5 Star Castle Hotels – 2026

Historic luxury – 5-star Four Seasons in Florence, set in 15th-16th century palaces with 11-acre walled gardens. Elegant rooms – 116 rooms & suites, from deluxe doubles to the 234 m² Royal Suite, with marble bathrooms and fine linens. Fine dining – Michelin-starred Il Palagio, casual poolside options, and Atrium Bar for cocktails and tea. Spa & leisure – Top hotel spa, pool, gym, jacuzzis, and tranquil gardens for picnics or strolls. Exclusive experiences – Private Uffizi tours, Ponte Vecchio dinners, and hot air balloon trips. Family & pets – Kids’ club, babysitting, child-friendly menus; pets welcome. Central location – Under 15 minutes’ walk to Florence’s historic centre, Duomo, and museums.  … > See All the Details & Book

Majestic Baroque palace: A 300-year-old 5-star luxury hotel near Cologne and Düsseldorf. World-class dining: Home to Vendôme, a 3-Michelin-starred restaurant acclaimed as Germany’s best. Elegant rooms: Suites range up to 120 m², with marble bathrooms and Rhine Valley views. Lavish facilities: Full-service spa, multiple restaurants, lively bars, and exceptional service. Prime location: Overlooks Cologne Cathedral, with easy metro and airport access. Check dates & prices here   The 5-star Schloss Bensberg Hotel, near Cologne & Düsseldorf, Germany, is a quite majestic, and quite enormous, 300-year-old Baroque Palace. It coms with gorgeous gardens, and a host of superb facilities, including what many consider to be Germany’s very best restaurant; the 3… > See All the Details & Book

Château de Fonscolombe is a magnificent 18th-century château built in the Italianate Quattrocento style, now a 5-star boutique hotel in Provence, France. It has wonderfully elegant accommodation, beautiful botanic gardens, a vineyard and winery, spa facilities, and an excellent restaurant. The Rooms: They have 50 B&B rooms and suites at the château, from doubles to quadruples, with the rooms being classed as Standard, Deluxe, and Superior, and the suites; Junior and Prestige. The Prestige Suites are the ultimate in style and class and a lavishly romantic feast for the senses, but even the most standard rooms at Château de Fonscolombe, though more minimalist, are also elegant and chic. The entire… > See All the Details & Book

Royal heritage: Built by Empress Victoria of Germany in 1893, with ties to the Prussian and British royal families. Notable former guests: Empress Victoria, U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower, and many more. Film connection: Used as Sandringham House in the Princess Diana film Spencer. 5-star luxury: Fine dining restaurant, beauty salon, English-style gardens, and 18-hole golf course. Lavish interiors: Packed with antiques and artwork from Titian, Rubens, and Gainsborough. Prime location: In the spa town of Kronberg, just 20km from Frankfurt Airport. Check dates & prices here   In the lovely old spa town of Kronberg, conveniently near Frankfurt Airport, Germany, Schlosshotel Kronberg is a beautifully evocative building, both inside and… > See All the Details & Book

Near St Tropez and the Riviera, this 5 Star French château hotel is a slice of heaven in rural Provence, and guaranteed to please lovers of nature, wine, and food. The vast majority of the 1,235-acre estate is left to the supervision of Mother Nature and is a classic Provençal mix of garrigue and centuries-old trees. They have some charming gardens too, which include a swimming pool, and surrounding it 320 acres of vineyards. Their vineyards have been producing Provençal wines and rosés for over three hundred years, with their wines highly regarded. There are two fine restaurants at the hotel to enjoy too, one of which, Jardin de Benjamin,… > See All the Details & Book

This Castle Hotel’s Highlights: Iconic villa – 5-star Arabesque villa on Lake Orta, built in 1879 with stunning minaret and unique historic design. Rooms – Classic rooms to spacious suites with romantic décor, antiques, four-poster beds, and modern amenities. Dining – Two Michelin-starred restaurant with creative Italian cuisine and a 1,800-label wine collection. Wellness – Cooking classes and Chandra Deva wellness centre offering Indian-inspired treatments. Outdoors – Gardens, lakeside walks, cycling, and guided excursions to Orta San Giulio and nearby UNESCO sites. History – Built by cotton pioneer Crespi, completed in 1899, once visited by royalty and artists. Location – Lakeside, 10-min walk to Orta San Giulio, 25 km from… > See All the Details & Book

