Isles of Scilly · England
Star Castle Hotel
Sleep inside an Elizabethan star fort above the Scillies' only town
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Built in the 1590s as a defensive star-shaped fort guarding the approaches to the islands, Star Castle sits on the Garrison headland above Hugh Town with views that take in most of the archipelago. The ramparts are still there, and so is the dry moat.
Accommodation splits between the castle itself, where rooms are small, thick-walled and full of character, and two garden suite blocks in the grounds that are lighter and considerably more spacious. The same family has run the place for decades and the atmosphere is closer to a large private house than a hotel.
Food leans on the islands: lobster and crab landed nearby, and wine from the family's own vineyard on St Martin's. There is a heated indoor pool, four acres of walled gardens, and boats leaving Hugh Town quay each morning for the off-islands.
At a glance
What to expect
- Historic castle rooms
- Heated indoor pool
- Seafood restaurant
- Walled gardens
- Island vineyard wines
- Complimentary tennis
- Panoramic sea views
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