Palm Court

We ditched afternoon tea in London just so we could experience this at the Balmoral and it was totally worth it. Everything was beautiful and elegant. The service was immaculate. We had specific dietary restrictions. We ordered the vegetarian and halal menu and we enjoyed every bite. They even gave us a little gift. Overall it was an experience to remember for a lifetime.

It was the best afternoon tea of my life. Everything was wonderful. We were very well welcomed, and the team was also very friendly and smiling. I will definitely come back.😀

We went to afternoon tea at The Palm and almost everything was great. The location is beautiful and our server, Alba, was really nice and attentive. The sandwiches and desserts were great. The big tea list was also really interesting and all our teas were lovely. We weren’t a big fan of the savories and really didn’t like the gazpacho at all. At such high price we expected a little more.

Absolutely stunning! The Palm Court at The Balmoral Hotel is breathtakingly beautiful. The service was excellent, with friendly and attentive staff who made the experience feel special. The food was absolutely delicious, from savory bites to sweet treats, and the selection of teas was outstanding. I highly recommend this afternoon tea experience!

High tea at Palm Court, Balmoral, was a lovely experience in an elegant setting. The ambiance was refined, and the live harpist added a beautiful touch. Service was excellent, and the tea selection was outstanding—I only wish I could have tried more! Appetizers and sandwiches were excellent, desserts were lovely, but the scones were dry and overworked. The cucumber gazpacho amuse bouche was a miss—it tasted like soap, and we weren’t the only ones who left it unfinished. Still, a special and memorable afternoon

Lovely afternoon tea with lovely relaxed surroundings. Staff were attentive & friendly. Sandwiches, savouries and scones were excellent but we personally found the cakes a bit too rich.

I wish I could give this place more than 5 stars. The Palm Court’s afternoon tea was everything I could want and more. The selection of tea was overwhelming - in a good way. And the staff was really knowledgeable in their recommendations. The presentation of the tea being steeped table side was very exciting! We loved the assortment of pastries and finger sandwiches. AND the room is absolutely gorgeous. The price was well worth it and we honestly had leftovers at the end of the meal. The place was inviting yet felt luxurious without being pretentious. Make a reservation & enjoy an afternoon tea here! It was a highlight during our Edinburgh trip.

As you would expect but still not to be taken for granted, it is next level service, presentation, attention to detail and quality of both good and drink in a historic, beautiful building.

Our flight from the US arrived midday. After checking into our hotel, the first order of business was proper afternoon tea. What a wonderful way to begin our first experience in such a beautiful city. We were greeted upon entry by very helpful staff. The gentleman explained our options and guided us through the menu. We opted to add champagne to celebrate our marriage anniversary, the beginning of the holiday season, keeping our "December in Europe" tradition, and most inlmportantly, we toasted to celebrate our hard work to be able to experience such things as tea at The Palm Court. The space is beautiful in and of itself, but comes to life even more with such beautiful holiday decor. The staff were very attentive, and very knowledgeable of the teas offered. The timing and pace of our tea service was perfect. We didnt feel rushed and were able to have good conversation and experience all the delicious afternoon tea offerings. Everything was delectable, the amouse bouche, the savouries, the sandwiches, scones and sweets. If you are planning a trip to Edinburgh, The Palm Court afternoon tea is a must experience.

Stayed here a while back and wanted to return here. My favorite part of the property. Beautiful space. Service is very good and the effort shows. Come here and treat yourself., wonderful libations.

We had been here for the afternoon tea service. It was wonderful. We chose the set with a glass of champagne for £85 per person. You can order all the food if you need more and they can pack for you to go if you can't finish. The service was very attentive and friendly. Recommend to go here if you are in Edinburgh!

Beautiful and fantastic tea service! This was the tea I picked for our family. The service was a nice selection without being too haughty. What wasn't eaten was boxed to takeaway. The setting was lovely and the service was a fantastic presentation.

