Guests Could be King or Queen of the Castle Before I’m A Celeb Winner

The 2020 series of ‘I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here’, this year set in Gwrych Castle in Wales, airs on Sunday, November 15 and crowns its winner sometime between December 4 and 6, if reports are to be believed.  However, as a Northumberland-based hotel points out, members of the public could be king or queen of the castle sooner than any of the contestants.

With the second UK lockdown set to end on December 2, Langley Castle Hotel – an authentic medieval fortified hotel, set in 10 acres of grounds in Langley-on-Tyne, just a short hop from Hexham, is expecting a boom in demand for its renowned castle stays.  

After the first lockdown, it discovered that its fortifications, extensive grounds, rural location and its favourable layout, from a social distancing perspective, made it a firm favourite with those seeking an escape from confinement.

With the exposure that castles will receive via ‘I’m a Celebrity’, it is expecting an even greater surge of interest and bookings, during the show and immediately after it.

Langley Castle’s seven-feet thick walls, which have stood the test of time since 1350, somehow give guests a sense of security, according to the castle team.  With just nine rooms in the castle, it is also very easy to maintain social distancing.  Five of these are Feature Rooms and another four are Deluxe Castle Rooms, slightly lower in price.  

All are super-luxurious, with the design of the rooms often incorporating window seats, set into the sturdy walls, and four-poster or period beds.  Castle architectural features, such as stone arches and thick wooden doors, add to the ambience, but guests will also find facilities such as sauna, spa bath, wet room, and walk-in dressing room with Hollywood-style mirror, according to the room chosen.

Other accommodation at Langley Castle is equally beneficial for social distancing, being located in Castle View – a former stable block – and Castle View Lodge.  In Castle View, doors lead directly to a lawned area slightly below the castle and have no more than four rooms off a stairwell inside.  Accommodation is graded, with suites having slightly more features than other rooms.  All feels very safe for guests.

In Castle View Lodge, there’s an even greater sense of privacy and guests can sit on a wooden balcony amidst the trees, gaze at the castle and watch the resident peacocks strutting around proudly.

But those wanting to truly be king or queen of the castle have another option at Langley too – private hire - which gives them the entire castle and its grounds to themselves.  Whilst this might appear an option for only the super-rich, the entire castle can be hired for 10 people for just £4500 whilst, if a bigger group get-together is possible, its 27 rooms (inside the castle and in Castle View) can be hired for £11,500 for a day, including other elements than just accommodation.  

Whilst the current restrictions may not allow a social ‘bubble’ to get together, when restrictions lift, Langley believes bubbles who have been unable to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, and special occasions during 2020, may well look at the option of clubbing together and splitting the cost of entire castle hire, to enjoy what would be a truly unique experience.

Langley Castle’s executive general manager, Margaret Livingstone-Evans, says: “Whilst we are not currently open, of course, our managerial team is standing by the phones and is ready to start taking enquiries for private hire and managing bookings for other stays that are coming in via the Internet. 

“We were extremely busy after the first lockdown, achieving 97% occupancy, and we anticipate that ‘I’m a Celebrity’ could cause a real frenzy and a desire to stay in a castle, whether that’s because a couple wish to play king and queen, or whether a family wants to give the kids the opportunity to be a prince or princess.  We believe we are the only true and authentic castle accommodation in the UK, so are ready to demonstrate what a castle stay is all about – minus any bushtucker trials.”

With real battlements to drool over, its own chapel on the battlements, features originally intended to defend the castle from attack from enemies and Border Reivers, and the best example of medieval toilets in Europe preserved within the castle walls, Langley Castle has it all.  

To find out more visit www.langleycastle.co.uk or call 01434 688888.  A stay at Langley Castle Hotel costs from £99 per person, per night, inclusive of full Northumbrian breakfast.

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Press calls: Jane Hunt, Catapult PR, 01253 446925 – jane@catapultpr.co.uk

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Editors notes

Langley Castle, built in 1350, is located in Langley-on-Tyne, Northumberland and is one of the few authentic, fortified medieval castles in England. It has a rich history, with strong links to Jacobite rebellions, is located just a stone's throw from the World Heritage Site of Hadrian's Wall and boasts features including battlements, seven-feet-thick walls, window seats set into the walls and the best example of medieval garderobes in Europe. It is one of the most exquisite wedding venues in the north and also offers a wide range of options when it comes to exclusive use, with the castle being available for weddings, family celebrations, Bar Mitzvahs and Bat Mitzvahs, D&D-style events and a wide variety of corporate functions.