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Original poster

Overnight stay in a castle?

37 replies

Scottishgirl85 · 29/12/2024 22:01

Planning my husband's 40th birthday and he loves castles! Has anyone done an overnight stay in an English castle? We have 3 kids (9, 6, 2), so ideally would be for all of us, and don't really want to rough it in a glamping pod. Thanks!

OP posts:
MrsBobtonTrent · 29/12/2024 23:13

Not England, but Manorbier (Pembrokeshire?) is a cool castle to stay in. The holiday let is a house inside the castle walls and you have the run of the castle after visitor opening hours.

Oldermutt13 · 29/12/2024 23:14

If you can cope with staying in a YHA hostel, St. Briavel's Castle is fantastic, we went with kids similar to yours' ages and they talk about it as one of our best holidays. We had a medieval banquet in costume, archery, etc and slept in a 11th or 12th century room in the actual castle.

InfoSecInTheCity · 29/12/2024 23:21

Perzival · 29/12/2024 22:11

Warwick castle has just opened a hotel but they have clamping tents and little cabins too.

We did Knights village at Warwick a couple of years ago and it was OK but not great.

Part of that was that we got unlucky with the weather so it was pissing it down which meant the outside activities were not fun, archery in the heaving down rain and such like.

The cabin was OK and the decor was fun but they were basic so no fridge or tv, which meant with the rain there was very little to do all evening and no ability to store cold drinks or snacks for the kids.

They also bigged up a medieval feast as part of the deal, but it was actually a small restaurant/ eating area with not much atmosphere and the food was very slow to arrive, then bits of the menu were missing when it did arrive.

It was still a castle visit and we did have fun but it didn't live up to the description they gave.

clareykb · 29/12/2024 23:28

Another one for Lumley it is pretty genuine ad for as castles go. They often have events on too have also done an escape room there which was fun

JaninaDuszejko · 29/12/2024 23:35

Don't English Heritage and National Trust rent out the old custodians cottages on their properties? Means you can explore the location when there is nobody else about. Not quite 'staying in a castle' but similar, particularly for EH properties.

Holiday days across the UK

Discover our collection of more than 500 holiday cottages across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/holidays/cottages

NobleDeeds · 30/12/2024 01:15

YouveGotAFastCar · 29/12/2024 22:55

Warwick Castle has just opened a hotel; as others have said, but it’s not really “staying in a castle”, as it’s a totally newly built building, just in a style that’s in keeping with the castle. It’s on the castle grounds but not connected to the castle. It’s also not especially cheap 😅 but the rooms are nice and there’s some fun children’s entertainment most of the time.

I misread that as ‘Warwick Castle just opened a brothel’ for some reason…

boulevardofbrokendreamss · 30/12/2024 05:40

Hever

SheilaFentiman · 30/12/2024 05:48

Cawood Castle is good but I would be concerned staying there with a 4 and 2 year old as the internal stair is very from the lower bedroom to the upper bedroom.

Peasnbeans · 30/12/2024 06:11

St Briavels.
Yha

tarmactreacle · 30/12/2024 08:07

SheilaFentiman · 30/12/2024 05:48

Cawood Castle is good but I would be concerned staying there with a 4 and 2 year old as the internal stair is very from the lower bedroom to the upper bedroom.

Totally agree. That staircase is lethal! Great for the authentic medieval experience, but not fun pulling yourself round on the rope handrail to get to the bathroom in the middle of the night when 8 months pregnant!

RabbitsRock · 30/12/2024 08:53

Perzival you made me chuckle with “clamping” 🤣

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