Best B&B Castle Hotels - 2020

Lough Eske Castle Hotel has been removed from our listings. To see our recommended castle hotels in Ireland click here: Castle Hotels in Ireland READ MORE

Most famous former guest: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.  Near Weimar and Leipzig, Germany, the beautifully atmospheric Elgersburg Castle, which has a history going back to at least the 12th century, is one of Thuringia’s finest and best preserved castles, one which now happily serves as a luxury hotel. It also has a lovely hilltop position, towering over the pretty village of the same name, at the edge of the fabled Thuringian Forest (Thüringer Wald in German). THE ACCOMMODATION: You can choose between standard and deluxe singles and doubles, with the deluxe being worth the extra premium for their extra space and for their more lavish decor. Check your options on the booking page here. All of the rooms, in line with the rest of this roughly 1,000 year old castle, display plenty of old world charm. They feel cosy and warm, and with modern facilities, flat screen TV and digital hotel guides for example, kept relatively unintrusive. FACILITIES & THINGS TO DO: Though the hotel feels intimate there is much common space to be explored, allowing one to soak up some of the medieval atmosphere. And with its strategic hilltop location a stroll around the castle grounds offers some marvelous READ MORE

The Alchymist, Prague Castle is a quite splendid boutique hotel set in a restored 15th century mansion house just below the castle and it offers a sense of history, culture and romance that few other hotels can match. Having just seven rooms and one suite to choose from the place also feels very exclusive and you will have more the feeling of staying at the home of some newly discovered royal relation than at a hotel. Thus it is well suited for longer stays. The staff at The Alchymist are consistently rated as among the very best hotel staff in the city, their warmth and personalized service enhancing greatly the homelike atmosphere, and you will have a private butler, a tour guide and a concierge at your disposal too. THE ACCOMMODATION: The seven rooms and one suite are spread over three floors of the building and all display much historical detail with some lavishly painted wooden ceilings and various antique and art pieces. The suite (titled the one bedroom apartment on the booking page) is open and bright and lies on the top floor with the original wooden ceiling beams still intact. It has a living room, a kitchen, one bedroom READ MORE

The 4 Star Château de la Caze is a very romantic, Renaissance era chateau hotel with a fairy tale like setting in the Gorges du Tarn near Rodez, a canyon gorge that is one of this area of France’s most well known natural wonders. The chateau has an intimate, boutique hotel feel and a peaceful, relaxed atmosphere. It also some lovely gardens, a heated outdoor swimming pool, a spa bath, a gym and an excellent gastronomic restaurant amongst other things. THE ACCOMMODATION: They have a choice of rooms and suites available from standard double rooms to 40 m² suites. Most of them are in the chateau itself with some suites also to be found in the Maison de Martine, an adjacent converted old farm building. All the accommodation choices are doubles but in the Maison de Martine suites you can sleep an extra two people using the sofa bed (though for an extra charge). Some people have reported that some of the standard double rooms are a bit on the cramped size, to be certain of adequate space you can go for the superior rooms or above. Of the suites the only thing to decide is whether to take one READ MORE

Tiara Château Hôtel 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, swimming pool, tennis courts, pétanque course and more, plus the surrounding forest is perfect for long leisurely strolls and cycles, with bikes being available from the hotel. THE ACCOMMODATION: They have a total of 108 sound-proofed rooms and suites at the chateau, all of which are doubles and range from classic rooms through executive and deluxe rooms right up to Royal/Presidential Suites. Check your options out on the booking page here. They vary greatly in size from 25 to 115 m² but they all share the same sense of old fashioned READ MORE

Parador de Alarcón is a truly stunning 8th century Moorish fortress turned luxury castle hotel, in the village of Alarcón, near Cuenca, Spain. The setting is spectacular, the hotel has a wonderfully authentic historical ambience and it has one of the finest restaurants in the region. THE ACCOMMODATION: Parador Alarcon, though quite a large structure, has only 14 bedrooms and so is very much a boutique hotel. The choices are between standard doubles, standard twins and superior doubles. All of them are beautifully designed and decorated, and have a real touch of class, though the superior doubles, located in the castle tower, are really worth the extra premium. At 28 m² they have plenty of space and come with romantic four poster beds. Check your options on the booking page here. Though generally rustic in style the accommodation has all mod cons; private bathroom, satellite TV, WiFi, air-con and mini-bar etc. as well as some very luxurious bathrooms. Internally and externally the castle is a stunning place and is lovely to just wander around. It was fully renovated in 2003 and great pains were made to preserve its historical identity, so it does feel very ancient despite the luxury hotel READ MORE

Most Famous Former Guests: Prince Imperial Napoléon, Lilly Langtry, Christopher Lee. Perhaps Windsor’s most famous hotel, the luxury Oakley Court is a fabulous Neo-Gothic castle hotel on the banks of the River Thames. It has a quite palpable, brooding Gothic atmosphere, something that lead to it being the set of many movies and TV series; The Rocky Horror Picture Show, various Hammer House of Horrors films and The Hound of the Baskervilles to name but a few. The setting by the Thames, in lovely Windsor, near London, can not be beaten and it has 33 acres of landscaped gardens and woodland to explore, as well as a nine hole golf course, tennis courts, fitness centre, indoor swimming pool, sauna and steam rooms, and a very fine restaurant. THE ACCOMMODATION: They have a choice of rooms graded, and priced, as standard, luxury or executive, and a number of larger suites with separate seating areas. They are all spacious and beautifully appointed with most of them being in the relatively modern annex adjacent to the castle. If you want something more traditional then go for the Mansion House Rooms; these are in the original castle building and are more old fashioned in READ MORE

Carberry Tower Castle Hotel, Musselburgh, near Edinburgh, Scotland, is an award winning, luxury 4 star hotel with a history going back to the 15th century and connections to the infamous Mary, Queen of Scots. There is a superb bistro restaurant here and you can enjoy a drink at the Champagne Terrace, or some aristocratic style afternoon tea, all in beautifully elegant surroundings. The setting is peaceful and atmospheric, with flower filled gardens, ancient woodlands and the famous Carberry Hill where in 1567, after being on the wrong side of the Battle of Carberry, Mary, Queen of Scots would announce her abdication from the throne. THE ACCOMMODATION: They have a range accommodation from small single rooms, to a top of the range suite, the 700 square feet Royal Suite. Between those two extremes are various other classes of rooms and suites. Check out all your options on the booking page here. In some hotels there isn’t always a huge amount of difference between superior or executive rooms and junior suites but in Carberry, if you have the budget, we’d advise paying the extra for a suite. Though there isn’t much of the medieval to be felt in the rooms, they do all display a READ MORE

