When it’s pouring, pay a visit to Scotland’s finest
A PEEK behind the stylish curtains of a luxury hotel is always an absolute joy.
From the insane prices and attention to detail, to the military operation by neurotic staff, it’s a jaw-dropping insight.
This documentary visits The Balmoral in Edinburgh, which has been entertaining celebrities, Prime Ministers and royalty since its grand opening in 1902.
The Queen Mother was a regular for years (she liked to dine on roast lamb for lunch) and JK Rowling famously finished the Harry Potter books in Room 552 on the fifth floor.
Owned by Sir Rocco Forte, it provides glamorous luxury for the elite, with a night in its most exclusive suite costing £6,000.
For that price, you get every
INSIDE THE BALMORAL: SCOTLAND’S FINEST HOTEL Channel 5, 7pm
thing from bespoke bathrobes and whisky to a personal butler and plenty of room for your entourage.
“I met Bill Clinton once – he was nice, and passed Beyoncé at the lift once,” notes one of the 362 staff members who work around the clock at the world-class hotel.
Cameras follow everyone, from executive housekeeper Vicky who works with florists to achieve a weekly, Instagrammable lobby display of flowers, to kilted ‘whisky Tsar’ Cameron, who is in charge of one of the largest ever collections of the national tipple. Meanwhile, the General Manager Richard checks everything, from the way the front door spins and the “reflection level” of the polished marble, to the scent in the lobby.
He says: “Every experience in a luxury hotel should exceed the guest’s expectations.”