Star Castle

An Elizabethan castle hotel with fabulous views set in the village-like capital of Scilly’s largest island

On the highest point of St Mary’s, with the best views, Star Castle is one of the oldest, most atmospheric buildings on the Scillies. Set in a walled garrison, it was built in 1593 to defend the islands against Spanish invasion and, for some curious reason, it’s shaped like an 8-pointed star.

Grade I listed, it’s been a hotel since the 1930s; more recently, in the hands of seasoned hotelier Robert Francis and his son James. They have given the place a fresh new look, but the sense of history remains. Ancient stonework, worn to a shine by the march of Elizabethan soldiers, forms steps up to an arched tunnel, topped by a weathered bell-tower. You can stay in a low-beamed castle room (with leaded windows cut into thick stone walls), or in an airy garden suite with seaside décor and a sea view deck; there are two excellent restaurants. And from the lawned ramparts, you can look out across a dry moat, towards a blue Atlantic landscape scattered with ‘fortunate isles’ - each fringed by a string of glittering white-sand beaches that wouldn’t look out of place in the Caribbean.

Highs

• Standing on the battlements gazing at the dreamy view. On a clear day, you can see Tresco, St Martins, Bryher and St Agnes – all just a boat trip away
• The food is superb: fresh vegetables from the garden and Scillonian seafood (sometimes caught by the owner)
• Good old-fashioned service with a smile
• Oodles of atmosphere – creaking oak, hefty Tudor masonry and a convivial, subterranean dungeon bar
• The sub-tropical Scilly Isles – only 28 miles off the coast of Land’s End, but a world away from the mainland

Lows

• Some castle rooms are quite old-fashioned, in keeping with the 16th century bones
• One garden wing is frankly a bit drab from the outside, but interiors are light and fresh, and there are great views to the uninhabited islands
• The approach on foot is via a steep and partly cobbled slope (ditch the high heels)
• Double beds are singles zipped together, though this does mean there is lots of flexibility for guests requiring twin beds