Most Notable Former Guests: Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela, Mikhail Gorbachev… The very exclusive Dolder Grand, long regarded as one of Europe’s best hotels, sits on a hill overlooking Zurich, Switzerland, a city in which it is very much an iconic building. It first served as a Curhaus or health spa in the late 19th century and still does today though with much more modern facilities at its 4,000-meter spa. It has two fairly distinct sections, the old, Belle Époque era castle building with its copper-topped turrets and the newer (completed 2008) modernist wings on either side. The addition of newer sections to historical hotels is a tricky business and many have… > See All the Details & Book

A former 12th-century Knights Templar castle, Château Saint Martin is now a magnificent, 5-star luxury hotel retreat set high in the hills above Saint Paul de Vence and the French Riviera. It has magnificent views, spacious, comfortable rooms and suites, over 30 acres of beautifully tended gardens which include a swimming pool and tennis courts. It can also boast a Michelin Star Restaurant, opulent spa facilities, and a dedicated staff team that is really second to none. To top it all Château Saint Martin also has an amazing array of art adorning its walls, art which includes works by such iconic figures as Picasso, Matisse, Renoir, and Chagall. The Rooms:… > See All the Details & Book

Top of the range, luxury hotel, one of the South West England’s very best. Great facilities include Michelin-starred restaurant, golf, tennis, croquet, and manicured gardens. Gorgeous, quintessential English village of Castle Combe provides the perfect setting.   The Manor House in Castle Combe is a quintessentially English, luxury castle hotel next to what is undoubtedly Wiltshire’s, and the Cotswold’s, loveliest village. The Manor dates all the way back to the 14th century but the present building and the general ambience lie firmly in the Victorian and Edwardian eras. The hotel has extremely high levels of service and comfort, and an elegant sophisticated ambience throughout. It also has superb facilities including a… > See All the Details & Book

Why we chose this castle hotel: Grand 5-star manor, blending classic British elegance with modern comforts. Set on Dartmoor, with 275+ acres of countryside, gardens, and golf course. Variety of stays, from castle rooms to spacious self-catering estate lodges. Extensive facilities, including spa, indoor pool, fine dining, and outdoor activities. Rich history, from aristocratic retreat to wartime hospital to luxury hotel.   The very grand, 5-star Bovey Castle is a Dartmoor and South Devon institution. It has served as a luxury hotel for nearly 90 years now and still has oodles of old-fashioned British elegance and class. It has a gorgeous setting too, by the River Bovey and Dartmoor National… > See All the Details & Book

Location: Gorgeous, secluded retreat beside Loch Faskally and Ben Vrackie. Aesthetics: Luxury castle hotel blending historic baronial style with more modern design. Accommodation: 42 rooms spread across the castle, lodges, and a modern wing. Dining: Two restaurants, including the award-winning Sandemans with 3 AA Rosettes. Wellness & Activities: On-site spa plus outdoor adventures like hiking, rafting, and fishing. Enter your dates & check prices here.   Where Perthshire begins to edge into the Highlands, lies another of Scotland’s best castle hotels, Fonab Castle. It sits proudly above Loch Faskally, partly hidden by woodland, and has lovely views across the water towards Ben Vrackie. What looks at first like a single… > See All the Details & Book

In County Clare, near Shannon Airport and the Cliffs of Moher, the 5 star Dromoland Castle is very much one of Ireland’s best castle hotels, and best hotels in general, it can be said. It has history too of course, a full thousand years of it, though the present castle structure is 19th century Gothic Revival. It was very closely associated with the O’Brien clan, direct descendants of Ireland’s most famous king, Brian Boru. There’s a lot to take in at Dromoland, beyond the sense of history (they do history tours). It has a Michelin star awarded restaurant, 500 acres of private park and woodland, a world class golf course, spa… > See All the Details & Book

