4 Jan 2018

GorJess Travels: The Kentucky Castle

Photo: The Kentucky Castle

If you live in or around the Lexington/Versailles area, or plan on visiting in the future you need to stop what you’re doing and immediately add The Kentucky Castle to your must-see list.

If you live in the area like myself, chances are you have passed the castle many times over the years and wondered what the story behind it is. Is it up and running? Is it completely empty? Well the castle is now indeed open to the public as a unique boutique hotel, and has undergone some absolutely stunning renovations. I was recently invited to visit the castle and was thrilled to finally go behind those mysterious castle doors. I am a big “Game of Thrones” fan so any chance to channel my inner Khaleesi for a day is always a go for me.

When you pull up to the castle you really get a feel of Winterfell, especially with this dark and dreary weather we’ve been having. At any minute I expected a dragon to swoop by or for John Snow to casually welcome us in. Sadly neither of those things happened, but there was still plenty of goodness to come. The property itself is breathtaking. It naturally has that down-home Kentucky view, but there’s a cool dark, haunting vibe there as well. It almost feels like you have been transported to another time and country even though you can still see all the comforts of home. I expected the inside decor to be very old world with lots of heavy fabrics and dark colors, but thanks to the renovation it is extremely chic and modern, without losing it’s royal charm. There’s still a plethora of castle touches that let you know you aren’t just inside any boutique hotel, but everything from the grand ballroom to the luxurious man-cave bourbon room are the epitome of style.

We took a small tour and got to explore a few of the rooms, as well as the rooftop. It was very interesting to learn a little history about the castle and how it got to where it is today. There is even a gift shop on it’s way with lots of adorable goodies, they even have crowns y’all- CROWNS! You can bet on my next visit one of those will be coming home with me. We didn’t get to try out the food, but the aroma was absolutely heavenly. I fully plan on trying it in the near future and love that everything is farm-to-table-one more nice touch to add to the growing list. Below you can see some of my favorite photos from the day to give you an idea of what a cool place we have right here in the Lexington area. If you are wondering if you have to be staying at the castle to see it yourself, the answer is no. There are tour/lunch options on Sundays and Mondays, but make sure to check their website to confirm that information, as well to book in advance.

I wanr to give a huge thank you to one of the castle owners Brian Adkins for such a warm, welcoming visit. I can’t wait to return!