Balmoral Castle in Aberdeen City

First time for years restaurant has been totally revamped and is now a beautiful place we had a late lunch and the venison burger and chicken and ham pie are both to be recommended. Coffee is also superb everything at sensible prices

I drove 8 hours specially to visit Balmoral. It was easy to find and not as far from the car park as I thought the walk would be. Not having been before I wasn't sure what to expect from the grounds but thought it may be bigger than this. Even so I spent a good 4 hours there. Staff were friendly and the whole place extremely tidy and well cared for. Pity it was so much for the tour of the house or for the afternoon tea. Not sure why these tickets were £100. I felt there could have been a few more benches around especially on the river Bank. I struggled to find somewhere to sit. The shop was extremely expensive. I always wonder why places like his charge so much. If things were a reasonable price more would be sold and a profit would still be made. Couldn't justify £40 for hand and body lotion! All in all thought lovely visit and glad I went. The weather was good thankfully as most time was spent outside. Don't think I would have enjoyed it as much if it was raining. Hope to be back in the future.

We thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of our recent visit to Balmoral and would definitely recommend visiting here. We were able to enjoy walks in different areas of the estate including along the riverside, high up in the woods and the gardens around the castle. There were several other walks available so that you can fully explore the estate. It is very visitor friendly with easy and reasonably priced parking, a very good tearoom and a gift shop for those wanting a souvenir. It’s also a great place to visit with your dog.

Had some business in Aberdeen and just decided to visit the castle, it wasn’t open to the public but we managed to just walk around the grounds and took some pictures. It’s a beautiful historical building

Ordered vegeterian mozzarella panini, got a baguette heated,melted & hard one. adding to it the ingredients inside were not enough and was very blank. Not even worth for the amount they are charging.

First of all this cafe has good sandwiches. Second there are pictures of the Royal 🫅 Family on the wall. Third the people who work are very nice. Lastly, sitting is lovely 🥰.

Such a wonderful spot. Peaceful walks along the river. Coffee shop served what we needed, coffee and sandwiches. Difficult circumstances as they are refurbishing the old tearooms , so reduced menu on offer. One tiny thing , cappuccinos could be hotter!!! Didn't spoil our visit though. Gift shop was a winner too, plenty to suit every budget.

This iconic place is beautiful but only part of the castle itself is open to the public ie The Ballroom. The place is very busy and there is a long queue to get even a sandwich .The gift shop is full of good gifts but at a price, The car park outside adjacent to the road is very busy and almost full when we attended.

We had the privilege of staying in a cottage on the Balmoral Estate for a week. Wonderful experience. Our only disappointment was the restaurant/tearoom. Interested to read reviews from 2022 speaking of afternoon tea, we didn't see that offered and in fact we could not understand the lack of choice for a "tea and cake" option. The only offerings during our stay were scones, chocolate cake (sometimes) and chocolate brownies, the savoury option being Coronation Quiche which looked most unappetising and very expensive. We just couldn't understand the lack of choice for an addition to a cup of tea or coffee, no pastries, no interesting cakes, not even a Victoria sponge! surely a must. Perhaps this part is still under development but what a lost opportunity even if a local baker has to be relied upon to supply; they even ran out of shortbread in a packet to have with your drink, what a shame. Beautiful peaceful experience staying on the Estate though and hope to return.

Popped into the restaurant at Balmoral Castle after a visit to the Castle with friends. We had the soup which was nice but very expensive for a small bowl. The restaurant was clean and pleasant.

We visited on a very rainy day but it didn't spoil the visit. We had the audio tour and it was really interesting to listen to all the information, even our two kids enjoyed it. The grounds are beautiful and would be so nice to enjoy on a dry/sunny day. We visited the tearoom but it's very expensive. We only bought drinks. Car park is £5 and the machines take cash (coins and notes) and card.

Very, very expensive for what it is and disappointingly non-sustainable. Our sandwiches were pleasant enough but the menu is very limited. the real disappointment however was after I bought a bottle of water and I went back to ask for a glass because there were none around, and I was given a paper cup as was my friend who had a tea. I would have expected at least a National Trust for Scotland level of service but this was far below and I think if I were to spend as much money visiting again (which I am VERY unlikely to do) I would certainly not spend it on food where quite honestly I didn't feel valued, I just felt like a number on a conveyor belt.

