From luggage porter to concierge, Andy Thomson has been on quite the journey since he joined The Balmoral in 2011. Passionate about Edinburgh, its non-stop exhibitions and cultural events, and its incredible history, discover Andy’s point of view on why it’s such an exciting place to be.
Andy’s top five:
An unexpected favourite
“The Surgeons’ Hall Museum is one of my favourites. It showcases what the medical field was developing in the mid-18th century, during the Scottish Enlightenment when there was a huge amount of development. Edinburgh was the place to study medicine at that time, and the museum explores that period and it's just fascinating. It's always really nice to recommend going there if I have a guest who is a doctor or has come from a family of doctors, because it's so important, especially from their point of view, to see the early origins of medicine and surgery.’’
Art with a view
The National Galleries of Scotland: National is a must-visit, especially after their multi-million-pound redevelopment. It’s fantastic, their collection is just unrivalled. The museum itself is split in almost two halves, you've got the original which is beautiful from an architectural point of view and the collection is first class. However, the new build section, that houses the Scottish history and heritage collections, is really special – every time you go back, you always find something that you didn't see the last time.
My top tip is to go in the early morning as they've got wonderful floor-to-ceiling windows in part of the galleries that look out across the east to Prince Street Gardens. You also get nice views of the Sir Walter Scott Monument and the Balmoral Hotel as the sunrise comes in.
To another world
If you're an art lover, I would strongly recommend Jupiter Artland. It’s just outside Edinburgh, and only open during the spring/summer but it’s well worth the visit. For me, that's probably one of my favourite places to visit. It's a beautiful, beautiful setting, outside in the countryside.
It was founded by a couple called Nicky and Robert Wilson who bought this beautiful house in 2009, they restored it and turned the grounds into a sculpture park. They invite renowned artists to make pieces for certain locations around the grounds with pieces by Phyllida Barlow, Anish Kapoor, Charles Jencks, and Antony Gormley, to name a few.
Andy’s ideal Sunday
There’s a charming neighbourhood called Stockbridge, around a 20-minute walk from the hotel, with lots of little boutiques, quaint cafes, lovely bookshops, and beautiful houses. You can walk along the riverside footpath all the way along there - you go past St. Bernard’ Well, which is quite beautiful. So that's really lovely to do, especially on a Sunday, because you've got the Stockbridge Farmers Market for a bite to eat. Then you can finish at the National Galleries of Scotland: Modern, two exciting gallery spaces filled with modern art, and a lovely sculpture park.
The Balmoral, 1 Princes Street, where Old Town meets New, a legendary hotel and landmark clock tower: a symbol of its city
Phone Number*
Address
1 Princes Street, Edinburgh, EH2 2EQ
Edinburgh EH2 2EQ
Edinburgh EH2 2EQ
The Balmoral, 1 Princes Street, where Old Town meets New, a legendary hotel and landmark clock tower: a symbol of its city
Phone Number*
Address
1 Princes Street, Edinburgh, EH2 2EQ
Edinburgh EH2 2EQ
Edinburgh EH2 2EQ
The Balmoral, 1 Princes Street, where Old Town meets New, a legendary hotel and landmark clock tower: a symbol of its city
Phone Number*
Address
1 Princes Street, Edinburgh, EH2 2EQ
Edinburgh EH2 2EQ
Edinburgh EH2 2EQ