The enchanting Augill Castle Hotel has stood proud in Cumbria, England’s Upper Eden Valley for nearly two hundred years now and has some of the country’s loveliest rural regions at its doorstep: The North Pennines, the Yorkshire Dales and the Lakeland Fells. Built in 1841, in the very popular at the time, Neo-Gothic style, it started life as a grand country retreat and though still as grand as ever in its present incarnation as a luxury hotel, it is a very homely place, one which eschews needless formality and offers more the feeling of a stay with long lost relatives. THE ACCOMMODATION:  They have a range of rooms, suites and self catering apartments of various sizes to sleep up to four per unit. All have seating areas and most have open fireplaces and baths too. Check your options on the booking page here. You will find all the accommodation spacious and well turned out with the interior design showing a nice blend of styles from Victorian rustic country chic to bright and bold contemporary, and with some nice, creatively quirky, touches here and there too. There is a strong emphasis on comfort here, with plush soft fabrics and the most READ MORE

Most Famous Guests: Oliver Cromwell, George Frideric Handel. The nearest castle hotel to the centre of Ireland’s capital, Dublin, the 4 star Clontarf Castle has luxury accommodation in what is now a blend of 12th-century castle site, 18th-century manor house and 21st century hotel. It takes a lot of good design to get the balance right and Clontarf Castle manages it, with the first sight of the very Celtic Tiger looking glass entrance foyer somehow managing to not look incongruous against the ancient ivy covered tower walls behind. Once inside the theme continues with the bright and bold interiors balancing smartly the old and the new.  In the bedrooms though the relatively modern usually edges it; think old fashioned luxury city hotel rather than classic castle hotel. Relatively modern or not though, they are stylish and chic and all things considered Clontarf Castle makes an excellent luxury city hotel with a historic twist. THE ACCOMMODATION: The accommodation consists of standard double rooms and ‘executive rooms’ i.e. suites which have an adjoining seating area and the extra charm of a four poster bed. Though nothing about the rooms stands out in terms of features, in particular historic features, they are all READ MORE

Most Famous Former Guests: King Edward I (Longshanks), Oliver Cromwell, Queen Victoria. Dalhousie Castle Hotel in Bonnyrigg, near Edinburgh, has the distinction of being Scotland’s oldest continually inhabited castle, and one which, in recent years, has been transformed into a tremendous luxury castle hotel & spa. With 29 plush B&B rooms, a top class restaurant, excellent spa facilities and a serene woodland setting by the banks of the River Esk, it is now one of the ultimate places for a luxury, relaxing break near Edinburgh, but with the added mystique of having an enormous amount of history to its name. THE ACCOMMODATION: The castle has a great selection of luxury B&B bedrooms and suites, all of them with modern comforts and facilities but with classic styling and warm inviting colours. Some of the suites, though obviously expensive, are really the last word in opulence and spaciousness. 29 of the units are within the castle while six of them are located in the lodge, a nice old style country house hidden in the woods. Guests of either though can of course enjoy full access to the common areas of the castle and the grounds. Check out all your options on the READ MORE

Most Famous Guest: U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower. In the lovely old spa town of Kronberg, and conveniently near Frankfurt Airport, Germany, Castle Hotel Kronberg is a beautifully romantic building, both inside and out. Though only dating back about 130 years it has plenty of 19th & 20th century historical intrigue and big connections to both the Prussian and British Royal Families. It is now a top of the range 5 Star Hotel, undoubtedly one of the best in Germany, with tremendous facilities including an 18 hole golf course, a fantastic fine dining restaurant, a beauty salon and beautifully atmospheric old English style gardens. The interiors are resplendent with an amazing array of antiques and art pieces; treasures such as original paintings by Titian, Rubens and Gainsborough, and the whole experience is one of tremendous grandeur and opulence. There is hardly a thing out of place anywhere, and though the rooms and suites are generally slightly more modern in style they too have an undeniable old world charm. THE ACCOMMODATION: Their rooms and suites range from single rooms to top of the range suites, the best of all being the 130 square meter, two level, two double bedroom, Grand Suite. Check your READ MORE

Ireland’s oldest inhabited castle, the very imposing, 12th century Kilkea Castle, in Kildare, near Dublin is now one of Ireland’s very finest luxury hotels. It has an abundance of historical character and is surrounded by a 180 acre estate which includes some beautifully tended gardens, much wild parkland and woodland, and even its own 18 hole golf course. THE ACCOMMODATION: Kilkea has a broad a range of accommodation options; rooms and suites in the castle itself, courtyard rooms in the old castle outbuildings and separate lodges on the grounds of the estate, both B&B rooms and self catering. There is also the option of hiring out the entire castle for exclusive use or a three bedroom section of it. If you have a large group this will work out much cheaper than booking individually, but as demand for Kilkea is always high it should be certainly be reserved well in advance. Check your options out on the booking page here.  (Note: the self catering lodges on the estate have a separate listing at Booking.com, you can check them out here.) The castle bedrooms are the most historical in style, with the suites being particularly romantic, while the courtyard rooms and READ MORE

Most Famous Guests: Catherine the Great, Alexander von Humboldt.  A very special hotel in a very special location; Castle Hotel Mönchstein sits, fairy tale like, atop the Hill of Mönchsberg in old Salzburg, is surrounded by its own wooded parkland and has stunning views of Mozart’s city below, and the glorious Alps. It has excellent spa facilities, massage, beauty and wellness treatments, an infinity swimming pool and an outdoor hot tub. It also has two of the very best restaurants in Salzburg, and a chic, stylish bar. All in all Schloss Hotel Mönchstein is a top of the range luxury 5 star hotel with an elegant ambience, exceptional levels of service and one which consistently appears in any sensible list of Austria’s very best hotels. THE ACCOMMODATION: The have a range of double rooms and suites, all of which are spacious and well appointed, and with some nice marble bathrooms (with jacuzzis, and some jacuzzis with a view). All the suites, and the largest of the rooms; the Executive Rooms, have space for another two single beds, or one double, if required, and so can sleep up to four people in total. Check your options on the booking page here. The interiors of the rooms READ MORE

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 its double Michelin Starred Céleste Restaurant being an added bonus. A Grade II listed, Neoclassical building, it was built in 1827 during the reign of George IV to replace the previous mansion built by the 2nd Viscount Lanesborough in 1719, when the first King George; George I, was on the throne. The present day hotel is a stunning place, lavishly furnished in late Georgian/Regency style, it offers a level of luxury and class that few hotels in London, or anywhere else in the world for that matter, can match. For all its opulence though what also makes the Lanesborough stand out is its surprisingly down to earth, friendly ambience. THE ACCOMMODATION: The Lanesborough has 93 rooms and 43 suites to choose from, with la crème de la crème being the incredibly opulent, 363 m² – 3900 square feet, Lanesborough Suite. All the rooms and suites are doubles though an extra bed can also be provided if needed. Check your options out on the booking page here. The interior design at the READ MORE