Full Review of Afternoon Tea at Palm Court: Full Review of Afternoon Tea at Palm Court: Location: Palm Court is located in the stunning Balmoral Hotel. Vibe/Ambiance: The atmosphere is grandiose and beautifully decorated. The domed ceiling, lit-up trees, and a harpist playing in the background create a relaxing and somewhat romantic experience. Even the bathrooms are lovely! However, it does feel a little stuffy since the room isn't huge and there's minimal natural light. Food: We opted for afternoon tea with a bottle of wine. I ordered a fall drink--a gingerbread cappuccino--and it was delightful! I highly recommend it. The food and presentation were great. We started with a small cup of soup, then moved on to the "afternoon tea" selection of sandwiches and scones. The sandwiches were good but not particularly memorable. The scones were delicious! 10/10 for the scones. The final course featured a variety of desserts. By the time we got to dessert, we were all quite full from the sandwiches and scones! The desserts were good, though. Also, they easily accommodated a vegetarian diet, which is great. Service: The service was fantastic, as you'd expect from an establishment within the Balmoral Hotel. Our server, Freddy, was very attentive and courteous. Price: It's expensive--there's no other way around it--but that's to be expected at the Balmoral Hotel! There are many less expensive afternoon tea experiences in Edinburgh, but if you're looking for 5-star service and a romantic, relaxing time, Palm Court is your place. Overall: We enjoyed our time at Palm Court. They accommodated a vegetarian diet and allowed us to bring a 10-week-old baby in her pram, which was nice. They situated us so the pram was tucked away from other customers. While I'm unsure we'll rush back because it is expensive and a unique experience, I can definitely recommend it if you're looking for an upscale afternoon tea experience.

One of my Scotland bucket list items was high tea at the Palm Court. I had heard that the room was beautiful and the service was impeccable - and today I got to experience this firsthand! We had a lovely meal and tried four different teas over two hours. A harp played the entire time. It was such a nice way to relax on vacation. I definitely recommend this experience if you're in Scotland! Reservation recommended:)

Wonderful harp music and setting. Good and tea were excellent. Green tea and strawberry choux pastry was amazing.

Totally unexpected the food to be below average and service was way below average! Waiters were rather rude. For a top hotel in town we were vey shocked at the service we experienced at the Palm Court. The waiters were unwelcoming and unfriendly. Totally disappointed . Will not recommend.

We wanted traditional afternoon Tea and this is the place to go in Edinburgh! Entered the gorgeous Palm Court in the Balmoral Hotel and the delightful smell of fresh flowers made us feel special. We made a reservation for late in the afternoon and the food was plentiful to make a good dinner! Service was attentive without rushing us. Many people were there for special occasions and dressed the part. We walked over from the National Gallery and which allowed us to make a nice afternoon in the City.

We went to high tea at 4:00 on a Monday. Not super busy. We dressed nice but others were in comfortable relaxed wear. It is expensive so be prepared. Also it's a ton of food. My hubby and I each got a tea service, he got the champagne and tea service. I could not eat it all but it was so delicious. I encourage you to at least take a few bites of each thing. The tea service comes with your choice of tea. I chose hibiscus and hubby chose breakfast. The tea service comes with table side pouring show. It came with a soup, three tiers of sandwiches and pastries, and three desserts. So much food!! I ended with a butterscotch coffee. With your bill they present you with a canister of loose leaf tea. Such a fun experience.

Honestly? Just OK. Of course, the expectations were through the roof. This is one of, if not the nicest hotels in Edinburgh, so of COURSE the tea would be stellar right? It was nice, but not great. The selections were limited compared to the Caledonian, and the bites were just alright. The salmon bite didn't blow me away (we are in Scotland, all salmon here should knock my socks off), the scone was just OK, and the desserts were almost too rich. All in all, it would have warranted a 4 star, but the service was not what I would expect from a 5 start place like the Balmoral. The person attending was simply rude and unattentive, which I found shocking for the price point of high tea here. If you're looking for luxury tea in Edinburgh, I would skip the Balmoral and go directly to the Caledonian; they are far nicer, the selections of tea are superior, and the food was flat out better.

