Balmoral Arms

About Balmoral Arms

The Balmoral Arms occupies a well-known Victorian coaching inn in the centre of Ballater, previously trading as the Deeside Inn, which Crerar Hotels reopened after a substantial refurbishment. The result keeps the building's original stone façade and Highland proportions while updating the interiors with contemporary furnishings, and the hotel takes its room names from local landmarks including Balmoral, Loch Muick and Birkhall.

Two dining options sit at the heart of the hotel: the 1852 restaurant, serving a Scottish brasserie menu built on local, seasonal produce, and the more informal Ghillies Bar, which has the feel of a traditional Highland pub with real ales and simpler cooking. Dog-friendly rooms are available, reflecting the hotel's position as a base for walkers and their dogs heading into the surrounding glens.

Its position close to the old station and the shops of Victoria Road and Bridge Street makes it one of the most central places to stay in Ballater, within a few minutes of the museum, cafés and the start of several waymarked walking routes, while Balmoral Castle is under a fifteen-minute drive away.