Schloss Schadau is a wonderfully elegant 200 year old manor house which offers old world charm and atmosphere, friendly staff, a lovely restaurant and a very romantic setting by Lake Thunersee, just south of Bern in Switzerland’s Bernese Oberland region. THE ACCOMMODATION: It has a choice of accommodation from small double rooms to suites ranging in size from 18 to 44 m². The larger suites and rooms have a balcony and some terrific views over the lake and mountains, with the best value perhaps being the ‘Deluxe Room with Balcony’ which is only marginally smaller than the suites and has equally good views. Check your options on the booking page here. The entire hotel is unashamedly old style, and the decor of the rooms, and the common areas, reflects this. They may have modern hotel features; cable TV and WiFi, satin sheets and Weseta linens etc. but nothing distracts much from the very charming late 19th-early 20th century ambience. Note: The accommodation is for over 18s only. FACILITIES & THING TO DO: There is a very fine restaurant at Schadau Castle where you’ll find modern interpretations of classic Franco-Mediterranean cuisine. It is open for breakfast, brunch, lunch, afternoon teas and READ MORE

Nestling in Germany’s Black Forest and near to both Baden-Baden and Karlsruhe, Schloss Eberstein is a medieval era stately home & castle surrounded by acres of its own vineyards. It is a a place to relax and be pampered and its Michelin Star winning food has gained a terrific reputation within Germany. It also offers cooking classes, and so is quite the place for foodies. The setting is suitably gorgeous, the words fairytale-like immediately come to mind, with the castle sitting on a green hill overlooking the little town of Gernsbach, the Murg Valley and the Black Forest. THE ACCOMMODATION: Schloss Eberstein is a luxury hotel and you can certainly expect the highest levels of service and comfort. They have a choice of nicely furnished and decorated rooms; doubles and singles, all with private bathroom, minibar, WiFi, TV and seating. Check your options on the booking page here. It must be noted that the accommodation is not in the castle itself but in the adjacent manor house. Both are impressive structures though and though the rooms are relatively modern is a general old world atmosphere throughout the hotel. FACILITIES & THINGS TO DO: As mentioned before it is quite the READ MORE

A little corner of the Loire Valley to be found in Wales; Château Rhianfa is a very unique Grade II listed French style villa in Beaumaris on the Island of Anglesey. Dating back to 1849, it was architecturally inspired by the original owner’s travels through the Loire region of France and is now a place to enjoy one of Britain’s most enchanting rural areas; North Wales, by day, and by evening, the elegance of old, aristocratic, France. It has 22 stylish rooms and suites to choose from as well as 3 acres of landscaped gardens, a private beach and a host of on-site facilities; top quality restaurants & bars, a sauna and hot tub, banquet rooms, wine cellars, games rooms and tennis courts. All sorts of activities can be arranged at the property too such as cocktail making classes, wine tasting, RIB speed boat trips and even the ancient sport of falconry.  THE ACCOMMODATION: In the castle itself there are 22 elegant rooms, with traditional furnishings and many period features, but also modern comforts; flat screen cable TV, WiFi, DAB radio and luxury en-suite bathrooms. There are also a couple of lodge suites on the grounds which can offer guests more READ MORE

The fairy tale like 14th century, Franconian era, Colmberg Castle sits on a hill above the pretty town of the same name in northern Bavaria. It forms a picturesque part of two of the most scenic, and romantic routes in Bavaria, and in Germany; the Castle Road and the Romantic Road, as well as being near the beautifully preserved medieval town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, and the Franconian capital Ansbach. Both the town of Colmberg and its castle are more than just stops on the way though, they are also tourist destinations in their own right, which makes a stay at this hotel an extra indulgence. The castle dates back to 1318 and is a cosy, very atmospheric place with friendly, personable staff who go out of their way to make you feel at home. Their restaurant is a particular highlight too, it serves up hearty traditional Franconian and Bavarian food in a pleasingly medieval ambience. THE ACCOMMODATION: They have a great range of eclectically styled rooms, none of which are terribly spacious but this is in touch with the cosy ambience of the hotel in general. For the most part the hotels rooms are original castle rooms with READ MORE

Château de Mathod, near Yverdon-les-Bains, Switzerland, is a very charming and special place. A recognized historical monument, it was once the home of the Swiss artist Louis Rivier and has been in the same family for seven generations now. They have a luxury B&B guest suite at the chateau which is beautifully renovated and decorated, and though having all modern comforts still retains a tangible sense of history. The property also has some beautifully landscaped gardens, including a swimming pool, which guests are welcome to explore and enjoy. THE ACCOMMODATION: The chateau is the private home of your hosts but they also rent a single 30 m² (320 square foot) one double bedroom suite adjacent to the main building. This was once the studio of the above mentioned Louis Rivier, and it still has many of his original paintings adorning the walls. This cute, very romantic place is named in his honour as “Suite Louis Rivier”, though as you will see, it is listed in more modest terms as ‘Queen Room with Garden View’ on the booking.com page here. It has its own independent entrance, a rustic style double bedroom and a modern kitchen and bathroom. There is also an READ MORE

One of the most unique and special of our castle hotels, and proudly ‘in the middle of nowhere’, 13th century Mingary Castle has a huge history but had been lying in ruins for 150 years before some very delicate renovation work was undertaken in 2014. Two years of great craft and care was needed to preserve the integrity of the castle, its very impressive 9 feet thick defensive walls, and the Georgian era residence which stood within. So that now, with just five rooms (so book well in advance!), it has come to be one of Scotland’s, and Britain’s, most unique luxury boutique hotels. Its location was pivotal to its strategic importance as a defensive castle, lying outside the tiny village of Kilchoan on the Ardnamurchan Peninsula, the most westerly point on the British mainland. And it is also pivotal to its modern success as a castle hotel, where the views over the Atlantic and the Hebrides Islands to the west, and the iconic Scottish Highlands back to the east, are truly inspiring. THE ACCOMMODATION: There is a choice of just four suites and a self-catering apartment in the west wing of the castle, which is accessed through its own front READ MORE

A Victorian era Scottish Castle with fabulous views over the Isle of Mull, the Atlantic Ocean and the Hebridean islands of Coll, Barra and the Uists, Glengorm Castle Hotel is a friendly, homely place with an atmosphere that is part boutique hotel, part cosy family home. THE ACCOMMODATION: There is a choice of just 5 B&B rooms and one self catering apartment at the castle, while in the grounds there are also a number of self catering cottages. Check out all your options on the booking page here. All the rooms are traditionally furnished, with warm colours and private bathrooms which have some nice old Victorian style deep baths. The self catering apartment has a lounge and well equipped modern kitchen with two double bedrooms, one of which has a king size bed. It is at the very top of the castle with roof access overlooking the turrets, while the various cottages are scattered around the estate offering more privacy and seclusion. FACILITIES & THINGS TO DO:   The castle itself has much common space, with a particularly welcoming sitting room with a large open fire and comfortable sofas and armchairs. There is a lovely wood paneled library too and a READ MORE

