Jealous of the Royal Baby? Don’t Be, When You Can Stay In a Castle of Your Own

Windsor Castle

There are certain perks to being a royal, as Prince George’s soon-to-be-born little sibling will soon learn—for one, the best address in the land. There’s no need to be envious of the toddler’s accommodation, though, because you, too, can stay in a castle, historic property or palace any time you want – you don’t have to be heir to the throne. We pick out five of the best.

Take your family and friends to a real castle

Would you like your castle with a great hall, Madam? Perhaps this impressive fortress will suit you? With these destination there’s no need to pack light, since any of these magnificent Scottish castles (or apartments within castles) sleep 9 people at minimum. Plenty of space to bring a change of clothes so that you can dress for dinner every night.

Live like a royal (servant)

If you’re looking for a destination to show off with on social media, how about Hampton Court Palace? Sadly, you can’t stay in the palace itself but you can book a night or so in the Georgian house in its grounds that was originally used by King George I and his son, and later divided up for very favoured servants to live in.

Try the Egyptian House – without travelling to Egypt

The Landmark Trust, who offer some very special places to stay have the very unusual Egyptian house in Penzance, Cornwall on offer. Built as a museum, the house has a very striking façade and interior, built in the late 18th Century when Egytomania was all the rage in the UK. An added bonus is that Cornwall is a great place to holiday – if you’ve been watching Poldark on TV lately you may have been swooning at its Cornish locations.

Float about on holiday on a boat

There’s nothing like messing about on the river – or in this case, the canal. A beautiful way to experience England, Ireland, Scotland or Wales, canals criss cross the UK and gently drifting along on a sunny day has to rank very highly as one of life’s pleasures. All you need to live is on the boat so you have a bed, sitting room, bathroom facilities and tiny kitchen to make your own meals. And there are some great pubs near mooring sites so you can just hop off for a drink and a meal when onboard life gets too much.

How about a church?

If you want something really historic with tonnes of atmosphere, camping in a church is the way to go. You can currently pick from three deconsecrated churches in the UK. You’re given the key and – added perk – a freshly cooked breakfast is brought to you in the morning. Organisers say that it’s a great way to experience the British countryside.

So now, you have absolutely no excuse to be jealous of Duchess Catherine or her progeny, since you can stay in a different fantastic location each week of the year.