Very thoughtful and good for disabled as they have disability scooters which you can use for the length of your visit. These are allowed into the Ballroom which is the only part of the Castle that can be visited. The Formal Gardens and Glasshouses are well worth a visit and just to wander the Grounds is lovely. There is a path, a bit uneven in places but the scooter copes very well, that goes down to the River Dee. The area is shaded and cool but has wonderful views over the river. All in all worth a visit.

After reading some of the reviews in here we were wondering whether we had made a mistake booking afternoon tea here. We certainly hadn't and we had a really lovely day. It's an uphill walk from the car park to the castle so I was very pleased to discover that, as I have a Blue Badge, we could drive right up to the castle and park by the estate offices. Our afternoon tea was absolutely delicious, really fresh sandwiches and lovely cakes and scones, plus a delightful waitress called Freya, who couldn't do enough for us. The grounds are an absolute delight and there's plenty to see. You do only go into the ballroom which is a shame, but we already knew that when we booked so no complaints.

go on the coloured walks. hardly anyone there and great to see the Castle from a distance. Well organised Castle tour event if you cant go into many of the rooms.

Unsurprisingly there are plenty of moaning two hats reviewing their visits here. The cafe was great, the afternoon tea was great. The folk moaning are those who turned up on spec and were expecting butlers to serve them just because they paid a tiny fee to enter the grounds.

I’m writing a review as I read some of these reviews and they’re absolutely savage! The castle and grounds are absolutely stunning!! Yes, you can only go in the ballroom but it’s the Queens private residence so what can you expect and the grounds more than make up for that. The afternoon tea was so good and the pictures that are on trip advisor must have been taken before some renovations were done because it’s much more light and airy inside. Great selection of food and staff were very accommodating to my pickiness of being vegetarian and disliking eggs. Shout out to Sergio (spelling?) and the other weekend staff who probably don’t get enough praise, who made us feel very welcome.

Balmoral seems a bit like Biltmore in the US; all about branding and not much on substance. Can't believe the queen has plastic deer in her front lawn1

We had a good day at Balmoral Castle. The Staff were really helpful and friendly. The audio tour is very good as it's both interesting and informative. The cafe do a very good coffee plus the sandwiches and sausage rolls were good too.. food was a bit pricey but good

We had cakes and sandwiches after our visit to the castle which were good quality. However, they were served in paper containers which is unnecessary for a restaurant/café such as this. We were disappointed to find that Afternoon Tea needed to be pre-booked. Overall, it's a bit expensive for the lack of table service.

With the exception of the Ballroom, this is really a tour of the grounds of Balmoral Castle. Great as they are, you are not going to see into the main Castle which was a bit of a shame.

Went for our first lunch at the Balmoral Castle restaurant today - friends had been and said that the food was nice but the venue was really 'posh canteen' and they're not wrong! A little more styling in the interior could transform it into less of a cafe style place although it was very pleasant on a sunny warm day.The service is superb and the staff have clearly been trained very well - other Aberdeenshire restaurants should take note! Nando, our waiter, was friendly and attentive and really very pleasant. The food was really lovely and well cooked but I felt like the chef needed to think about presentation - John Torode would have pulled him up! The broad bean fritters with beetroot humous were lovely, tasty and light but please make them in a round patty shape (you would have to see them to understand why!),the venison was lovely but when served with celeriac puree and the skinniest asparagus spears that I've ever seen, the plate was very beige and needed an adornment of greenery, the trout fillet was lovely and the salad OK but why not make a slaw with the celeriac instead of just slices of it on top of the salad, the Balmoral tea creme brûlée was gorgeous but again, needed some final touches. The pace and the food needs some finesse before it can be crowned as a king of restaurants!