Most Famous Residents/Guests: Charles I & Zita, Last Emperors of Austria. The family friendly & pet friendly, Schloss Wartegg/Wartegg Castle Hotel has comfortable accommodation in a lovely setting by the shores of Lake Constance in North Eastern Switzerland. The castle dates back to 1558 and was the birthplace of Zita, the last Empress of Austria & Queen of Hungary, in the 19th century but was extensively renovated in the 1990s. The passage of time had resulted in quite a bit of structural damage and so much of the historical fabric was lost during the renovations. This means that the hotel, including the rooms, now looks quite modern internally, which is something of a pity, but it still does retain a certain historical feel. There is a quality organic restaurant at Schloss Wartegg, a luxurious spa, a fun playground for the kids and 32 acres of English gardens and trees, with woodland paths leading down to the lake. THE ACCOMMODATION: They have 25 rooms and suites at the hotel, from small singles to large family rooms to sleep up to four in two separate sleeping quarters, and junior suites which have a small lounge area. Check out your options on the READ MORE

Most Famous Residents: Ferdinand II of Aragon, Isabella I of Castile. Castillo del Buen Amor/Buen Amor Castle near Salamanca, Spain, and less than two hours from Madrid, is a splendidly atmospheric place with a history going all the way back to 1227, and the reign of King Alfonso IX. The property is huge, with a great amount of common space; there are a total of seven living rooms for example and outside there are beautiful gardens, a vineyard, a maze, a pine forest and a saltwater swimming pool. THE ACCOMMODATION: They have a range of rooms and suites, 41 in total and all doubles or twins (all with king or queen size beds as standard), from Standard Rooms through Deluxe and Superior Rooms to the largest of all, the Junior Suites. Check your options on the booking page here. In most hotels there would be a great difference between these room types but the standard rooms here are elegant and spacious enough to warrant a grander title perhaps. The deluxe and superior rooms though, apart from being slightly more ornate, have more space and more natural light and, as the price difference is relatively small, it’s probably worth the upgrade. A READ MORE

Most Famous Guest: Czar Peter the Great of Russia. Schlosshotel Münchhausen is a classically beautiful 5 Star Castle Hotel near Hanover, Lower Saxony, Germany, with extremely high levels of comfort and service. It comes with top of the range facilities too; a spa & beauty treatment centre, a swimming pool, a Michelin Star winning restaurant, and its own park which has a lake and an 18 hole golf course. The castle dates back to the 16th century and has an enviable location in the peaceful, green Weserbergland Schaumburg-Hameln Nature Park. THE ACCOMMODATION: There is a choice 67 stylish rooms and suites, 31 of which are in the castle itself and 36 in the adjoining Tithe Barn. Check your options on the booking page here.) All the suites and rooms are relatively modern in style, the ones in the converted barn slightly more so, which might disappoint those seeking a more traditional castle stay atmosphere but it is a five star hotel and the quality and comfort on offer are hard to beat. All of them are luxuriously large with their terrific suites being up to 77 square meters in size, and both they and the rooms will have seating, writing desks, spacious READ MORE

Most Famous Guest: Sir Winston Churchill. Glenapp is an extremely charming luxury castle hotel hidden away in the forests of South Ayrshire, near Glasgow, Scotland. It has, since its inception in the year 2000, offered the best in five star luxury with consistently high levels of hospitality and friendly service. Designed by renowned architect David Bryce in the 1860’s, it is to this day one of the finest examples around of the Scottish Baronial style of architecture. It is filled with elegant period features and furnishings, has a world class, Michelin Star winning, restaurant, and with acres of landscaped gardens, sea views and a secluded forest setting it makes for a wonderfully romantic hideaway. THE ACCOMMODATION: There are seventeen B&B rooms and suites to choose from at Glenapp Castle. Many of them (on the upper floors) have sea views where you can look out upon the famous volcanic rock of Ailsa Craig, the Isle of Arran and Holy Island in the distance, and on clear days it’s even possible to catch a glimpse of the hills of Antrim far across the water in Ireland. These are more expensive, naturally, than the ground floor rooms but you will find all of their rooms super comfortable, READ MORE

The 400 year old Château de la Pommeraye is a wonderfully atmospheric boutique hotel near Caen, and the D-Day landing beaches, in Normandy, France, with an intimate, friendly atmosphere and a gorgeously peaceful rural setting. It is a relatively informal place and in common with many great boutique hotels, a stay at the chateau feels more like being in the company of distant relatives than being in a hotel. THE ACCOMMODATION: They have a choice of rooms and suites, all of which are doubles/twins and which range in size from 36 to 85 m². There are no ordinary or standard rooms here, every one is either in the ‘luxury’ or the ‘prestige’ category, and are broadly similar except in terms of extra space. Check out your options on the booking page here. Broadly similar means polished wooden floors, large windows with old style tie-up curtains, regal looking beds, plump soft fabrics and an array of classic art works and antique furniture pieces to accentuate the romantic, historical ambience. With even the smallest room having 36 m² to play with, space becomes really not much of an issue and so the lower cost choices should be more than adequate for most READ MORE

The Napoleon III era Château de Sacy is now a sophisticated boutique hotel near Reim in the heart of France’s Champagne region and just over an hour from Paris. With just 12 rooms and suites it is a homely, intimate place, which has friendly, helpful staff, an excellent restaurant and sweeping views over the surrounding vineyards. THE ACCOMMODATION: Your choices are between classic, superior and deluxe rooms and two lovely 50 m² suites. All are individually decorated, opulent and chic, and get the balance just right between modern and period style. They are also spacious with even the most basic rooms; the classic rooms, covering a minimum of 23 m². Of all the room choices these Classic Rooms probably represent the best value behind just a tad smaller than the Deluxe Rooms but equally stylish and comfortable, though their bathrooms have just a shower and no bath, if that’s important to you. Speaking of bathrooms and baths, those of the suites are really quite something, and come with classically romantic roll top baths. Take a look at all on the booking page here. Modern conveniences include Wifi and cable TV but, oddly enough for such a plush looking place, no READ MORE

