Amberley Castle
West Sussex, England
Photo: Peter Jeffery, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Gallery: Antoine Lamielle, CC BY-SA 4.0 ยท Antoine Lamielle, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Key facts
- Operator
- Amberley Castle Hotel (Relais & Chateaux)
- Condition
- Intact
- Access
- Hotel guests only
- Nearest station
- Amberley, 0.9 miles (straight-line)
- Stays
- Overnight accommodation available
- Note
- Medieval walls; dining open to non-residents
Pinpoint
Amberley Castle, Amberley, Arundel BN18 9LT
Telephone 01798 831992
Amberley Castle is a working medieval fortification - 14th-century curtain walls and a portcullis still in place - now run as a luxury hotel, with the dining rooms open to non-residents. It's less a castle you visit and more one you stay inside, and reviewers rate the service as highly as the setting.
At a glance
Worth the trip
The medieval walls and gatehouse enclosing the whole hotel - reviewers say the sense of stepping inside a genuine fortification, not a themed version of one, sets it apart.
Before you go
Dinner is bookable without staying over if the room rates are out of reach - it's how most people get a look at the interior without a hotel budget. A couple of guests flagged the suites could use fridges, worth knowing if that matters for your stay.
What visitors say
Amberley Castle reviews · 4.7 / 5 across 878 Google reviews
Reviewers consistently praise this luxury hotel and restaurant set within a historic castle, with individual staff members singled out by name across multiple reviews and the food rated highly.
Minor practical grumbles include the poor condition of the approach road, a request for in-room fridges, and one mention that the on-site putting green could use updating.
“This place truly is a great place to stay. It has the charm of an old castle but it also has luxorious rooms. You can feel the history! The food in the restaurant is of high quality and the castle grounds are a…”- Victor van Oudheusden, visitor review
Weddings at Amberley Castle
Amberley Castle is on our wedding roll because Amberley Castle Hotel (Relais & Chateaux) mentions weddings on their own site. Visit their site.
Comparing options? See every castle wedding venue in England, or the full UK wedding roll.
Dates, capacity, licensing and exclusivity change constantly and we hold none of it - treat this as a starting point and speak to the venue before you plan anything around it.
History
Bishop Ralph de Luffa · 1103 (first structure), 1377 (fortified)
Originally a bishops' manor from the 12th century, the site was fortified with 40-foot walls in 1377 when coastal French raids seemed imminent. The medieval chapel and 14th-century gatehouse survive largely intact, enclosed within a rhomboid of high curtain walls that give the site its distinctive appearance.
Adapted from this castle's Wikipedia article, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Common questions about Amberley Castle
Where is Amberley Castle?
Amberley Castle is in West Sussex, England, at Amberley Castle, Amberley, Arundel BN18 9LT.
Can you visit Amberley Castle?
Amberley Castle operates as a hotel, so access is normally for staying guests rather than day visitors. Contact the hotel directly about staying or visiting.
Can you stay overnight at Amberley Castle?
Yes - Amberley Castle offers bookable accommodation, so you can spend the night in the castle itself or within its grounds. See the Castles You Can Sleep In guide for the full list and how each stay works.
What is the highlight of visiting Amberley Castle?
The medieval walls and gatehouse enclosing the whole hotel - reviewers say the sense of stepping inside a genuine fortification, not a themed version of one, sets it apart.
Is Amberley Castle a ruin or still intact?
Amberley Castle is largely intact - Medieval walls; dining open to non-residents.
