Craigietocher Tower
9.8 Nr Turriff, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Phill Plevey has a deep knowledge and passion for Scottish castles. After struggling to find a suitable restoration project, he decided to build his own authentic reproduction of a 16th-century tower house. Set in the midst of thick woodland at the end of a private 500-metre-long drive, Craigietocher Tower was built over 10 years and completed in 2018.
Your Hosts
You will be the guests of Phill and Meryl who were responsible for this extraordinary project. Eager to share their experiences, they'll personally guide you through the property, offering fascinating insights into each room's story and unveiling the challenges and triumphs of undertaking such a grand design. They'll also provide exclusive glimpses into the future plans for Craigietocher Tower!
A Haven From the Hustle and Bustle of Modern Life
Hidden by trees, rendered in a pink lime-wash harl, and featuring steps up to its arched castle door, the crenellated tower offers tree-top views over wild waters and, beyond, a rustic farmland landscape. Despite appearances, it is conveniently accessible, just under an hour’s drive from the historic city of Aberdeen, with its national travel links.
Craigietocher Tower boasts gorgeous interiors sympathetically designed in line with its chosen era. It offers guests a slice of tranquillity, a haven from the hustle and bustle of modern life. A small decking area overlooking the lakelets, featuring outdoor dining furniture and a heater, provides a scenic spot to experience al fresco dining in the Scottish wilderness. The paintings on the ceiling of the Lairds Room show all of the Scottish monarchs, starting with Keneth MacAlpin, 843-858 to Charles II, 1649-1651.
Winner of the prestigious "Construction Project of the Year" at the Trades Awards 2020.
Accommodation
This fortified tower is let on a bed-and-breakfast basis. Two rooms are available to guests, one four-poster room with its own dedicated bathroom and an en-suite room which can be either a super-king double or 2x 3ft single beds.
The grand four-poster bed features beautiful ornate detailing in solid wood and is draped in regal red curtains, a colour which is then complemented with accents across the room. A welcoming wood-burning stove sits beneath sketches of historic houses. Come morning, open the thick wooden shutters and welcome the fresh air and enchanting woodland vista over a hot cup of coffee.
A delicious continental breakfast is served in the characterful ground-floor dining room.
The Great Hall is a high room filled with natural daylight that flows through large stone archways to create a warm ambiance within its central space. Guests are welcome to join Phill and Meryl in the Great Hall at any time.
Guests will have exclusive use of the Laird's Room and wall walk/open rounds (no unaccompanied children).
With its ornately patterned 16th-century painted ceiling, its authenticity is highlighted through a huge stone fireplace, cast-iron chandeliers and storytelling wall tapestries. Plenty of slouchy seating adorned in customary Scottish red tartan fabric will invite you to relax by the fire with a nightcap or a hot chocolate after a bracing walk.
The Area
Craigietocher Tower is the perfect base from which to appreciate the very best of Scotland on your doorstep and the owners will be happy to point you in the direction of things to see and do. Phill and Meryl are very much castle enthusiasts and will be happy to share snippets of history and stories from some of the castles in the local area. Phill has also written a book documenting 50 castles to visit, signed copies of which can be purchased at the castle.
From its rural location on the outskirts of Turriff town, explore the extensive array of castles of Aberdeenshire, as well as a massive choice of whiskey distilleries and the stunning beaches of Cruden Bay.
The luxury tower accommodation is just 35 miles north-west of the historic city of Aberdeen. Known as the ‘Granite City’ it offers a welcomed contrast to your country hideaway, with its wealth of attractions – including museums, galleries and gardens – and stunning grey-stone architecture. Notably, Aberdeen features excellent national and international travel links, making it truly accessible from anywhere in the world!
The lush landscape surrounding Craigietocher Tower gives way south west to the misty peaks of the Caingorms National Park, offering a wealth of stunning walks with incredible vistas across Aberdeenshire. Above, there is the busy North Sea coast featuring dramatic cliff tops and sandy beaches.
