The Castle Hotel treats its guests like royalty
A little smaller than the famous Windsor Castle though still plenty grand, The Castle Hotel is aptly named. Just across the road from the stony royal residence, you’re a neighbour to the king, close enough to drop by and ask to borrow a cup of sugar.
It’s no surprise, then, that the hotel has seen a lot of famous footfall over the centuries. In a previous life, it was a favourite haunt of visiting aristocrats and people of note - including The Duke of Wellington, who reportedly stopped in for dinner following the Battle of Waterloo. Even today, the hotel shares a friendly relationship with the neighbouring royals. According to the receptionist, Prince Edward popped in recently on business, while Tom Parker Bowles, the Queen’s son, made an appearance earlier this month to discuss his new cookbook.
First Impressions
Given its illustrious connections, I expected The Castle to lean into its regency roots, all velvet drapery and gilded frames. But it turns out things have changed a lot since Georgian times. The foyer and adjacent sitting room have been given a tropical makeover, painted in sunny pinks and rich greens and heavily strewn with leafy plants. The overall impression is of a very chic and elegant rainforest.
Dining
The verdant décor suits the name of the hotel’s in-house restaurant, which is called, simply, Leaf. Warmly lit and casually stylish, their menu focuses on British classics made from locally sourced ingredients. Their signature dish is venison pie, with game caught from a nearby estate. It’s as fresh as you can get, and the flavour is rich and delicious. You can pair it with one of their excellent selection of wines, which range in price from £32 to £82. There is also a children’s menu for little ones, with favourites like chicken goujons and cheesy macaroni.
After dinner, you may want to head to the bar for a nightcap, where friendly and attentive staff are ready to serve up some of Leaf’s signature cocktails. I can recommend a Love of Romeo, which is made of peach and hibiscus gin, cranberry and champagne. One is enough to send you to bed singing. In the summer months, it’s best enjoyed sitting out on the hotel’s expansive private terrace.
The Rooms
Travelling upstairs to the rooms, there are playful hints at the hotel’s distinguished past. In my suite, the walls of the living area are decorated with framed illustrations of English redcoats and lounging noblemen. There are touches of Edwardian style in the elegantly hung drapery and the fawn-coloured chaise longue, though a restrained colour palate keeps the design feeling contemporary. I enjoyed the subtlety of these details, which struck me as aristocratically nonchalant.
Through a pair of sliding French doors are the sleeping quarters, which house a truly enormous double bed - it could probably fit four people comfortably, and yet the room still felt spacious. One of the best things about the rooms were the floor-to-ceiling windows, which flood the rooms with light. However, this comes with a very slight caveat - the windows, while lovely, do let in quite a bit of sound. If you are a light sleeper, I’d suggest asking for a room facing away from the street.
Final Thoughts
If you or a relative is hoping to explore Windsor, I strongly recommend making The Castle your foundation. Not only are you in spitting distance from Windsor Castle, but the Theatre Royal is next door, and it’s only a short stroll to the riverside and the quaint, timeless streets of the old town.
To find out more about The Castle and to book your stay, visit here
