Europe has lots of castles that have been converted to serve as luxury accommodation, and we’ve handpicked some of the best castle hotels for your royal and romantic trip.

England

England is the home to a number of stunningly beautiful castles, and a number of them have been successfully converted into modern day accommodation.

Swinton Park – Masham

Swinton Park was once the home to the Cunliffe-Lister family. These days, however, it serves as a luxury castle hotel with 30 bedrooms for guests to choose from.

This beautiful English castle includes everything you would expect from a castle; long corridors, huge staircases, turrets and of course big beautiful bedrooms fit for a king.

Swinton park castle is the epitome of English country living and it’s easy to see why so many tourists choose to stay here. Prices for a room start around $260 a night, which is incredibly reasonable given the high quality of the accommodation.

Swinton Park Hotel, England by Michael King

Amberley Castle – West Sussex

Amberley Castle is an incredibly old fashioned castle; however the accommodation is both modern and incredibly luxurious.

On the outside, Amberley Castle appears almost ancient. A dated portcullis guards the gateway; but be brave, step through and you’ll be greeted with incredible architecture and beautiful landscaped gardens.

Inside the castle hotel you’ll find 19 luxurious and lavish bedrooms that contain relaxing features such as whirlpool bathrooms and beautiful four poster beds. All of this luxury starts at $375 a night; which may seem expensive but the experience is worth every cent.

There are lots of other castles in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland that you may want to consider, including:

• Ashford Castle – Ireland – Prices start from $488 per night
• Ruthin Castle – Wales – Prices start from $107 per night
• Fenton Tower – Scotland – Prices start from $244 per night
• Balfour Castle – Scotland – Prices start from $320 per night

Amberley Castle, England by Steve Winton

France

Like the English, the French have a long and strong bond with their ancestral monarchy, and over the centuries a number of castles have been built throughout France.

Hôtel de la Cité – Carcassonne

The Hôtel de la Cité is a romantic castle hotel that serves Michelin-starred food accompanied with the finest wine.

This picturesque castle will have you feeling like royalty, and the castle now resides within the protected boundaries of the UNESCO heritage site.

During the day you can expect to share the grounds with tourists and daytrippers, but by night the grounds will be void of people, expect of course for you and your partner.

The Hôtel de la Cité offers some amazing views, and you can be sure that the experience of a stay at this castle hotel will be unforgettable. Prices start from $465 per night.

Hôtel de la Cité – Carcassonne, France by elPadawan

Château de Bagnols

Some people have a very visual expectation of a castle’s features, and when they visit a castle they expect the ‘whole hog’; a drawbridge with a moat, defensive towers and of course defensive arrow holes.

The Château de Bagnols is a French castle hotel that meets and even exceeds even the most picturesque perceptions of a castle. If you’re keen to avoid the contemporary design of modern hotels then you’ll fully appreciate the traditional and lavish décor of the Château de Bagnols.

Antiques and works of art are used to decorate the exquisite and luxurious 21 rooms and apartments, but these incredibly high standards come at a price, as rooms start from more than $500 per night.

Château de Bagnols, France by Corona Mejora Tu Vida

If France doesn’t take your fancy, you can also visit baltictravelcompany to have nice view of castles in Eastern Europe. Also, last but not least some of the European castle hotels appealing to you and your partner:

• Schlosshotel Igls – Austria – Prices start from $231 per night
• Castel Porrona – Italy – Prices start from $193 per night
• Burg Wernberg – Germany – Prices start from $257 per night

Author Bio: Jason Phillips is a travel writer and loves to explore different places in the world. He also works for some travel sites.

The post Castle Hotels in Europe: Plan a Royal Trip for You appeared first on Europe Explored.

Seven Sisters, UK by mari

Stunning Scenery

The Seven Sisters and Beachy Head are one of the most iconic views in the country. These stunning cliffs are whiter and longer than the White Cliffs of Dover and offer miles of uninterrupted walks. Standing at Beachy Head you can look to your left to see the quaint essential sea side town of Eastbourne where you can make out their award winning carpet gardens along the sea front and the pier jetting out into the water.  Directly in front of you is the lighthouse and without getting too close to the edge, directly underneath you’ll see what’s left of part of the cliff that collapsed into the sea just over ten years ago. On a clear day you’ll see Brighton to the right and if it’s clear enough you’ll see all the way over to Selsey in the edge of West Sussex. You’ll find plenty of spots along this costal route to pull up your camper van or motorhomes for a quick overnight stop or if you prefer a few more immunities there are dozens of campsites dotted along the south east coast.

Quirky City

If miles and miles of rolling hills and stunning views don’t quite do it for you and you want something a little more happening then Brighton has to be your ultimate destination. All the cheese of a British sea side town with just enough quirkiness to make it cool, culture to make it cultural and eccentricity  to make it unique. There aren’t many sea side cities with a palace parked right in the centre, The Royal Pavilion was commissioned by the Prince Regent who would go on to become King George IV. Walking round you’ll notice the first half is decorated so decadently it’s almost too grandiose then suddenly the latter half resembles the more traditional sombre décor you’d expect from a royal palace. It’s almost like you can spot the very room he was decorating when he unexpectedly became king. If history doesn’t appeal to you the shops in Brighton are second to none. There are plenty of typical high street names but The Lanes and North Laine offer truly one off shops from jewellery to bohemian chic and everything you could possibly imagine in between. Oh and there’s always the obligatory sea side attractions and pier.

Royal Pavilion, Brighton, UK by Richard Randall

Quaint Essential Sea Side Town

Hastings is the best stop along the south east coast if you’ve got young children to keep entertained. It offers all the innocence of a British sea side holiday without the hidden innuendo of Brighton and it’s generally a little cheaper too.  Driving through Hastings you can’t fail to spot too perfect attractions for the little ones. The first is the sea side attractions; although the pier is off limits after a devastating fire a few years ago there is still plenty down the sea front to keep children of all ages entertained, from Underwater World to the Stade Amusement Park and Clambers. The second obvious attraction is the Hastings Funicular Cliff Railway taking visitors up the steep cliff to the national park at the top (for more of Sussex’s stunning views). For slightly older kids a trip to Battle just outside of Hastings is the perfect way to make their history lessons come to life (the infamous Battle of Hastings never actually took place inside Hastings, but just outside in a place that would later become known as Battle). Set a little further inland this beautiful little town offers plenty to see and do for any history buffs – or even someone who just appreciates what the perfect British holiday entails.

Louise writes for TraveWorldRV who offer the largest range of RV’s and Motorhomes in the UK – whether you’re looking to buy or rent, they can make sure you see the country in style.

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