Appleby Castle - 3-Star Hotel in Appleby-in-Westmorland, England

Appleby Castle offers 12 bedrooms inside the castle and three holiday cottages, each room individually styled. The Clifford room has a 17th-century four-poster bed, while the State Suite provides two double beds with 17th-century tapestries. Some rooms feature private bathrooms across the corridor, and all rooms are furnished with antique pieces and original oak panelling.

Dinner is served by candlelight in a 15th-century dining room with oak-panelled walls and long tables. The chef offers a varied menu including a tasting menu, with locally sourced ingredients such as lamb and fresh mushrooms. A pianist performs live during evening meals, and the bar stocks a selection of gins, rums, and whiskies.

The hotel sits on 27 acres of grounds including a riverside walk along the River Eden. Onsite activities include fishing, billiards, darts, and themed dinner nights. Nearby guests can book horse riding, falconry, quad biking, paintballing, and gill scrambling, with Appleby Golf Club a five-minute drive away.

Guests receive complimentary guided tours of the castle, including the 12th-century Norman keep, one of the few intact examples in Britain. The keep museum displays artefacts and storyboards detailing the castle's history from Roman times onward. An additional £10 per person allows access to the top of the keep for 360-degree views of the Eden Valley and surrounding fells.

Appleby Castle is situated on the edge of Appleby-in-Westmorland, with Appleby Rail Station a five-minute walk through the town centre. Penrith town centre is less than a 20-minute drive away, and the Yorkshire Dales National Park and Lake District National Park are both within easy reach. The property stands beside the River Eden in the Eden Valley at the edge of the Lake District.

History: One of Britain's few intact 12th-century Norman keeps

Rooms: 12 castle bedrooms plus 3 cottages with antique furnishings

Dining: Candlelit meals in a 15th-century dining room with live piano

Grounds: 27 acres with riverside walk and fishing

Activities: Falconry, horse riding, quad biking, gill scrambling nearby

Tours: Complimentary guided tours of the castle and keep