I was dress coded & turned away from posh Scottish hotel bar – the place was empty

The bosses of a Scottish luxury hotel have apologized to a customer who abided by the dress code and was no longer able to enter the venue.

The incident, which took place at the five-star Balmoral Hotel on Princes Street in Edinburgh, left the visitor with “a sour taste and impression”.

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In a review on Tripadvisor, the man revealed he was turned away from the bar because of his attire.

Since it was a hot summer day in June, the man was wearing tailored shorts.

He decided to visit the posh hotel for a drink in the afternoon.

Although the bar was empty he was denied service as he was wearing shorts.

The local also revealed it was the second time he had been turned away from the venue.

He said it happened in December because he didn’t stay at the hotel.

The manager of the hotel, which regularly hosts celebrity guests, has since apologized and said the dress code had recently been reviewed.

The TripAdvisor review stated: “Second time trying to stop by for a few drinks as a local – first time last December and turned away despite many empty tables for not staying at the hotel; last turned away on a hot summer afternoon.” because I was wearing shorts (tailored) and the bar was empty.

“I was asked if I was staying at the hotel, which implied that an exception would have been made for hotel guests.

“The Balmoral is a great hotel, synonymous with Edinburgh, but as a local I’ve found other hotel bars far more welcoming and accommodating – The Commons Club / Eve at the new Virgin Hotel, Gleneagles Townhouse and the very established Waldorf.” Caledonian.

“It’s just a shame and left a sour taste and impression. It might be worth rethinking your dress code, especially for warm summer days, to encourage a more diverse and inclusive clientele.”

The hotel manager apologized and said it was not their intention to cause offense or embarrassment.

And added that the dress code was recently reviewed.

The response was: “Thank you for taking a moment to provide feedback following your experience earlier this week. However, I am sorry that it left a negative impression.”

“I assure you it was not our intention to cause offense or embarrassment.

“We have recently reviewed our dress code and while we find that many guests adhere to a smart casual appearance, we do not have a policy in place.”

“It appears that the message has been conveyed rather poorly to you and we need to discuss this with the individuals concerned to avoid repeating it in the future.”

“I will be meeting primarily with my Food & Beverage team this week to discuss other issues.

I really appreciate you bringing this matter to our attention. Feedback like this is key to continually improving our guest experience.

“Please contact me directly if you wish to return. I am happy to take care of future bookings.”

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