Live like a queen at iconic castle
Queen Victoria’s royal rooms may be a luxury suite
Taymouth Castle, near Kenmore in Highland Perthshire A developer is hoping to give people to chance to stay in the same room once occupied by Queen Victoria, by converting her royal rooms at a Highland Perthshire castle into a luxury hotel suite.
The proposals for Taymouth Castle have been put forward through architects McKenzie Stricken Associates based in nearby Aberfeldy.
The firm has previously been granted planning permission by Perth and Kinross Council to turn the iconic A-listed site into a luxury five-star resort and has now submitted a further planning application to turn the ‘Victoria Rooms’ on the west wing’s first floor into bedroom accommodation.
If approved, guests could stay in the same room as Queen Victoria and Prince Albert did when they honeymooned at the castle in 1842.
The rooms, which are adjacent to the castle’s library, are described as having “exceptional architectural quality and historical significance”, with the planning application stating many of the rooms’ original features – including the decorative ceilings, wall panelling, fireplaces and doors – will be restored to their former glory because the rooms are of major historical importance.
The proposed plans would see Prince Albert’s Dressing Room converted into a bedroom with views south overlooking the castle’s golf course, with the adjoining Queen Victoria’s room having a timber ‘box’ created within it to house an en-suite bathroom.
The planning statement submitted says: “It is considered that the proposals represent a sympathetic intervention that is necessary to provide an additional unique and exclusive high quality hotel suite.
“The designs have been carefully considered to minimise visual impact and to be fully reversible so as not to cause any permanent physical impact on the historic decoration.
“The new en-suite timber ‘box’ has a deliberately contemporary form and a minimal understated aesthetic so as not to detract from the exceptional historical decoration. The proposed alterations will deliver an additional exclusive accommodation suite which is considered vital to attract investment and help deliver the successful phased restoration and revitalisation of the castle and help realise the ultimate vision for Taymouth Castle.”
The sketches have already been reviewed by both planning officers at Perth and Kinross Council and Historic Environment Scotland.
The castle was first designed by William Adam in 1733 and underwent significant alterations and remodelling by James Gillespie Graham from 1838 to 1842 in preparation for Queen Victoria’s royal visit.
The castle has since been used as a hospital during the Second World War and as a civil defence school.
The planning applications will now be considered by officers at Perth and Kinross Council.