If Thornbury is not to your taste but you still fancy living like royalty ­– if only for a week – Veronica Stivala picks her five favourite palatial hotels.

Parador de Oropesa, Oropesa, Spain

The Parador Museo de Oropesa dates back to the 14th century when, legend has it, this castillo was built on a site first settled in 1716 BC by Hercules’s soldiers.

True or not, this is definitely one of Spain’s oldest hotels (parador in Spanish) and transmits its history and legends through spectacular function rooms, columns and arcades, an imposing courtyard and the enigmatic keep.

It was once the ancestral home of the Álvarez de Toledo family, counts of Oropesa, and in past times sheltered soldiers, religious persons and nobles.

In 1930, it was converted into the first historic parador in the government-owned chain, paving the way for a network of lodgings located in castles, palaces, convents and monasteries which is unique in the world.

A swimming pool commands extensive views of the surrounding mountains, olive trees and the whitewashed medieval village of Oropesa.

You can book up to three rooms and a week in April (after Easter) for two in this castle will set you back some €3,000.

Peckforton Castle, Cheshire, England

Peckforton Castle is actually a bit of a misnomer because this is actually a country house built in Gothic style, yet palatial living extends beyond the architecture.

As a guest, you will be able to participate in time-honoured traditions as falconry and archery, but still living in modern luxury.

The house stands in woodland at the north end of Peckforton Hills, northwest of Cheshire.

It was built in the middle of the 19th century as a family home for John Tollemache, a wealthy Cheshire landowner, estate manager and member of parliament.

The Tollemache family continued to live in the house until 1939.

The castle has been granted heritage status and is lauded for its environmental practices, from the discreet solar panels on the roof to a policy of purchasing from local purveyors.

Stay in one of the 48 bedrooms done in a contemporary style that emphasises the romantic ambience, while also incorporating original building features, for some €1,650 between two for a week in September.

Summer bookings are already filling up fast, so get cracking if you are interested.

Tulloch Castle Hotel, Ross-shire, Scotland

The star attraction of this 12th century castle in the Scottish Highlands is undoubtedly the Green Lady, its resident ghost.

Although she is not the only spectre, she is the one who is sighted most frequently, so much so that the castle’s is named the Green Lady Bar and a portrait of the lady believed to be her namesake, Elizabeth Davidson, hangs in the Great Hall.

The privileged property of Tulloch Castle originally only allowed the chiefs of clans to sleep there. Now this castle, 45 minutes’ drive from Inverness Airport (and just 28 miles from Loch Ness), is open to all.

The building’s 250-year-old wood-panelled great hall, oversized plaid headboards, large, drafty fireplaces, and a family and pet cemetery add to the spooky atmosphere.

A week’s stay for two in a double room will set you back some €760.

Château d’Isenbourg, Rouffach, France

Wine, views and a castle. What more could you want?

Château d'Isenbourg is a small luxury hotel located on the Alsatian wine trail, at a bend of the Rhine where Switzerland, Germany and France converge, in the heart of the vineyards, several kilometres from Colmar.

The former royal residence of Dagobert II in the seventh century Merovingian era, the castle offers a magnificent, panoramic view of the Vosges foothills, the Rhine Plain and the Black Forest in the distance.

These days the castle hosts visitors in frilly Rococo-style rooms and encourages them to relax, whether by the outdoor swimming pool or in the Turkish bath and sauna (a few glasses of Alsatian wine from the 12th century cellars also do nicely).

A week-long stay for two in this castle costs about €1,700.

Hotel Schloss Leopoldskron, Salzburg, Austria

Do you feel a sense of déjà vu when you look at this castle? If, like me, you have watched countless reruns of The Sound of Music then you will probably recognise this as the 18th-century estate that served as the von Trapp family residence for the 1965 film.

This schloss (meaning castle in German) was recently given an extensive makeover, with 55 rooms in the former stables, including three film-themed suites where you can re-enact the My Favourite Things scene.

Schloss Leopoldskron is a discreet hideaway just minutes from the Old Town of Salzburg.

Built in 1736, and surrounded by 17 acres of manicured grounds, it is surrounded by a small, idyllic lake, and features majestic views of the mountains and the Hohensalzburg Fortress.

The hotel is almost booked for the year but you can still sign up for some enticing two-night packages such as the Spring Awakening stay (from €360 for a double room), the Casino package (double room from €279) and The Sound of Music stay (double room from €390).