We want to start off this article by declaring our condolences if you or any of your loved ones have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic that is sweeping the globe at this point time. We are living in unprecedented times and with the increasing global population being forced to go on lockdown we just wanted to wish all our patrons the best in these troubling times.

We have a multitude of initiatives in place to help those that have been affected by this pandemic but here at Luxury Castle Hire we also want to keep our loyal castle enthusiasts entertained and informed with the background surrounding castles and their relevant place within the industry of accommodation hire.

In this article, we are going to discuss the pros and cons of hiring either a castle or a hotel. We will be discussing all related factors to their operations with some you may already recognise and others you may not be aware of.

Hotels

Pros

City Break

If you’re visiting a city you’ve never been to before and need accommodation for the period that you’re there, hotels can provide a reliable and convenient form of lodging. With most hotels being within walking distance from their city’s most popular attractions it makes life much easier for their tourists. After visiting the colosseum in Rome or walking through the Champs Elysees in Paris one can easily walk straight back to their hotel and continue the same course of activity for the duration of their holiday.

This is also beneficial because if you’re city wandering and get lost, simply mentioning the hotel you’re staying at to locals will help you in getting back to your hotel in no time at all.

Meeting Facilities

Whether you’re visiting a new place for business or personal reasons a hotel can be a great meeting location. If you’re looking to host an impromptu business meeting, most hotels provide this facility although this may come at a cost. But being able to have a meeting then go back up to your room once it is finished is the epitome of convenience.

If you’re looking to meet up with family or long-time friends that live in the destination you’re visiting, a hotel is a central location to unite and go about your activities.

Additional Amenities

Staying in a popular hotel doesn’t always just mean getting a room and breakfast in the morning. It can also mean having access to a gym, pool or spa. This can be viewed as being fundamental to especially those that are looking to stay fit whilst on vacation or those looking to unwind from long business meetings.

These additional amenities can also act as adept middle grounds for those looking to network and meet new people.

Loyalty Schemes with Chain Branded Hotels

Staying at the same hotel brand repeatedly can be of great benefit to the patron. Being a loyal customer can equate to having one free or heavily discounted stay for a chosen vacation.

When budgeting for a holiday and knowing that your hotel fare will be considerably cheaper than anticipated can be of great benefit.

In addition, where this can help is if you’re visiting continents such as Africa, Asia or the Middle East. Continents like this may not have overtly Western branded hotels but instead have hidden partnerships with Western branded hotels, allowing this cumulative loyalty to still be used.

Great View

The hotels within the great world cities can provide stunning scenery for those staying at their lodgings at night. Overlooking the night lights of an urban landscape like London, Paris or Singapore can enhance the memorability of one’s visit.

The few other ways to truly enjoy this splendour are possibly staying at a local’s house or walking around enjoying the nightlife at the surface level.

Hotel Cons

Generic

With chain hotels there are no surprises, your stay will be like what it was the 10 previous times you stayed at the hotel in question. This familiarity can be considered a good thing for some they may want to be seeing the same concierge at the desk, stay in an identical room, have the same breakfast. Not to also mention that staff at these establishments tend to treat all guests the same, regardless of the quirks or eccentricities they may have.

A one size fits all policy saves time but is not always the best course of action in providing a memorable experience for customers.

Group Bookings

Staying in a hotel and travelling with a group can sometimes be difficult with a chain hotel. Depending upon availability within the hotel and existing bookings attempts to keep a group together on one floor- for example- can prove futile. This is not always the best-case scenario for company trips that are done to build morale or encourage the exchange of new ideas or large family vacations where people are looking to catch up with one another.

And even if hotels can accommodate such requests noise and complaints of mass gatherings from individuals not associated with these groups can arise. This can create discord within the hotel that can much be avoided.

Long Stay and Cost

A contributing factor to the rise of Airbnb from 2009-2011 is the ability to provide cheaper accommodation in comparison to the hotels that were dominant within the market at the time.

Staying in a hotel for two to three days may not cost an arm and a leg. However, when looking to stay for an extended period factoring in the costs of meals, snacks and beverages along with the hotel booking cost can result in rather high expenditures for your stay.

Food

As briefly mentioned in the previous point, food and what to eat are large parts of a vacation. If you’re in a hotel that provides breakfast with your stay, this is advantageous, however you will still have lunch and dinner where you will have to either purchase from the hotel or go out to find in the city you’re in.

