Staying in a luxury castle hotel near Edinburgh, Scotland was always a bit of a dream of mine. So whilst browsing for suitable accommodation in Edinburgh, we stumbled across Dalhousie Castle and it was an instant “YES, this one!” moment. A 13th century castle near Edinburgh that we can stay in? Yes please!
If you’re looking for a magical castle stay near to Edinburgh, read on for my guide to the beautiful Dalhousie Castle hotel.
Why We Chose Dalhousie
As mentioned above, we were looking for an awesome castle stay to factor in to our trip to Edinburgh. Dalhousie came up trumps as it was affordable and easy enough to get to by public transport.
The incredible castle is located within eleven acres of woodland, and its history dates back an impressive 800 years! In fact, Dalhousie is Scotland’s oldest inhabited castle.
Location
Dalhousie Castle is just 8 miles from Edinburgh, which is around 30 minutes by car. We took an Uber which was about £25.
Alternatively, you can take a train/taxi combination from Edinburgh City Centre also takes around 30-40 minutes, but is less at £6 for the taxi and £4 a train ticket.
Cost
Rooms start at just under £100 midweek (including breakfast). We stayed at Dalhousie Castle Hotel on a Saturday night and it was £175. You can check the most up-to-date rates for Dalhousie Castle here.
Rooms
There are a number of truly magnificent castle rooms at Dalhousie Castle available to book. These cost significantly more, but imagine four poster beds and suits of armour.
Amenities and Activities
Dalhousie castle has a falconry which was awesome. Guests are welcome to pay for a guided tour and falconry experience, and if we had more time, we would definitely have paid for this experience.
Food and Drink
There’s nothing nearby as Dalhousie Castle is located out in the countryside. So expect to eat dinner at the castle in either The Orangery or the Dungeon. The latter is more formal but an incredible location to dine in. You can find out more about dining at Dalhousie castle here.
Breakfast is included in the morning in The Orangery where you can try an array of delicious Scottish dishes. (I had Scottish smoked salmon, of course).
The Library is a bar located within the hotel and it made for an incredibly relaxing place to spend the evening. It must be one of the most atmospheric rooms I have ever spent time in. I fully lived out my Scottish castle dreams there – snuggled under a tartan blanket next to a roaring fire and wood panelled walls. I loved every single second of it!
The Verdict and Final Thoughts
- Dalhousie Castle hotel was really clean and well-kept. However, it is worth noting that there are no lifts (it is a castle after all). So Dalhousie Castle is not overly accessible for those less able.
Overall, it was an awesome experience to stay in a castle near Edinburgh. However, next time, I am definitely staying at Dalhousie Castle hotel for longer and would 100% book the falconry experience!
If you’re looking for a luxury castle hotel near Edinburgh, I couldn’t recommend the lovely Dalhousie Castle hotel more. Let me know in the comments if you’re thinking of heading here, or if you’ve already stayed at Dalhousie Castle.
If you’re looking for a detailed guide to spending two days in Edinburgh, then check my feature here.
Check the most up-to-date rates for Dalhousie Castle here.
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Disclaimer: This stay was entirely paid for by myself and there was no involvement from the hotel. This is an independent review.
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I love how you can stay in a real actual castle in Europe! It’s amazing! The photo above, was that the room you rented? And is the cheapest really £100? Is it like a good deal already? Sorry for asking too much hehe. Loving your blog, Claire!
XX Nikaia | Where To Next?
That is amazing. I had been to Edinburgh a decade back but didn’t know you could actually live in a castle. Such a good deal on it too. Must remember that for the next time. Loved the pictures.
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OMW, I would love to stay there Claire. It must be so amazing and that dungeon restaurant looks just wow. Just how I’d imagined a dungeon to be
How fascinating this is to me! Being from the states, I’ve not considered staying in a castle as a travel option. Love the pictures and the stone walls. When in Scotland, I will definitely keep this in mind. I would love to experience the awe! ? Xo Evelyn, PathofPresence ?
This is so beautiful and majestic place, love the location. It would be so amazing to stay in a castle, the interiors look so gorgeous. Edinburgh is on my bucket list, would definitely check this place out when I am there.
I’ve still never been to Scotland, I really need to go one day! The Dalhousie castle looks amazing, so historic and regal – so fitting for Scotland! Also love that they have falconry that you can watch!
What a cool experience! I wasn’t sure something like this would be so affordable. The falconry sounds like it would be really cool.
What a fabulous experience! I once stayed in a castle in France, but it wasn’t such an old one. I think it was 17th century, can’t remember it was 10 years ago! I would have loved to see pictures of the bedroom ou stayed in.
Nati |
That is such a great experience. This luxury castle hotel is really amazing. I love the look of the room and the balcony it looks like a castle.
OMG. I’ve never stayed in the castle-hotel! This is crazy cool. And it doesn’t seem as expensive as I thought it would be… Bookmarking this so that I can share with my boyfriend!
Though I’ve seen Edinburgh Castle from the outside quite a few times, I’ve never been inside 🙁 it looks like you had a great trip, I’ll have to head back up to Scotland soon x
My cousin got married at this genuine 13th century Dalhousie Castle with a rabbit warren of rooms and a real maze to get around. The setting is fantastic and majestic; we’re already looking forward to going back this summer.
We are staying in the castle This August 2019 and cannot wait but a little concerned about transportation to and from Edinburgh to the castle, is the taxi and uber service good and what times do they run to?
We don’t want to get stuck in the city center of Edinburgh with no transportation back to the castle, Any input would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you
Lisa
Author
Hi Lisa! Wow, lucky you – you’ll have an amazing time 🙂
Taxis and Ubers run until very late so don’t think you’ll any problem getting back to the castle! Hope that is helpful 🙂 x