Between Donegal Town and the wilds of the Blue Stack Mountains, in Ireland’s much underrated northwest, lies the 5 star Lough Eske Castle. The only castle hotel in Co. Donegal, it was once the seat of the infamous O’Donnell Clan and boasts a tremendous amount of local and national history. It also has an idyllic lakeside setting, 43 acres of private gardens and woodland, top-rate spa facilities, a choice of quality restaurants and bars, extremely spacious rooms and suites, and a warm welcoming atmosphere throughout. Lough Eske Castle at a Glance Castle: A historic Donegal castle with O’Donnell Clan connections and origins stretching back to the area’s medieval past. Accommodation:… > See All the Details & Book

This elegant 19th-century neo-Baroque castle in Pontresina near St. Moritz, Swiss Alps, has long been considered a very special property but never more so than now, in its current form as one of Switzerland’s finest luxury 5-star hotels. It has panoramic views of some of the country’s most wonderful scenery; the Bernina glaciers and the Engadine Mountains, an award-winning restaurant, a luxury spa, and a host of other superb facilities. The service here is impeccable and the wonderful staff go out of their way to ensure both adults and children have a smooth, stress-free luxury hotel experience in an opulent, distinctly old-style, ambience. The Rooms: They have a great choice… > See All the Details & Book

Prestigious address: Grade II listed landmark on Hyde Park Corner, one of London’s finest locations. Unmatched luxury: Lavish late Georgian/Regency interiors with 24-hour butlers for all rooms. World-class dining: Double Michelin Starred Céleste Restaurant and vintage cognac at the Library Bar. Award-winning spa: Previously voted England’s Best Hotel Spa, with bespoke treatments. Exceptional service: Elite concierge team, chauffeur-driven Rolls Royces. Check dates & prices here   The Lanesborough, on Hyde Park Corner, has perhaps London’s most prestigious address and consistently appears near the top of any sensible list of that city’s finest luxury hotels, with the added bonus of its double Michelin Starred Céleste Restaurant. A Grade II listed, Neoclassical… > See All the Details & Book

The most renowned of all Ireland’s castle hotels, 5-star Ashford Castle in Co. Galway, is an extremely impressive property, with an extravagant setting, an imposing exterior, and very lavish interiors. Those factors combined with a great range of modern facilities, great food, and high levels of service, make Ashford Castle a consistent choice for lists of the best hotels in Ireland, and indeed in Europe. Ashford Castle at a Glance Castle: A historic castle hotel dating back to 1228, with later Victorian and Gothic Revival additions. Accommodation: 83 individually designed rooms and suites, plus one private Hideaway Cottage, furnished with antique pieces, works of art and high-quality fabrics alongside the… > See All the Details & Book

Château de Bagnols, near Lyon, France, is a really quite magnificent 800-year-old Beaujolais château now serving as a 5-star luxury hotel. It has some terrifically opulent rooms and suites, beautiful gardens, top-of-the-range spa facilities, and terrific fine dining at a Michelin Star-awarded restaurant. Those factors alone would make it a wonderful place to stay but what makes Château de Bagnols extra special is its remarkably well-preserved castle structure and the extremely impressive interior design which weds perfectly the historical and the modern. It is without a doubt one of the most beautiful chateau hotels in France. The Rooms: They have a range of suites on offer, in the chateau itself… > See All the Details & Book

Tiara Chateau Hotel Mont Royal Chantilly, to give it its full title, is a lavishly beautiful, 5-star chateau hotel near Paris, France with a sublime hilltop setting overlooking the ancient royal hunting grounds of Chantilly Forest. The chateau is quite a sight from the outside and was certainly built to impress. It is towering and commanding and yet elegant and refined. The interiors are more simple and understated than you might expect for such a lavish building but have oodles of old style, Belle Epoque charm. Their rooms and suites are suitably luxurious and elegant, and the hotel has superb facilities including a fine dining restaurant, a spa, a swimming… > See All the Details & Book

