Welsh castles you can stay in

The Brecon Castle Hotel is built against the ancient walls of Brecon’s Norman castle, which was in ruins by Tudor times.  It’s been a hotel since the early 1800s, and it’s still welcoming guests today. The hotel stands on a bluff of land between two rivers commanding extensive views. There are 40 rooms, some with four-poster beds.

Llangoed Hall was originally known as Llangoed Castle. This luxury country house hotel is set within 17 acres of beautiful landscaped gardens. The walls are adorned with fine art, including Jamie Cowie, Whistler and Herman Dudley Murphy. Llangollen Hall has hosted a number of well-known guests, including royalty. The pillowcases are filled with the feathers from ducks at Sandringham and the Rolls Royce owned by the hall was given to the Queen Mother on the birth of Elizabeth, Princess of York (Queen Elizabeth II). Enjoy countryside activities on site or in the nearby Brecon Beacons and Wye Valley.

In 1878, celebrity opera singer Adelina Patti splashed out on the beautifully located Victorian-Gothic Craig-y-Nos castle and did the place up nicely, even adding an opera house. She lived here for more than 40 years and some say her ghost still makes its presence felt from time to time. Book a room at Craig-y-Nos, and who knows what you’ll discover.

Built in the style of a sturdy stone castle with tall crenellations and Gothic flourishes, this grand Victorian mansion was originally the home of an early Victorian MP. Castell Deudraeth is now a boutique hotel within the Portmeirion estate. Even if you’re not staying, you can drop in for lunch in the stylish conservatory brasserie.

Sir John Hay Williams, Baronet of Bodelwyddan, loved French chateaus so much that he commissioned one for his wife, Lady Sarah – only instead of standing in the Loire Valley, his creation, Plas Rhianfa, gazes out over the Menai Strait. Completed in the 1850s, it’s now a hotel called Château Rhianfa (AA 4 Stars), with 22 elegant bedrooms and two self-catering cottages.

Until recently, Cardigan Castle was in desperate need of repair, but a community project stepped in to give it the overhaul it deserves. Castle Green House is an elegant Regency house within the 13th century castle walls. Recently restored, it’s been turned into two luxurious self-catering apartments. Ty Castell offers contemporary, river-view B&B rooms if you fancy a treat. Both options include free entry to the castle.

Sat high on a hilltop, Roch Castle has incredible panoramic views over St Brides Bay and Preseli Hills and six characterful rooms. There's a seamless mix of historic structure with contemporary decor and all the mod-cons you could need. Tuck in to the traditional Welsh breakfast before exploring the nearby sights – St Davids, Skomer Island and the numerous hills and beaches.

We might be stretching the definition of 'castle' a bit here, as technically Bodelwyddan is a Victorian folly  - a reconstructed version of the original castle that was built here in 1460. But this is all semantics. This castle hotel is a Grade II listed Victorian building near the North Wales coast, close to the dramatic backdrops of Snowdonia. Set within the grounds of a romantic castle, but with all the amenities of a modern hotel, including a superb range of leisure facilities, live entertainment, and a 4* AA award.