Palace hotels in Edinburgh
3 palace hotels in Edinburgh, chosen and checked by the Atlas. The grand hotels of the world: palaces on the great squares, family houses that have kept their standards for a century or more, and a few modern masterpieces.
The Balmoral
Edinburgh's grand railway hotel of 1902, whose clock tower is famously set three minutes fast so travellers never miss their train.
Gleneagles
The great Scottish country hotel, opened in 1924, with three golf courses, shooting, fishing and Restaurant Andrew Fairlie.
Gleneagles Townhouse
Gleneagles' city sibling, opened in 2023 in a former bank on St Andrew Square, with a rooftop bar and its own members' club.
Good to know
Book direct
The best rooms and upgrades usually go to guests who book with the hotel itself, by phone or through its own website.
Ask for the history
Grand hotels are proud of their past. Ask the concierge which suite was whose; the answer is often worth the question.
Dress for the public rooms
Bars and restaurants in palace hotels expect smart dress in the evening, and a few still ask for a jacket.