An amazing experience for high tea - highly recommend it! I made reservations for my husband and me for a Monday afternoon. The reservation was very easy to make online. Upon arrival, we were seated on a couch area with a table. The couch was very comfortable. For the high tea, we had chosen then vegetarian option and basically had a 3 course meal. The first course included 5 types of mini sandwiches along with a quiche. Everything was amazing, especially the savory cheese sandwich and the truffle goat cheese quiche. For the second course, they gave use freshly baked scones (1 regular and 1 fruit). After that, it was the dessert option which were 3 small pieces of cheesecake, custard filled pastry and chocolate. At the end, they gave us a small tin of loose leaf tea to take. Along with that, we had the options of black, green, white or herbal tea. You can choose as many as you want. I loved the cloud tea and my husband enjoyed the white tea. The entire experience was so relaxing. There is a harpist that is playing music in the background. The entire experience lasted about 2 hours. With the amount of food they give you, this easily is a meal so I would recommend doing it around lunch time. It is well worth the

Choose here for your high tea experience! The ambiance is beautiful. From the tables, to the harpist, even to the bathroom everything was gorgeous and made for a lovely peaceful experience. The service is impeccable. They really treat you like royalty here and make you feel so special. The food and tea is delightful. They offer over 80 different types of tea! This was such a special experience.

Its so weird that people that came after us were served before us. But whatever, I ordered the Japanese cherry green tea and he ordered the Oolong tea. They switch our teas, but this didn't bug me, it happens. Sugar was already on the table, but you have to ask for milk. the first tri-tray came with sandwiches on the bottom, wraps in the middle and pastries on the top. The sandwiches did not "wow" me. I did like the twist pastries on the top of the tray- the taste stood out the most out of the sandwiches and wraps. The refills of teas came next. The second tri-tray comes the scones, jam, butter and the cakes & mousse on top. The mini lemon curd sponge had a tart taste to it. I did like the caramel and pecan brownie, but sadly I was too full for the scones. The "treats of the trolley" - the guy asked what I wanted and he gave me the wrong one. Never mind, I think they didn't understand me.

Faultless as always. I love taking afternoon tea here and I think it's brilliant that you can get a doggy bag to take home anything you can't manage. They cater for my veggie requests brilliantly.

Decent High Tea served at Palm Court Expecting a 5-Star experience, we found the waitstaff to be inattentive; focusing more on the wedding party who were waiting for their event to begin, than the patrons who were trying to enjoy High Tea and lunch Tea pots emptied & cold w/ no one around to refill & in fact, we were never asked if we needed refills on anything. In the UK High Tea services we've experienced in the past, it's usually set up w/ lots of offerings to bring out more sandwiches, more pastries, etc... not here Mom & I shared the Veggie Afternoon Tea while Dad opted for the Roast Beef Sandwich Tea sandwiches were standard fare. No wow factor - egg, tomato, cheese. Was hoping for some interesting curry, chutney or something to really make it stand out but unfortunately it was not meant to be Desserts were likewise so-so but we liked the shortbread cookies. Extremely buttery & crumbly Saving grace for our Tea were the Scones! Definitely best of the offerings & we wished we had had about a dozen more of these - miniature Cinnamon and Honey were the standouts. Soft and flavorful but they weren't paired with clotted cream....or what I consider clotted cream. We found throughout our journeys & teas in Scotland, a whipped butter-cream hybrid is offered instead of Devonshire Clotted Cream. Basically, it's just fluffy butter... Dad enjoyed his sandwich but wasn't wowed - standard is the theme in this review & a standard sandwich is what he had ....served w/ crisps So why 3-stars after this mediocrity? Well, it was a High Tea, we were on vacation & we got to enjoy the open, airy feel of the Palm Court... it's an impressive Bar / Tea area & worth a visit.... but for that kind of money, we expected a bit more pampering

Quite simply the most spectacularly decadent, indulgent and luxurious afternoon tea imaginable. Unlimited tea and coffee served in silver pots with an unbelievably wide ranging menu of teas- fruit, herbal and specialty blends. We had a gorgeous amuse bouche of pea soup, a selection of savoury items, beautiful dainty sandwiches, cakes and confectionary we, miniature sorbet ice cream cones abs finally a cake from the trolley to take home in the most glamorous doggy bag of all time along with a tin of Balmoral tea! Fantastic understated yet perfectly efficient and friendly service in sumptuous decor. The toilets are even beautiful! Do yourself a favour and go. At £35 it isn't cheap but worth every single penny.

