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An insider's guide to exclusive royal residences for hire

Glenapp Castle in Scotland - Paul Walker
Glenapp Castle in Scotland - Paul Walker

There has been a lot of talk of crowns and palaces this month so if you too are craving a piece of the action, why not book a break in one of these majestic residences and spend a few days enjoying the royal treatment.

Ashby St Ledgers Manor House, Northamptonshire

Ancient Ashby Manor has a glorious history: it is mentioned in the Domesday Book, and Robert Catesby, whose family moved there in 1375, gathered co-conspirators including Guy Fawkes in its gatehouse in 1605, to plan the Gunpowder Plot.

Stay at Ashby Manor, the manor house where the gunpowder plot was planned
Stay at Ashby Manor, the manor house where the gunpowder plot was planned

More recently, Ivor Guest, First Viscount Wimborne, purchased the place in 1903, and commissioned Edwin Lutyens to remodel it into a spectacular Edwardian country house. Today, the 10-bedroom house is owned by Henry Guest - first cousin of the Fourth Viscount Wimborne - and his Australian wife Nova.

They rent it out for holidays and it's a superb place for up to 20 friends (or three families) to gather. The rental comes with Maureen, the incredible housekeeper, and other staff - masseuse, tennis coach, yoga teacher, chef - can be arranged.

Ashby Manor offers the perfect blend of Tudor features and fresh, contemporary furnishings - with great lounging spaces including a billiard room, card room and library. Outside are exquisite gardens, lakes, a tennis court and a lovely swimming pool.

A two-night weekend break, including housekeeping, from £9,000.

Endeavour Penthouse at Glenapp Castle, Ayrshire, Scotland

As Scottish baronial piles go, 19th-century Glenapp Castle just south of Ballantrae, now a 17-room country house hotel set with acres of forest, is one of the loveliest. It was formerly the family seat of James Mackay, the First Earl of Inchcape, whose daughter Elsie attempted the east-west transatlantic crossing in a single-engine plane called Endeavour.

The immaculate gardens at Glenapp Castle - Lloyd Lane
The immaculate gardens at Glenapp Castle - Lloyd Lane

The hotel has just launched its new four-bedroom penthouse apartment, The Endeavour, in honour of both Elsie and the ship Captain James Cook first sailed in 1768. Ideal for a family, a private lift whisks you to the suite, which comprises the entire top floor.

In the penthouse apartment you'll find a kitchen-dining room, a sauna, library, games room and a spa treatment room. The suite comes with butler service and a private chef, so you can dip in to the hotel or stay tucked away.

From £2,950 per night on a B&B basis.

Lismore Castle County Waterford, Ireland

Right on the banks of the River Blackwater, 12th-century Lismore Castle, once owned by Sir Walter Raleigh, is the Irish seat of the Duke of Devonshire and still the family's private home.

Lismore Castle, the Irish seat of the Duke of Devonshire
Lismore Castle, the Irish seat of the Duke of Devonshire

Today it's also one of Oetker Collection's Masterpiece Estates - a series of extraordinary exclusive-use holiday houses managed by experienced hosts - and you've got the family's private staff and butlers on hand at all times.

There are multiple rooms to lounge in, the Pugin Banqueting Hall for dress-up dinners, and 15 beautiful bedrooms to retire to. Outside there are seven acres of gardens in which to stroll, play tennis and boule, canoeing, kayaking and fishing on the river, plus horse riding and trekking in the nearby Knockmealdown mountains.

Two-night stays for up to 16 people from about £35,967, although up to 27 people can be accommodated for a supplemental charge.

Villa Milocer, Aman Sveti Stefan, Montenegro

The fortified island of Sveti Stefan, four miles south of the medieval city of Budva, was built in the 15th century for 12 families of the Pastrovic tribe, at a time when pirates roamed freely in the Adriatic. Connected to the mainland by a causeway, these days, the island is part of a luxury Aman resort.

The Shady Loggia Terrace at Aman Sveti Stefan's Villa Milocer
The Shady Loggia Terrace at Aman Sveti Stefan's Villa Milocer

For complete privacy, consider Aman Sveti Stefan's most exclusive offering, Villa Milocer, which sits among olive trees and pine forests on the mainland. Once the summer residence of Queen Marija Karadjordjevic, six-suite Villa Milocer has an airy drawing room, book-filled library and its own restaurant with a wisteria-smothered terrace, serving Adriatic delicacies such as chargrilled calamari.

The villa has direct access to the private King's Beach, which sits on an emerald lagoon. While the island part is seasonal, Villa Milocer is open year-round, as is the Aman Spa, which guests of the villa have private access to, out of season.

Exclusive use of Villa Milocer from £5,270 per night.

Castello di Ugento, Puglia, Italy

A vast fortress at the southern tip of Italy's heel dating back to Norman times, Castello di Ugento has been home to the noble d'Amore family since 1643. Its current proprietors and gracious hosts Massimo d'Amore and Diana Bianchi, the Marchese and Marchesa of Ugento, masterminded its €15 million, four-year restoration.

Stay at this elegant Pugliese castello   - Roberto Corvaglia
Stay at this elegant Pugliese castello - Roberto Corvaglia

The perfect blend of ancient architecture and cutting-edge interior design, the castle has nine suites, professional-grade kitchens, grand entertaining rooms and an art-filled museum wing. It's now available on an exclusive-use basis and works well for a medium-sized gathering of your favourite people.

After breakfast of locally sourced meats, cheeses and home-baked pastries in the cobbled courtyard or kitchen gardens, you can head to the beach or shop for Pugliese ceramics and linens. Later, feast on world-class modern Italian fare in a dining room straight out of Game of Thrones, then party the night away beneath original 17th-century frescoes, with no concerns about disturbing the neighbours.

Sleeps 18 in nine bedrooms. From £7,725 per night.

Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, Cap d'Antibes, France

Few hotels have been as loved by as many movie stars, monarchs and maharajas as Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Antibes. Housed in a grand historic mansion, the hotel celebrates its 150th anniversary this year.  Those keen to return but in a more socially distanced way should consider booking one of the hotel's two exclusive-use villas, both set within the hotel gardens.

The lovely Villa Eleana at Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Antibes
The lovely Villa Eleana at Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Antibes

The three-bedroom Provençal-style cottage Villa Les Cèdres (it's surrounded by cedars) has a good-sized living room, kitchen and an outdoor hot tub, and two of the bedrooms open out on to a terrace overlooking the gardens. The grander Villa Eleana also has three bedrooms, a magnificent drawing room, a kitchen and a heavenly outdoor pool.

A final contender might be the Eden-Roc Suite, which sits atop the Eden-Roc Pavilion and has a spacious teak terrace with a hot tub which feels like you're on a superyacht.

Villa Les Cèdres from £5,725 per night, Villa Eleana from £7,545 per night, and Eden-Roc Suite from £4,815 per night.

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