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Home » Non Sequitur » A Lovely Afternoon Tea at the Balmoral Hotel and a Sneak Peek at the JK Rowling Suite (Where the Harry Potter Series was Completed)!

A Lovely Afternoon Tea at the Balmoral Hotel and a Sneak Peek at the JK Rowling Suite (Where the Harry Potter Series was Completed)!

August 6th, 2016 | 24 Comments

Afternoon tea at the Balmoral Hotel is an indulgent and delicious way to spend an afternoon in Edinburgh. J.K. Rowling fans will especially love this luxurious hotel.

Chocolate tart from the Balmoral in Edinburgh, at afternoon tea.

After our day trip to St. Andrews, our last day in Scotland was spent in Edinburgh having a most delightful afternoon tea at the Rocco Forte Balmoral Hotel, and afterwards, visiting family.

Disclosure: my mother, daughter and I were hosted for afternoon tea at the Rocco Forte Balmoral. As always, no provisions were made for a positive review, and all opinions are solely my own.

A Pearl of Edinburgh

We drove from Glasgow to Edinburgh, which is only about a 45 minute drive, to have afternoon tea at the Balmoral Hotel–a perfect way to end our stay in Scotland. The hotel is situated in the heart of Edinburgh, with the coveted address of No. 1 Princes Street and conveniently adjacent to the Edinburgh Waverley Train Station.

The Rocco Forte Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh

I could write so much about the hotel alone, and why I have gained such an affinity for this marvelous establishment.

  • Could it be that when it originally opened as the North British in 1902 was exactly 64 years to the day that I was born?
  • Or that the owner and his family, and my family are both Scottish Italian?
  • What about the fact that my paternal grandfather and the current owner’s father were not only interned together on the Isle of Man during WWII, but knew each other?
  • Maybe that Sophia Loren, Paul McCartney, other celebrities and former Prime Ministers of the UK have stayed here, or that the Queen Mother was a regular for lunch?
  • Or possibly that the Rocco Forte philosophy and values are in line with mine?

Stay at any Rocco Forte hotel and you’re assured of the highest quality accommodation, facilities and services. -RF Hotels

However, today I’m going to introduce you to the classic afternoon tea offered at the Balmoral’s elegant Palm Court.

The Rocco Forte Balmoral Hotel

From the world famous Princes Street, it’s unmistakable to see that the imposing building is a historical asset to the city of Edinburgh. (Here’s an amusing bit of trivia: since 1902, the clock on the Balmoral Hotel’s tower has been set to run three minutes fast, so that the people of Edinburgh won’t miss their trains!)

Rocco Forte Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh, Scotland

Once inside the lobby, Roman columns give a nod to the Italian background of the Forte family, and fresh flowers greet guests before they arrive at the front desk.

The Balmoral Lobby, Edinburgh

The Balmoral Afternoon Tea Experience

My mother, daughter and I checked our jackets into the cloakroom and were taken into Palm Court, which is directly through the lobby. Immediately, the dullness of the cloudy Scottish day vanished, and we were transported into a bright and airy place of elegance, and a respite from the city.

Palm Court at the Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh for afternoon tea.

Venetian Chandeler in Palm Court in the Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh
The stunning Venetian chandelier in Palm Court.

Our waiter introduced himself and wasted no time in pouring each of us a lovely glass of Ruinart Champagne! That’s how I like to begin a wonderful afternoon.

Ruinart Champagne at the Balmoral Hotel afternoon tea

A beautiful trio of Virgin Bloody Mary Soup was the amuse bouche for our tea.

Virgin Bloody Mary Soup Amuse Bouche at the Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh

We had informed our waiter about my daughter Denisa’s nut allergies, so she was given her own nut-free tray. Those of you with allergies, or children with allergies will appreciate this more than others. I also want to point out that our waiter actually asked us about potential allergies, even before we were able to tell him about my daughter’s. I’d give bonus points for this!

Among our selections were a warm cheese scone with horseradish sauce, curried chicken salad on wheat bread, Scottish smoked salmon open face sandwiches, egg salad on brioche bread and the classic cucumber and cream cheese. They were all delicious, and we all had a different favorite: my mother loved the salmon the most, Denisa loved the cucumber and cream cheese and my top pick was the curried chicken salad.

Afternoon tea selection at the Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh

Our waiter prepared our tea table side.

Making tea at the Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh

After steeping for a few minutes, my daughter and I had a lovely cup of tea. Mum decided to be different for a change, and order a hot chocolate instead, which was smooth, and not too sweet.