For a day or two this may be okay but as mentioned before this can be expensive and become monotonous. At some point, you may want to be able to cook your own meals to save money and have a hand in the food that you’re eating. Most hotels do not provide the capabilities for their guests to do such activities.

Wi-Fi

In the modern day, reliable and fast Wi-Fi has almost become a fundamental necessity. Hotels are notorious for having slow Wi-Fi, limiting one’s ability to share photos of their trip to their loved ones or send multiple documents to your colleagues from the business meeting you just attended.

People speculate the reasons as to why it is so slow maybe due to hotels not looking to invest in the appropriate hardware or software to improve its quality or it just not being a priority. Whatever the reason for its poor quality this, in turn most likely contributes to Wi-Fi security also being a major problem with hotels. It is such an issue that hackers look to use hotel Wi-Fi to steal people’s personal data.

Castle Hire

Pros

Customisation

Hiring a Castle is a unique experience in and of itself and as such the requirements differ greatly between each customer. Some customers may look to hire out a part of a castle for a week for a certain event, whereas others may look to hire out only a bedroom and a common area. There is not a one size fits all policy and each customer is priced accordingly.

Great Historical Significance

Staying in a certain castle bedroom overnight may have certain historical significance that few other lodgings have.

For instance, the Mingary Castle in Scotland- that is available for hire on the LCH website- was a stronghold for King James IV during attempted sieges. It was also a fortress for other illustrious dignitaries in the 16th and 17th century.

This may not be of great interest to everyone, however, if you’re like us you’ll be intrigued to know which King or Earl lived where you are staying. What were their hobbies? Did they travel a lot? How many wars has this castle seen? How many people were wedded at this castle in the 16th century? These are all questions we can answer about the castle you stay in when you take out a booking with us.

Group Bookings

When looking to book a group of people doing this through castle hire is straightforward. All that is required is informing the staff what is the event in question you are looking to hire for and for how long. Upon doing so recommendations will be given as to how much of the castle you should hire out.

If the event is particularly large whole castle hire is available. This allows for greater mingling between guests as all necessary activities and amenities are held on-site. This is particularly advantageous for company retreats or large family gatherings.

Hiring out a castle in totality dispels worries patrons may have with regards to inconveniencing other guests or causing noise disturbances.

Food

Due to the customisable nature of those looking to hire a castle you can decide whether you would like to be self-catered or for the castle to provide catering options for you. Or maybe have a choice of both, as the adage saying goes- variety is the spice of life.

With the emerging food movements sweeping the globe this is slowly becoming a much-needed pre-requisite for all establishments that are providing any sort of catering.

Loyalty Schemes

Like hotels, when you have continued custom with a certain chain for a period of time this opens the door to a whole host of benefits for the patron. The same is the case when booking through the same castle hire company.

This can be advantageous especially if you have booked continuously and then look to book a wedding or a large group event the savings one can accumulate with loyalty, can greatly reduce the costs associated with the bookings made.

Castle Hire Cons

City Locations

There are castles that are available for hire in big city locations such as the Luna Hotel Baglioni in Venice or the Grand London House in the heart of the capital of the UK. Both are available for hire through the luxury castle hire website. However, at this current time, there are more chain based hotel options in big cities whilst castles are certainly dominant with regards to more remote locations for lodging.

Unorthodox

If you’re someone that prefers the status quo and the common way of doing things, castles may not be your cup of tea. With hotels, you receive the generic options for lodging and the generic level of service, this is not the case with Luxury Castle Hire. We attempt to understand the idiosyncrasies of each customer so that we can exceed the lodging expectations.

Initial Shock

After sleeping one night in one of our castles and you may wake up, look around and be initially shocked at the grandiose of the room you’re in. This happens a lot to our patrons but once you get adjusted and stay a few more nights you will get accustomed to the beauty of your surroundings.

In totality, hiring a castle can provide the same, if not more benefits to those looking to use their facilities. If you’re looking to have a company retreat with a whole host of meetings a castle can meet this need if you’re looking to have a memorable wedding with Instagram worthy photos a castle can meet this need. On top of this, there is the historical significance of staying at one of our castles, with some dating back to the 16th century and even earlier.

Ultimately it all depends on your preference but we- of course- highly recommend booking a castle through Luxury Castle Hire.

If you agree/disagree with any of the observations we make please be sure to let us know on social media tagging #LuxuryCastleHire in your response.

Why Castles were built?

We want to start off this article by declaring our condolences if you or any of your loved ones have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic that is sweeping the globe at this point time. We are living in unprecedented times and with the increasing global population being forced to go on lockdown we just wanted to wish all our patrons the best in these troubling times.