The historic, rural town of Turriff lays on the River Deveron, about 166 feet above sea level. The 900-year-old town offers glorious coastal trails and country walks.
Shetland Ponies
Meet the newest members of the Craigietocher Clan - Rocky and Rosie, the resident Shetland ponies! Loved by children and adults alike, they’re always ready to make new friends.
Prices
Craigietocher Castle is sold on a breakfast basis. The first night is priced at £150 per room, per night, with any subsequent nights priced at £125 per room, per night. One additional bed can be added to the four-poster room which is suitable for a child up to 12 years of age. The additional bed is charged at £15 per child, per night. A baby cot to suit a child up to 18 months old is also available at no additional charge.
Location
Craigietocher Tower is located on the outskirts of Turriff, 35 miles from Aberdeen. Glasgow and Edinburgh are approximately 3 hours away by road.
Reviews
9.8
An incredible treat to visit a castle tower and receive such a warm reception. It's a wonder to see that this castle is a wonderful home. Moreover, the hosts shared this property and their company making us feel just as home as they were. Beautifully built with details and the modern comforts built into a historically accurate property. Thank You!
I guess I have always wanted to spend the night in a castle, and when my cousin suggested a bed and breakfast stay at Craigietocher Tower in Turriff, it seemed like fun! Our hosts, Phill and Meryl, welcomed us to their home/castle when we arrived and explained how they considered refurbishing an old castle but decided to build a castle tower with full amenities. The residence was built to emulate a 16th Century castle tower, but with the requirement to meet current building requirements. Inside, the living room features a huge fireplace and a tapestry. There is a stone spiral staircase up to the two bedrooms, each with large, very comfortable beds and their own full bathroom. Most mornings we enjoyed a typical European breakfast with meats, cheese, pastries, and yoghurt, and then treated us to a traditional Scottish breakfast on our final morning. The tower is fitted with an elevator too so people and suitcases can up and down, plus in-floor heating. Phill has done a lot of research on castles and explained the various design features when he gave us a tour of each floor. We have toured a number of castles around Scotland during our visit (there are more than 1,500 castles in various conditions) and the opportunity to spend the night in a castle was ideal! A one-night visit would be insufficient for this wonderful bed & breakfast.
We had a wonderful night at Craigietocher Tower. Phill and Meryl are such wonderful hosts and made us feel welcome in their home. The castle was built like a 16th century tower house but has modern comforts of a home built today (best shower of all the places we stayed). Phill is very knowledgeable about the history of castles and has many stories to share. He put so much thought and effort into making the tower as authentic as possible. There are only 2 guest rooms which are large and comfortable. They served us a delicious breakfast which included fresh duck eggs as they do have ducks and chickens and peacocks on the property. This was a great way to experience a castle and our favorite accommodation during our 10 day trip to Scotland.
This was the experience of a lifetime. Phill was amazingly gracious as a host and honored us with accommodation in his tower with a personal tour that included the history of castle towers and the struggles of building authentically while adhering to current building codes. The tower reflected an ambiance befitting royalty, and the breakfast feast delighted all the senses. We took a stroll along the grounds and ponds accompanied by peahens and ducks. We peeked through the laird's lug, ascended a spiral staircase, and tucked through a hidden escape. We meandered around the rooftop searching for elusive Northern lights. In our entire 3 1/2 week tour of Ireland and Scotland, this property was one of the main highlights. The only downfall was that we only got to stay one night. Next time, we will schedule a longer stay to enjoy living historically in Cragietocher Tower. I highly recommend you do the same when you visit Scotland.
This was an Amazing experience from the moment we arrived! Phil & Meryl served us tea, hot chocolate & Scottish shortbread on arrival. Our room was beautifully decorated & clean with modern amenities. The breakfast spread was the best we’ve ever eaten; even taking in consideration our dietary concerns. They gave us a full tour of the castle and fun history facts that my boys loved! Phil & Meryl’s castle B&B fully exceeded any other place we’ve stayed, and we would recommend them to anyone traveling to Scotland! Superb!!!