Tea and Hot Chocolate at the Rocco Forte Hotel in Edinburgh

Unlike most afternoon tea experiences, The Balmoral serves the savory tray first, then brings a second tray filled with the sweet selections! I LOVE this idea, don’t you?!

Sweet tray at the Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh

At this point, we really filled up on the savories. We hadn’t realized just how much food was on those trays.

Afternoon tea at the Balmoral in EdinburghHowever, the sweet selections were just too enticing to dismiss!

Sweet selections at the Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh

Executive Pastry Chef Ross Sneddon had simply outdone himself. Each and every dessert was a creation of art, and the flavors were sublime. One of my favorites (if not my favorite) was the creme brûlée with rhubarb served in an egg shell! I cannot even describe the melt-in-your-mouth topping, but the entire dessert was simply exquisite! The scones were delicious, which I think you might even be able to deduce just from the photo.

Palm Court in the Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh
Tables filled up as the afternoon progressed.

When we were almost finished with our dessert trays, I asked our waiter if I could meet Katy, who had arranged to host us for afternoon tea. She came to meet us and as we were chatting, I mentioned that my cousin and his family live on the other side of Edinburgh which was where we were going after tea, and they live very close to J.K. Rowling. Katy then asked, “So you probably know about our J.K. Rowling Suite?” I had to profess that I had never heard of it, but asked to hear more.

The J.K. Rowling Suite at the Balmoral Hotel

Apparently, when finishing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the last of the Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling secretly stayed in a suite in the Balmoral to be able to focus and write more efficiently. After she finished her book, she “graffitied” a bust in the room, signing it to record the date and place of the book’s completion. After her stay, The Balmoral named the room, The J.K. Rowling Suite in her honor.

The JK Rowling Suite at the Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh

My daughter, being the “Potter-Head” that she is, was very excited to hear this story, but when Katy asked if we wanted to see the suite as long as there was no one checked into it, her excitement grew. Katy left to check on the J.K. Rowling suite, and told us there was more to come for our tea.

Soon, a waitress rolled a trolley up to our table and asked us what we would like to have. We couldn’t believe the selection of candies and treats: colorful macarons, fruit flavored jellies, salted caramels dipped in chocolate, and homemade marshmallows, to name a few.

The sweet trolley at the Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh

These are my choices–how could I resist?

Sweet choices at the Balmoral HOtel in Edinburgh, Scotland

Katy popped back over to our table to let us know that, indeed, the suite was available and we could have a peek. At this point, Denisa wasn’t the only one who was excited! Katy then told us there was one more small surprise in store before we could leave to see the room.

Our waiter then brought us the most adorable miniature cones of sorbet that I’ve ever seen!

Miniature cones of sorbet at the Balmoral Hotel

After our tiny cones, we followed Katy upstairs to the J.K. Rowling Suite. The Balmoral even added an owl door-knocker to the door of the suite!

Owl door knocker on the JK Rowling Suite in the Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh

Upon entering the suite, all eyes were on the desk and chair. We realized that was the place where the magic happened!

The desk where JK Rowling wrote the final Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in the Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh.

The suite was so peaceful and comfortable with the cool, muted colors, I could see why J.K. Rowling would choose to burrow herself in here to write. Denisa didn’t want to sit at the desk, but we all convinced her that it was a fabulous opportunity!

JK Rowling Suite at the Balmoral in Edinburgh

The view was one of the best parts of the suite. That’s Calton Hill in the background with the sea just to the left.

Calton Hill view along Princes Street from the Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh.

Last, but not least, I have to show you the bust of Hermes with J.K. Rowling’s graffiti, along with a framed commemoration of the event.

JK Rowling's graffiti on a bust in the Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh.

Denisa had originally wanted to go to the coffee shop where J.K. Rowling used to go when she started writing the Harry Potter series, but this was even better.  We’ll get to the coffee shop the next time.

We walked down the staircase to the lobby instead of taking the elevator, and there was just something about it which made me think it could have been inspiration for Hogwarts’ interior.

Staircase in the Balmoral Hotel. Inspiration for Harry Potter's Hogwarts?

The Rocco Forte Balmoral is just one of 11 such unique hotels across Europe, Russia and Saudia Arabia.

“Each of our properties is individual – each has its own personality, and each is authentic to its city. All are landmarks, both old and new, occupying magnificent buildings in exceptional locations…” 
                                                                                -Sir Rocco Forte, Chairman and CEO of Rocco Forte Hotels

It’s clear to me that this will not be my last experience with the Rocco Forte brand of hotels and I cannot wait to explore what the others have to offer. However, I’m just as excited to return to the Balmoral, as there is still so much at this hotel. It features a Michelin star restaurant, spa and Scotch whisky bar which features over 500 malts, blends and vintages from every part of Scotland!

