The 'magical' Scottish castle with near-perfect rating you can stay in for summer holiday
A unique holiday retreat in a "magical" Scottish castle is currently available to book this summer. One previous guest described the unique property as "the real deal".
The Tower at Thornton Castle is situated in the foothills of the Cairngorm National Park, and is comprised of the 16th Century tower of a family home. Accessed via a spiral staircase, the space is set out over two floors in a private wing of the castle.
Sleeping up to four guests, the property can be booked through Airbnb at a price of £195 per night. However, additional cleaning and service fees must also be paid.
The main guest room is located on the second floor of the L-shaped tower. It features a super king sized bed, a wardrobe, and a chest of drawers.
Elsewhere, there is a sitting room with television. Also on the same floor is a billiard room that features a full-sized snooker table and a selection of board games.
Moving up a further flight of stairs, there is another guest room with twin beds. Completing the accommodation is a bathroom, which features a power shower and bath.
A full breakfast is provided in the property's dining room, depending on requirements. Wi-Fi is available throughout the house, while a hairdryer, tea and coffee making facilities, and a fridge with an ice box are also provided.
Although the accommodation has received positive feedback from guests, some holidaymakers may prefer to stay in a hotel rather than a grand castle. Fortunately, there are various options to choose from in the surrounding area.
The Panmure Arms Hotel is a family hotel nestled at the foot of Glen Esk that is surrounded by wilderness. Meanwhile, the Glenesk Hotel boasts a sauna, a gym, and a swimming pool.
On Airbnb, the castle has an incredible overall rating of 4.99 out of five after receiving 453 reviews. It is also ranked within the top five per cent of eligible listings on the site based on ratings, reviews, and reliability.
One guest posted: "Magical. We wished we could have stayed longer. There are many gimmicky stay-in-a-castle places, this one is the real-deal, not touristy.
"Hosted by the owners with family dating back centuries, who have intimate knowledge of the grounds and artefacts. Well positioned for day trips throughout this part of Scotland."
The Tower's brilliant 4.99 rating means very few guests have had anything negative to say about the property. There are a limited number of four-star reviews, with one mentioning it is "eclectic on the inside with a bit of clutter", which may not appeal to some visitors.
However, another five-star reviewer shared: "Thornton Castle is a beautiful place and Griselda is a wonderful host. She was responsive and accommodating from booking until the end of our stay. The freshly cooked breakfast was delicious!
"We enjoyed being able to sit on the patio in the evening as well as explore the castle grounds. It is well worth going off the beaten path for this experience."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The National
an hour ago
- The National
Scottish beach bar named among best in UK in Times guide
Cladach Beach House, on the Isle of Arran, was named the sixth best beach bar in the UK by The Times. It was the only Scottish beach bar that featured on the list, which included entries from across the UK, like the Shanty in Portrush, Northern Ireland, and the Bournemouth-based Sobo in Dorset. Travel writer for the newspaper, Sarah Turner, described Cladach Beach House as the most 'beautifully situated cocktail bar in Scotland,' which overlooks the Firth of Clyde, and is surrounded by trees and sand. READ MORE: Fishing vessel damages subsea cable leaving 10,000 without broadband An offshoot from the Arran Botanicals drinks firm, who pair local plants and flowers with cocktails and alcoholic drinks, the beach bar was founded in 2022. Located around a 10-minute drive south of the ferry port in the village of Brodick, the Cladach Beach House is described as situated next to a picturesque beach with golden sand and blue waters that would make you 'forget you're even in Scotland'. The Cladach Beach House features both indoor and outdoor seating, as well as a log burner and an outdoor fire pit for the cooler summer evenings. It also serves up a seasonal menu of cocktails to enjoy on the beach while taking in the tranquil views out over the water. The full list of the UK's best beach bars according to The Times
Daily Mirror
4 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Scottish First Minister defends police spending millions so Donald Trump can play golf
As with so many things about Donald Trump, the policing around his visit to Scotland has not been normal - but John Swinney told the Mirror it was worth it Scottish First Minister John Swinney has defended the eye-watering cost of protecting Donald Trump on his golf trip to Scotland. The cost of policing the President's four-day holiday - which is thought to have involved as many as 5,000 officers, more than protect the White House every day - is likely to run to the tens of millions. Huge exclusion zones were set up around Trump's two golf resorts for days during his visit, with pedestrians, vehicles and aircraft banned for miles around. Entrances were guarded by teams of police officers around the clock. And even a section of beach was declared off-limits near his Turnberry course, preventing protesters demonstrating nearby as they have during previous visits. While there were high level meetings with both Keir Starmer and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during the trip, it is extremely unusual for the PM to travel to meet a