Rialto
Edinburgh

Rocco Forte Balmoral Hotel

Rialto Score 9+

A Rocco Forte hotel. Rialto is a Rocco Forte Knights agency: book this hotel direct at the VIP rate for benefits that can include priority room upgrades, hotel credits, and more.

The Balmoral may just be the city’s premier address – it’s a luxury hotel that pampers its guests. Many of the opulent rooms and suites look out on Edinburgh Castle, the Old Town, and Arthur’s Seat, capturing the beauty and mood of the Scottish countryside. Pampering starts in the award-winning spa, a sanctuary of highly personalized service. Indulgence continues at 4AA Rosette restaurant Number One, serving dishes which fuse modern Scottish cuisine with international flair. Have Afternoon Tea at Palm Court, the finest whiskies at the SCOTCH whisky bar, and try out the fashionable Brasserie Prince.

1 Princes Street, EH2 2EQ Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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Rocco Forte Balmoral Hotel

About Rocco Forte Balmoral Hotel

Insider tip

Exclusive to Rocco Forte Hotels, the newly launched Irene Forte Skincare line offers a range of treatments harnessing the power of handpicked, active ingredients from Italy.

In the hotel’s own words

For over a century, The Balmoral has found a home at Edinburgh’s most prestigious address, No. 1 Princes Street. A landmark Rocco Forte hotel set in the heart of Scotland’s capital city, The Balmoral combines stunning views and warm hospitality with world-class facilities to create the perfect urban retreat.

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Rooms & Suites

The perfect marriage of tradition and modernity, each of the 167 rooms has been individually designed by Rocco Forte Hotel’s Director of Design Olga Polizzi. Elegant and stylish with unmistakably Scottish accents, each of our 20 Edinburgh suites are generous with magnificent views.

As part of a multimillion pound upgrade, The Balmoral refurbished its presidential suite, the Scone & Crombie Suite, in 2018. Named after the iconic Scone Palace in Perthshire, the signature suite has been designed as the ultimate city base for families or urban enclave for heads of state and VIPs. The flexible accommodation – which stretches to 198 square metres - can be booked as a two or three bedroom suite.

Dining at the Balmoral

Excellent cuisine is guaranteed at The Balmoral. Overseen by Executive Chef, Paul Hart, Brasserie Prince celebrates the very best of Scottish produce with classic French cooking. Serving seasonally inspired, classic bistro dishes that harmonise quintessentially French flavours with local ingredients. At Bar Prince the ambience is relaxed yet convivial. Guests can enjoy a pre-dinner aperitif, sit in the cosy library by the fire for an after dinner drink or sample cocktails at the long, marble bar counter for a fun night out.

The hotel’s 4AA Rosette restaurant, Number One, offers modern Scottish dining with the finest service. Head Chef Mathew Sherry and his award-winning team showcase their favourite seasonal produce through a seven course tasting menu, creating Scottish dishes by combining flavours with modern flair.

Palm Court, set in the heart of the hotel, is an Edinburgh institution that’s as glittering as its glass dome and Venetian chandelier. The place to sample modern Afternoon Tea and a wide selection of loose leaf teas, coffee and pastries.

The Balmoral’s signature whisky bar, SCOTCH, pays homage to Scotland’s national drink and is home to one of Edinburgh’s largest collections. Take a seat on one of the tweed sofas and let our kilted Whisky Ambassadors help you choose from over 500 varieties.

Relaxation at the Balmoral

For relaxation, The Balmoral Spa is a serene sanctuary in the heart of the city - the perfect place to escape the pace of city life. The spa boasts 5 treatment rooms, a 15m swimming pool, Finnish sauna, Turkish steam room, poolside refreshment area and a state-of-the-art quad layout Technogym-equipped gym. Exclusive to Rocco Forte Hotels, the newly launched Irene Forte Skincare line offers a range of treatments harnessing the power of handpicked active ingredients from Italy.

VIP Hotel Program · Invitation-only

Book direct at the Rocco Forte Knights VIP rate, instantly

All 14 Rocco Forte Knights hotels →

A direct booking with the hotel, confirmed instantly on Rialto — no contact form or middleman. Hotel loyalty points and elite status apply where applicable.

Rocco Forte Knights is Rocco Forte's invitation-only VIP program, open to a small group of luxury travel agencies. VIP rates generally meet or beat the hotel's website rates and include the amenities below.

