2017 is the "Year of Legends" in Wales. The country that boasts as many tales of King Arthur and Merlin as it has towns and villages also has more castles per square mile than any other country in Europe, and plenty of legends to go with them. With Guy Ritchie's new movie, King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, on the May blockbuster list (parts of the movie were filmed in Wales), fans of legend and lore are sure to be inspired to take a trip to Wales this year.
Here are eight castle hotels to consider for your summer vacation in Wales.
Ruthin Castle, Ruthin, North Wales
King Edward VII's mistress "Patsy" Cornwallis-West once lived at Ruthin Castle as did an ancient Celtic mistress who sparked a mythical battle between King Arthur and her husband a local chieftan, Huail. The nearby town still has a limestone slab where Arthur was said to have beheaded Huail.
Today, romance comes in the form of deluxe suites and a medieval banquet where travelers get to dress, feast and revel like their favorite historic or fictional characters. The hotel and grounds are also said to be haunted to a mysterious Grey Lady, whom you might see wandering the castle and its garden. Ruthin Castle and Spa is a four-star property.
ruthincastle.co.uk
Roch Castle, Haverfordwest, South West Wales
The 12th-century, five-star Roch Castle Hotel in Pembrokeshire overlooks St. Brides Bay and the Preseli Hills. Stories new and old are alive here with the castle celebrating a revamped look and design after its renovation by the architect, Keith Griffiths. Roch's sumptuous but stylishly-simple décor, as well as its legendary service, has won it the "Best Five-Star Hotel in Wales for 2017" by Trivago and "Hotel of the Year 2016" in the Welsh Hospitality Awards. It's also been named one of the "10 Coolest New Hotels" by the Guardian.
Stay here and wander the Preseli Hills soaking in the legends of Merlin, who was said to have levitated stones from this region and transported them to England where they were used to build Stonehenge. A daughter of the castle's 17th-century owners, the Walter family, became a mistress of King Charles II and bore him a son, James, 1st Duke of Monmouth. Prior to its restoration, Roch was a pivotal location for Royalists during the Civil War.
rochcastle.com
Castle of Brecon Hotel, Brecon, Mid Wales
The ruins of a Norman castle are part of this early-1800's hotel. Many of the rooms in this four-star property include four-poster beds, which are sure to make you feel like you're the hero or heroine of your own romance story.
breconcastle.co.uk
Glandyfi Castle, Machynlleth, Mid Wales
A Regency Gothic-style castle located 30 minutes from the seaside village of Aberdovey; this five-star hotel was cited by The Daily Telegraph as having "the most magnificent view from any house....in Britain." Turrets and towers made in the 19th-century reflect the charm and romance of former days.
glandyficastle.co.uk
Castell Deudraeth, Portmeirion, North Wales
A grand Victorian mansion built in the style of a stone castle with crenellations and a Gothic style, Castell Deudraeth is a four-star boutique hotel within the Portmeirion estate - an Italianate-designed village by architect Sir Clough Williams-Ellis. The accommodation offers contemporary rooms and a stunning walled garden that is open for entertaining during the summer.
portmeirion-village.com/stay/castell-deudraeth
[READMORE] READ MORE Three Stays with a Story: Wales' Year of Legends Beckons Travelers to Make Their Own [/READMORE]
Chateau Rhianfa, Anglesey, North Wales
Stay at this five-star, French-chateau-style castle built in the 1850's and you'll have amazing views out over the Menai Strait, which separates mainland Wales from the Isle of Anglesey. Elegant bedrooms and self-catering cottages will make you feel like a fairytale prince or princess. The chateau's tea time and restaurant's award-winning cuisine are also legendary.
chateaurhianfa.com
Cardigan Castle, Ceredigion, South West Wales
Nine hundred years of history lie in and around the Regency house at the center of 13th-century castle walls at this four-star property. B & B rooms in the main house and a self-catering Castle Green House are set within grounds that are fringed with greenery, including a kitchen garden whose bounties supply the castle's restaurant named 1170.
cardigancastle.com
Craig y Nos Castle, Pen-y-cae, Mid Wales
The castle was once home to opera singer Adelina Patti and has its own theater named after the early singing sensation. Said to be one of the most haunted places in Wales, the three-star hotel has its own ghost tour.
craigynoscastle.com
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