Best B&B Castle Hotels - 2023

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 hefty price tag. The only negative reviews it seems to receive are, at least in part, in regard to the cost but once you come to terms with that it is a very special place indeed.  The quality of the accommodation and service, the uniqueness, and beauty of the setting, the tremendous spa and wellness facilities – including natural thermal spring baths, and not one but TWO restaurants with Michelin Stars – an outstanding achievement – means it absolutely has to be on our list of the best castle hotels in Italy. They have a great range of accommodation, from basic (relatively speaking of course) double rooms to some enormously opulent suites (one even has a private pool) and some equally opulent and spacious self catering apartments. REVIEWS: “Amazing views of a gorgeous, historical valley as far as the eye can see. We had a huge “Junior” suite with a beautiful READ MORE

Chateau de Chantore is a truly gorgeous 18th-century era Norman chateau B&B, with a view on the Mont-Saint-Michel, and surrounded by nearly fifty acres of peaceful woods and parkland which includes a lake. It has a selection of tremendously elegant rooms and suites that really are a treat for the eyes and, though modern with some touches, they are so in keeping with the historical fabric that you’d be forgiven for a waking dream that Louis XV is still on the throne. The eye for design, the attention to historic detail is very impressive indeed. There are no duvets for example – only traditional linens and wool blankets on the beds, and certainly no TVs, though there is WiFi. If you’re looking for a thoroughly authentic French chateau stay, but with the comfort levels of today, then this is it. REVIEWS: “Chateau de Chantore is a magical place! Everything about it is wonderful – the most beautiful grounds to walk and experience calm and peace – peacocks, swans and fish in the lake, beehives, horses, beautiful apple trees (organic cider!) and the most sumptuous breakfast you will ever experience. Thank you to our wonderful hosts….” “I truly felt like a 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

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

The spectacular Château Gütsch is a Lucerne, Switzerland, landmark  — a fairytale like, 19th century folly castle, it sits high on a hilltop with stunning views over the city and Lake Lucerne. The setting is peaceful and isolated but the hotel has its own historical funicular which runs from 4.30am until 1.15am and so guests can come and go to the city in a matter of minutes. THE ACCOMMODATION: They have a choice of 31 spacious rooms and suites at Chateau Gutsch with the rooms, both doubles and triples, being pretty much identical except for the view. There is an extra premium for the ‘Lake View’ rooms which have those magnificent views over the city and the lake from their windows, while the others have views of the surrounding forest. Then there are the Junior and Deluxe suites both of which are really quite beautiful and, if budget allows, worth the extra. They have those tremendous views too and are lavishly decorated. The Junior suites cover around 40 m², and the Deluxe 73 m², but what makes the deluxe the real show stealers is their huge terrace, 82 m² of it, even larger than the suite itself. You’ll find all READ MORE

A very grand 4 star Castle Hotel near Dublin Airport, Ireland, Cabra Castle is a beautiful sight both inside and out, and a place where luxury and old world elegance is complimented by friendly, hospitable staff, good food and drink and the acres of ancient woodland of the surrounding Dun A Ri Forest Park. THE ACCOMMODATION: In the castle itself there is a choice of old style luxury double/twin bedrooms, while outside in the grounds there are the cottage or courtyard rooms, which though more modern looking on the outside, on the inside they are also very nicely finished and furnished in traditional style. Check your options on the booking page here. FACILITIES & THINGS TO DO:   All guests have access to the castle itself, and it is a truly magnificent property. You can explore the old corridors, the various drawing rooms, the wonderful gardens outside, and of course the Courtyard Restaurant and Derby Bar. The interiors are beautifully elegant, full of period fittings and furniture that lend a distinctly old world atmosphere. Being a place of historical interest, the castle also sees a number of day visitors and is open to the gaze of the admiring public between the READ MORE