The grounds of the castle are beautiful. The audio tour guide gives you some interesting snippets about the history of the grounds and various buildings and locations such as the garden. Given that the castle itself is used by the royals, you're not permitted access to the castle itself bar one room - the ballroom. The grounds outside the castle permit for some extended walking and you can easily spend close to half a day here if you did want to walk a little further.

This is review of the "restaurant"/cafe. Booked afternoon tea at Balmoral, as a treat, thinking it would be a Royal Experience. It's one of those "expectation vs reality" situations. Very disappointed. Not what i expected at all. Had much better service and Experience at several other establishments. Although the food was acceptable (not a big selection of items. We've had much better afternoon teas elsewhere), the ambiance and Experience most definitely was not. The cafe inside looks like a basic plain modern cheap purpose built cafe with zero character (national trust properties have much better ones). I'm surprised the Royal Family are not embarrassed to have this next to the castle. In Scotland, having afternoon tea- Most visitors will be tourists. Why is there salsa music playing in the background? The seating area basic table, chairs, cutlery, crockery. Ok I understand for general restaurant and cafe purposes, but for an afternoon tea, at least make effort with nicer item. The area around the seating was visually messy- cd player on the floor, shelves full of random stuff and giftshop items, but not displayed well. Its as though and outside commercial company has the catering rights, and is relying solely on the name/location to generate business. The afternoon tea, although did taste nice, was lacking. And to top it off, they had the audacity to charge extra for replacing one of the teas with an alternative !!Way to ruin an already disappointing expectation. I'm happy to pay top dollar, and although it wasn't the most expensive I've had, It was already over-priced for what it was. Balmoral Afternoon Tea is NOT an experince I could recommend. Nothing royal about it. And doesn't feel special at all. The cafe is only worth being used as an overpriced snack during a day out.Wouldn't do that again.

For sure you would expect high standards at this premier residence and you get them. Well organised from booking on-line some thought given to Blue Badge Holders and a excellent visit. The Gardens are well laid out and the Walks superb and the Pavilion worth the visit. The Food service was slow but not impossible and a very good range in the Gift shops. The Place is reeking of History from the times of Queen Victoria and the mind boggles at circa 190 years of Heads of State and Prime Ministers visits to this place. For sure a humbling but enjoyable experience

Eat like royalty in the superb restaurant. .you need to reserve a table in advance and allow 2 hours to enjoy 3 courses

Lovely wee cafe attached with a shop. Right next to the castle. Can eat outside which is dog friendly.

Although we arrived late in the day, the cafe still had some fresh entries available which were delicious. It was affordable and clean. Great place to grab a bite to eat while visiting Balmoral.

Das Selbstbedienungsrestaurant nahe dem Schloss Balmoral, das vom Estate verwaltet wird, bietet einfache gute Speisen zu günstigen Preisen. Wir hatten einen Pie mit Hirsch und den üblichen Kartoffeltopping.

The restaurant served food worthy of a Queen's castle. Very good and not overpriced. Something for everyone on a varied menu.

Fortunately we had the opportunity to stay in one of the cottages on the estate. There are many wonderful hikes throughout the grounds and plenty of activities for the whole family, especially those with dogs.The staff treated us like family and we were so sad to leave. We are really hoping to come back again someday.

Balmoral castle is well worth the drive. It is clear why the Queen goes here to get off the grid. The estate is magnificent and the castle is nice without being too opulent. Don’t miss the river walk and if you love dogs check out the pet cemetery.

The venison cottage pie was divine - not salty but very tasty. It was recommended to us by our ranger and he was right.Braised carrots were great and you had a choice of three vegetables (one or all three)Later that day the afternoon scones with jam and cream were brilliant

If you would love to see the real Scotland then go to Balmoral and stay in one of the cottages. Don’t just see the castle and gardens. You can actually stay on one of the cottages when the royals are not in residence. Stay in the royal hunting lodge and see the red deer in the field in front of the cottage. The cafe is great food, for local flavor try the cottage pie. Desserts are excellent. Look at the gift shop to take something home from Balmoral. The staff are very friendly. Take a ranger safari tour to see more of the Balmoral castle property. Guided walks with the rangers show you the stone cairn memorials.

