Balmoral Arms (Formerly Deeside Inn )

10/10

Exceptional

28 Feb 2026

james

Very nice and welcoming

Self

6/10

Pleasant

24 Feb 2026

Gordon

Very strange check in experience. Arrived early, to check-in before the room was ready and confirmed my details. I returned a couple of hours later when the room would be ready.
Reception:\"No, no bookings under that name on the system\"
Me:\"Ah - we spoke a couple of hours ago...remember? You changed my room to a twin\"
Reception \"That's not the name you gave me.\"
At this point I was just flabbergasted. What do you say to that. I didn't make up a name. What possible answer can I have? I stood in silence to let them fix their mistake. \"Ah here it is, because you were already checked in and just needed the key it was different... It was in a thick pile of authentication... \" Yeah whatever! All she needed to say at the start was \"I'm sorry, the system is playing up a bit I'm having trouble finding you again.\" But no, she again jumped to it being my mistake when it wasn't. Very weird. Not a good start. The rest of it was OK. It's a bit tired, breakfast wasn't all out when we went down at our booked time. But the strange reception is why I'm reviewing.

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

13 Feb 2026

Trevor

Lovely hotel. The rooms were comfortable, the staff were excellent and the bar area was a great place to unwind in after a long day. The breakfast was superb. Highly recommended.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

16 Jan 2026

Ann

So we had a classic king room which was a small room but nice, bed was ok for comfort, only thing about the room from a woman perspective was if doing hair and makeup there was no light to see what you were doing at the mirror so you had to do separately but this is a small complaint, but it was a very nice hotel friendly staff, food was nice we didn't do breakfast, I would visit this hotel again we loved our stay

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

02 Jan 2026

craig

Great place, atmosphere, Food in bar and next days breaky was unbeatable.

Leisure

8/10

Excellent

15 Dec 2025

Chris

Friendly courteous staff. Clean accommodation with sufficient facilities for a short stay.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

15 Dec 2025

Elaine

Love this hotel.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

04 Dec 2025

Irene

Superb hotel. Friendly staff. Great rooms. Just perfect

10/10

Exceptional

01 Dec 2025

barry

Beautiful rooms and public areas, great food and very welcoming and helpful staff

Business Partner

6/10

Pleasant

29 Nov 2025

Stephanie

It was ok. Tired hotel. My biggest dislike was the mould in the bathroom and the heating on high.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

24 Nov 2025

Irene

Spotlessly clean room, lovely friendly staff and great breakfast

6/10

Pleasant

18 Nov 2025

Andrew

Small room but nicely appointed. Staff pleasant and helpful. Check in was very slow because of a large needy group in front of us and no back up.

Nice restaurant but limited menu with two main courses unavailable by 7.30pm. Breakfast ran out of croissants by 8.30 two consecutive days. Poor planning.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

17 Nov 2025

Jillian

Excellent two-night stay at the Balmoral Arms. Impeccable service, beautifully furnished rooms and top-notch dining. An ideal base for exploring Royal Deeside. Highly recommend!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

12 Nov 2025

Graham

Very pleasant and helpful staff, arrived late, left very early.

Business

10/10

Exceptional

02 Nov 2025

Lisa

Lovely cosy hotel. Excellent bar, lounge and restaurant with friendly attentive staff.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

26 Oct 2025

Jane

Lovely place with kind staff

8/10

Excellent

16 Oct 2025

Susan

Lovely Stay

We had a lovely stay at Balmoral Arms and a great base to explore the area. We recommend Balmoral Arms for your stay.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

13 Oct 2025

Lynette

The hotel is very up market that meets every need

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

09 Oct 2025

Giuseppe

Nice room. Very professional staff. Excellent dinner.

Leisure Self

8/10

Excellent

07 Oct 2025

Kerry

Excellent food, good parking, Ballater wonderful town, we will be back.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

06 Oct 2025

Richard

An exceptional stay!!

We recently stayed at the Balmoral Hotel in Ballater and were thoroughly impressed. The staff were incredibly friendly and welcoming, creating a warm and relaxed atmosphere from the moment we arrived. Our room was spotless and well-appointed, offering a comfortable retreat after a day exploring the beautiful surroundings.