  • Daily breakfast for two
  • $100-200 hotel credit per stay
  • Room upgrade on arrival, based on availability
  • Early check-in and late check-out, based on availability
  • Welcome amenity

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Rooms and suites

13 room types, as described by the hotel.
Rooms
1Scone & Crombie
Our iconic signature suite is decorated with rich fabrics, opulent furnishings and space in abundance. This suite was named after the iconic Scone Palace in Perthshire. The suite has a walk-in wardrobe, working fireplace, separate dining room and traditional Scottish touches throughout.
2Junior Suite Castle View
These Junior Suites have stunning castle views and a welcoming lounge area.
3Junior Suite
Our spacious Junior Suites have a welcoming lounge area.
4Deluxe Castle View Room
These spacious rooms are located on our higher floors, with views of Princes Street Gardens and Edinburgh Castle.
5Deluxe Old Town View Room
Comfortable and contemporary, these large rooms have a sitting area and views of Edinburgh’s picturesque Old Town.
6Executive Old Town View Room
Decorated to reflect traditional Scottish style, these elegant rooms offer views of Edinburgh’s picturesque Old Town.
7Deluxe Room
Comfortable and contemporary, these large rooms have a sitting area and your choice of either a king-sized bed or two single beds.
8Executive Room
Decorated to reflect traditional Scottish style, some of these elegant rooms can also be interconnected, making them suitable for families.
Suites
9Glamis Suite
One of our most spacious suites, the Glamis Suite is classic yet contemporary. The sitting room overlooks Princes Street. It has a working fireplace and dining table for four.
10Balmoral Suite
The Balmoral Suite has a sitting room with a living flame fire and two separate bedrooms. The suite has a guest powder room as well as a walk-in wardrobe in the master bedroom.
11J.K. Rowling Suite
K. Rowling suite features a beautiful sitting room with turret style alcoves and decor inspired by the Scottish woodlands. This suite has view over Calton Hill. Rowling finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Rowling herself. The door knocker is a brass owl in her honour.
12Grand Suite
Four of our Grand Suites have turret-style alcoves. Each has a name synonymous with Scotland — Braemar, Stirling, Dunrobin and Tay.
13Classic Suite
Our Classic Suites have a separate bedroom and a sitting room. They combine elegant, contemporary features with characteristics borrowed from our Scottish heritage.

Book with your AI assistant

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  1. 1Connect Rialto to Claude or ChatGPT: it is an MCP server, added from the connector settings in one step.
  2. 2Ask for Rocco Forte Balmoral Hotel on your dates. The assistant returns live VIP, corporate and public rates with the benefits named per rate.
  3. 3Finish on a secure Rialto page. The booking is instant and direct with the hotel; card details never pass through the chat.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does booking through Rialto cost more than booking with the hotel?

No - VIP rates under Rocco Forte Knights always meet or beat hotel's public, flexible rate, and provide valuable amenities and possible upgrades. Rialto also provides the hotel's non-VIP and corporate rates, so you can compare with full transparency.

Can my AI assistant book this hotel?

Yes. Connect Rialto to Claude or ChatGPT with our AI hotel booking MCP server and ask for rates. You finish the booking instantly on a secure Rialto page, direct with the hotel. Card details are not sent through the AI chat, so either you would approve the final checkout step and reconfirm all the information, or if you authorize your agent with Computer-Use permissions, it can fill out the checkout form as well.

What is the value of the VIP benefits?

Daily breakfast for two plus the $100-200 hotel credit come with every stay at this hotel - adding $100-200/day in value. A room upgrade could also be worth a substantial amount, in addition to early check-in / late check-out benefits when available.

What room types does Rocco Forte Balmoral Hotel offer?

Rocco Forte Balmoral Hotel lists Scone & Crombie, Junior Suite Castle View, Junior Suite, Deluxe Castle View Room, Deluxe Old Town View Room, Executive Old Town View Room and 7 more. Sizes and bed options for each are in the rooms table above.

How does this compare to other programs, like through AMEX Fine Hotels & Resorts, or Chase Edit?

Using a hotel's own VIP program may provide higher upgrade priority, additional VIP benefits and promotional rate offers, and a direct relationship with the hotel for special requests. Rialto offers more VIP hotels than any credit card program. In addition, Chase Edit rates can be substantially more expensive as they rarely run promotions whereas AMEX rates are often comparable but do not offer programs such as Upgrade at Booking.

Rates are shown to members

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