Wine & estate – 7,100-acre Brunello-producing castle estate near Montalcino. History – 12th-century castle and 17th-century hamlet with vineyard views. Rooms – 14 boutique rooms and suites, 40–110 m², modern amenities included. Dining – Three restaurants, from casual to fine dining, plus enoteca tastings. Facilities – Pool, gardens, gym, massage pavilion, cookery school. Wine experiences – Vineyard tours, tastings, picnics, local wine visits. Location – Near Montalcino, under 1 hour to Siena and Montepulciano; beaches ~45 mins.   Aficionados of Italian wine, particularly Brunello, will be well aware of Castello Banfi near Montalcino, and Siena, Tuscany. The 7,100-acre estate has been producing quality wines since 1978 and offers a full complement… > See All the Details & Book

Historic pedigree: 16th-century castle with Renaissance architecture, set in Weserbergland Nature Park. Famous guests: Tsar Peter the Great of Russia once stayed here and was amazed by its exotic gardens. 5-star luxury: Lavish rooms, spa & beauty center, swimming pool, and Michelin-starred dining. Gourmet choice: Haute cuisine at the Michelin-starred Gourmet Restaurant, plus casual dining in the Schlosskeller. Recreation: 18-hole golf course, landscaped gardens, hiking, biking, and boating in the surrounding countryside. Convenient location: Less than an hour from Hanover, near Hamelin of Pied Piper fame. Check dates & prices here.   Near Hanover, Lower Saxony, Schlosshotel Münchhausen is yet another, highly rated, 5 star castle hotel in Germany It… > See All the Details & Book

Most Notable Former Guests: Victor Hugo, Charlie Chaplin, Coco Chanel… The 5-star Beau Rivage Palace sits on 10 acres of its own private gardens on the shores of Lake Geneva, Lausanne, and has stunning views across the lake and of the French Alps beyond. The hotel itself, including its spacious and elegant rooms and suites, is equally stunning and the entire experience is one which will satisfy even the most discerning of luxury hotel aficionados. It has four restaurants to choose from, all of which are excellent quality but with one particularly stealing the show: the 2 Michelin-starred Anne-Sophie Pic at Beau-Rivage Palace. Add to that some chic bars and… > See All the Details & Book

Castlemartyr Castle Resort has 5-star accommodation near Midleton, East Cork, adjacent to the ruins of the 800-year-old castle that bears its name. The centrepiece building is the 18th-century manor house, but most of the 103 rooms and suites are in two adjacent modern wings. Castlemartyr Castle Resort at a Glance Castle: An 18th-century manor house beside the ruins of the 800-year-old castle that gives the resort its name. Accommodation: 103 rooms and suites, with historic Manor State Rooms and Grand Suites in the old manor house alongside contemporary rooms in two modern wings. Dining: Terre offers modern French cuisine with Asian influences and Michelin-starred dining, alongside Canopy and three bars… > See All the Details & Book

  Very prestigious history: Former guests include Catherine the Great and Alexander von Humboldt. Hilltop setting: Fairytale castle hotel atop Salzburg’s Mönchsberg with sweeping views of the city and the Alps. 5-star luxury: Elegant ambience, top-tier service, and consistently ranked among Austria’s best hotels. Wellness haven: Infinity pool, outdoor hot tub, full spa, and beauty treatments. Gourmet dining: Two acclaimed restaurants plus the chic Apollo Bar with classic cocktails and Viennese dishes. Check dates & prices here   A very special hotel in a very special location; Schloss Mönchstein sits, fairytale-like, atop the Hill of Mönchsberg in old Salzburg. It is surrounded by its own wooded parkland and has stunning… > See All the Details & Book

Famous guests: Sir Winston Churchill being one example. Secluded location: Hidden in the forests of South Ayrshire. Architecture: Designed by David Bryce in the 1860s in Scottish Baronial style. Luxury: 5-star service, Michelin Star-winning restaurant, elegant period features, landscaped gardens and sea views. Enter your dates and check prices here   Glenapp is a very charming boutique castle hotel tucked away in the forests of South Ayrshire, Scotland. It has, since its inception in the year 2000, offered the best in 5-star luxury with consistently high levels of hospitality and service. Designed by renowned architect David Bryce in the 1860s, it is to this day one of the finest examples… > See All the Details & Book

