5 Reasons to Rent a Castle

Who doesn’t love a castle? We’ve all heard of Camelot, Castle Dracula, Sleeping Beauty’s castle, Hogwarts, and other impressive buildings of fiction. It’s always nice to visit a real castle to recreate the mystical feeling that we often associate with our favourite stories. Plus, they can teach us something about our country’s history.

There are many good reasons to visit a castle on one of your trips – but why just visit a castle when you could own one for the day? With exclusive use, you can take full advantage of the scene and truly relish the castle-y experience.

From ancient gates, to grand towers and magnificent grounds, here are our favourite reasons/excuses to indulge in your castle fantasy and experience it all to yourself, just for a bit.


A wedding in Barcaldine Castle.

1. To get married

Perhaps the most obvious reason to rent a castle is for a wedding in the perfect setting. Since the royal wedding earlier this year, many engaged couples might be tempted with a royal wedding of their own, and the dream fairy-tale wedding is definitely a stylish way to tie the knot. Where better to do it than a place that was built to last?


A masquerade ball mask.

2. To party like it’s 1599

Even for those who are already married, a party to celebrate a special anniversary would be just as romantic, if not more so, and we think it’s very deserving of such a beautiful setting. Even without a special anniversary coming up, there are still special birthdays to celebrate – and who could think of a cooler birthday party? Castles could suit a bunch of different types of parties … but personally, we’re thinking of a themed murder mystery!


An office team bumping fists.

3. A corporate event

Sometimes an office Christmas party isn’t a good enough thank-you for the team. And they might just need a change of scenery. So why not treat them like nobility? As well as having plenty to see and explore nearby, a castle is the ideal setting for some memorable team-building activities.


Fashion photography at a castle.

4. To take some pics

And we don’t just mean to take your usual pics for your post-holiday slideshow or your social media. We mean that any photographer, professional or amateur, with or without a model in regal fashion, deserves a historic scene for some artsy shots. Different castle interiors can offer all kinds of scenery, from grand and elegant to rugged and medieval, so they set the tone for an array of purposes.


A castle window.

5. For some killer footage

From history documentaries to medieval dramas to fantasy films, we love to watch some drama in the great hall! Even an amateur filmmaker could set their stage and shoot a scene with a stunningly realistic background.

For filming in Barcaldine Castle, find out more here.

Barcaldine Castle and its gates.

We hope at least one of these ideas has tickled your fancy, and we hope you’ll pick The Black Castle for all your castle needs. For more information about renting here, please visit our Exclusive Use page.

Set in a picturesque location, Barcaldine Castle is on the banks of Loch Creran. There’s so much to do!

Don’t take our word for it, see what other people have said about their stay

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John Jackson profile picture
John Jackson
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The castle was amazing, over the top. Highly recommend the experience if you’re looking for a true Scottish Highlands castle accommodation.
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Melissa Hornyack profile picture
Melissa Hornyack
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My husband and I stayed in August when we were in Scotland for our wedding. This was the most beautiful and enchanting place. We took lively strolls to the lake, pet farm animals, totally relaxed and felt at peace. We only spent 2 nights but we will be back for a whole week to explore all of Oban and the islands. The service from Patrick and Cecilia was 5 star: Cecilia makes an amazing breakfast. This was my absolute favorite place we stayed in our 16 day trip to Scotland.
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Laurie Smart profile picture
Laurie Smart
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Where do I start? We booked Barcaldine Castle for exclusive hire from the 10th-13th of October, 2025. On Saturday the 11th, my husband and I tied the knot with 35 of our closest friends and family in the cosy great hall. I cannot put into words how fantastic our experience was. From the very first e-mail exchange back in January, Patrick and Caroline have made us feel so special and looked after. They treated us like royalty through-out our stay, welcomed all of our guests with open arms and pulled all the necessary strings to make sure our wedding ran flawlessly while we kicked back and relaxed. I can't fault anything. Food was amazing, rooms were gorgeous and always spotless, service was out of this world. Highly HIGHLY recommended Barcaldine castle to anyone who wants a cosy wedding, or even just a cosy getaway. We hope to make a tradition of coming back for our anniversaries. Cannot wait to see the place and all the gorgeous staff again! Thank you!! // Laurie and Jacob 💗
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Lisa Gibbs profile picture
Lisa Gibbs
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Wow what can I say Barcaldine castle is absolutely stunning breathtaking the history the location the interior of the castle I felt honoured to be able to have my wedding day within a perfect setting me and my husband felt like royalty and Patrick and Cecilia are the most amazing couple and the rest of the staff were fantastic really did go above and beyond there duty to create a perfect day all my guests spoke so highly of them all and they really did look after me and my family I definitely highly recommend everyone to stay and experience Barcaldine castle and to book for your perfect wedding ❤️❤️❤️
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Craigstours
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A quirky and fascinating bed and breakfast which is fairly unique in its design! The stairs are most definitely not for anyone with infirmity! Altogether an exceptional accommodation but you must have a vehicle as it’s not close to anything!🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
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Brandy Careri profile picture
Brandy Careri
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Patrick and his wife were so warm, helpful, and accommodating. The castle is beyond beautiful and they made so many personal touches that made it feel luxurious but also comforting. Breakfast was delicious and the rooms were clean and cozy. Our stay there was a higher highlight of our trip to Scotland and we would 100% stay here again!
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Darren Utley profile picture
Darren Utley
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A stay at the castle is a must do if you are in the area. It is a perfect blend of history and comfort. Patrick and his wife are amazing hosts, they could not be more accommodating and the Scottish breakfast was top-notch.
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JULIE MACKAY profile picture
JULIE MACKAY
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Great place, we renewed our vows there.
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