Balmoral Hotel

The Balmoral Hotel is a famous hotel and landmark in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is right in the middle of the city, at the east end of Princes Street, the main shopping street. This street runs beneath the tall Edinburgh Castle rock, and the hotel is near the southern edge of the New Town, a historic part of the city.

You can reach the Balmoral Hotel from Princes Street on its north side. It is close to the North Bridge and Waverley Steps. The Waverley Steps let people walk down to Waverley Station, which used to be directly connected to the hotel. Since 1994, the Balmoral Hotel has been protected as a Category B listed building, meaning it is important to keep its special style and history safe for everyone to enjoy.

History

The Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh, Scotland, was designed by architect William Hamilton Beattie for the North British Railway Company. It opened as the North British Station Hotel on October 15, 1902. The building has Victorian architecture with Scottish baronial style.

Over the years, the hotel changed owners many times. It closed for big repairs in 1988 and reopened in 1991, renamed The Balmoral by actor Sean Connery. The hotel was later bought by Rocco Forte Hotels and became the first in Scotland to earn five stars from Forbes Travel Guide. Its Number One restaurant held a Michelin star from 2003 to 2022.

Clock

The Balmoral Hotel has a tall clock tower that is a famous sight in Edinburgh. The clock has four big faces and was made by Hamilton & Inches. It was changed to work with electricity in 1974 and is cared for by James Ritchie & Son, who are part of the Smith of Derby Group.

The clock is set to be three minutes fast so people have extra time to catch their trains. It only shows the right time on December 31, during the city's New Year celebrations called Hogmanay. In 2020, the hotel decided not to set it right for that year's Hogmanay but returned to the old way after that. The clock’s old parts are still in the tower but are not used anymore after a computer system took over in 2014.

Media

Laurel and Hardy (1932)

In July 1932, the famous comedy duo Laurel and Hardy visited the North British Station Hotel in Edinburgh. Many fans gathered outside to see them, and this event was recorded in one of the earliest videos of the hotel.

J. K. Rowling and Harry Potter (2007)

In 2007, author J. K. Rowling finished writing the final book in her Harry Potter series, titled Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, at the Balmoral Hotel. She left a note in her room saying she completed the book there on January 11, 2007. The room is now called the "J. K. Rowling Suite," and the note is kept safe in a glass display. Later, in 2010, Oprah Winfrey filmed an episode of her show at the hotel, interviewing Rowling about her time there.