Elegance & space: Beautiful 400-year-old manor house with 1,000 acres of estate. Gardens & dining: Famous Victorian gardens and even more famous Michelin-starred restaurant. Notable Former Guests: Queen Mary, Gertrude Jekyll.   The 400-year-old Gravetye is a gorgeous 17-room boutique manor house hotel near East Grinstead, Sussex, Gatwick Airport, and just 30 miles from central London. It is surrounded by more than 1,000 acres of peaceful countryside including some deservedly famous Victorian-era gardens, designed by Gertrude Jekyll. To top that it also has one of Sussex’s very finest restaurants, the renowned, Michelin-starred ‘Dining Room’.   The Rooms: Range of options: 17 rooms from singles to suites, all classically styled. Design… > See All the Details & Book

Most Notable Former Guests: Grace Kelly, Jacques Chirac, Queen Elizabeth II… The magnificent walled city of Carcassonne, France, is certainly a wondrous sight. The words ‘walled city’ can be used to refer to a huge number of cities around the world but in Carcassonne’s case the ‘walls’ are more castle ramparts than walls and so, rather excitingly, it could be said that Carcassonne is a city within a castle. So popular is it though that the hordes of tourists that descend on it every summer can take somewhat from the experience that such a stirring sight can promise. The walled city of Carcassonne has a, not so little, secret that… > See All the Details & Book

Historic Origins: Crossbasket Castle dates back to the late 1600s. Elegant Interiors: Antique furnishings and intricate details blend seamlessly with modern comforts. Varied Accommodation: Guest rooms range from cozy doubles to suites, plus private lodges within the castle grounds. Fine Dining: The restaurant offers exquisite French-inspired cuisine with fresh Scottish ingredients in an intimate setting. Grounds: 14 acres of gardens and woodlands, enjoy river walks, or take part in activities like fishing, golf, and tours. Enter your dates & check prices here   Crossbasket Castle near Glasgow is a beautifully restored 17th-century castle, with 14 acres of gardens and woodland, which is now one of the West of Scotland’s finest… > See All the Details & Book

5 Star Georgian manor hotel: Stylish blend of historic and contemporary. Stunning setting: Lovely gardens flow down to the Exe estuary and Jurassic Coast. Award-winning dining: Michelin-starred restaurant within six months of opening. Enter your dates & check prices here   The 5-star Lympstone Manor Hotel in South Devon is a Georgian-era manor house turned exclusive contemporary hotel that has realistic ambitions to become one of South West England’s very finest. It describes itself as a ”new generation’ country house hotel and oozes style and class; the superb interior design blending old and new with great panache. The setting is tremendous too with gardens running all the way down to… > See All the Details & Book

The 5-star Parador de Santiago – Hostal de Los Reyes Católicos is an integral part of the historic core of Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain, and one of the world’s very oldest hotels. It is located on Obradoiro Square beside the cathedral which marks the end of the infamous Camino de Santiago, with which the hotel is intrinsically linked. It was commissioned by King Ferdinand in 1499 as a place of rest and recuperation for pilgrims. A mixture between a medical hospital and a hotel, known in those days as a hostal, guests were originally allowed a free stay of 3 nights in summer and 5 nights in winter courtesy… > See All the Details & Book

Most Famous Guests: Princess Diana, Prince Rainer, Grace Kelly, Michael Jackson… The 5 Star luxury Gstaad Palace Hotel is another Swiss Alps institution smoothly fulfilling the desires of discerning international guests with great style and class. It has stood on a hill over the lovely Alpine resort of Gstaad for over a hundred years and is very much a hotel of the old-school type. The atmosphere is grand and regal and the impeccable service leans on the side of formal. It has 90 luxurious rooms and suites and lots for guests to pass their time with; five different restaurants, two bars, a nightclub (the infamous GreenGo club), a fitness centre,… > See All the Details & Book

