North British Railway adjacent to their Waverley Station, it kept the same name until the late 1980s when it was renamed the Balmoral Hotel after refurbishment, despite being located over 100 miles south of Balmoral Castle. For travellers arriving by train, the hotel provided comfortable and elegant lodgings, before they continued their journeys. The building’s architecture is Victorian, influenced by the traditional Scottish baronial style.

The hotel is located in the very heart of the city at 1 Princes Street, the main shopping area overlooking Edinburgh Castle. The Balmoral is a landmark in its own right, its clock tower can be seen from all around. Given that the hotel is adjacent to the station, the clock is always set two minutes fast to ensure that people don't miss their trains.

It is now part of the Rocco Forte Hotels group owned by Sir Rocco Forte.

In early 2007 it was confirmed that author JK Rowling finished the last book in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows at this hotel while staying at room number 652. Rowling left a signed statement written on a marble bust of Hermes in her room saying; "JK Rowling finished writing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in this room (652) on 11th Jan 2007".^[1].