Europe gets the castles, but Asia’s fortresses, palaces, madrasas, and merchant mansions also offer beds for the night. We found ten options across nine countries, and the range of experiences tells the story. The list contrasts regional architectures while inviting readers to imagine a stay. The reason to let us book these rather than an online engine is this. The headline … [Read more...]

Japan has more than a hundred castles. It lets you walk through most of them between nine and five, but only two hand you a key overnight. At Ozu on Shikoku, you arrive at 5 pm after the public leaves. You are announced as lord of the domain in a reenactment of the 1617 procession with conch-shell horn and squad. You sleep on the ground floor of a four-storey keep rebuilt from … [Read more...]

Most of Europe's great castles sell you a ticket and send you home at five. But here are ten of them that hand you a key instead — and the entry point isn't what you'd guess. However, at the Parador de Sigüenza, a 12th-century Moorish citadel ninety minutes from Madrid, a double room starts around $95. Additionally, in the Polish lake district, a 14th-century Teutonic fortress … [Read more...]

Ireland has more castles per square mile than almost anywhere in Europe, and nearly all of them hand you a ticket at the door and send you home at five. A dozen of them hand you a key instead. We reviewed the open castles that take bookings and are worth a two-night stay. The price range was wider, from $150 per night at a Dublin-area castle to a Gothic pile, the Mayo estate. … [Read more...]