An afternoon tea at the Balmoral Hotel
A modern Palm Court
If you are traveling to Scotland you will likely want to immerse yourself in great Scottish and British traditions. One of the greatest of them being the iconic afternoon tea.
We have decided to make the ultimate sacrifice(!) and work our way around some of the most elegant afternoon teas on offer in Scotland. All to help you discover which one will be best for your trip!
First on our list was the Palm Court at the Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh.
What is a Palm Court you say?
It isn’t just a lovely name given to the Balmoral’s tea room. It has a great history indeed..
Originally, a palm court is a large and spacious atrium with palm trees (of course), often in prestigious hotels. These palm courts were used for functions such as tea dances, where guests could appreciate the experience of a delightful room that oozed elegance and wealth.
Nowadays you will find palm courts in hotels including The Ritz and The Plaza Hotel. Fun fact, there was even a palm court on the Titanic.
A great tradition, and one that can be found in Edinburgh at the Balmoral Hotel.
The team are very attentive, and will do everything to make you comfortable. They accommodated our rather specific dietary requirement (no seed oils) without any issue and with less than 24 hours notice.
The room has an abundance of natural light pouring down from the beautiful glass domed ceiling. To elevate the feeling of opulence, a harpist plucks away live from the balcony (and even played ‘happy birthday’ to a very lucky, very sweet wee girl enjoying afternoon tea with her parents).
So what’s included in an afternoon tea?
Well, tea for starters. They have a selection of 88 loose leaf teas. Julien (as a French man) obviously ordered coffee instead, which is also included. You can also forgo the tea and skip straight to a glass of champagne, if you’re celebrating.
And for the food, the Palm Court start their afternoon tea with an amuse-bouche, followed by the traditional three-tier stand of savouries, sandwiches and scones.
Then it’s on to the pastries. A selection of beautiful, decadent and delicious cakes.
An afternoon tea can be very filling, even when we prepared ourselves on an empty stomach! So we shared one plate of pastries (you get a plate each!) and asked to take the second serving home. The team provided us with an elegant takeaway box, alongside a take home gift of their signature breakfast tea in adorable tins.
We would highly recommend the Balmoral’s Palm Court for a luxurious afternoon tea experience. The peaceful atmosphere and attentive care provides a welcome contrast to the busy streets of Edinburgh on the other side of the revolving door.
The only downside was the fact that the palm trees are fake. Real ones would have made the space feel even more special and traditional, but we understand the upkeep would be quite something.
Stay tuned for our next afternoon tea review!
Note: Classic Afternoon Tea at the Palm Court costs £60 per person, including unlimited tea, coffee or hot chocolate as of July 2023. Your table is yours for 2 hours.