Castle Hotel Windsor, Windsor

Castle hotel

Castle Hotel Windsor

Windsor, Berkshire

Level 0 Castle in Name OnlyCastle in name only: a coaching inn first recorded in 1528. The building was never a fortified castle.

  • Four-star hotel
  • Guests rate it 8.3 out of 10 on Booking.com (September 2026), based on more than 1,000 reviews.
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Castle Hotel Windsor is a coaching inn on the High Street, facing Windsor Castle. It began as the Mermaid Inn in 1528 and was later renamed. Castle in name only: a historic inn, not a real castle, suited to visitors wanting a central Windsor base.

Quick facts

Castle Authenticity Scale
Level 0: Castle in Name Only
Built
1528 (as the Mermaid Inn), with later additions
Rooms
108
Star rating
Four-star (Booking.com)
Guest rating
8.3 out of 10 on Booking.com (September 2026)
Dogs
Dogs are welcome as part of dog-friendly breaks. Rooms in the Mews Building take up to two dogs per room. (hotel policy)
Restaurant
Yes (hotel website)
Weddings
Yes (hotel website)
Exclusive use
No (hotel website)
Listed on Booking.com
Restaurant, Family rooms, Parking, Free wifi
Last checked
September 2026

The story

The story of Castle Hotel Windsor

Castle Hotel Windsor stands on the High Street facing Windsor Castle, and its name comes from that view rather than from its own construction. According to the hotel's own history, the site was first recorded in 1528 as the Mermaid Inn, a tavern serving a town of around 1,000 people.

An innkeeper named Richard Martin later renamed the inn the Castle Inn and was granted the first Royal Warrant from the monarchy, the hotel says. Eight innkeepers went on to hold Royal Warrants, and several also served as Mayor of Windsor. During the English Civil War, an innkeeper called George Pennington is said to have minted a local coin, the Pennington penny, to ease a shortage of currency in the town.

The hotel today is split between the Main House on the High Street and a separate Mews Building that, according to the hotel, once stabled royal horses.

The sleep

Rooms at Castle Hotel Windsor

The hotel has 108 rooms across the Main House and the Mews Building, according to its own website. Main House room types range from compact Snug rooms to larger Generous rooms, some with views towards Windsor Castle or the High Street.

Junior Suites in the Main House are named after past innkeepers, and the hotel's top-tier suites include separate lounge areas. Mews Building rooms include Mews Generous rooms with direct access to the car park and larger Mews Suites with their own seating areas.

None of the rooms are described as being inside a historic castle structure, since the building itself is a former coaching inn rather than a castle.

The table

Eating at Castle Hotel Windsor

Penningtons British Brasserie operates on site, serving what the hotel describes as seasonal British cooking for lunch, dinner and afternoon tea, open to both hotel guests and other visitors.

The hotel's website does not set out a separate breakfast option beyond the brasserie, and no further dining venues are listed.

The grounds

Around Castle Hotel Windsor

The hotel sits directly on Windsor's High Street, opposite Windsor Castle, in the centre of the town rather than on an estate or grounds of its own.

What we'd flag

What we'd flag

  • Despite the name, this is a former coaching inn, not a historic castle: choose it for the location opposite Windsor Castle, not for a stay inside historic castle walls.
  • Rooms are split between the Main House and a separate Mews Building; ask which building your room is in when you book if that matters to you.

Who it's for

Who Castle Hotel Windsor suits

This suits visitors who want to be within sight of Windsor Castle and prefer a central, walkable base with an on-site restaurant. It also suits travellers who want to bring a dog, since Mews Building rooms allow up to two dogs.

It does not suit anyone looking for a genuine historic castle stay: the building is a former inn dating from 1528, not a fortified castle, despite its name.

Nearby castles to visit

Closest Home to Windsor Castle, Windsor

Windsor Castle

Windsor Castle is under a mile (0.3 km) away as the crow flies. See where to stay around it.

Where Castle Hotel Windsor is.

Map tiles from OpenStreetMap.

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Some rooms inside the walls

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Castle Hotel Windsor: questions

Is Castle Hotel Windsor a real castle?

No. Despite the name, it is a former coaching inn on Windsor's High Street, first recorded in 1528 as the Mermaid Inn and later renamed the Castle Inn. Windsor Castle itself stands opposite the hotel but is a separate building.

How many rooms does Castle Hotel Windsor have?

The hotel has 108 rooms split between the Main House on the High Street and a separate Mews Building, according to the hotel's own website.

Are dogs allowed at Castle Hotel Windsor?

Yes. The hotel offers dog-friendly breaks, and rooms in the Mews Building allow up to two dogs per room, according to the hotel's website.

Can you get married at Castle Hotel Windsor?

Yes. The hotel has three function spaces for weddings and events: the Windsor Suite, which seats up to 260 guests, and the smaller Balmoral and Sandringham Suites, which seat up to 50 and 60 guests respectively.

Is there a restaurant at Castle Hotel Windsor?

Yes. Penningtons British Brasserie operates on site, serving lunch, dinner and afternoon tea to both hotel guests and other visitors, according to the hotel's website.

Sources and checks

Last checked: September 2026. We checked these sources for this page. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.