Check Out the Royal Family's Just-Opened (and Surprisingly Affordable) B&B in Scotland
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If staying at a castle owned by the British Royal Family is on your bucket list, get ready to book a room.
Earlier this month, Prince Charles inaugurated a new bed and breakfast called the Granary Lodge on the grounds of the Castle of Mey in the Scottish Highlands — and you might be surprised by how affordable it is.
According to Vogue, the 10-room property was renovated by the Prince's Trust and Prince Charles himself was present for its inauguration on May 1. Each room was individually designed though, as you might imagine, they all sport traditional English decor. You can bet there's plenty of chintz and botanical prints. Rooms are listed for £145 to £195 (about $184 to $248) and there's plenty of availability this summer.
Fans of the Netflix series "The Crown" might remember that the Queen Mother purchased the then-crumbling Castle of Mey in the northernmost point of the UK from an elderly gentleman who could no longer care for the property. That was in 1952, and following her purchase, she renovated the 16th-century castle and vacationed there every August and October. When Her Royal Highness passed away in 2002, she left it to the Queen Elizabeth Castle of Mey Trust.
The castle and its grounds are open to the public from May 1 until September 30 (excluding July 24 through August 5), but now visitors can actually stay on the grounds. Those who do book a room will be treated to a freshly-cooked breakfast featuring local ingredients. The drawing room boasts beautiful views of the Pentland Firth and Orkney — an archipelago off the coast.
The Scottish Highlands are among the country's most picturesque places, and visitors who stay at the Granary Lodge can enjoy the stunning natural scenery, spot puffins and other birds, sample Scotch at distilleries like the Old Pulteney Whisky Distillery and, of course, visit the Castle of Mey's gardens.
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Unfortunately, you won't be able to earn loyalty points for a stay, so book with a credit card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve that gives you 3x points on travel. The closest airport is Wick John O'Groats Airport (WIC), which receives flights from both Edinburgh (EDI) and Aberdeen (ABZ). But if you ask us, the castle would make a great stop on a road trip through the Scottish Highlands starting in Edinburgh and stopping along the way at the historic Gleneagles Hotel, which is a member of Leading Hotels of the World and a property where Prince William and Duchess Kate Middleton have stayed.
This article originally stated that the Queen Mother died in 2006. It has since been amended with the correct date, 2002.
