Their house your castle
Europe’s flashy sleeps, fit for royalty – and you.
Castles are not just for postcards and tour groups. Many of Europe’s lesser-known castles are available to stay the night in. They have to offset those huge energy bills somehow, right? In return, you get a history-filled abode, often on ample grounds with heritage oozing from the decor to the dinner menu. It sure beats a sterile three-star option with their uninspired check-in staff. And although these sites may be infused with royal history, you won’t need a princely sum for a right royal slumber.
Chateau de la Caze, France
In France’s underrated Tarn Gorge, this 15thcentury castle has the terraces, turrets and arrow slits that all the good fairy-tale destinations have. Inside the bedrooms is exposed stonework, fine textiles, antiques, and old-fashioned bathtubs.
The setting is just as regal, with walking tracks along the river clinging to the gorge, outdoor pursuits on offer, and a pool. As this is France, the hotel restaurant is actually worth visiting, as is the cellar. And for fromage enthusiasts, the cheese caves – which age roquefort blue – are only a short drive away in Roquefort-sur-Soulzon.
Fit for a pauper? Rooms from NZ$260 for a taste of French nobility, room only.
Directions for the carriage driver: The closest major city to the Tarn is Montpellier, but you’ll need a car from there.
Parador de Oropesa, Spain
For a stay worthy of Iberian royalty, seek out what was once the ancestral home of the Alvarez de Toledo family and the counts of Oropesa. In 1930, Castelo de Oropesa was converted into the first historic Parador in the government-owned luxury hotel chain. The medieval town of Oropesa has its own convents and monasteries, churches and palaces, but the Parador de Oropesa castle itself dates from the 14th-century, has sprawling common spaces with views out to the Sierra de Gredos, four-poster beds, and a pool to cool off in.
Fit for a pauper? It’s a king-sized steal for
NZ$130 a night.
Directions for the carriage driver: A cheap and easy two-hour train journey from downtown Madrid makes this an easy side-trip.
Ruthin Castle, Wales
British history is nestled in acres of parkland beside the Clwydian Range in North Wales, at Ruthin Castle, which King Henry Vll once called his own. Perhaps a giveaway is the gruesome dungeon and whipping pit. Today, you’re more likely to find guests in the spa rather than in anything more sinister. The site was a fort in the Iron Age, then a fortified castle of sandstone in the 13th-century granted to Dafydd ap Gruffydd by King Edward I, who eventually had the Welsh prince executed. The castle was also the site of an 11-week siege during the English Civil War.
Fit for a pauper? Rooms in the castle start around NZ$228 a night, including breakfast.
Directions for the carriage driver: A train and bus combination from Liverpool, via Chester, will get you into Wales to the town of Rubin.
Pousada de Obidos, Portugal
Castelo de Obidos stands proudly as the jewel in the crown of the town of the same name. Thick walls of grey stone rise up with towers, and the fortress walls wrap around the old town. Obidos has been repeating its royal lineage since the town was given by King Dinis to his bride Isabel, as a gift on their wedding day in 1282. A history as a royal resort followed for centuries. Thankfully, this tourist magnet clears out after sunset and you can stay – if you’re quick to book. The hotel offers just nine rooms in the medieval castle and the one in the castle tower is hard to secure.
Fit for a pauper? Around $200, including breakfast.
Directions for the carriage driver: A train for two hours, 40 minutes, from Lisbon’s Santa Apolonia station is hassle free.