The Balmoral

The Balmoral has presided over Princes Street since 1902, its clock tower — set two minutes fast to ensure guests never miss their train — a landmark of Edinburgh. The 188 rooms and suites are decorated in a Scottish baronial style, with views of Edinburgh Castle or Princes Street Gardens. The hotel's restaurant, Number One, holds a MICHELIN star. Room 552, where J.K. Rowling finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, is the most literary room in the world.