visiting world leader. Normally such meetings would take place in Downing Street, where high security is built-in. And while Mr Starmer and Mr Swinney both enjoyed dinner with Mr Trump last night, the focus of his visit to Aberdeenshire has been the opening of his new multi-million pound golf course - a commercial event. But for the SNP's Mr Swinney, this was a price worth paying to welcome the President to Scotland. "If the President of the United States comes to your country there are security implications, and you have to deal with that," he told the Mirror. "We have to address these issues with Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority." Asked why the US President had been granted a setup so different from other world leaders visiting the UK, he added: "There may well be circumstances where we have to make provision for world leaders coming to Scotland and this is on a big scale." Get Donald Trump updates straight to your WhatsApp! As the world attempts to keep up with Trump's antics, the Mirror has launched its very own US Politics WhatsApp community where you'll get all the latest news from across the pond. We'll send you the latest breaking updates and exclusives all directly to your phone. Users must download or already have WhatsApp on their phones to join in. All you have to do to join is click on this link, select 'Join Chat' and you're in! We may also send you stories from other titles across the Reach group. We will also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose Exit group. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Mr Swinney met the president ahead of the opening of a second course at his Aberdeenshire golf club, where he pressed him on the 10% levy on Scotland's national drink. The tariff, it is believed, costs the sector £4 million per week, with distillery bosses keen to reach an agreement as part of the US-UK trade deal. Speaking to the PA news agency after the opening of the course, the First Minister said: "I think there's a willingness for President Trump to look at the issues that I've set out to him. "I don't think that was the position a few days ago, because I think President Trump was of the view that the trade deal was done and dusted and that was an end of the matter." Mr Swinney told Mr Trump Scotch whisky was "unique" to Scotland and the tariff was a "significant impediment". "I think there is an opportunity for us to make progress," he added. "I wouldn't have expected to be able to get an outcome in the course of the discussion I had yesterday and this morning with President Trump, but we will follow this up with the US administration, follow up with the United Kingdom Government, to make the progress that I think Scotland would expect on this matter." The president was asked about whisky tariffs by journalists at his Ayrshire golf course on Monday, where he appeared not to know there was an issue. "We'll talk about that, I didn't know whisky was a problem," Mr Trump said. "I'm not a big whisky drinker but maybe I should be."
Daily Mirror
6 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Desperate fight to save Brit tourist after being found face down in Spain holiday pool
Tragedy has struck in Majorca after a British holidaymaker was found facedown in a resort swimming pool in the early hours of this morning - the hotel is just 15 minutes away from the Love Island villa A British holidaymaker has been found dead in a hotel swimming pool on the Spanish island of Majorca. The 72-year-old was discovered face down in the resort's swimming pool this morning (Tuesday, 29 July) after the alarm was raised after 8.30am. The hotel is located in S'llot, a small tourist town on the south east coast of the Balearic Islands, and is just 15 minutes away from the famed Love Island villa in Sant Llorenç des Cardassar. Emergency medical organisation SAMU said: "A British man aged 72 has been found floating face down in the swimming pool of a hotel in s'Illot. He was pulled out of the water and basic resuscitation manoeuvres were practiced on him until the first ambulances arrived when it was confirmed he had gone into cardiac arrest. Woman, 48, dies suddenly in Alicante airport on her way back from 'best holiday' Sunbed wars see Brits forced to queue for 'over an hour' just to get to the pool "Despite attempts to resuscitate him he died. The alarm was raised at 8.37am this morning." An advanced life-support ambulance and an air ambulance were dispatched to the resort. Local police have launched an investigation and are said to be present at the location, though official statements have yet to be released. It remains unclear whether the deceased was vacationing solo or accompanied by friends or family. It comes following a similar incident last September when a British teenage girl was critically injured after falling from the first floor of her hotel in the same holiday spot. In addition to this, a Scottish grandmother tragically passed away at a Spanish airport whilst returning from her holiday earlier this month. Angela McTier was travelling to Alicante airport in a taxi when she suffered a burst varicose vein, resulting in severe blood loss. The 48-year-old made it to the airport but collapsed in the departure lounge. Sadly, despite emergency treatment, she passed away at the scene on Tuesday, July 22. Another Brit died this month while swimming during a boat trip in Greece. Sadly, the 75-year-old was pulled out of the sea in the area of Kefalonia during the day out. In June, a British holidaymaker also passed away following a swim in Greece. The 68-year-old was reportedly found deceased after he had been unconscious in the water near the island of Rhodes.
