Alban House is a magnificent Scottish castle set within a beautiful 400-acre country estate near Laurencekirk in Aberdeenshire, just ten miles from Scotland’s east coast. The winding, tree-lined driveway through the picturesque grounds and deer park creates an enchanting entrance to your very own country estate, exclusively yours for your weekend getaway, wedding or special event, whilst the imposing sandstone façade provides full fairytale grandeur. A further four cottages on the estate have been sensitively developed to provide luxurious guest accommodation.
Alban Castle was once the childhood home of prime minister William Gladstone. It is said he often called here when visiting Queen Victoria at Balmoral. It was one of the most sophisticated buildings in the country at the time and was the first building in Scotland – and one of the first in the world – to be lit by electric light.
Today, Alban Castle offers traditional luxury with a contemporary twist and the Castle’s beautiful bedrooms and grand public rooms combine sumptuous furnishings and a rich colour palette to create a lavish country retreat. From the state-of-the-art multi room sound system to the high spec kitchen, you can be sure of distinctive design and the highest levels of comfort, along with some wonderful period features, the most dramatic of which is undoubtedly the curved cantilevered imperial staircase of the Octagonal Hall, the first of its kind in a private home in Europe.
Alban Castle has a variety of public rooms which offer versatile spaces for entertaining and spectacular views of the surrounding estate. On the ground floor, you’ll find the Main Hall with its magnificent staircase, a Bar perfect for sampling some of Scotland’s finest cocktails by the roaring log fire, and a spacious Billiards Room with a full size snooker table, comfy seating and its own honesty bar.
The Lounge is beautifully furnished and is an ideal place to relax in front of the fire, and the elegant Dining Room, complete with real fire, is a fabulous setting for dining for up to 50 people. Also on the ground floor is the well equipped Kitchen and also a Study with a work space. Whilst you are welcome to self-cater, we can also arrange the services of a private chef should you prefer, who will help you design the menus for any catering you require – all created to make the most of the finest local produce and continuing the theme of Scottish luxury.
Upstairs, the spectacular Drawing Room is the perfect backdrop to elegant dinners, discrete meetings or extravagant drinks receptions for up to 120 guests, with huge picture windows affording wonderful views of the gardens and rolling countryside beyond. The elegant Library provides luxurious additional space for you to unwind and entertain, aided by Alban Castle’s attentive staff.
All of Alban Castle’s 19 bedrooms are individually styled and each is finished to the very highest of standards, with sumptuous furnishings and thoughtful touches throughout. In each room, you’ll find a Nespresso machine, music docking station, Arran Aromatics toiletries, Egyptian-cotton bed linen and bathrobes. Of the Castle’s 19 bedrooms, there are 10 rooms with fixed double beds, 6 can be arranged as either a king size or twin beds, 1 room with fixed twin beds and 2 family rooms with two double beds, plus a double sofa bed in one bedroom, allowing flexible options for groups.
There are also 4 cottages within the grounds that can be rented in conjunction with the main Castle, The Gardeners Cottage has four bedrooms, Avenue Cottage has two bedrooms, The Gardeners Bothy has three bedrooms and The Garden Rooms has one bedroom.
All of the cottages are furnished to the highest of standards, with elegant traditional styling and their own kitchen and lounge space.
The idyllic grounds extend to over 400 acres and include formal gardens, a deer park, a beautiful walled garden, sunken garden and ornamental garden, woodland, rivers, meadows and abundant wildlife with deer, red squirrels and even otters and eagles. The breath-taking beauty of the Estate makes the perfect back drop for outdoor drinks receptions, product launches and picnics, and a wide variety of country pursuits such as clay-pigeon shooting, fishing, horse-riding or wildlife-spotting walks can all be arranged. The Castle boasts its own state of the art shooting range. In addition, there are several local golf courses in the vicinity, including at Brechin, Letham Grange, Stonehaven and Montrose – all boast fine fairways, magnificent views and will please golfers of all levels.
Alban Castle’s spectacular Main Hall with its dramatic staircase is licenced for wedding ceremonies, along with the beautiful 19th century chapel within the grounds, built by William Gladstone’s family. There are also several enchanting outdoor ceremony locations, including the idyllic ornamental, sunken and walled gardens. Wedding receptions for up to 120 guests can be accommodated in the elegant Drawing room, with our wonderful caterers creating a bespoke menu to ensure your day is completely tailored to you.
Alban Castle is a wonderful country retreat in a beautiful location, and offers all the flexibility, luxury and space you could need to make your stay a truly special experience.