Appleby Castle

Nothing looks good from the outside but then it was terrible,there where so many things wrong I could write a whole page on it!!

Wasn’t clean found stuff in the fridge rubbish in the bathroom along with hairs,heating not working fire not clean plus nothing to make a fire,dirty cups and the bed was awful creaking stains on the carpets

Hard working staff team.Good food.Unique place.Quirky.

Exterior of building and the grounds need attention.A la carte menu fairly expensive.

The facilities had potential but overall there was no wow factor for it being a castle

Everything, no entertainment, bar was cans of alcohol and expensive, staff over worked, doors had gaps in so that was uncomfortable

real AUTHENTIC Castle stay steeped in History and characeter with wonderful staff- we really enjoyed learning all about the place and listening to Peters knowledge (alonfg side his wonderful piano playing at Dinner)OK so its a bit rikety in places but its hundreds of years old!! and it just adds to the character and authenticity in our opinion! we genuinaly loved it and will be returning with our kids to show them in the Summer -we te dinner and breakfast here and the food was lovely toothank you Sally and team for the most amazing stay in the most amazing castle!

Location,

Black mould, inches of dust, derelict room, darkness outside,

We liked the room, the historical furniture, the Norman Keep and the personal involvement of the owner of the castle. The view from our room over the village was lovely. We stayed in a room called Evidence with a Jacobean four poster bed and beautifully carved Jacobean furniture, with matching tapestries. It was quite extraordinary.

We stayed at the end of December, during a cold period. This is a grade 1 listed building, whose windows are not as airtight as a modern hotel! However, it is what we expected.

Quirky & Quaint historical castle. The owners are both warm and welcoming, incredibly friendly and passionate about keeping the history of the castle alive. From the moment you walk through the darkened gates you are treated like a king or queen yourself in an immersive royal experience, particularly if you attend a themed event night offering mouth watering delicious delights (5 courses) and entertainment that lasts all night long. Nothing is too much trouble for the hosts and they both do truly go above and beyond to ensure you have a wonderful stay. Adapting the set menu to suit all our differing families tastes and dietary requirements to engaging with our teenage children and even offering spontaneous karaoke. Our cottage was spotlessly clean and warm and certainly didn’t disappoint. The beds were comfy and we had a wonderful nights sleep. The keep is a lovely museum offering a wealth of historical information and incredible 360 degree panoramic views from the top (outside) the castle grounds are extensive and a must if you have time to explore, there are plenty beautiful walks and trails around the village too. You’ll have plenty to see and do.

Nothing, everything was just perfect! Thank you for a wonderful New Year’s Eve, it exceeded our expectations by far and our teenagers claim “ it was the best night of their lives” such an incredible and unique experience.

To stay in an historic castle that has not been altered to match a modern hotel is a true experience.... Being the only guestss at the time we were given free run of the entire Castle and left to our own devices on where we went at all times. Our host was Craig who despite not doing food, came back soley to cook a superb evening meal to celebrate my partners 60th Birthday and then without warning whilst dining in the magnificent 15th century surroundings, Peter the Estate manager appeared and started playing classical music on the Piano whilst we sat in amazement. Lastly we must mention Hassam who scurried about in the back ground ensuring everything was perfect.... To have such a grandiose environment is one thing but to have the staff to support and enhance that environment is another...... they all exceeded our expectations

Didnt stay for a longer period

Unique place to stay.old castle..made comfortable for the stay.

Parking facility and make it the guests aware of the limitation and restriction.

The property is absolutely amazing! So much history and the furnishings have been kept to a brilliant standard. We were extremely well looked after by all 3 of the workers we encountered. We had dinner and breakfast at the castle which was an absolute treat to have in such wonderful surroundings, with the perfect addition of piano playing whilst we dined. We had access to the castle and grounds including the Norman keep which alone was unbelievable. The beds were super comfortable, the rooms and bathrooms were clean and as well as being in keeping with the castle the rooms were also practical for our stay. I would 100% recommend anyone to stay who is looking for an authentic castle experience.

I am struggling to think what I did not like. I loved the whole experience and don’t think anything would warrant me to say it was a negative.

A beautiful building which is falling into disrepair

Sadly it was dirty and the social areas were incredibly cold. There is no way to enter the hotel without ringing the bell, which is very frustrating as it disrupts Craig who is already doing everything- because of this I did not leave the hotel to walk round the grounds.

Location

Could be more look after. Massive water damage on the wall. Gas hob not working.

It was very quirky which was expected

Having facilities across the landingService was mediocre, staff not overly friendlyThe evening meal was very small portions

The castle is steeped in history. Wherever you go, you can feel the age of the building and the stories that have been written and told about life within these walls.This is an unforgettable castle. We found ourselves in an unparalleled setting—a 12th-century fortress where the tapestries and furniture in every room are antiques. We also enjoyed an elegant dining experience and exquisite cuisine.

Erm.......The bedding was clean and freshThe room that we changed to was much nicer

Awful, awful, awful. Do not go and, even more importantly, do not eat there. From the initial smell of boiled cabbage as we entered the building (later to be replaced by the pungent stink of stale oil which permeates the building), to the dozen or so dead and dying flies in our room (we did ignore the pot left out for house-keeping), the dogs barking early in the morning, the dog poo all over the grass, the broken shower door, the lack of sockets, the broken socket and dangerous plug on one of the sidelights (since seen photographed in another review back in 2020), the re-heated, tepid roast pork masquerading as belly pork, the soul-less shabby bar, the cavernous, shabby dining room, the noisy boiler kicking in about 7 in the morning (and never stopping..... Will keep us in stories for years, but probably the worst ever B&B for us!

food was okbed comfortable

no external light coming in to dinning room [shutters on windows] very dark chairs in dinning area were thread bare,mouse posion box under bed, no heating on until 20:30 @ night,and 08:30 in morning, we were only guests in hotel ,only saw one member of staff , he seemed to be doing everything, couldn't get into hotel reception [ locked] ,coving hanging off in dinning area, no lighting exterior from car was left good job we had tourch ,I could go on and on .

An old castle is what you’ll get in need of some TLC, it has bags of character and the staff all do their best to make you feel comfortable. We even had a personal pianist for the evening. Evening meal was excellent and again a fantastic panelled room no MDF furniture here or corporate styling. The castle is up for sale so go and stay while you can.

Poor maintenance in places as can be expected

Absolutely fabulous place to stay. We stayed up top in the old servants' quarters at a pretty reasonable price - so nice to have the castle experience on a budget. Recommend having an evening meal in the castle, although the food was just OK, the experience was really great

Breakfast was just about passable.

The size of the property, the location which was unique

The cleanliness, the plug and drain in the shower was disgusting, the toilet seat was broken, the outside light did not work, the dining room chairs were full of holes

Upgraded as the only ones staying that night to a lovely cottage. We didn't see the main house. A must stay for any castle enthusiasts. This castle is up for sale, we are praying someone buys it and continues to care for this great bit of history.

No tea and coffee for the morning. Other than that everything was great.