We've just returned from a beautiful stay at Appleby Castle. The exterior is beautifully kept, with the Norman keep dominating the skyline all the way up the drive. The hotel itself is grand and historic, the suits of armour displayed down the hallways really add to the atmosphere. Upon arrival at the castle, we parked just outside the main gatehouse and were met at reception by a member of staff, before being shown to our room. As some people have noted, there isn't much information made available on arrival, however the staff we met were happy to answer our questions, both in person and on the phone, and were very hospitable throughout. We stayed on the top floor in the former servants' quarters. The room is slanted, and as such so is everything in it, which just adds to the charm of the place. If you're expecting a slick, fast-paced, clinical service akin to a chain-hotel then you won't find it here. We quickly understood that Appleby is a place of eccentricity, with little quirks that for us added to its character. A few mentions have been made of the locked door policy - for us this wasn't an issue, despite us staying out until midnight or accidentally locking ourselves out at 6am! There are numbers for you to ring should you need access, and the staff are happy to let you in. On our last day we were able to tour ourselves around the Norman keep which was such a highlight, what a treat to stay somewhere steeped in so much history! If we chose to focus on the negatives then you could point out a couple of areas to improve, but for us the positives far outweighed any little niggles, and we were made to feel very welcome throughout. PS if you're not a fan of ghosts then you may not enjoy the motion-activated hallway lights being set off on the middle of the night, despite no one being around! Another story for us to tell from our fab experience at Appleby Castle!
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