West Sussex

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Amberley Castle

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  • Amberley, nr Ardunel
     West Sussex, England BN18 9LT
    +44 (1798) 831992Website
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Goseek
Goseek
First Reviewer
5 out of 5
Avg. Member Rating
1
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Editor Pick

Amberley Castle

  • March 15, 2007
  • Rated 5 of 5 by Goseek from Flower Mound, Texas
Amberley Castle, a worthy splurge two hours west of London

This authentic, 900 year old castle in West Sussex will fulfill any Cinderella/King Arthur childhood fantasy. Now a luxury hotel and outstanding restaurant (yes, the waitstaff stood at attention and whisked off the silver domed plate covers simultaneously), our stay here was the highlight of our first trip to England. We’d never spent so much on a hotel room before (current range is US$340-725, ouch) but it truly was worth the splurge.

To get to West Sussex we rented a car from London, and the two-hour drive out to the country was our first experience with driving on the other side of the road. (I’ll save that story for another review!) Amberley Castle is set in a charming postcard-worthy village, where you’ll see sheep grazing on rolling green fields. Stroll through the lanes of thatched-roof cottages, and stop in to the local pub where the young owner is friendly and happy to chat, while locals of all ages come in for food, drink, and company.

Amberley Castle is family owned. Once in disrepair, the Cummings purchased the castle about 20 years ago and invested over 1 mil GBP to update it and make it beautiful. While we were there, we walked the fields with Mr. Cummings, had hors d’oevres with some local people who came to the restaurant for a birthday dinner celebration, and relaxed in front of the fireplace in the parlor. The locals talked about playing in the ruins of Amerberly when they were children, and marveled at the restoration. For us Americans, we felt we had a foot in the past and a foot in the glorious present, fantasies both. A suit of armor stands in the hallway. Peacocks wander the lawns. The food in the dining room is of the highest quality ingredients and the service was attentive, and just the right mixture of friendly and professional staff.

The bedrooms are luxurious, with elegant furnishings, four-poster beds, reading chairs, robes, and a bathroom with modern touches (like a towel warmer) and generously sized bath lotions.

I learned long ago that life is not a dress rehearsal, so if you have the time to leave London, reward yourself with a stay at Amberley Castle. Few experiences can match our dreams, but Amberley will. You can get more info at www.amberleycastle.co.uk

From journal Adventures in England for the New Worlder

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