Romantic castles to stay in

Indulge your romantic side and whisk your lover off to a castle for some old-fashioned romancing. Meera Dattani hand-picked her favourites to share with us

Indulge your romantic side and whisk your lover off to a castle for some old-fashioned romancing. Meera Dattani hand-picked her favourites to share with us

Thornbury Castle, Somerset

The only Tudor Castle in England to open as a hotel, this is where Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII once slept (in the Duke's Bed chamber, to be precise) back in 1535 and the place is all opulent rooms, open fires and classic English romance.

From the oriel windows of this 500-year-old castle, look out on to England's oldest Tudor gardens, the Privy and Goodly Gardens. There's even a vineyard which still produces Thornbury Castle wine. The Tower Dining Room, a unique, hexagonal room with fireplace, serves fine modern cuisine.

A classic double bed chamber costs from £250 per night including full English breakfast.

For more information, visit www.thornburycastle.co.uk
Dromoland Castle, Ireland

Well, it's certainly romantic. It must be if it got Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne to spend their 25th anniversary here! Set in 410 acres of its own land, (which includes a lake and a golf course), Dromoland Castle has its own spa with exclusive Voya and Anne Semonin treatments.

The Gaelic Dreams treatment includes a glass of their champagne and Guiness Black Velvet Sorbet. The hotel also owns a 1975 Vintage Rolls Royce (originally owned by Sir Lawrence Olivier), which you can hire out for day trips. This is romance at its classiest.

Double rooms start from €238 per night

For more information, visit www.dromoland.ie
Glenapp Castle, Scotland

With just 17 luxurious bedrooms, this fairytale castle, built in 1870, is perfect for romantic escapes with its secluded setting amid 36 acres of woodland and garden on the Ayrshire coast.

Book the spacious Master Rooms with their tall Victorian windows boasting incredible views. The views across the Irish Sea to the island of Arran and Ailsa Craig's granite rock are stunning. For cosy nights in huddled around the fire, ask for a room with a real flame fire.

Double rooms start from £375 per night.

For more information, visit www.glenappcastle.com
Bryn Bras Castle, north Wales

Create your very own boudoir at the Grade II-listed Bryn Bras Castle in the foothills of north Wales' Snowdonia national park.

Inside are seven gorgeously and uniquely furnished apartments. In the Flag Tower, a spiral stairway leads up to a Neo-Romanesque-style circular bedroom with Victorian bed and slate fireplace. Enjoy breakfast in bed amid views of the landscaped gardens. The castle is surrounded by 32 acres of gardens, mountains and woods, perfect for romantic strolls.

A two-night stay for two people costs from £250 including a light breakfast.

For more information visit www.brynbrascastle.co.uk
Chateau de Fere, France

For a very French affair, head to Chateau de Fere near Reims in the province of Champagne.

Overlooked by the ruins of the 12th-century castle which serves as a backdrop for the 16th-century Hostellerie du Chateau's converted hotel, it's all chandeliers, fine silverware and elegant crystal. Around 20,000 bottles of fine wine reside the in the labyrinthine tunnels below the chateau.

Walk around the romantic village of Fere-en-Tardenois, take a dip in the outdoor pool or get some 'together time' in your spa bath.

Rooms start from €150 a night.

For more information visit www.chateaudefere.com
TodiCastle, Italy

Nobody does romance like the Italians. A five-acre lawn surrounds TodiCastle, a medieval hilltop fortress in the central Italian region of Umbria.

Its five luxurious apartments offer an intimate setting where stone, iron and wood combine to create a contemporary yet traditional look and feel.

Stroll among the vineyards and olive groves of the castle's 45-acre park or in the warmer months, go poolside for countryside views. It's pure rustic romance.

Apartments start from €1,100 per week.

For more information visit www.todicastle.com
Hotel Burg Reichenstein, Germany

Perched on a rock ledge above the village of Trechtingshausen, five kilometres downstream from Bingen on the Rhine River is the 11th-century medieval fortress and castle Hotel Burg Reichenstein.

A classic German fairytale castle, one of the oldest on the Rhine, it is located high up in the romantic Rhine River valley making it a peaceful romantic retreat. It's also incredibly affordable. Ask for rooms with Rhine views and book a weekend Candlelit Dinner.

Double rooms start from €88 a night.

For more information, visit www.hotel-burg-reichenstein.de
Parador De Cardona, Spain

Spain's paradors are often built on former palaces, manor houses, castles and monasteries. The Parador De Cardona, 85 kilometres from Barcelona, is a medieval hilltop castle complete with Romanesque church, moat and tower.

Set on a headland, it looks out over Cardona town and its river.

Want to feel like a real princess? Ask for a room with a four-poster bed complete with medieval-style furnishings. Built in 986, its features include vaulted ceilings, wrought-iron torch holders and a Gothic cloister.

Double rooms start from €179,76 per night.

For more information, visit www.parador.es/english/