Ashford Castle's history can be traced all the way back to 1228. In more recent times, it was owned by the Guinness (as in the beer) family and was converted into a hotel in 1939. Guests can enjoy horseback riding, shooting, archery and golf on its sprawling 350 acre grounds.
Balfour Castle, Orkney Islands, Scotland
This is the most northerly castle hotel in the world - it's the perfect place to disappear to with your lover. If crackling log fires, Victorian antiques and false bookshelves leading to secret passages sound appealing, then this is the castle hotel for you.
Castel Porrona, Tuscany, Italy
Surrounded by vineyards, rolling Tuscan hills, sunflower fields and olive groves, Castel Porrona will really put you in the mood to kick back and relax. Each of the castle hotel's 22 rooms features stunning vistas of the surrounding countryside, which can also be enjoyed from a terrace on a glorious Mediterranean summer evening.