This was where I developed an obsession with afternoon tea. Come here for a great experience, and come hungry! There is a LOT of food in the afternoon tea service-- 1200 to 1600 calories depending on how much you opt to eat (I precisely weigh and measure everything I eat). The staff is splendid and the setting divine. This is a perfect way to spend time with a good friend (or friends) or just relax alone with awesome snacks. I cannot recommend it enough!

I returned again this time to treat my mum who was visiting from the Highlands. My mum has MS so has problems with here walking. As I could not park too close to the Balmoral Hotel, we used my mums wheelchair. disabled access was great and the staff could not help enough, putting special ramps up for my mum to get to the toilet etc. Mum can get stressed and fell like a burden when out in here chair but the staff made her feel at ease and that nothing was a hassle. the food was amazing again.

I think the Balmoral is getting tired. Have had afternoon tea here many times and liked it and yet this time has fallen flat. In order, tea was fine, amuse bouche creamy parsnip soup underseasoned and overly sweet tho nice texture, savory tray of sandwiches standard fare though the coronation chicken was tasty. Scones teeny but perfect with clotted cream and strawberry jam. Sweets definitely the low point with pistachio choux emitting a horrid green custard, crunchy and stale and tasting faintly of peanut butter, the raspberry muffin dry. The tasty chocolate converted caramel pastry was a high end version of millionaires shortbread (gold leaf not necessary). Small gifts at the end fun. No usual cake cart to end either. Harpist excellent. Probably have had my last tea here.

Here for Christmas break. I knew I wanted an experience I would remember and I have found it. Afternoon tea was wonderful. Great for a single traveler. Was seated promptly and no detail was overlooked. After shopping on Boxing Day I checked my bags and coat and had a very relaxing afternoon. The tea was beautiful and balanced. The staff was attentive and professional. Would recommend to anyone visiting.

High tea is all about taking some time in the afternoon to relax, sip some tea and nibble on some finger food. In reality the high tea at the Palm Court can qualify as a solid meal in my book and a champagne cocktail is a must! We had the afternoon tea vegetarian only with a strawberry champagne cocktail, classic champagne cocktail, white tea and green tea with lime. The first course was vegetarian haggis meatballs (impressively good), cheese puffs, smoked salmon finger sandwiches, cheddar and onion jam finger sandwiches, cucumber, and tomato and hummus finger sandwiches. Compared to high tea elsewhere, the food itself was also a highlight compared to just the experience itself. It was all very good! Second course was scones with clotted cream and jam, and third course was three pastries. The raspberry was my favorite. The bill came with two salted caramels, lemon sorbet and a tin of tea to go. For £100 even, I thought it was a great price. You are not only paying for the food but the overall experience. The room itself is beautiful and the service good. We were there for a good two hours so go and do what you are supposed to do at high tea: relax! Enjoy!

Love Palm Court! It's relaxing, usually a good pianist tinkling the ivories. great service and lots of lovely nibbles! Our visit was just before Christmas so it was lovely and festive and not as mad busy as The Dome, plus we could actually get a seat! They do serve their spirits as a double measure, but well, its Christmas! ;0) Try the afternoon tea if you fancy a splurge. I hear it's fabulous! I'll need to go back ...sigh ;0)

On the one hand, the high tea itself was a real experience. You get the sandwiches and savory set, then they bring out the scones and sweet set, and then some people get the 3rd course of a serving from the dessert cart. Unfortunately, the service was difficult to flag down, so by the time I got someone's attention to give me the bill, I was ready to get out of there vs. trying the dessert cart (and no one even seemed to notice I didn't get that course). It's too bad because the setting and live harpist are really quite lovely. Someone did check in on me after the first course to see if I wanted a fresh pot of tea, but then no one came back to check later, and by the middle of the second course, my tea was cold. It was nice they gave me a newspaper to read, since I was by myself. I would definitely come back because the tea was so nice, but I would make sure I had plenty of time, so I didn't feel like I had to run out of there at the end. Overall, it's just not the level of service I would expect from the Balmoral.

the high tea was above average through UK, the sandwiches were specially diversified and its worth to be mentioned that the cheese twist is very tasty, and scones are good but only strawberry and blackcurrant jam were available with the scones, where the latter jam is never something I would go with scones. the dessert section is fine but just. overall I only give three points because we came first than the neighbour table but served after them, in addition, I have been waited for five minutes for my bill and the waiter forgot to give my bank card back.