History, Luxury, Archery, Falconry
Being of Scottish descent, staying in a Scottish castle has always been on my bucket list, and last year during our European summer trip I was able to cross it off at Dalhousie castle. Over the past 800 years, the castle has witnessed much of the history of Scotland. It has hosted kings, queens and other members of the royal family since the days of Robert the Bruce and William Wallace. It has played a part in the stories of Mary Queen of Scots, William Shakespeare, Oliver Cromwell, Sir Walter Scott, and Queen Victoria. It has withstood a seige by King Henry IV of England, that was immortalized in Shakespeare’s play Henry IV (“Ten thousand bold Scots, two and twenty knights, balk’d in their own blood…”). After the siege, the castle was rebuilt, and the building we stay in today has stood at this site since 1450. So, when you stay at Dalhousie, you are not just staying at a hotel, you are staying at an important part of Scottish history.
Since this would probably be a once-in-a-lifetime thing for us, we decided to go all in and rented the Honeymoon Suite for the night. In all honesty, we would recommend staying in one of the other themed rooms instead. The Honeymoon Suite is actually located below ground level. As a result, there are no windows and the damp weather in Scotland gives it a musty smell. There is also a well in the bedroom floor that has been covered up, but still felt a little strange, and may have contributed to the smell. This was greatly improved once the fan in the ensuite bath was turned on, but it was still there. The other themed rooms are on the ground floor of the castle, so they do have windows that will let in the natural light and reduce the dampness factor. On the other hand, laying in a king-sized bed surrounded by walls and ceiling stones that had been set in place 500 years ago was an amazing experience. Plus, the ensuite bathroom had been completely remodeled and modernized and featured the most amazing shower area, the best we had on our entire trip. Their website says they have undergone a major renovation since our trip in the summer of 2025, so some of these issues may have been resolved. Renovations were expected to be completed in April, 2026. Until then, save yourself a few bucks and stay in another room. It will still be spectacular.
Everything else about our stay at Dalhousie was amazing. The castle sits on over 800 acres of beautiful woodlands and gardens intersected by the River South Esk, which is just a short stroll from the castle. Get some great pictures from the historic stone bridge that crosses over the river just below the castle. The interior of the castle is gorgeous. Take some pictures on the grand staircase or feel like royalty seated on a throne. Finally, indulge in a wonderful meal at one of the two great restaurants, one of which will let you enjoy your meal looking out over the beautiful grounds.
There are also some really fun activities to enjoy at the castle. Among the most popular are archery and falconry. We only had one full day, so we opted to try the ancient art of falconry. The castle offers several different programs featuring your choice of raptors (falcons or owls) or a combination experience with both. We decided on the falcons, as that program fit best with our schedule. What an amazing experience! Our bird’s name was Iona, and she was a beauty. The father and son that run the falconry experiences were wonderful hosts, friendly and knowledgeable, and went above and beyond to make sure your falconry experience is unforgettable. The exhilarating feeling of watching one of these majestic creatures swoop down from the trees and land on your outstretched, gloved arm is incredible. It was definitely the highlight of our stay.
Add to this the fact that you are only a twenty-minute drive from Edinburgh in one direction, and twenty minutes from Rosslyn Chapel (built in the 1400s and featured prominently in Dan Brown’s international bestseller “The DaVinci Code”), and Dalhousie Castle is a fantastic base of operations for exploring this part of Scotland.