We have a multitude of initiatives in place to help those that have been affected by this pandemic but here at Luxury Castle Hire we also want to keep our loyal castle enthusiasts entertained and informed with the background surrounding castles and their historical backdrops on society.

In this article, we will be discussing why castles were built and their intended significance, this will be done using shortened stories across history that give adequate portrayals of their intended power and how they were used. We will then discuss how respective constructions of castles have respective purposes, what they meant in warfare and how you- who is reading this- can benefit from their grandiose and ostentatious detail.

If you agree/disagree with any of the observations we make please be sure to let us know on social media tagging #LuxuryCastleHire in your response.

Intended Purpose

When feudal monarchies yielded greater political and economic influence the local lord would be given vast swathes of land where they would –inevitably- build a castle, in return, was expected their unwavering loyalty and soldiers to their superior in question. This allowed a lord or a usurper- coming into power- to govern effectively disseminating information quickly to achieve objectives. For a lord to receive a vassal of land to build a castle or receive ownership of a region was a bequest of immense influence. This was sometimes used as a bargaining chip by conquerors, as they overtook countries to commandeer surrender or to reward an individual’s public service to the state.

William the Conqueror

When the Duke of Normandy William the Conqueror invaded, England winning the Battle of Hastings in 1066, he tried garnering his kingship status through the traditional English means, the noble councillors named the Withan- this did not work. Instead, he went on a raid through all neighbouring regions near London where the Withan were located, including Canterbury, Dover and Winchester. Hearing of the conquests the Archbishop of York as well as others swiftly submitted to William the Conqueror.

Despite this comprehensive victory, there were still loyalists to the previous Anglo-Saxon regime. In an attempt to appease this small handful of wealthy English nobles that were left, William gave these men vassals of land in the North of England. This left 5% of England’s wealth to the native English barons and lords that were governing before William’s conquest.

Upon the completion of the Battle of Hastings William owned 20% of England’s wealth, his Norman barons and lords- 50%, the church- owned 25% and the English barons-5%.

Owning so much of England’s land William’s barons quickly divided their lands amongst their respective knights who then used English peasants to work their land. Intimidating large castles started sprouting up across the UK partly done to dissuade revolts and rebellions.

How were Castles utilized here?

Given the absolute nature of William the Conqueror’s victory, understanding the nature of the fractious relationship between the Normans and Anglo-Saxons it could be interpreted that William looked to subdue the English into submission, whilst greatly empowering his own barons.

In the first 10 years after Norman victory, there were continuous uprisings from the Anglo-Saxon loyalists in Northumbria and Lincolnshire just to name a few, contributing to future castles being built implementing defensive measures and infrastructure that are still in existence today.

In short, the Normans built castles here as a form of intimidation to attempt to quell uprisings partly due in fact to so few Anglo-Saxons owning any sort of wealth or defensive structures to protect their interests.

King Ludwig II

Germany is a country with a rich history, before it became the great prosperous nation it is now, it was a region that was made of separate smaller factions. These include, The Kingdom of Württemberg, The Grand Duchy of Hesse, The Kingdom of Bavaria as well as many others. All of these regions came together as what we now know as Germany.
In this section we will be looking at a brief part of the Kingdom of Bavaria’s history in the 19th century and why it had a multitude of castles that were constructed, that are still in existence today.

The time is 1873 King Ludwig II abruptly came into power 10 years prior, after his father Maximilian II of Bavaria suffered a sudden illness. He has fought in two wars and has now joined Bavaria with the North German confederation much to the dismay of some members of his council who insist Bavaria should remain an independent state- although they did keep certain sovereignties.

Visiting France and other European regions he marveled at their architectures and was determined to build up the cultural allure of his home state. Using his own personal fortune he built what we now know as the Neuschwanstein Castle, The Herren-Insel Castle, Linderhof Palace as well as many others.

With his personal finances drying up he now looked to borrow money from neighbouring European countries to continue his outlandish expenditure on these incredible structures. However, others within the government did not take kindly to Bavaria slowly falling into debt for reasons such as this. Ludwig was eventually ousted as King and deemed “insane” and as such unfit to rule, whether this was truly the case remains unknown.

Herren-Insel Castle

Linderhof Palace

How were Castles utilized here?

It can be argued that King Ludwig II used his extravagant outlay on castles as his personal stake in Bavaria’s history.

