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Fa’side Castle, Edinburgh, Scotland

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to stay in a real life castle? Check out our experience living like royalty in Fa’side Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland and plan your own Scottish vacation!
Stay in your own private Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland – Fa'side Castle. Tips for Traveling to Scotland. www.kevinandamanda.com

Staying in a Scottish Castle

On our 5th day in Scotland, we had breakfast at our hotel in Oban, then headed for Edinburgh. Kevin told me we were staying in a castle, but I had no idea what to expect! This was our view as we were pulling up the drive.

Stay in your own private Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland – Fa'side Castle. Tips for Traveling to Scotland. www.kevinandamanda.com

Welcome to Fa’side Castle!

Stay in your own private Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland – Fa'side Castle. Tips for Traveling to Scotland. www.kevinandamanda.com

We stayed in The Tower of this 14th century castle, and we had all three floors of the tower all to ourselves. It was very quiet and secluded and like staying in our own private castle!!

Stay in your own private Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland – Fa'side Castle. Tips for Traveling to Scotland. www.kevinandamanda.com

This was the grand door leading to our tower.

Stay in your own private Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland – Fa'side Castle. Tips for Traveling to Scotland. www.kevinandamanda.com

Come take a peek inside our private castle! :)

Stay in your own private Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland – Fa'side Castle. Tips for Traveling to Scotland. www.kevinandamanda.com

Look how tiny all the doors were!! While the rooms and ceilings were huge and tall, all the doors to our rooms were tiny and reminded me of hidden, secret passageways.

Stay in your own private Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland – Fa'side Castle. Tips for Traveling to Scotland. www.kevinandamanda.com

When you enter, you first pass the glass walkway which looks into the old dungeon. You then make your way up the narrow, spiral stone staircase to the first room. These historic stone stairs are the only original steps in the entire castle.

Stay in your own private Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland – Fa'side Castle. Tips for Traveling to Scotland. www.kevinandamanda.com

This is the Great Hall, and was ours to use as our own private “sitting room” for our stay.

Stay in your own private Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland – Fa'side Castle. Tips for Traveling to Scotland. www.kevinandamanda.com

The ceiling is painted with the history of the castle.

Stay in your own private Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland – Fa'side Castle. Tips for Traveling to Scotland. www.kevinandamanda.com

Bright, natural light poured in from the deep window nooks built into the thick castle walls

Stay in your own private Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland – Fa'side Castle. Tips for Traveling to Scotland. www.kevinandamanda.com

Loved this antique spindle!

Stay in your own private Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland – Fa'side Castle. Tips for Traveling to Scotland. www.kevinandamanda.com

Here’s another view of the Great Hall.

Stay in your own private Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland – Fa'side Castle. Tips for Traveling to Scotland. www.kevinandamanda.com

This is the original 14th century fireplace complete with a working log-burning stove. Perfect for chilly evenings.

Stay in your own private Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland – Fa'side Castle. Tips for Traveling to Scotland. www.kevinandamanda.com

Behind the tartan curtain is the original stone toilet where the old masters of the castle could listen to their prisoners down in the dungeon.

Stay in your own private Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland – Fa'side Castle. Tips for Traveling to Scotland. www.kevinandamanda.com

I could sit here and read all day!

Stay in your own private Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland – Fa'side Castle. Tips for Traveling to Scotland. www.kevinandamanda.com

This is the “jail”, another hidden nook in these deep castle walls!

Stay in your own private Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland – Fa'side Castle. Tips for Traveling to Scotland. www.kevinandamanda.com

Entertain your guests with a song by the fire? :)

Stay in your own private Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland – Fa'side Castle. Tips for Traveling to Scotland. www.kevinandamanda.com

Loved looking out over the estate through all the windows.

Stay in your own private Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland – Fa'side Castle. Tips for Traveling to Scotland. www.kevinandamanda.com

Here was another tiny, secret door…

Stay in your own private Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland – Fa'side Castle. Tips for Traveling to Scotland. www.kevinandamanda.com

This hidden door opened up to a whole new room! This was the office of the current owner’s son-in-law. He wasn’t there, so I sneaked in and took this photo for you! ;)

Stay in your own private Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland – Fa'side Castle. Tips for Traveling to Scotland. www.kevinandamanda.com

After thoroughly exploring our great hall, we made our way up the steep stone staircase again…

Stay in your own private Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland – Fa'side Castle. Tips for Traveling to Scotland. www.kevinandamanda.com

And on to our next floor!

Stay in your own private Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland – Fa'side Castle. Tips for Traveling to Scotland. www.kevinandamanda.com

This was our bedroom, and very comfy accommodations for the night.

Stay in your own private Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland – Fa'side Castle. Tips for Traveling to Scotland. www.kevinandamanda.com

An armoire in the window nook, for hanging clothes.

Stay in your own private Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland – Fa'side Castle. Tips for Traveling to Scotland. www.kevinandamanda.com

Our giant, 7-foot “Emperor” bed.

Stay in your own private Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland – Fa'side Castle. Tips for Traveling to Scotland. www.kevinandamanda.com

The dining room.

Stay in your own private Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland – Fa'side Castle. Tips for Traveling to Scotland. www.kevinandamanda.com

Our window seat, for star-gazing.

Stay in your own private Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland – Fa'side Castle. Tips for Traveling to Scotland. www.kevinandamanda.com

The fully stocked kitchen, where we had breakfast the next morning.

Stay in your own private Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland – Fa'side Castle. Tips for Traveling to Scotland. www.kevinandamanda.com

The gorgeous desk.

Stay in your own private Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland – Fa'side Castle. Tips for Traveling to Scotland. www.kevinandamanda.com

Gorgeous full-length mirror!