Breakfast was a real treat, plentiful, fresh and delicious, with something for everyone. The evening meal was equally outstanding, showcasing quality ingredients and thoughtful preparation that made dining a pleasure.

Free pparking was conveniently located nearby, which made arrival and departure hassle-free.

Overall, a fantastic experience. I’d highly recommend the Balmoral Hotel to anyone visiting Ballater—great food, great service, and a truly comfortable stay.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

05 Oct 2025

Izzy

The room was very noisy during the night due to an electrical transform, situated outside, humming loudly.
Could clearly gear folk type music from 06:30. Uncertain where it was coming from. Not appreciated due to the poor night's sleep.
Requested scrambled eggs and salmon at breakfast. The salmon was tasty but the \"scrambled eggs\" was a chopped up omelette and very oily.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

02 Oct 2025

J D

Amazing service from start to finish. Caroline on reception so welcoming. There chef served up the most beautiful food. Home from home comfort. Staff where all Amazing!!!!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

25 Sep 2025

Martha D.

This beautiful hotel located in a charming victorian town was a wonderful place to stay. The staff that were present were lovely and very helpful, however, the dining room service was quite slow. It was clear that the restaurant is understaffed. All that aside, the food was delicious and our room was very comfortable and attractive. We loved our stay here and would highly recommend it to our friends.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

24 Sep 2025

Sally

Lovely hotel with very friendly staff

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

22 Sep 2025

Siri

Staff are extremely kind and helpful, property is lovely. Highly recommended .

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

14 Sep 2025

December

Clean room, walking distance to shops, pubs and restaurants.

Leisure Partner

6/10

Pleasant

12 Sep 2025

Norman

The carpets on the ground floor are meant to give the appearance of antique, but they are filthy and threadbare.
Breakfast waitresses on Wed 10th, were mostly missing, and (worse ) inattentive. Three different ones had to be summoned, to bring 1). salt & pepper 2).a spoon for the fruit servery 3) a plate for the croissants area 4). fresh coffee. At no time were there more than twelve diners in the room.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

11 Sep 2025

Margaret

One night stay

Fantastic, helpful, friendly reception staff.
Great location in centre of town. Easy on street parking.

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

09 Sep 2025

Edwina

Great breakfast and dinner, great sleep, great service from the staff. They made my pup feel very welcome throughout the hotel.

Leisure Pet

10/10

Exceptional

04 Sep 2025

Christine

Lovely old Inn with great updates. Comfortable. Excellent dinner and included breakfast. No onsite but very nearby parking. In center of town. Lots of old world charm and extremely friendly staff

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

04 Sep 2025

Jill

The staff is very accommodating. The front desk gave us driving directions and some outstanding places to visit along our drive.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

29 Aug 2025

Rui

Wonderful place! Beautiful decor, clean and comfy room and the restaurant staff really looked after my coeliac needs - had a great breakfast both mornings we were there.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

23 Aug 2025

Robert

Lovely staff. VERY welcoming and friendly. Helpful with lots of good advice. Wonderful location. Close to shops and dining options. Did not eat at the hotel as we had been referred to a \"locals\" restaurant. To be honest, the \"cozy\" double room was a bit small. Felt a bit claustrophobic. But it was a nice space. Bed was relatively comfortable. Parking was on the street and not too far from the hotel. You had to look for it. We found a spot about 25 yards down the road. There is also parking available in a car park nearby. Streets were quiet and safe. No worries there. For a one night stay allowing us to take a more leisurely drive over two days through the Cairngorms National Park, this was a great place to be.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

13 Aug 2025

Kim

Will definitely stay again and recommend

Friendly, helpful staff. Authentic beautiful common areas. Loved everything about this hotel

Partner

8/10

Excellent

07 Aug 2025

Gillian

Lovely boutique hotel appropriate for this part of the world

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

03 Aug 2025

Matthew

Outstanding highlands Inn, wonderful meal, superb room and knowledgeable staff. I wish we had stayed longer!

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

26 Jul 2025

Andre

Cozy and charming with a great restaurant and bar.