Had a snack lunch at the restaurant before visiting the Grand Hall and exploring the grounds and gardens. We were very lucky to have a sunny day and had a leisurely time taking in the wonderful setting of the Castle and grounds in Royal Deeside. The Grand Hall is spectacular and worth taking your time to read about the various artefacts. We were fortunate to have a sunny day, seen a lot of different birds including a large number of Thrush's

Situated within the grounds of Balmoral Castle this tearoom offers plenty of seating both indoors and outdoors. Huge selection of teatime treats together with a vast array of lunch choices. I had the best cheesecake I have ever eaten. It had a ginger cake base with a cheesecake topping. Absolutely delicious.

personnel gai et tres acceuillant:une navette rigolote remorque-range rover emmene les visiteurs au chateau ou seuls les jardins et la salle de bal sont ouverts au public mais beaux jardins a l'anglaise et potagers:presence de la famille royale se fait partout sentir;a un mile de distance se trouve la distillerie royale de lochnagar qui presenteun whisky qu'on ne trouve nulle part ailleurs sauf en magasins ultra spécialisés en whisky

Das Restaurant ist hier ganz o. k. Wir haben Tee getrunken er nicht speziell gut war. Besser hingegen der Kaffee.

Both castles are historically well appointed and decorated with original furniture, serving pieces, paintings, and etc. The grounds are extensive and easy to walk. There are excellent tour guides at both castles. I believe this would be the epitome of country living.

Lovely half day wandering around the beautiful grounds (no access to the Castle) pleasant gift shop and café. Pleasant chatty gardeners were helpful with tips and plant information.

Since this was not peak travel time, the place was very quiet. No long lines to see anything. We enjoyed walking the property listening to the audio guide, which is included in the admission price.

The food and service are very good. We stopped for lunch while visiting the castle. There is a nice selection of soups, sandwiches and mains.

Asegúrate de saber que estás visitando los terrenos en lugar del castillo, puedes ver una habitación. Vale la pena el viaje: el paisaje a lo largo de la ruta y el castillo son preciosos. Pasé más de una hora caminando por los jardines y terrenos.

Die Räumlichkeiten war schon sehr schön - allerdings hat uns fast noch besser der Garten oder eigentlich die Gartenanlage gefallen.

Teníamos el cupón de itison así que afortunadamente no pagamos el precio completo. Decepcionado por no poder rodear el castillo por dentro. Caminamos por el recinto, tomamos algunas fotos y entramos en el "Salón de baile", que es la única habitación a la que hay acceso. Estaba bien, pero nada especial, solo unas pocas exhibiciones. Honestamente, no lo recomendaría. Hay mucho mejores castillos para visitar en Aberdeenshire que este.

This was not an exciting visit, the tea room didn’t offer good service or the sort of food I was hoping for.

Très déçus car nous avons accès uniquement à une salle du château. La visite ne comprend en fait que le parc et la salle de bal 11,50 livres par personne ça fait cher !!!!

Zoveel over gedacht en verbeeld maar de werkelijkheid overstijgt de verwachting.

Swietne miejsce, dobre jedzenie, ale kolejki masakryczne. Zanim czlowiek usiadzie do jedzenia czekajac w kolejce do zaplaty z jedzeniem wszystko wystygnie

We drove through the most incredibly magnificent countryside going to Balmoral Castle from Edinburgh with our guide Jim, and that alone would have been worth the trip. But we so enjoyed our visit to the Queens summer home, that it WAS worth the trip. The gardens are gorgeous, and the peacefulness, simplicity, and beauty surrounding the place make it easy to imagine why this is the Royal family's most favorite place to be in summertime. Having watched 'Victoria' on PBS and knowing this was what she and Prince Albert started made the history even more interesting. Walking through and about (on a well marked self guided tour) was a real family pleasure....made more so for me especially because I have trouble walking far, and they had these wonderful little electric bikes that were easy to drive and allowed me to really get around the whole property And there was a lovely café at the end where we had a nice lunch together. We certainly enjoyed being here, and would definitely recommend going to visit Balmoral Castle.