Roch Castle is an early Norman era castle turned luxury B&B hotel with a lovely hilltop setting overlooking St. Brides Bay and the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, Wales. The impressive exteriors testify to the castle’s 12th century origins but, though they display suitably demure colour schemes, the interiors are contemporary chic. This modern style not be to the liking of some but as the layout is very much that of a castle it still feels somewhat medieval, with lots of oddly aligned walls and ceilings, archways and embrasures on display. THE ACCOMMODATION: Roch is very much a boutique hotel with just six bedrooms to choose from. They are divided in simple terms as King Rooms and Super King rooms, with the Super King having a little extra space and super king size beds as opposed to plain ol’ king size. They are then sub divided between those having only a shower and those having a shower and bath with the latter having a slight premium. Check your options on the booking page here. All rooms are minimalist and slick, with light grey coloured walls and pale wood floors, and all luxury hotel mod-cons are offered; flat screen TV, iPod dock, READ MORE

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, spa facilities, indoor & outdoor swimming pools, a squash court and four outdoor tennis courts. Note: The Gstaad Palace is a seasonal hotel; only being open for the summer season between June and September, and for the winter between December and March. THE ACCOMMODATION:   There are a total of 55 rooms and 35 suites to choose from, from classic doubles to roughly 90 sq m deluxe suites. Check your options on the booking page here. Though all the accommodation units are relatively large, the emphasis is on cosiness and READ MORE

Castillo de Arteaga is a fabulous Neo-Gothic castle hotel near Guernica in the rolling hills of the Basque Country. The present day structure was built in honour of Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte, Prince Imperial of France, in the mid 19th century, on the site of a ruined castle dating from the mid 15th century. Its four grand towers now make a very imposing sight over the wilds of the Urdaibai Nature Reserve and its interiors are a lavish feast for the eyes, though it has been fairly recently renovated the design and decoration remain true to the historical essence. The castle has just 13 rooms & suites for overnight stays and so has very much an intimate, boutique hotel feel. It can also pleasantly feel more like a stay in the home of a long lost relative rather than a stereotypical hotel stay. The small number of rooms and the quality of its hospitality though means it should be booked well in advance. THE ACCOMMODATION: The castle’s 13 rooms are divided between standard double and twin rooms, junior suites and full suites. The standard rooms are anything but standard, they are spacious, comfortable and beautifully decorated, and they offer very good value READ MORE

NOTE: ACKERGILL TOWER HOTEL IS, AS OF 2019, PERMANENTLY CLOSED. You can view other nearby castle hotels by clicking here     Standing sturdy and tall near John O’Groats on the most northern part of the Scottish and British mainland, the 600 year old Ackergill Tower Hotel offers splendid isolation but with five star luxury, award winning levels of service, and a full 3,000 acres of private estate to be explored which includes miles and miles of stunning coastline. THE ACCOMMODATION: The hotel achieved five star status in 2012 and maintains extremely high levels of hospitality and service. There are 35 plush B&B rooms and suites to choose from, all of which display vintage sophistication and style, with traditional colour combinations and tartan patterns complimented by antique furniture, and in many rooms, four poster beds. They have some excellent self catering choices too; 5 luxury cottages on the 3000 acre private estate that offer independence and privacy while still being able to enjoy the superb facilities on offer at the castle itself, including its very highly regarded restaurant. For something extra special there is the stunning glass ceilinged Tree House; a spacious one double bedroom apartment perched in a 150 year old READ MORE

Schloss Kapfenstein is a charming, family owned boutique hotel with a thousand years of history, an excellent gourmet restaurant and a gorgeous hilltop setting over-looking the vineyards of Volkanland in Austria’s green and picturesque eastern Styria region. The castle estate also produces its own wine, wine which many consider to be among the best in the region, and a full compliment of enotourism activities are offered.   THE ACCOMMODATION: With just 16 rooms and suites the castle is very much a boutique hotel and the choice is pretty straightforward; either a double room or a double suite. Both are extremely spacious and comfortable with the rooms covering 20 m² and the suites, which have a semi-separate seating area, a full 40 m². Check your options out on the booking page here. They both also display lots of rustic old style elegance, with wooden floors and beams and lots of nice antique furniture pieces,  while also having modern hotel mod cons including flat screen satellite TV, WiFi, safe and minibar. All accommodation is B&B and the breakfast is a generous feast, worthy of a hotel with such high culinary standards. FACILITIES & THINGS TO DO: Schloss Kapfenstein may not be well READ MORE

Most Famous Guests: Richard Wagner, Johannes Brahms, Emperor Franz Joseph I, Charlie Chaplin. “Stay at the Imperial and feel like an Emperor,” said Charlie Chaplin during his visit, and that just about sums Hotel Imperial up. Completed in 1866 as a residence for Duke Philipp of Württemberg the neo-classical Palais Württemberg, as it was known, was within 10 years transformed into the Imperial, a hotel which quickly became known as Vienna’s finest and grandest. Not much has changed; Hotel Imperial has still such a reputation, and has managed to retain the ambience of the grand old days of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, with its ornate marble, hand-carved statues and massive crystal chandeliers, while subtly adding modern facilities and comforts along the way. The service here is consistently impeccable and its Michelin star restaurant, the OPUS, is considered one of the very best in Vienna, be sure to try at least one evening meal. THE ACCOMMODATION: There are 138 double/twin rooms in total, 62 of which are suites, a much higher proportion than usually found in, even the most luxury of, hotels and thus are relatively good value compared to rooms. The suites are really a cut above, and if you need extra convincing; READ MORE

Most Famous Guests: Manuel Teixeira Gomes, François Mitterand, Rudolf Nureyev. The 5 Star Avenida Palace is regarded as Lisbon, Portugal’s very first, and still grandest, luxury hotel. It was built in 1892, at the height of the Belle Epoque era, and its lavish art nouveau interiors have been wonderfully preserved. It stands at the corner of Lisbon’s main avenue, Avenida Liberdade, the heart of the city, close to Bairro Alto and the Chiado, and right beside the beautiful, Late Portuguese Gothic, Rossio Station, a building which was in fact designed by the very same architect; José Luis Monteiro. Though modern comforts and facilities are of course present; it is a 5 star hotel after all, Avenida Palace is all about old fashioned elegance, romance and opulence, and history buffs too will be intrigued by its reputation as a den of spies during WW2. THE ACCOMMODATION: The hotel has 82 chic rooms in total, including twenty suites. Check your options on the booking page here. They all display lots of old world sophistication and elegance but with no comfort, modern or otherwise, spared. All are also well soundproofed and so despite the central location the noise of the city is kept READ MORE

