New romantic retreat in Northumberland as Langley Castle opens luxury villa
A new romantic retreat has opened in the idyllic Northumberland countryside, featuring castle views and the opportunity to dine within its medieval walls.
Award-winning castle hotel, Langley Castle, has expanded to offer guests accomodation in its new Toll Bar Luxury Villa, a guest property nestling within the castle's grounds. The villa is vision of the Baron and Baroness of Langley, Stuart and Mariann Madnick, who performed the official opening.
The property is suitable for one or two couples staying in the two ensuite rooms. It has its own private parking and exclusive-use entrance, leading off the A686 – one of the AA’s ‘Ten Great Drives’ in England. These extras create an immediate sense of luxury and entitlement.
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Its unique selling point is the glorious ‘free’ view awaiting guests. This is the fabulous 14th century castle, whose medieval walls have been largely untouched since their original construction in 1350. This stunning vista can be appreciated through the villa's windows but also from a private and shielded-from-view outdoor terrace. This is part of the facilities at a secluded accommodation, adjacent to the castle gates.
Another plus point is that guests who stay at Toll Bar Luxury Villa have the option to head into the glorious castle as much as they wish. They can relax and dine in either the Drawing Room and Bar or the Josephine 2AA Rosette restaurant, indulge in an afternoon tea under the sparkling chandeliers or outside in the summerhouse, and even enjoy ahearty Northumbrian breakfast inside the castle. Alternatively, they can say completely independent and holed up in their luxury den.
As with all Langley Castle guests, they can also take advantage of the free daily Battlements Tour, which offers valuable insights into the castle’s rich and long history, as well as the chance to walk on the impressive battlements and take in the view.
Access to the castle for food and drink does depend on there being no exclusive-use event at the time but, if that is the case, there is the option of having a breakfast or picnic hamper delivered to the villa.
This ability to castle hop can give guests the very best of both worlds, bridging the self-catering and hotel experiences.
The Toll Bar Villa project has been one that has been brought to fruition over the course of more than a year, since Dr. Stuart Madnick bought the property from former owners, the Bates family, who also once owned the castle. Cadwallader John Bates and his wife Josephine were responsible for much of the castle’s restoration, in the late 19thcentury, after over 500 years of it being an abandoned, roofless property. That fate followed its torching by King Henry IV’s troops, as retribution for its then owners (the Percys) support of a rival.
Toll Bar Villa's name emanates from it having once been the place at which tolls on the old turnpike road were collected, back in the 18th century. Developing the self-catering accommodation has required extensive renovation work and landscaping but provides Langley Castle with another pearl in the Barony's crown.
Dr Mariann Madnick, Baroness of Langley, who designed the renovation and furnishings, said: "We are immensely proud to have added yet another facet to the guest experience at Langley Castle and to create an opportunity that is unique in the UK. We are not sure of anywhere else where self-catering guests can wake up to the sight of a medieval castle through their windows, or castle hop and enjoy its facilities. We hope that this unique blend of features will soon make it a hugely popular choice within the options on offer at Langley Castle."
The other choices are those of staying inside the castle, in a Deluxe or Feature room, opting for a suite or room in the former stables, called Castle View within the castle grounds, or staying in Castle Lodge, in a secluded area where some rooms have outdoor seating areas. Details of the villa and these other choices can be found at www.langleycastle.co.uk