The Balmoral Hotel

The Balmoral does a wonderful line in top hatted doormen and has a beautiful domed room tastefully decorated in shades of brown and gold. The tea service is striped in similar colours and it is interesting to muse on which came first – the decor or the china! I have a soft spot for the Balmoral as one long and sunny Edinburgh afternoon they let a friend and I in for tea at 6pm. Afternoon tea was officially over – but they agreed to serve it to us despite the late hour. Given that it was 6pm the sandwiches weren’t too bad at all. The scones were fine. The cakes were a little pedestrian and there wasn’t much in the way of patisserie but there was a pianist, friendly staff, a lovely atmosphere and great tea.