Carisbrooke Castle, Newport, Isle of Wight

What a holiday! We stayed in top notch accommodation with everything I could want on the domestic side while we enjoyed being the sole occupants of the castle when tourists had left. We have done this once in summer and also for Halloween. Both holidays were original, historic and gave the boys a huge amount of freedom. They were scared by the bats swooping around the castle at night and loved playing cricket in the summer evenings. This has to be the best holiday ever, plus we were looked after by such wonderful staff and made friends with the donkeys.

WOW! We booked this for my husband's 40th - Truly Amazing!

We have three children, 5, 4 and 2yrs and they all loved it - so sad that this will be the only time we can stay as our youngest was classed as an infant still so we were all able to cram in!

We were the only prople within the castle walls from when it closed at 4pm till it opened at 10am - fantasctic! It's all been covered in the previous review but we loved the hide and seek potential, the children ran wild once it was closed and we all felt terribly sad to be leaving to come home - an outstanding place to stay with all ages loving it!

If you want to stay somewhere special, unusual and above all truly breathtaking then this is it - watch the sun rise all alone from the top of the castle keep or along the ramparts and wonder just how it felt so many years ago... history came alive - FANTASTIC!

I found it a little hard to find online but this is the link... enjoy!

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.10978

Shhh! If you book you may deprive us of the chance of going again! Seriously this was the best holiday we have had ever. My 11 year old thought it would be a holiday village in the castle and then he realised that when the tourists had gone, it was just us! Free to roam the battlements, free to bat spot and re enact every battle that a wee boy has ever dreamt of! The accommodation was first rate with quality appliances and everything needed for a stay - serving dishes, bread baskets - you name it they had it. The housekeeper even asked me the ages of the boys so she could ensure there was the right supply of DVDs and games for them. The staff were great. Our lads helped some of the re-enactors with their equipment, carrying vintage bows and arrows. We played cricket every night and took long walks. And, best of all - no purse raiding! They just loved the idea of being in a castle. Before you think we are super rich, we paid about £400 for Mon-Fri and it was worth every penny. We are going back in October for Halloween and I intend to scare them suitably senseless (in an age appropriate way). This is a great place that gets booked up very early. I read the vistors book and the compliments were many and specific. Visit Carisbrooke - and you and your family can be keepers of the castle!