Great place to take visitors. Lots to see, great restaurant. Well worth a visit. Very helpful staff. Great shop too.

Abbiamo stuzzicato un toast in occasione della visita al castello, buon rapporto qualità prezzo considerando il luogo. Cibo ben preparato e con un inaspettato buon contorno

Fuimos al Balmoral Safari y fue absolutamente increíble. Tuvimos un súper muchacho que fue una guía realmente brillante y muy informativo sobre la flora y la fauna de la zona. El clima fue fantástico, lo que nos permitió tener una vista increíble. También visitamos el salón de baile, que fue muy interesante. Recomiendo esta expedición.

I wasn't expecting there to be a cafe, but it, and the gift shop were quite nice. They even had that lovely Millionaire's Shortbread that I have developed an addiction to.

Visit the grounds and walk through the gardens. The Queen will be there as of the 31st so it will be closed while she's on holiday. Lovely lavender and fresh produce growing in gardens

Bevor die Queen das Schloss im August/September bezieht, können sich die britischen Untertanen und Touristen in diesem Selbstbedienungs-Restaurant verpflegen. Die Gerichte sind einfach zubereitet; Tee, Kaffee und Kuchen kann man durchaus empfehlen. Sollte es nicht gerade regnen oder nieseln, sind bei Grossandrang die Holzbänke und -tische draussen nützlich. Die Toiletten sind auf der gleichen Ebene jenseits des Souvenirladens.

Sobre el río Dee y en lo profundo del bosque se encuentra una hermosa finca, una finca real, con huertas bien cuidadas, bellas exhibiciones de calidad de museo, jardines magníficamente cubiertos de tierra, y, por supuesto, ¡EL CASTILLO! Si bien el precio no es exorbitante, hay un "descuento para personas mayores", así que asegúrese de preguntar si es elegible. Y, ¡asegúrese de obtener la visita guiada con auriculares! Pagas un "alquiler" de $ 5 y recuperas tus cinco dólares cuando lo regresas. Hay muchos antecedentes, incluso entrevistas con la realeza original (bueno, Albert). Realmente trajo a la vida nuestra gira de varias horas!

Een ruime keus uit warme en koude gerechten in een beetje oudbollig restaurant annex giftshop. De kwaliteit van de gerechten is prima en de wc's zijn erg schoon.

We visited last week after visiting the gardens and Ballroom. We loved the tartan table cloths and atmosphere. They served a very nice Chicken Soup and the staff were lovely! Recommend finishing your visit here......Allison

Absolutely beautiful both the castle and the countryside. We bought tickets in advance and everything work perfect. Very much worth the drive through the Scottish Highlands. Reasonable priced even in the giftshop.

Wholesome tasty food, not overcharged, v reasonable. V friendly staff. The food was hot and well cooked akin to home cooked

I've wanted to visit Balmoral for some time now. It looks such a fairy tale castle.l

We were concerned this would be a tourist trap because it's sole purpose is to feed visitors. The prices were reasonable., and food varied and tasty with plenty of seating space inside and out.

Friendly staff, good selection and reasonable prices. I stopped off at the end of my tour and no one rushed me even although i5 was getting near closing time. Good service

The food available was awesome.Fresh and very inviting. We did not have to wait too long to be served and the tables were kept clean and tidy and was a great experience. Well worth a visit.

been many times before this place has went down hill so much and everything is so expensive £4.00 for a sandwich with nothing in it hot plate food looked vile staff don't speak very good English don't understand.very very poor felt totally ripped off

Lovely sandwich and coffee. Prices comparable with other tourist attractions in the area but much better quality and excellent service. One lovely waitress Steph noticed our dogs and brought them a big bowl of fresh water over.

£20 for 4 soft drinks and a couple of scones and bit of cake. Scones were a bit dry. Cake was pretty tasty!

So close so could not miss the opportunity to visit. It was a lovely day and spent a lovely two and a half hours there. If you were to listen to all the info on the audio guide it would have taken longer. Some reviews say only only one and a half hours spent there. You cannot take it in in that time. Use the audio tour and you will not miss anything.