Most Notable Former Guests: Marlene Dietrich, Alfred Hitchcock, Audrey Hepburn… Long a St Moritz, and Swiss Alps, landmark, the 5-star luxury Badrutt’s Palace Hotel is a splendid building and a legendary hotel. Built in the grand, Neo-Gothic style popular in the late 19th century its historical elegance is still very much intact. It has now been wedded to modern facilities and levels of comfort and service that are simply world-class. It is very much a hospitality institution, and one of Switzerland’s, and Europe’s, very best luxury hotels. The Rooms: It has 157 rooms, 37 of which are suites. All are as plush and grand as you would expect and run… > See All the Details & Book

Hilltop castle hotel – 11th-century property near Montalcino with panoramic Brunello vineyard views. Exclusive retreat – intensely luxurious but with a notable price tag. Standout amenities – extensive spa and wellness, including natural thermal spring baths. Fine dining – two on-site restaurants that hold Michelin stars. Accommodation range – rooms to opulent suites (one with private pool) and spacious self-catering apartments.   Castello di Velona is a stunning 5-star, 11th-century era, castle hotel set high on a hilltop outside Montalcino, Tuscany, and comes with panoramic views over the iconic Brunello vineyards of the Val d’Orcia. It is very much an exclusive, luxury retreat, and one which also comes with a… > See All the Details & Book

  Notable guests: Queen Victoria, Queen Elizabeth II & Prince Philip, plus celebrities like Sean Connery and Elton John. Hotel style: 5 Star loch side baronial mansion in the Scottish Highlands near Ben Nevis. Luxury dining: Renowned restaurant by Albert & Michel Roux Jnr with modern British cuisine and French influences. Estate size: 42,000-acre grounds with forests, rivers, mountains, wildlife, and gardens to explore. Activities: Hiking, 4WD tours, horse riding, clay pigeon shooting, archery, winter sports, and photography tours. History: Transformed into a luxury hotel in 1969, estate originally built in the 19th century. Check dates & prices here.   This Scottish Castle Hotel is particularly special; an imposing loch… > See All the Details & Book

Notable guests: Mahatma Gandhi, John Profumo, Christine Keeler, Harold Macmillan. Royal connection: Meghan Markle stayed here before her wedding to Prince Harry. National Trust: Property open to the public seasonally with grounds accessible year-round. Historic scandal: Site of the 1960s Profumo affair, adding a touch of notorious glamour. Luxury hotel: 5-star manor house near London with top service and facilities. Enter your dates & check prices here.   Meghan Markle left Cliveden House, near Windsor, on the morning of Saturday 19th May for her wedding to Prince Harry, having spent her last night as a single woman there. We can’t be sure how much time she spent considering her accommodation… > See All the Details & Book

Most Notable Former Guests: Richard Wagner, Jean Cocteau, Marlene Dietrich, The Dalai Lama…. The name Beau Rivage Hotel tends, these days, to be more associated with Lausanne than Geneva in Switzerland, Though its special concept of luxury is known around the world, the very first Beau Rivage was, and still very much is, a Geneva hotel. The Right Bank Geneva original no longer has any association with those who share the illustrious Beau Rivage name, and it carries on independently as one of, if not the, most elegant and opulent 5-star luxury hotel in Geneva. A 5-star luxury hotel that also boasts an internationally famous, Michelin-starred restaurant, and one that… > See All the Details & Book

Star-studded guests: Wagner, Brahms, Emperor Franz Joseph I, Queen Elizabeth II, and Charlie Chaplin among many others. Palatial grandeur: Built in 1866 as Palais Württemberg, later transformed into Vienna’s finest hotel. Belle Époque luxury: Marble halls, chandeliers, statues, and timeless Austro-Hungarian elegance blended with modern comforts. Royal treatment: Suites come with personal butlers; service remains famously formal, polished, and discreet. Fine dining: Michelin-starred OPUS restaurant, Imperial Café with Viennese classics, and the refined 1873-Halle-Nsalon Bar. Prime location: Right on the Ringstrasse, next to the Musikverein, and walking distance to Vienna’s best-known landmarks. Check dates & prices here   “Stay at the Imperial and feel like an Emperor,” said Charlie Chaplin… > See All the Details & Book