For more information on the Rocco Forte Balmoral Hotel for afternoon tea, a stay, or details about the other hotels, visit~

THE ROCCO FORTE HOTELS & RESORTS WEBSITE

You can also follow them on Facebook.

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Disclosure: our afternoon tea was hosted by the Rocco Forte Balmoral Hotel. All opinions are always my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC regulations.

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Country, My Rants & Recommendations, Non Sequitur, SCOTLAND, Uncategorized · Afternoon Tea, Edinburgh, Luxury, luxury hotel, Review, Reviews, Scotland, sponsored, Tea, Travel

Reader Interactions

24 Responses

  1. St Andrews, Scotland and Aunt Virginia's Recipe for Bacon and Onion Stuffed Mushrooms - Christina's Cucina says:
    December 20, 2018 at 10:45 am

    […] Older PostDriving in Lazio: Frascati, Cervaro, Sora and GaetaNewer PostA Lovely Afternoon Tea at the Balmoral Hotel and a Sneak Peek at the JK Rowling Suite (Whe… […]

    Reply
  2. The Rocco Forte Spa at The Balmoral in Edinburgh: a Respite from Reality - Christina's Cucina says:
    August 22, 2018 at 9:06 pm

    […] Rocco Forte Spa at The Balmoral is definitely an added bonus to the hotel. Maybe make it a spa and afternoon tea day? That would be a brilliant way to spend a […]

    Reply
  3. The Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh is Doing Everything Right (The Only Thing Wrong is That You'll Never Want to Leave) - Christina's Cucina says:
    March 15, 2017 at 6:27 pm

    […] year, I had afternoon tea at The Balmoral with my mother and daughter; it was a truly memorable and delicious experience, but it was only a […]

    Reply
  4. Cynthia | What A Girl Eats says:
    August 14, 2016 at 6:21 pm

    I’m so jealous of all your tea experiences! But seeing the spot where JK Rowling finished Harry Potter has to be the topper!

    Reply
  5. rosemary nardone says:
    August 13, 2016 at 5:39 am

    What a lovely post! I have attended many afternoon teas in New York City and hope to do one in England one day! This looks like a great tea for sure. My Mom and I used to do them at a local place and I cherish those memories. She was also a big Harry Potter fan and that suite looks like so much fun. You are one lucky lady!!

    Reply
  6. Cathy says:
    August 11, 2016 at 7:18 pm

    Love the Virgin Bloody Mary Soup and all of the amazing treats. Glad to see you were treated like royalty there.

    Reply
  7. Frank says:
    August 10, 2016 at 5:53 am

    Looks like a charming hotel!

    This post reminds me that Scotland has been on my bucket list for a very long time. Can’t imagine a nicer way to start off that trip when I do make it there…

    Reply
« Older Comments

Trackbacks

  1. St Andrews, Scotland and Aunt Virginia's Recipe for Bacon and Onion Stuffed Mushrooms - Christina's Cucina says:
    December 20, 2018 at 10:45 am

    […] Older PostDriving in Lazio: Frascati, Cervaro, Sora and GaetaNewer PostA Lovely Afternoon Tea at the Balmoral Hotel and a Sneak Peek at the JK Rowling Suite (Whe… […]

    Reply
  2. The Rocco Forte Spa at The Balmoral in Edinburgh: a Respite from Reality - Christina's Cucina says:
    August 22, 2018 at 9:06 pm

    […] Rocco Forte Spa at The Balmoral is definitely an added bonus to the hotel. Maybe make it a spa and afternoon tea day? That would be a brilliant way to spend a […]

    Reply
  3. The Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh is Doing Everything Right (The Only Thing Wrong is That You'll Never Want to Leave) - Christina's Cucina says:
    March 15, 2017 at 6:27 pm

    […] year, I had afternoon tea at The Balmoral with my mother and daughter; it was a truly memorable and delicious experience, but it was only a […]

    Reply

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Meet Christina

A Scottish Italian cook living in Los Angeles, Christina is usually cooking, baking or (cr)eating something scrumptious. When she isn't in the kitchen, she loves to travel, near and far, as long as good food is involved. Christina is on a mission to save authentic Italian dishes from extinction, and is constantly promoting Scottish (and British) food as some of the best cuisine the world has to offer—one steak pie and sticky toffee pudding at a time.



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