Stopped off for a drink & cake. The coffee shop is nice, not anything amazing. Cakes were nice but on a hot day they should have been chilled, they were far too warm.

I thought that Brunch was very poor value for money and I would not particularly like to reccommend this cafe. No doubt others will not share my opinion.

La visite se fait dans les parcs et jardin et l'on ne peut visiter que la salle de bal ( pas du meilleur goût). Le restaurant sert des plats relativement typiques....saucisses de hagis, poulet au boudin, légumes sauce à la menthe....pas à mon goût non plus. Mais ça valait tout de même le détour.

Light refreshments available at a reasonable price. Staff you very friendly and good was fresh, better than most attractions

Whilst visiting the castle last weekend we had refreshments in this restaurant. Lovely selection of meals, snacks etc at reasonable prices. Restaurant very tastefully furbished, and staff very friendly.

After our visit of the castle we stopped at the restaurant and shop for lunch. Was a great idea. We had soup, was excellent. Ps/ they had gluten free bread and other goodies. Had at least many good choices on the menu of hot warm food. And desserts. No regrets. I noticed that they had table outside for eating out in the warmer season... there is a shop next to the restaurant, as well as facilities.

Estábamos en la zona para una reunión y todos fuimos para el almuerzo a un café/restaurante en los terrenos del castillo. Es autoservicio, pero la cola avanzó enseguida, a pesar de un montón de folk llegando al mismo tiempo. Teníamos un sándwich, que son pre-llenado y envuelto y un plato de sopa. Bocadillos eran frescos, en el pan precioso y muy sabroso. La sopa de tomate, que fue y pimiento rojo, era excelente y muy abundante. El personal joven tras los mostradores, en caja y llevando la comidas era muy amable y servicial. Todo el lugar era un buen ejemplo de cómo se puede hacer si intenta. No hacer la ruta turística así que no puedo comentar sobre la experiencia en general, pero la comida era de primera clase y a un precio razonable.

Encontré un tesoro en la autopista de curvas de 93. Aunque el prestigio de retiro de la reina de Escocia, este lugar tiene una paz que puede llegar a su alma. La belleza de Dios en todas partes. Jardines con flores multicolr, paredes de piedra, christine río Dee. Gran lugar para visitar. Insite restaurante tiene buena comida, personal agradable.

Después de un largo viaje en coche para llegar al castillo de balmoral todos estábamos muy hambrientos, así que la primera parada fue el restaurante! Simplemente wow la comida era 1 clase calle, tuvimos el venado pastel de pescado localmente, que era increíblemente delicioso, toda...

Fui allí pensando que me podía ir cerca del castillo para un paseo sin pagar ya que no estaba interesado en la guía de audio o para visitar el castillo por dentro, pero cuando llegué me dijeron que estaba obligado a pagar el billete completo....

He visitado recientemente tener amigos Balmoral de Francia visitando, nos encanta el conducir a Royal Deeside y pensé que sería el día perfecto. Que había comprado algunos vales itison antes de nuestra visita, así que conseguimos una tarifa reducida, sin duda vale la pena. A...

Nos encantó la experiencia y poder pasear por los jardines con facilidad. Sin embargo, sólo está permitido en 1 habitación en la residencia real (el baile) que es aburrida y sin vida! Nuestra visita fue muy aburrida y dieron muy confusa en ciertos puntos, no...

En noviembre de 2016 visité Balmoral para uno de sus "Invierno Tours". A nuestra llegada, el personal muy amable nos transforma hasta el café en un tren tierra. Su precioso es una tienda de regalos, una cafetería y una taquilla para enviar un "e-tarjeta" gratis....

Usted no podrá entrar y ver las habitaciones - aparte de un distribuido como exposiciones, pero se puede sentir el ambiente. Los jardines son impresionantes, pero también sin pretensiones. Hay una guía de audio lleno de información interesante para ayudarle a disfrutar realmente de todas...

Fantásticas vistas, increíble entorno, una encantadora excursión de los jardines, y una visita a la tienda de café muy agradable para almorzar. Luego fuimos a dar un paseo por el río, un día realmente precioso. Queríamos reservar el safari pero que lamentablemente estaban llenos hasta...