Leisure Family

6/10

Pleasant

15 Jul 2025

Sabine

Nice location, friendly staff but the hot water did not get to our bathroom so we could not take a shower. We were told afterwards that there is a trick and that one should run faucet and shower hot faucet at the same time for 5 minutes to get the hot water going… The staff was really nice we changed room for personal reasons and they were quite accommodating and the breakfast was great.

Leisure Partner

6/10

Pleasant

13 Jul 2025

Ann

Did not meet expectations

The hotel did not have a lift or a car park. The check in was painful. The lady behind the desk was very slow and unhelpful. We tried to book breakfast and she said earliest available was 8.15 am. On morning went down at 8 am dining room very quiet so went in. Why not let us book earlier. The hairdryer did not work. She told us there were no others available. Asked to speak to a senior member of staff. He subsequently gave us a replacement hair dryer. Made to feel a nuisance by receptionist. The teapot was full of water from someone else. I asked for some extra milk and it was like getting blood from a stone. Same receptionist.

Breakfast - when went in the fruit platter was decimated. The server admitted they had had a large group in but said there was another platter prepared in the kitchen. I waited and waited and had to ask again for them to put out more fruit which they did reluctantly.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

11 Jul 2025

Laurence

Pleasant hotel right in the town near the river. Plenty of parking in a lot across the street. Good meals in the restaurant.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

29 Jun 2025

Shelley

We had an unusual interaction with the reception staff when checking out, in that a member in our party was berated repeatedly for not advising the hotel about food allergies/sensitivities ahead of our stay. In fact the food allergies were communicated but apparently not passed along to the kitchen. Ao We think what happened is the chef reamed out the reception staff for not having advance warning, and then the reception staff in turn repeatedly berated us. The funny thing is that the chef came to our table for both meals and was quite lovely and accommodating, and the food was fine. It was just very odd.

10/10

Exceptional

29 Jun 2025

Nicole

Beautiful property. Highly recommend! Gorgeous area.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

19 Jun 2025

Elizabeth

We had a lovely two night stay at the Balmoral Arms. Fiona in particular was a standout—warm and welcoming, and extremely helpful in assisting with dining reservations

We hope to be back some day!

Leisure Friends

6/10

Pleasant

04 Jun 2025

Deborah

Had a good sleep. The rooms are so small small bed & bathroom. Had breakfast which was very average

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

01 Jun 2025

Diana

We had a wonderful stay!

Leisure

10/10

Exceptional

31 May 2025

Alana

Staff was friendly and super accommodating. Room was spacious and comfortable. Luggage assistance would help a lot though.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

25 May 2025

Nancy

Wonderful staff and charming hotel with a great bar. Several good restaurants nearby.

Leisure Family

6/10

Pleasant

16 May 2025

Leila

The hotel was nice and the restaurant was beautiful. The receptionist when we checked in was absolutley lovely and she gave us lots of recommendations. Unfortunately there was a lot of noise from people walking outside our rooms and opening the hallway doors all night and it was hard to sleep. The mattress and pillows were a bit too hard to be comfortable. The breakfast was overall ok, though the porridge was watery and our first pot of tea was at best lunewarm but the 2nd pot after our complaint was nice and hot.

Family

6/10

Pleasant

14 May 2025

Steve

Would like better parking options

10/10

Exceptional

14 May 2025

Steven

This was a very nice hotel in Ballater. We enjoyed our stay there and the staff was wonderful.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

11 May 2025

Phillip

We recommend

Excellent service, friendly staff, good food.

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

09 May 2025

Karen

Slow service at breakfast

10/10

Exceptional

05 May 2025

John

Really nice place to stay. We had dinner and breakfast at the hotel and both were excellent.

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

05 May 2025

Verified traveler

Hotel was good overall but service in the restaurant was poor due to staff not being well trained

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

12 Apr 2025

Andrew

Exceptionally friendly welcome . Great food and accommodation in a stunning setting

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

05 Apr 2025

Gayle

Welcoming staff. Room good size. Convenient location. Breakfast very nice.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

27 Mar 2025

ron

Old -world charm in a great location.

Centrally located. Beautiful hotel with old-world charm. Lovely staff. Cute pub, finally found non-fried fish! Dog friendly. Even had boots to borrow to keep our shoes clean! Fabulous walking area, sweet little town. Close to many sights.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

13 Mar 2025

Margaret W.