There are a number of reasons relating to why Ludwig II created so many castles.

1. Ludwig II was not too concerned with the intricacies of politics unlike his father- Maximilian II- and Grandfather- Ludwig I- who were both considered more popular leaders in comparison, knowing this he wanted to have an aspect of Bavarian history that was unique to himself.

2. As a result of getting Bavaria to join the North German confederation, governmental accusations of discarding Bavaria’s independence may not have sat well with Ludwig. This may have contributed to him looking to over-compensate in the light of such recriminations.

Whatever the reason behind Ludwig creating such magnificent castles it was clear that he wanted to put a greater cultural spotlight on Bavaria and he did. The opulence of his creations are still enjoyed by millions of tourists every year, it is fair to say he achieved his objectives.

Different Types of Castle Constructions

There are a wide variety of different types of castle structures that are in existence. Castles within fortified outer walls, un-walled fortified castles, townhouse moat castles with a bridge and motte and bailey castles just to name a few. Because of the multitude of constructions, a castle can have, we will look at two different types of castles that are still in existence today, giving a brief explanation as to the thinking behind their creations.

Castles within fortified walls

Tower of London

An example of this type of castle is the Tower of London. Upon visiting this structure, one’s immediate thought is, whose idea was it to build such a comprehensive fortress. It is something comparable to the castles built by King Ludwig II who was vilified for spending what he did on such architecture. The truth is that the Tower of London, dates back as far as 1078 when William the Conqueror who had taken over England was entrenching his roots into the nation. Upon the completion of his portion of the Tower, it went through 300 years of constant expansion from changing rulers up until 1399, contributing to its current monumental appearance.

Rochester Castle

Another example of this type of castle is Rochester Castle. Like the Tower of London this castle went through constant expansion from the late 11th century and throughout the 13th century. It was used as a strategical tool for many rulers allowing the castle to be under the guardianship of certain respective Earls and noblemen of this time, until it was open to the public in the 1870’s to be used as a tourist attraction.

Why were these Castles within fortified walls?

The Tower of London was a landmark for the ruling elite and over time each ruler may have felt the need to place the stamp of their rule onto the vast structure. Notable rulers that extended the Tower of London include William Longchamp, King Henry III and Edward I to name a few. Although it may have been a monument to portray the wealth of the monarchy, over time its use changed and so too did its significance on modern society.

Rochester was a significant location in the late 11th century. It was considered the first point of a potential invasion of England due to its coastal position and why it was also the first point of protection, additionally its proximity to London provided an ample garrison for soldiers during the 1088 rebellion. The castle suffered two sieges and a peasants’ revolt and was never fully restored, all contributing factors to why it was relinquished by the Monarchy and eventually made open for the public.

In short, both castles were built with fortification due to understanding the extended value their structures had beyond being residencies and the possible threats they could and sometimes did face. Being able to see the intricacies in wall fortifications of castles that were built to be defended is remarkable, especially, as we currently live in the antonymous peace times of this modern era.

Motte and Bailey Castle

Motte and Bailey castles (M/B) were common in England during the late 11th century. Mottes were synthetic hilltops with a castle keep built on top, baileys are enclosed courtyards towered over by the motte.

During the 1066 invasion of the British Isles the Normans looked to exert their dominance over natives, doing this they built M/B castles. These structures were built with wood and could be constructed within two weeks, leading to the land quickly brimming with M/B castles with peasants working within the expanse of the bailey. Over time their wood structure was replaced with stone and future generations began following this custom for castle construction.

Chateau Gailleard

An example of a castle outside the British Isles that followed the M/B structure is the Château Gaillard in the French territory Normandy. This castle was built in the 12th Century by Richard the Lionheart who was serving concurrently as the King of England and the Duke of Normandy. Chateau Gaillard overlooks the French commune Les Andelys and unlike the wooden castles built by William the Conqueror in England, this was built of stone which was of huge expense to King Richard at the time.

What significance did M/B castles provide?

Motte and Bailey castles are some of the earliest castles that are on record. The clear and obvious advantage these structures provided was that due to their elevated nature it was a castle that was difficult to attack. Additionally, to reach the castle more often than not, you would have to go through the bailey- where the commoners resided- which gave more time for the defenders to prepare their defences within the castle.

This was an issue siege attackers had with occupants of mottes, choosing instead to capture the bailey and surrounding regions of the motte, to starve the people within the castle keep. This happened with the Chateau Gaillard siege of 1203-1204.

So overall why were Castles built?