Most Famous Former Guests: Queen Anne Boleyn, Queen Anne of Cleves. Hever Castle Hotel near London in the Garden County of Kent, was the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII’s second wife and the mother of Elizabeth I, putting it right in the top league of England‘s historically meaningful properties, and perhaps at the very top of historically meaningful properties that you can actually stay at. Now before you start to imagine waking up in Anne Boleyn’s bedroom, it must be pointed out that that though the double moated castle dates back to the 13th Century their 28 B&B rooms are set in two Edwardian era extensions. That being said though, as a guest at Hever you are also allowed exclusive access to the castle itself, right up until midnight each day. Named the Astor Wing and Anne Boleyn Wing, these two Edwardian extensions were built in 1903, in a tasteful mock Tudor style by the then castle owner, William Waldorf Astor, as extra accommodation for friends and family. Each wing comes with its own dining and lounge area and they and the rooms display a strong sense of the past with some gorgeous antique furniture, old tapestries and art pieces READ MORE

Most Famous 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, and has now been wedded with 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 ACCOMMODATION: It has 157 rooms, 37 of which are suites. Check your options on the booking page here. All are as plush and grand as you would expect and run from 20m2 single rooms to choice 95m2 suites. All the rooms have a view, of either the lake or the mountains, and some also come with balconies. Their grand marble bathrooms are worth a mention too with rainfall showers and old style bathtubs. FACILITIES & THINGS TO DO: The hotel is enormous, and just wandering around soaking in the old style elegance of the place is a pleasure. You’ll find lounges, bars, boutiques, a nightclub (the extravagant King’s Club), top of READ MORE

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 a terrific fine dining, 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 doubt one of the the most beautiful chateau hotels in all of France. THE ACCOMMODATION: They have a range of suites on offer, in the chateau itself and in the adjacent outbuildings. They come in various sizes with the smallest, the ‘Classic Suites’ being around 40 m² and the largest, the Lady Hamyln Suite being over 100 m². They are all beautifully old style with a host of original historical features on display; medieval frescoes, sturdy wooden beams and stone fireplaces. Add to that some choice antique furniture and art pieces, four poster beds, wall tapestries and Italian marble bathrooms with elegant, old style bathtubs, and a very READ MORE

Most Famous Former Guest: Louis XIII of France. Château de Brissac, near Saumur and Angers, is one of the Loire Valley’s, and indeed France’s, best known chateaux and sees many day visitors both French and international. With seven floors it is the country’s tallest, and its sheer scale alone makes it quite a jaw dropping sight. It is also though an incredibly beautiful building, an elegant masterpiece of architecture that is still thankfully with us after over 400 years of service to the Dukes of Brissac, with the thirteenth Duke of Brissac being your welcoming host today. The chateau is the Duke and his family’s main home and so, despite the chateau’s vast size (its has a total of 204 rooms) only a number of its bedrooms are available to B&B guests. This makes a stay here feel quite special and even more so when the day visitors disappear in the afternoon and the entire chateau and estate is left to you, your fellow guests and the Duke. THE ACCOMMODATION: You have three choices for overnight stays, all of them suites, with the classic double suite being the pick of the bunch in terms of opulence and sheer romantic beauty. READ MORE

Most Famous Guests: Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela, Mikhail Gorbachev.  The very exclusive Dolder Grand, long regarded as one of Europe’s best hotels, sits on 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 made serious blunders with such adventures, but not the Dolder Grand. The new sections are Norman Foster designed, he of the Gherkin & Wembley Stadium in London, and Hearst Tower in New York amongst others, and are a typically elegant, sweeping blend of steel, stone and glass. Both buildings, though over a century apart in style, accentuate each other in an uncommonly aesthetic way. Two other major things to note about the Dolder Grand are its tremendous two Michelin Star restaurant and its extensive private art collection with over 100 works by READ MORE

Most Famous Guests: Queen Victoria, Queen Elizabeth II & Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh. In 1873 curiosity led Queen Victoria to forgo her usual holiday home at Balmoral, Scotland and instead spend a week at Inverlochy Castle near Fort William. “I never saw a lovelier or more romantic spot” she noted in her diary and this is as true today as it was then. The 5 Star Inverlochy Castle Hotel is truly a very special place; an imposing loch side baronial mansion near Fort William and in the foothills of the highest peak of the Scottish Highlands, Ben Nevis. In later years, in its present incarnation as a hotel, it would also play host to the present Queen; HM Queen Elizabeth and her husband HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, as well as a long list of foreign dignitaries and royalty, and various celebrities including the likes of Charlie Chaplin, Sean Connery, Elton John and Anthony Hopkins. The 5 Star Inverlochy Castle is the ultimate in old fashioned sophistication and luxury and it has the added attraction of having one of Scotland’s finest restaurants, with food from the renowned father and son chef team; Albert and Michel Roux Jnr. THE ACCOMMODATION: There READ MORE

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, a Michelin Star Restaurant, opulent spa facilities and dedicated staff who offer a personalised service 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 ACCOMMODATION: They have a huge range of accommodation options at the chateau, from double rooms and suites at the chateau itself to luxury private, self catering villas on the hillside nearby. Check out your options on the booking page here. They are all classically styled, comfortable and spacious, with even the smallest of rooms being roughly 25 m². All too are airy, bright and clean with pastel shaded walls, country-chic Pierre Frey fabrics and large windows offering superb views. Internally the rooms might almost be a match for the suites READ MORE

The Manor House Hotel, Castle Combe, has been removed from our listings. To browse other recommended castle hotels in England click here: Castle Stays in England     READ MORE

The 5 Star Villa Crespi Hotel, on the shore of Lake Orta, near Milan, Italy, is a unique and spectacular sight. Built in 1879 as a residence for a local wealthy cotton merchant, its eye-catching Arabesque architecture and minaret were inspired by its founder’s many business trips to the Baghdad of the 19th century. THE ACCOMMODATION: They have a range of accommodation at Villa Crespi from entry level, classic rooms to spacious, lavishly decorated suites. All of them are relatively spacious, and definitely luxurious, with even the classic rooms you have around 22 m² of space plus a balcony, queen size (or twin, as desired) beds and romantic freestanding bath tubs for example. Check your options on the booking page here.  Though the exteriors and much of the interiors of Villa Crespi are solidly Arabesque in style the interior decoration of the rooms and suites tends to be more classic European. They are very much old style romantic with four poster beds, antique furniture and art pieces, chandeliers, elegantly dressed windows and some really quite gorgeous bathrooms. It is a luxury hotel though so you can also expect modern conveniences; air-con, satellite TV, mini-bar etc. FACILITIES & THINGS TO DO: READ MORE

Most Famous Guests: Richard Wagner, Jean Cocteau, Marlene Dietrich, The Dalai Llama, Though the name Beau Rivage Hotel tends, these days, to be more associated with Lausanne than Geneva, Switzerland, and indeed though the name has spread its special concept of luxury all around the world, those in the know are fully aware that the very first Beau Rivage was, and still very much still is, in Geneva. The Right Bank Geneva original has now no more 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 which also boasts an internationally famous, Michelin starred restaurant, and one which even offers exclusive cooking classes with the chef. It really has a special place in the hearts of those who know and love this city, going all the way back to 1865. It has been in the same family (the Mayer family) for five generations now and has seen so much local, and European history along the way. The infamous murder of Empress Elisabeth of Austria and the founding of the now former state of Czechoslovakia READ MORE