Most Famous Guests: Laurel & Hardy, J.K. Rowling, Oprah Winfrey, The Queen Mother, Elizabeth Taylor. For over a hundred years the imposing 5 star Balmoral Hotel has sat at Edinburgh, Scotland’s most prestigious address; No. 1 Princes Street. The historic building and its grand clock tower are city landmarks and the hotel’s reputation here, as the ultimate in old fashioned sophistication and style, is second to none. Enjoy fine dining at its Michelin starred restaurant, sooth any strains at the award winning spa facilities, sample some Scotch at the famous Balmoral Whisky Bar which has over 500 varieties in total, and/or just relax, wander around and enjoy the delightfully civil atmosphere of this very special historic hotel. THE ACCOMMODATION: The Balmoral describes itself as the ‘perfect marriage of tradition and modernity’ and though the modern is present it is the tradition that makes the building so unique and aesthetically pleasing. It is a classic 19th century homage to Renaissance architecture with bold, broad staircases, towering columns and large windows. There is a total of 168 rooms and 20 suites to choose from, all of which were individually styled by the designer Olga Polizzi in more, but not overtly so, contemporary 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. PRICES: Check out all the details – prices, reviews and more photos – on the booking page here. FACILITIES & THINGS TO DO:   The castle itself has much common space, with a particularly welcoming sitting room with a large READ MORE

The 15th century era Château de la Motte is an authentic and charming French castle B&B near Châtellerault where Poitou-Charentes meets the southern Loire Valley. It is a special property, with a rich local history and a carefully maintained old world atmosphere. At first glance the interior design barely seems to touch the 21st century, such is the authenticity of the place, but modern comforts and facilities are also here. THE ACCOMMODATION: Though the building is large Château de la Motte has just 6 rooms in total for guests; 3 cosy double/twin rooms and two ‘deluxe doubles’ which have more space, an extra bed and the added perk of a spa bath in the bathroom. Finally there is a ‘family suite’ with two extra beds. Check your options on the booking page here. All of the rooms come with views, and some also come with a nice romantic open fireplace, put a note in the booking form to request if you’d like. The decor of all is beautifully old fashioned; all the double beds are four poster for example and almost every piece of furniture is antique. The breakfast at the château is a great feast to be taken in 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. The interiors of the rooms and suites, and indeed of the hotel generally, READ MORE

Near to St Tropez and the French Riviera, this 5 Star château hotel is a slice of heaven in rural Provence and a place guaranteed to greatly please lovers of nature, wine and food. The vast majority of the 1,235 acres 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 a vast 320 acres of vineyards. Their vineyards have been producing Provençal wines and rosés for over three hundred years, with their wines being consistently well rated. There are two fine restaurants at the hotel to enjoy too, one of which, Jardin de Benjamin, was awarded a Michelin star in 2017. They also have top of the range spa facilities and lots of activities on offer. Wine tasting, cellar & vineyard tours etc. are the first to spring to mind but also things like reiki and yoga, guided botanical walks, quad biking and the traditional French sport of Pétanque (boules). THE ACCOMMODATION: They have 27 spacious rooms and suites which generally have a rustic, country-chic vibe. With tiled floors, floral fabrics and much elegant antique furniture 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. 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. In room facilities include some wonderful marble bathrooms, WiFi, cable TV, free mini bars, plush 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: King Henry VIII & Anne Boleyn. Thornbury Castle Hotel is a true luxury B&B retreat at the edge of the South Gloucestershire Cotswolds, and one of the finest examples in England of a genuine, immaculately preserved, Tudor castle. You can soak up history with a stroll through the castle itself and its beautifully tended grounds which include, surprisingly enough, a 500 year old vineyard, or treat yourself to a massage in the privacy of your own bedchamber and also enjoy some of the Cotswold’s very best food at the castle restaurant. THE ACCOMMODATION: The castle has 27 rooms in total ranging from classic baronial style bedchambers to some quite lovely superior and deluxe rooms and suites, as well as a cute two bedroom annex cottage in the castle yard. Check your options on the booking page here. Most of the beds are four poster or coronet in style and you’ll find period features throughout, including, in some rooms, an old style fireplace. Their bathrooms are suitably luxurious too and all in all no modern comforts are spared. FACILITIES & THINGS TO DO:   The castle has plenty of common areas; opulent old style sitting rooms and of course READ MORE