Stay in your own private Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland – Fa'side Castle. Tips for Traveling to Scotland. www.kevinandamanda.com

And our ensuite bathroom with claw foot tub.

Stay in your own private Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland – Fa'side Castle. Tips for Traveling to Scotland. www.kevinandamanda.com

How beautiful is this door??

Stay in your own private Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland – Fa'side Castle. Tips for Traveling to Scotland. www.kevinandamanda.com

We still had more exploring to do in our private castle. :)

Stay in your own private Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland – Fa'side Castle. Tips for Traveling to Scotland. www.kevinandamanda.com

Our View From the Castle

Next we made our way up the staircase one more time to our private roof top deck with panoramic views of Edinburgh, Musselburgh, and the North Sea.

Stay in your own private Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland – Fa'side Castle. Tips for Traveling to Scotland. www.kevinandamanda.com

We could see Edinburgh and Arthur’s Seat…

Stay in your own private Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland – Fa'side Castle. Tips for Traveling to Scotland. www.kevinandamanda.com

The colorful town of Musselburgh and the North Sea…

Stay in your own private Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland – Fa'side Castle. Tips for Traveling to Scotland. www.kevinandamanda.com

And the Firth of Forth.

Stay in your own private Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland – Fa'side Castle. Tips for Traveling to Scotland. www.kevinandamanda.com

After taking in the scenery, fresh air, and cool breeze on the roof, we made our way back down to settle in to our castle.

Stay in your own private Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland – Fa'side Castle. Tips for Traveling to Scotland. www.kevinandamanda.com

And finally? This was the key to our castle. Could it seriously get more romantic?? :)

More to come! In the next (and final) Scotland post, we explore Edinburgh, then take a castle drive down the coast to Newcastle where we catch the train to London! Stay tuned!! :)

 

Follow along on our Scotland, London and Paris Vacation!

What to Do in Scotland

Scotland Day 1 & 2 — Inverness, Loch Ness, Skye, and Talisker Bay
Scotland Day 3 — Skye, Fairy Pools, The Highlands, and Oban
Scotland Day 4 — Islands of Scotland: Mull, Iona, and the Cave of Melodies
Scotland Day 5 — Fa’side Castle, Edinburgh
Scotland Day 6 – Edinburgh & Castle Driving the Coast of Scotland
Everything I Ate In Scotland

Things to Do in London

London Day 1: Notting Hill, Seven Dials, and The London Eye
London Day 2: Tower of London, Borough Market, and Big Ben
London Day 3: Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, Fortnum and Mason
London Day 4: Bakery Hopping, Harrods Food Hall, and the London Tower Bridge
London Day 4: Sunset at The View from The Shard
Where We Stayed In London: Hotel Indigo Tower Hill
Everything I Ate In London

Where to Go in Paris

Paris Day 1: Sunrise and Sunset at the Eiffel Tower

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21 Responses
  1. Lacey

    Amanda! I LOVE your travel blogs!!! My Husband is taking us to Scotland/Paris/London for 6 days total in 3 days!!! I cannot wait. Any advise you could give us or your must see places? This trip is like a DREAM come true for me.

  2. janey

    Ok……I have to know. HOW do you plan your trips? Do you just do tons of research beforehand to figure out all these supercool lil niches?? Or does someone advise you on what where to go and what to see? And OMG…..your husband must be the king of the GPS to be able to find so many out of the way cool places???? we are planning a European trip….only purchasing the fast train ticket and zooming thru all countries. I did this in Italy last yr, staying for 8 weeks on my own, yet I felt there were so many things I missed. How do you know where you want to go inside of each country??
    I know…too many questions,..just love how ya’ll flit around from one country to another!!!!
    You Go Girl!

  3. Angie | Big Bear's Wife

    That is just amazing! that Castle is just beautiful! I love that old antique spindle and all of those little windows and doors !

  4. Amanda

    Your pictures give me goosebumps as I look throuh them. My ancestors are from Scotland in a little village called Methven. I have never been there, but there is a Methven castle. It looks much like the one that you stayed in. I have been told, though, since my maiden name is Methvin, if I ever go there, I can visit the castle. I don’t think I can stay there, but it would be nice to see in person. Thanks for sharing your trip.

  5. sheila

    No it seriously could not! So beautiful and amazing! My husband and I got to travel Scotland, Ireland, and England 17 years ago, it’s a magical place! Can’t wait to see more of your adventure.

  6. kelley @ Mountain Mama Cooks

    Amanda! I’m loving all your photos from your trip! I just spent the last half hour going through your posts. Love that you broke down each day. Sounds like you had a fantastic time!

  7. Kristin S

    I love this!

    Made it to England/Ireland/Wales three years ago and dream of Scotland. You are making me want to go even more!

  8. milu

    so beautiful! I love History! How relaxing, Thanks for sharing Amanda!
    Next time go to Portugal! Gorgeous scenery, tasty food and wines and great weather too!=)
    Love,
    **Milu**

  9. Anele @ Success Along the Weigh

    I thought I saw this place on House Hunters Vacation when they did a tie in for Brave when it came out but I just went back and watched the episode and its not, but similar! All castle start to look alike, dahling! ;-) Very cool spot and I love that you’re private but close enough to a town that you can still go there if you want to.

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Meet Kevin & Amanda

Kevin and Amanda

We love to travel and to eat! Here we share our favorite quick and easy recipes, plus travel tips and guides for our favorite places around the world. If you have any questions about what camera I use or how I edit my photos, check out my photography tutorials.

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