Albert Hotel, 25 Main Street, North Queensferry

The Albert Hotel is an early 19th-century hotel of 2 storeys with an attic and basement (to the rear), occupying a prominent corner site at Main Street and Battery Road in North Queensferry. It comprises a 3-bay principal façade with wide 3-bay return elevations.

The building is constructed from coursed squared rubble on the north and west elevations, with random rubble to the south and east. It features stone cills, tooled dressings to the front and north elevations, and long and short droved quoins. A base course runs along the north and west elevations, with an eaves course to match. The roof is jerkin-headed with grey slates, flat-headed skews, and dominant coped hammer-dressed ashlar gablehead stacks topped with circular clay cans.

The west (principal) elevation is symmetrical, with a central pilastered timber-panelled door flanked by a margin-paned fanlight. On either side are enlarged recessed Edwardian bowed pub windows with bracketed entablatures above. Three first-floor windows are centred above these, with raised letter signage reading "ALBERT HOTEL" positioned between the first-floor windows. The south elevation has timber-boarded doors to the left and right at ground floor, with a central window at first-floor level. The attic floor is snecked squared rubble with two closely-spaced attic windows, and painted signage reading "HOTEL" adorns the chimneystack. The east (shore) elevation is near-symmetrical, presenting 2 storeys and a basement across 5 bays. A basement door is positioned off-centre to the left, flanked by barred windows. The centre has irregular modern fenestration, with windows at ground and first-floor levels on either side; the penultimate ground-floor window to the right bay is now blocked.

The north elevation features a partially blocked blind basement window to the left. At ground floor, a recessed Edwardian bowed pub window with bracketed entablature has been inserted centrally, with a timber-panelled door featuring a rectangular fanlight inserted to the right (in the position of a former window). A blind window sits to the left. Three first-floor windows are present, with the outer bays blind. Two closely-spaced attic windows occupy the attic floor. Painted signage reading "7 DAY" appears to the right of the outer right bay, and "ALBERT HOTEL" is painted between the first floor and attic levels.

Windows throughout are predominantly 12-pane timber sash and case designs. The ground floor features 3-light timber 4- and 8-pane pivot pub windows, while the rear elevation at first-floor level has 12-pane timber tilt and pivot windows.

The interior preserves a pilastered timber panel and glass door with a segmental fanlight above, leading to the lobby. A cantilevered central staircase to the rear retains its original cast-iron balustrade. Some upper bedrooms feature Greek key banded egg and dart cornicing.

The Albert Hotel occupies a historically significant position in North Queensferry. Originally known as Mitchell's Inn, named after its owner Robert Mitchell, it was erected on the site of Hope Tavern, which traded in the mid-18th century. The building was renamed the Albert Hotel in honour of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert's arrival at the Town Pier in 1842. It remains one of only two surviving hostelries in the village; the other is the Ferrybridge Hotel. Where thirteen such establishments once catered to the vital ferry trade, the Albert Hotel continues in use as both hotel and pub, with private accommodation also contained within.

Evidence of recent alterations is visible: the pavement along the north elevation was raised in recent years, covering a small garden area at basement level and obscuring windows, with traces of the previous ground level still faintly visible above the new surface level.