I can't say how wonder this hotel is; I would recommend it to anyone. From the staff to the property to the amenities, this is a top-notch hotel.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

27 Feb 2025

Derek

A Highland Gem

Gorgeous hotel in the centre of Ballater. Only 9 miles from Balmoral Castle, Crathie Kirk and various walks. Staff are so welcoming and accomodating. Tasteful Scottish decor with a modern twist. Beautifully decorated rooms, quiet location ensures peaceful sleep. Delicious, quality meals and breakfast. Atmospheric \"Ghillies\" bar, live fiddle music. We will definitely be back.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

24 Feb 2025

Wendy

Extremely helpful and engaging staff oat reception, bar and restaurant. VERY dog friendly facilities. Hotel itself could do with some redecoration but it is a lovely old building full of character and it was very cosy with open fires and big comfy sofas to relax in. Food was locally sourced and well cooked and presented.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

13 Feb 2025

Verified traveler

Everyone was very friendly and helpful

Partner

8/10

Excellent

28 Jan 2025

Karima

Gorgeous but with a negative

The hotel and the room were amazing. The room was so big and comfortable with a lovely Scottish decor. The food on the first night was a little disappointing and very few staff working because it was a quiet time so it meant a lot of waiting at times. There is a gorgeous big sitting room with open fire and lots of queen Anne chairs and couches for reading and board games. The thing that really impacted my stay was when a guy with keys to my room walked in one morning. He didnt knock and I still dont know who he was. When I said hello he apologised and left. Very disappointing for a female travelling alone. I hope they review this incident because I did tell the reception about it who said they didnt know who it was.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

12 Jan 2025

Emma

Great stay

We had a lovely nights stay. The room was really comfy and the staff very friendly. Great bar and tasty breakfast. The lounge room with roaring fire was amazing, especially on such a cold night. Highly recommend!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

15 Dec 2024

George

Excellent Hotel

Great hotel in a great location for Royal Deeside. All staff were very helpful and attentive. Rooms were lovely, clean & comfortable. All public rooms were cosy & comfortable and a great place to hang out with the log fire burning, giving it a great ambiance.

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

15 Dec 2024

Amanda

Lovely country hotel

Greeted by a friendly receptionist who advised us that we’d given an upgrade which was a lovely surprise. Room was traditional with a modern twist and bathroom was spacious with a large free-standing bath.
Breakfast was served at a leisurely pace with a wide menu and table service for hot food.
There was also a lovely lounge area with an open fire which was very welcoming.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

14 Dec 2024

Danny

Lovely hotel, perfect location & staff both on reception for check in / out & bar staff were friendly & chatty, will definitely be back.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

05 Dec 2024

Angela

We booked in last minute as our boiler had broken down leaving us with no heating or hot water. The staff were so welcoming and upgraded us to a suite so that we could enjoy a cosy night. The roll top bath and walk-in shower were very much appreciated.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

19 Nov 2024

Victor

Very friendly and attentive staff made our visit there quite delightful. Thanks!

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

08 Nov 2024

Karen

A wonderful and cozy hotel to stay at

We really enjoyed our stay here!! It's a very cute hotel. Some highlights are the decorations throughout the whole hotel (rooms included) and the communal den area that had space for many people to sit around and enjoy the space. Another highlight was the bar - the bartender who was serving when we were there mid-October was kind and knowledgeable - he made our stay at the hotel even more amazing with his service! The town of Ballater is easily walkable - we had dinner out at a local bar and enjoyed walking around the main street. We chose this spot as it was close to Balmoral Castle, which is where we were going the next day on our drive up from Edinburgh! I'd highly recommend staying here.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

23 Oct 2024

Tracey

It was a lovely place, fabulous food - very enjoyable

10/10

Exceptional

11 Oct 2024

Abigail

We wish we stayed longer!! We loved our night here. The rooms were nice and the hotel had so much character. Their restaurant was delicious, too!

Leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

09 Oct 2024

Jill

Excellent location. Lovely room. Highly recommend

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

22 Sep 2024

Naomi

Big, old hotel with lots of character, lovely staff and plenty of space in lounges, restaurants and bars.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

18 Sep 2024

Marion

Lovely staff

10/10

Exceptional

08 Sep 2024

Sarah

Had a beautiful homely feel. Felt very relaxed

10/10

Exceptional

05 Sep 2024

Yvonne

Beautiful hotel that was perfectly dog friendly. Restaurant food was top class and staff were so helpful😊

Leisure Pet

10/10

Exceptional

03 Sep 2024

hank

We felt well treated at the Balmoral Arms. Staff was courteous and helpful. Room was lovely. Inviting atmosphere!

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

01 Sep 2024

Robert

Friendly and welcoming staff. We had a lovely dinner in the hotel restaurant one evening. We didn’t have breakfast in the hotel. The hotel is old and as a result is not well insulated. Sadly we did not have a good night’s sleep as the floorboards above us creaked both nights we were there. One night I’m sure there was a dog running around the room above us (The hotel is dog friendly), it was so noisy for much of the night. The location is great, plenty of good restaurants and cafes near by.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

25 Aug 2024

CARYN

Beautiful hotel in a stunning area with wonderful staff.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

16 Aug 2024

David

Excellent all round. Would recommend

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

09 Aug 2024

STAN

Good one night stay

The staff was very helpful. Breakfast was good. Rooms were adequate for our one night stay.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

04 Aug 2024

Dawn

Luxury and charm

In the heart of Balleter, Balmoral Arms is a slice of traditional luxury with exceptional Scottish hospitality. The staff was engaging and attentive. The dining experience offered an intimate seating in a traditional Scottish dining hall. The rooms were very comfortable and clean.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

19 Jul 2024

Eleri

Excellent location, staff , accommodation and dining. Highly recommend.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

16 Jul 2024

Cecilia Maria

Definitely a must stay

It was the best hotel I’ve ever stayed at. Small, quaint, friendly, quiet, relaxing, very accommodating

Friends_and_family Friends

8/10

Excellent

12 Jul 2024

Jill

Lovely stop off for a mooch round Balmoral Castle
Staff helpful and friendly
Food tasty and reasonably priced
Would stop again

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

04 Jul 2024

pieta

Lovely hotel in a beautiful

Partner

8/10

Excellent

03 Jul 2024

Lynne

Lovely warm friendly atmosphere, good food. Very clean and excellent service

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

07 Jun 2024

JANET

Really enjoyed our visit

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

04 Jun 2024

James

Old school charming, great service staff and outstanding breakfast.

Leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

30 May 2024

Stephen

Excellent stay.

Excellent hotel, spacious room, clean. Ideal location in the centre of the village. No lift lift but a member of staff carried our cases up for us. The food was excellent, for breakfast and dinner. No on-site parking but no problem at all finding an on street space (no restrictions) nearby.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

20 May 2024

Paul C

Balmoral 2024

Lovely traditional setting in the highlands on River Dee
Close to key sights in the near highlands

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

15 May 2024

Michael

Great place and staff.

Business_and_leisure

10/10

Exceptional

15 Mar 2024

Verified traveler

Couple of nights away.

We had a great first visit to Ballater and the hotel did not disappoint. Our room was very clean and tidy. The reception staff were very friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. The food was very tasty and the waiting staff very courteous and friendly. Overall we had a wonderful time and would definitely go back.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

18 Feb 2024

Jennifer

Lovely, cosy inn

The hotel was lovely and comfortable and the staff were excellent and very friendly. There was a lovely big lounge area to sit and drink in which we liked. The rooms were nice with newly refurbished bathrooms, and beds were very comfortable. The food was also very good! Would recommend.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

01 Jan 2024

Catherine

We had a wonderful stay over Christmas! The goodies amazing. The staff are So friendly and helpful and the afternoon tea was beyond and included in the price! Highly recommend and will Stay again for sure!

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

23 Nov 2023

Eric Kiam Cheng

Friendly and nice place to stay. Except no lift.

8/10

Excellent

15 Nov 2023

Sidnei

Very good hotel

Business

8/10

Excellent

11 Nov 2023

Verified traveler

Overall pleasent enough. Small issue of room being cold on arrival. On checkout some incorrect room charges which reception did a great job of sorting out for us.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

10 Nov 2023

Carina

Central location, nice restaurant and staff were all lovely

Business Partner