Las vistas estupendas, muy informativo y un entorno impresionante! Un agradable paseo por los jardines y el personal es muy amable. Exposición interesante!

Even though you are unable to tour the family summer home of Queen Elizabeth (except one room) don't miss seeing these beautiful peaceful grounds. Just being here is worth it. You first view a short clip about the family history, and then some interesting displays using an audio device. We then wandered through paths to the greenhouse and garden areas. A small fountain welcomes you as you gaze up and see the castle proudly in the distance. It's a very elegant castle, not over the top. I believe the Queen resides here from July-Oct. She is celebrating her 90th Birth Day, which was just a few days ago. She sounds like a down to earth and lovely person.

It was a cold day and a stop at the coffee shop was warming.There was a nice selection of pastries and all types of beverages.I enjoyed the pot of breakfast tea.There are many tables to sit at. The bathrooms are nearby as was the Gift Shop.

This place is lovely to see but what a disappointment it was. You pay for a tour which I was so looking forward to. Sadly the tour is of outside the castle and into one room. It would be so lovely to see some more of the inside. We went in November and it was very very cold. So going into a few warm rooms would of been a bonus

This is a must visit, for visitors to Royal Deeside. The Queens summer home is located in the village of Crathes just west of the town of Ballater. There is a fee to be paid at the lodge of the castle and you are then transported to the castle to begin an audio tour. It is very informative. The tour finishes with a visit to the ballroom of the castle and the the shop and restaurant before being transported back to the lodge.

Stunning place to visit, so much to see. You are even allowed into one room in Balmoral. Have a great day out there.

C'est quand même la résidence de vacances de la reine.Par contre, la visite est plutôt fixée sur les abords du château, les jardins et le potager. A l'intérieur, on peut seulement voir la salle de bals.

because the Royal Family still visits and resides here, you're restricted almost exclusively to the grounds. Everything is magnificent, but we visited in April. Nothing but greenhouse was in bloom. But the gardens are vast and have to be spectacular in season

I had read some negative reviews so visited with those at the back of my mind! If you want to nosey round the Queens bedroom you will be disappointed as there is only the ballroom open as well as exhibitions in the stables etc. however I really enjoyed the trip especially as they had free battery ars which were free and meant my husband could join in. The grounds are delightful. It is an old castle but I felt it was well kept and clean. I would have liked more time but we only arrived around 2 pm. The weather kind and the gardens interesting.

Although this castle is amazing and you get to see The Great Hall with a few childhood toys of Prince Charles etc and some pictures i felt this was not as good as Glamis castle . No tour guide but a audio tour which cost £5 deposit which you got back but with £11 each and then the deposits this is a expensive day out. It would be much better if a guide took you round the gardens it just feels very DIY . The Gardens were not that well kept i didnt feel. I been and can say ive been but for a area which is in the middle of nowhere i feel something extra needs to be done. The Royal distillery nearby was so much better friendly and only £7 and you got a voucher of £3 off for and whisky bought.

Great castle. Cafe ok, so a bit of a disappointment, Food acceptable but unexceptional. It could have been so much more with a little imagination.

It was a lovely place, garden and scenery spectacular and River Dee just gorgeous. Did not see inside much, just a little ballroom but it had beautiful photos. Nicest part was strolling grounds, few people and the audio guide was good. Cafe nice as was gift shop. Worth it, took about two to three hours.

Lovely heritage site to visit full of stories and amazing history, I was appalled by the cafe or restaurant as they call it. Over priced store bought scones that had been overly chilled were not a pleasant eat, the £3.45 sandwiches were even worse, they had clearly been there a while. I would suggest bringing a packed lunch or run the risk of being ripped off. £24 for 2 sandwiches, 2 packets of crisps. 2 cakes and a latte is truly shocking!

We visited Balmoral Castle as part of a National Holiday short break and at the end of the visit we had a pleasant meal within the café. Unfortunately the Queen was not available to join us but the meal was very good, well cooked and reasonably priced. The staff were helpful and friendly and ended an enjoyable visit.