Château de Sédaiges near Aurillac, Auvergne, France is a gorgeously rustic property with an interesting mix of medieval and neo-gothic architecture, and a history going all the way back to the 12th century. It is situated in 17 acres of parkland with its own pond and woods and, in the neat gardens, a swimming pool. The hotel is family run, it has been run by the same family since 1230 in fact, something which certainly makes a stay here extra special. You’ll find the service extremely warm and personable; the owners show a genuine interest in their guests, and a great sense of pride in the château and their associated family history. THE ACCOMMODATION: All the accommodation is B&B and they have a mixture of rooms and suites, from double rooms to a two double bed suite. All of them are comfortable, neat and clean, and classically decorated with many antique furniture and art pieces. Check your options on the booking page here. There is a tangible ambience of staying in a château bedroom as opposed to a hotel bedroom here, without much in the way of obvious modernity to distract from the experience (apart from WiFi and relatively modern bathrooms); everything seems, READ MORE

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 it 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 the Exe estuary and the Jurassic Coast, and to top it all it has a restaurant that achieved its first Michelin star within six months of opening. THE ACCOMMODATION: They have a range of individually styled, soundproofed rooms and suites all with hand crafted beds, temperature regulating duvets, plush fabrics and stylish furniture. Many come with balconies with estuary views and some of the suites have an outdoor hot tub on the private terrace. Check out your options on the booking page here. The bathrooms are particularly fantastic at Lympstone with enormous rainfall showers, romantic roll top baths and luxury L’Occitane toiletries. The hotel in general has an immaculate sense of style and there is much to learned here about interior design and attention to detail. Classic and READ MORE

The 5 Star Schloss Bensberg Hotel, near Cologne & Düsseldorf, Germany, is a quite majestic, and quite enormous, 300 year old Baroque Palace with gorgeous gardens, a host of superb facilities and what many consider to be Germany’s very best restaurant; the 3 Michelin Star winning, Vendôme. Everything about Schloss Bensberg is of the highest quality, it is an extremely elegant property which has added modern features and facilities carefully and with great style, and it retains for the most part a wonderfully old European, Belle Epoque era ambience. THE ACCOMMODATION: Their rooms and suites run from basic doubles and singles right up to 120 meter square suites, the most opulent of all being the  the Presidential, which has a private sauna and hot tub, and stunning views of the Rhine Valley and Cologne Cathedral. In between are various ‘deluxe’ & ‘superior’ rooms, and smaller suites all of which will not disappoint in terms of space, comfort, interior design or features. If budget allows, avoid the basic single and double rooms as they are the only ones that may possibly disappoint in such a fabulous hotel. Check out all your options on the booking page here.  In room facilities include READ MORE

Most Famous Guests: Meghan Markle, Mahatma Gandhi, John Profumo, Christine Keeler. Meghan Markle left Cliveden House, near Windsor, on the morning of Saturday 19th May, for her wedding to Prince Harry having spend her last night as a single woman there. We can’t be sure how much time she spent considering her accommodation options in the area but whichever way the highly glamorous Cliveden House was an excellent choice. From April to October on Thursdays and Sundays the doors of, at least part of, the magnificent property, are open to the admiring gaze of the public while all year round its beautifully manicured grounds are on display until evening. It’s a National Trust property, and one which attracts visitors from all around England and indeed the world but, unlike most other National Trust properties, Cliveden House is of course also a top of the range, 5 star luxury castle hotel, conveniently near London. The hotel possesses the sort of dubious glamour that is irresistible to many visitors, for you cannot mention Clivedon House without making reference to one of the most famous ever scandals in British Political history, the so called Profumo affair of the 1960s, an affair which ended the career READ MORE

Most Famous Former Residents & Guests: Michelangelo, Vittoria Colonna, Ludovico Ariosto. The inspiration behind House Greyjoy of Pyke from Game of Thrones, Ischia Island’s 15th century Castello Aragonese is a stunning hilltop fortress with equally stunning views over the Gulf of Naples. Within the walls of this incredible building are the labyrinth like guest quarters of Albergo Il Monastero, the former castle convent now converted into a very unique hotel. THE ACCOMMODATION: Built at the end of the 16th century and originally dedicated to Santa Maria della Consolazione, the convent section of Castello Aragonese, having been upgraded to suit the 21st century traveller, naturally looks a lot different today. The layout is old; the same rooms and hallways have been used for centuries and the interior design and decor, though relatively modern, are carefully simple and unassuming with a lack of overt modernism that allows the place to retain a distinct historical atmosphere. They have a range of single and double/twin rooms, all of which are, again, simple and unassuming. Check your options on the Check your options on the booking page here. The accommodation is generally neat, crisp and clean, with white walls and traditional tiled floors and all READ MORE

Château de Fonscolombe is a magnificent 18th-century château built in the Italianite 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 ACCOMMODATION: They have a 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. Check your options out on the booking page here. The entire château is immaculately restored, in formal 18th-century style and is a great pleasure to wander around. It has numerous lavish salons and intimate spaces to lounge in, and a great array of old art and antique furniture to be admired. There is a fine restaurant here, a separate lounge bar, spa facilities and an outdoor heated swimming pool in the beautifully tended gardens. FACILITIES & THINGS TO DO: L’Orangerie is the hotel restaurant and serves what might best be described READ MORE

Most famous 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, and it has one of Sussex’s very finest restaurants, the Michelin Starred ‘Dining Room Restaurant’. THE ACCOMMODATION: They have 17 classically styled en-suite rooms and suites at Gravetye all of which are plush and inviting with super comfortable beds, deluxe soft fabrics, antique furniture, quirky period features and soothing colours and floral patterns all around. They range from small single rooms through superior, classic, deluxe and luxury doubles and, largest of all, double suites which have a separate lounge area. Except for the single rooms they all are spacious, with the largest of the doubles, the luxury doubles being not much smaller than the more expensive suites, and so perhaps offer better value. Check your options on the booking page here.  They all come with garden views and the gardens here are among the most famous in England. Designed in 1885 by its former owner, and one of READ MORE

