Baronial Castle

Imagine a fairytale castle, hidden in 36 acres of glorious garden and woodland on the rugged and beautiful Ayrshire coast.  Spectacular views across the Irish Sea to the island of Arran and the massive granite rock of Ailsa Craig. Baronial Castle has exquisite rooms, outstanding cuisine, fine wines and exceptional service - a world apart.

Designed by the celebrated architect David Bryce for Mr James Hunter, the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Ayrshire, the castle’s mellow sandstone battlements are topped by soaring turrets and towers, earning it a rightful place as one of the most romantic castles in Scotland.

Rental prices start from £6500 per night for 34 guests or £4600 for 20 guests.  Please enquire for an exact quote tailored to your group.

Within the castle, there are graceful lounges and dining rooms with seemingly endless oak panelled hallways and corridors leading to seventeen very individual luxury bedrooms and suites. All of the bedrooms and public areas are handsomely furnished with personally chosen antiques and fine oil paintings and individually decorated to the highest standard in traditional style.

The two ‘Master Rooms’ are palatial in size, with highly ornate cornice-work and our suites have the benefit of a separate sitting room. Our ground floor family suite has two connecting bedrooms, each with its own en-suite bathroom. All of the bedrooms at the castle are bright and sunny thanks to the tall and elegant Victorian windows and all rooms have luxurious traditionally appointed en suite facilities with toiletries by Penhaligon, as well as direct dial telephone, wireless broadband internet access (T-Mobile Hotspot) television, video, CD and DVD players. Many bedrooms also have ‘real flame’ fires in their original fireplaces and all rooms have superb views of the gardens or the coastline – in many cases both.

The 36 acre grounds at the castle are totally secluded and private, and are for the exclusive use of the castle guests. There are many rare and unusual plants and shrubs to be found, including magnificent specimen rhododendrons. Paths wander round the azalea pond, and through established woodland, leading to the wonderful walled garden with its 150 foot Victorian glasshouse. Fresh herbs and fruit from the garden are used every day in the castle kitchen, and freshly cut flowers adorn every room. For the more energetic, there's an all weather tennis court and croquet lawn.

*Please note, locations shown on the maps are approximations only

The Castle is located near the southern end of the county of Ayrshire in South-West Scotland. This has the advantage of giving easy access to two counties - Ayrshire, and the beautiful neighbouring county of Dumfries and Galloway. The major cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh are within striking distance for a day trip. So too is the beautiful island of Arran and even Belfast and Northern Ireland.

The wild and beautiful countryside around the castle plays host to a wide selection of interesting places to visit and things to do. Many visitors don’t ever feel the need to venture out of the castle grounds!  As well as many walks to explore, our thirty-six acres of gardens and woodlands also boast herb, fruit and flower gardens, a 150 foot Victorian Glasshouse and an all-weather tennis court and croquet lawn.  The grounds are bounded on all sides by yet more woodland and open countryside. 

A five minute journey from the castle is our neighbouring Spa for a swim or a sauna, a massage or a beauty treatment.  They also have a fully equipped gym for our more energetic guests.

Outdoors, in the nearby area there are many beaches, the closest being in the village of Ballantrae.  Ballantrae beach is mostly a pebble beach, but still offers a couple of miles of walking with amazing views of Ireland and Ailsa Craig. Sawney Bean’s Cave is worth a visit if you don’t mind a steep cliff path.

Golf is one of the main outdoor sporting activities in the area, and there are four championship courses within an hour of the castle, these being Royal Troon, Prestwick, Western Gailes, and Turnberry.  Other local courses include Brunston Castle and Girvan to the north, and Creachmore, Dunskey and Glenluce to the south. Guests may also have access to the private Cally Course at Cally Palace in Gatehouse of Fleet, or even venture further east to Southerness.

Dining in the gracious surroundings of the elegant castle dining rooms while watching the sun set over Ailsa Craig and the Mull of Kintyre is a truly unique experience. Each evening at dinner, we serve a six course gourmet menu, expertly prepared by Head Chef Adam Stokes and his team.

Our menus change daily and utilise the best fresh and seasonal local ingredients, including fruit, vegetables and herbs from the castle gardens. While all of our resident guests have an automatic dinner reservation, the dining rooms are also open to non-resident guests by prior reservation for lunch and dinner. Afternoon tea in the castle Drawing Room is available to non-resident guests, again by prior reservation.

Which? Good Food Guide Scottish Restaurant of the Year 2007.

There can be no more magnificent setting for your wedding celebrations than this spectacular fairytale castle, set high on a hill looking out across the Irish Sea to the Isle of Arran, the Mull of Kintyre and the magical Ailsa Craig – The Fairy Rock.

The castle is open from mid-March until the 2nd January each year for individual guests and is available as a venue for exclusive use by groups, such as wedding parties, throughout the season except for Christmas and New Year.

We cater for weddings with more than six in the party on an exclusive use basis only, for a maximum of thirty-four guests, all of whom must stay at the castle for at least one night. We can, if required, offer dining and reception for a maximum of forty guests, with six of the party being accommodated elsewhere locally.  Regretfully, we cannot offer to host weddings for larger numbers than this, nor can we accommodate additional evening guests.

The wedding party will have the private use of the castle and our thirty-six acres of magnificent gardens and grounds for the duration of their stay.  Church of Scotland (Presbyterian) marriage ceremonies can be held in the Church, which is a beautiful little Victorian chapel on the Estate, approximately five and a half miles from the castle.  Alternatively a religious or civil ceremony can be conducted within the castle itself, or in the gardens.

We can provide you with contact information for our local ministers, or civil registrar, and we are happy to personally assist you with the arrangements for your wedding.  We can recommend professional photographers and wedding transport companies. We even have our own classic car – a 1954 Riley RME which can be used to transport you to the church.  Our florist will create floral arrangements, bouquets and buttonholes to your exact specifications.  We can recommend cake makers who will create wedding cakes of any style or design.  We can arrange for kilt and formal wear hire, with outfits delivered and collected from the castle. We can recommend musicians of any kind from a Scottish piper to a ceilidh to classical to jazz and disco.  We can arrange entertainers such as caricaturists, or magicians.  We are also able to arrange activities (click to activities page) such as golf on nearby championship or recreational courses, falconry displays or clay pigeon shooting in the castle grounds, loch and river fishing and, in the summer, boat trips to the island of Ailsa Craig.

- Security deposit: £1000. This is paid on arrival and will be refunded in full after departure subject to damage inspection.
- Linen & towels: All linen and bath towels are included in the rental price.
- Energy costs: Included in the rental price.
- End of stay cleaning: Included. Please leave the property in the state that you found it.
- Arrival time: 4pm onwards.
- Departure time: 10am.
- Pets: Please enquire.
- Smoking: No smoking in the property.
- It is recommended that all guests take out insurance to cover against potential cancellation and any accidental damage caused during your stay at the property.

There was delicious food and a wonderful place to relax for the adults and a beautiful castle and grounds for the children to explore ... Thank you for making our first trip to Scotland perfect.

Anonymous

Many thanks for a fantastic weekend.  We have celebrated a special occasion in style.

Anonymous

We had a lovely stay, this was the best place we visited during our entire trip to Scotland. Excellent service and lovely food in magical surroundings.

Anonymous

Super Fab, weather amazing, wedding to die for!!  If your getting married this is the place to do it.

Anonymous