Picolo recommends · Hotel in Edinburgh, Scotland
Palm Court, The Balmoral
A doorman in a kilt, the castle across the gardens and a clock tower that runs a few minutes fast so nobody misses the train below.
Check the time on the tower and you will be early. The clock on The Balmoral is kept a few minutes ahead on purpose, a habit from the railway days, when guests had trains to catch at Waverley right below.
The hotel sits on the corner of Princes Street and North Bridge, the hinge between the medieval Old Town and the Georgian New Town. Some rooms look across to the castle on its rock, others towards Calton Hill.
Picolo’s verdict
Why we chose Palm Court, The Balmoral
We chose The Balmoral for a first visit to Edinburgh. You arrive by train and are in the lobby within minutes, the Royal Mile is over the bridge, and the service has the polish of a hotel that has done this for a long time.
It is large and formal, so you are one guest among many. Anyone who wants a small, personal hotel with a bit of character will be happier in a townhouse further into the New Town. Rooms facing the castle cost more.
What you get
- Kilted doorman and classic service
- Landmark clock tower
- Rooms with views to the castle or Calton Hill
- Large breakfast room
- Directly above Waverley station
A day at Palm Court, The Balmoral
- Morning
- Breakfast, then the short climb up to the castle.
- Midday
- The Royal Mile and its closes on the Old Town side.
- Afternoon
- A walk up Calton Hill for the view back over the city.
- Evening
- Dinner in the New Town and a short stroll back along Princes Street.
Location
Princes Street, New Town, Edinburgh, Scotland
Open in MapsQuestions about Palm Court, The Balmoral
Why is the clock on The Balmoral fast?
It is set a few minutes ahead on purpose, so travellers glancing up from Princes Street have a little extra time to catch their train at Waverley below.
Is The Balmoral close to Edinburgh Castle?
Yes. The castle is across Princes Street Gardens, and the Royal Mile is a short walk over North Bridge into the Old Town.
Is The Balmoral good for arriving by train?
It could hardly be closer. Waverley station lies directly beneath the hotel, so you can step off a train from London or Glasgow and be checked in within minutes.
Updated 6 Nov 2026All articles
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