A strong candidate for Florence’s best hotel, the 5 star Four Seasons Gherardesca Palace Hotel is a veritable oasis in the heart of one of the world’s most visited cities. It has 11 acres of peaceful walled gardens to separate you from the tourist masses and, though the exteriors are relatively unassuming, the lavish interiors are an incredible, Renaissance era, feast for the eyes. Housed between the 15th century Palazzo della Gherardesca, which served as a private residence for Florentine nobility (including one Pope) and a 16th century convent across the gardens known as La Villa, it has a tremendous sense of history and is incredibly rich in historic features, right down to the smallest detail. Frescoes, stuccos, bas-reliefs and even old silk wallpapers have been carefully restored, magnificent pieces of classical art abound, and the whole hotel has the look and feel of a living museum. Facilities include a large outdoor pool nicely set in the gardens, perhaps Florence’s best spa facilities, and perhaps its best restaurant in the form of the Michelin starred Il Palagio. THE ACCOMMODATION: You can choose from 116 rooms and suites, from superior and deluxe double rooms all the way up to some tremendously READ MORE

Just outside the town of Tralee, Ireland, County Kerry’s only castle hotel is the 4-star Ballyseede Castle which has a history dating back to the 16th century and pleasingly blends its many modern comforts with historical grandeur and elegance. It has award winning food, beautiful grounds, and a pleasant, relaxed atmosphere throughout. THE ACCOMMODATION: It has a choice of rooms and suites both in the castle itself and in the nearby lodge. Be aware when booking which is which as the lodge accommodation, though pleasant, is a quite different experience. It is near the estate entrance; the site of the old gatehouse and is more of an upscale, modern, B&B, though guests do have access to the main building, the castle, throughout the day. The rooms and suites in the castle are quite lovely, a step ahead really, with the beautifully furnished suites and superior rooms particularly being the height of comfort and space. Check your options on the booking page here. You may find some of the standard double rooms (all are double, no twin rooms) quite small, or let’s say cosy, but they also are nicely furnished and apart from the size should not disappoint in any other READ MORE

Most Famous Guests: Victor Hugo, Charlie Chaplin, Coco Chanel. The 5 star Beau Rivage Palace sits in 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 lounges, some very opulent Cinq Mondes spa facilities, tennis courts, swimming pools, hot tubs, and from beginning to end extremely high levels of service, and it becomes easy to understand why Beau Rivage Palace is one of Switzerland’s very best luxury hotel resorts. It is also a place of great historical and political importance with, on 24 July 1923, the Treaty of Lausanne being signed here and, in April 2015, negotiations on the Iran nuclear deal framework taking place with foreign ministers from Iran, the U.S.A. and the European Union amongst READ MORE

Most famous former guests: King Henry VIII, King Charles II, Queen Elizabeth II. The 12th century era Amberley Castle is a unique luxury hotel just south of London, in West Sussex, England with an impeccable historical pedigree. Some of England’s most famous historical figures have passed through its doors and it still retains a huge amount of historical features, including 60 foot high defensive walls, portcullis and moat. In its present incarnation as a luxury hotel it offers an immersive historical experience as well top class service and facilities including an 18 hole putting green, tennis courts, a croquet lawn and a famous fine dining restaurant. THE ACCOMMODATION: It has a selection of extremely comfortable, nicely decorated rooms and suites divided between the castle itself, and two atmospheric 17th century stone buildings tucked into the castle’s dry moat, known as the Manor House and the Bishopric. Check out all your options on the booking page here. Most of the rooms and suites are historical in nature, with four poster beds, antique furniture, classic thick velvet curtains and lattice windows, with a few being more modern in style, though never modern enough to make you forget you are staying in a READ MORE

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 ACCOMMODATION: The have a great choice of rooms and suites, 112 in total, from standard singles to the top of the range, 48m², Grand Premium junior suite. In between are various rooms and junior suites consisting of singles, doubles and twins with some of the larger spaces also having a sofa bed to sleep extra occupants. Check your options on the booking page here. All of them are elegantly furnished and superbly clean and comfortable. They, along with all of the castle, lack no modern convenience but they still manage to retain a READ MORE

The 4 Star Château de Labro is a luxury vineyard hotel & spa near the town of Rodez in central France’s Occitanie region, previously known as Midi-Pyrénées. The medieval château oozes old world elegance and the grounds have charming gardens, a swimming pool, orchards and vineyards. There is a very fine restaurant at the château too and the food and the wine is superb. For an extra novel stay, if a medieval château bedroom doesn’t appeal, you can also spend the night at the luxury treehouse in the gardens. THE ACCOMMODATION: The treehouse is a very popular choice so can get booked out months in advance. It is a fine piece of engineering, architecture and design and once inside it feels more like luxury studio apartment than what you might imagine a treehouse to be. The 16th century château itself has charmingly romantic rooms, with antique furniture pieces and four poster beds. The rooms are mainly doubles but there is also a family room which can sleep up to four, as well as a self catering apartment to also sleep up to four. Check your options on the booking page here. Being a luxury hotel you can expect the accommodation READ MORE

Aficionados of Italian wine, particularly Brunello, will be well aware of Castello Banfi near Montalcino, Tuscany. The 7,100 acre estate has been producing quality wines since 1978, offers a full compliment of eno-tourism activities and a range of elegant, 5 star boutique accommodation. The centre piece of the estate are the enchanting 12th century era castle and 17th century era hamlet which sit high on a hill overlooking the vineyards and the surrounding, typically picturesque Tuscan countryside. There you have a choice of beautiful, and very spacious, rooms and suites, two excellent gourmet restaurants, a traditional Tuscan enoteca, beautifully manicured gardens, a heated outdoor swimming pool, a small gym, a massage pavilion and a cookery school. THE ACCOMMODATION: The choices are between ‘deluxe’ double rooms which, at 40 m², are large enough to be considered suites in most hotels and then there are the actual suites; classic, junior, superior and deluxe, they range in size between 66 m² and 110 m² and can sleep up to four. Check your options on the booking page here. They are all beautifully designed, classically furnished and full of regal charm. They also come with large bathrooms with walk in rainfall showers (some also READ MORE

Most famous former guest: Orson Welles. Parador de Cardona is a towering, 9th century era, hilltop fortress near Barcelona now converted into a beautifully atmospheric, modern luxury hotel. It is seen as the most important medieval fortress in Catalonia and one of the most important in Spain, the strategic setting allowing jaw dropping views and the castle itself still retaining a strong historical ambience. THE ACCOMMODATION:  They have a choice of rooms; doubles, twins and triples and some large double suites. The rooms are spacious, clean and comfortable and furnished in a generally modern, quite minimalist style. Check your options on the booking page here. The building as a whole is incredibly impressive and steeped in Catalan history, and though the rooms are of a high standard and have some historical details here and there, they generally lack the medieval ambience of much of the rest of the castle. A wander around the grounds of Parador de Cardona as the sun sets is the best way to soak up some of that lovely ambience, you can admire its sturdy ancient walls and towers, the romanesque Church of Sant Vicenç de Cardona and the 11th century Torre de la Minyona for READ MORE