There is no straightforward answer to this question. Some were built to exert dominance and cripple their subjects psychologically; some castles were constructed to be defensive and protect themselves at all costs and others were built to enhance the cultural attraction of a region. Whatever the reason a castle was built when you know the historical backdrop behind the structure you’re visiting, it makes your stay that bit more substantial.

The subject of a lot of this long-form article was based around the region of Europe, this does not mean castles only exist in this part of the world, far from it. There is the Amer Fort in India, Shobak Castle in Jordan, Fasil Ghebbi in Ethiopia and Himeji Castle, Japan just to name a few, that will have extensive stories behind their respective reasons for construction.

If you agree or disagree with any of the observations made please be sure to let us know on social media with your opinion, tagging #LuxuryCastleHire.

ENJOY THE LUXURY

For Vacations

We understand that our clients go through a lot of stress in their everyday life, that’s why we offer them an opportunity to rent a whole castle in the UK or a room in one of our incredible castles to relax in a peaceful environment as well as to experience the royal lifestyle.

You can select as many rooms as you want and accompany your family with you to the castle’s available on rent.

Read More to get information of vacation castles.Rent a Castle

For Weddings

We know everyone wants to make their big day special and memorable. Here at Luxury Castle Hire, you will get impartial advice based on first-hand experience direct from our knowledgeable staff member. If the specific castle suits your requirements only then you will be recommended to book it. Else, we will show you another castle from our huge listings.

When it comes to hospitality, we can guarantee you unmatched experience as all our staff members are seasoned professionals well versed on castle hospitality and passionate to deliver the best in the industry.

Read More to know more about the wedding castles.

Christmas Party

What about partying all night at the place far away from the hustle and bustle of city life. You can enjoy your Christmas eve enjoying stunning views and drinks at the castle of your choice. Our passionate crew can arrange everything from a traditionally decorated Christmas tree, delicious food, theme party for the Christmas Eve. We have many options and packages to rent a castle in UK for the Christmas Eve.

Read More to know about the available castle for rent.

For HoneyMoon

You can rent a castle in UK for your honeymoon. We have proudly featured few mesmerizing castles and packages that are perfect for couples. Unlike most of our competitors, we don’t hide the names of the castles. You can check all attractions of honeymoon castles directly from our listings.

LAVISH PARTY TO MAKE YOU FEEL OUT OF THE WORLD

Are you planning to have a party in the most luxurious way? Castles are perfect for it. Castles have been used as venues for parties by their owners, for as long as they have been in existence. The owners invited wealthy landowners and nobility to banquets and feasts. As an indication of the wealth of their owners, the castles were created with spectacular rooms that have magnificent furnishings to impress the visitors.

ENCHANTING CASTLES WITH WELCOMING ATMOSPHERE!

These royal castles are located in breathtaking settings, with stunning views and extensive grounds. In fact, there are some castles that have their own trench with a drawbridge. The beauty of these castles is sure to make the most unromantic of guests gape in awe. The castles have reception rooms that are perfect for hosting large and luxurious parties. The grand dining halls work just great for having celebratory meals together.

EXCLUSIVE CASTLES FOR SUMPTUOUS PARTIES!

Renting a castle for hosting a party offers you with the advantage of providing luxury accommodation for guests, with the extravagance of four poster beds that are fit for a king or queen. In order to make sure that your party goes seamlessly and be a successful event, staff can also be arranged with available entertainment options. If you want your party to be different and luxurious this year, renting a castle would be the best thing to do.
So what are you waiting for? Book your castle now!

There may be times when you want to treat yourself to an experience that is beyond special – something extraordinary. This is exactly the right time to book self-catering castle holidays. At Luxury Castle Hire, we offer some of the best carefully chosen luxury holiday experiences for those special occasions in life when nothing else works!

HAND-PICKED AND EXCLUSIVE COLLECTION OF CASTLES – JUST FOR YOU!
In our hand-picked selection of exquisite castles, you will definitely find something to satisfy your need. Are you looking for a place where you can relax while watching the stunning view that takes your breath away? Or, where you can spend some days in utmost luxury? Whatever catches your fancy – we have got you covered!

WHEN LUXURY IS ALL YOU NEED!
From high-end lavish luxury castles with decorations to die for and timeless classics to mesmerize you with its beauty to quirky mansions in completely idyllic settings – you will find something that suits your needs perfectly. These self-catering castles come with five-star facilities, letting you indulge in self-love. Now, who says self-catering cannot be special?