Our wedding at Clayshire Castle was beautiful, but the experience with Douglas left us very uncomfortable. We rented the castle for our wedding weekend, including overnight accommodations for our family, and while we appreciated the unique setting, he repeatedly crossed boundaries during our stay. Throughout our wedding night, Douglas frequently entered or attempted to enter our rented spaces uninvited, including coming down to our side of the castle and asking us to turn off lights to save electricity. While I can understand wanting to conserve energy, several guests returned to their rooms after leaving lights on and found them off, which was unsettling and felt like someone had been in the room. We paid a significant amount for the venue, and it's hard to imagine that the cost of electricity would come close to what we paid for the event. The situation made us and our guests feel like our privacy wasn't being fully respected during what should have been a private and personal celebration. During the rehearsal and throughout the weekend, Douglas made several comments that felt unnecessary and intrusive. During the rehearsal, he told my husband and I to "act like you like each other" because he felt we weren't standing close enough at the altar, though there were much more appropriate ways to make that suggestion. He also repeatedly remarked on my hair being down, referencing medieval customs. The frequency of these comments over the rehearsal, wedding night, and breakfast the next morning made the interactions uncomfortable. Our parents and other guests also noticed how he spoke differently to the younger adults in our group, often in a condescending tone. During the reception, Douglas and Josephine helped clear plates as guests finished eating, which we appreciated. However, a few guests witnessed Douglas taking a plate of food and a cookie from our catering as he returned to his side of the castle. We weren't upset about it, but it did feel odd since it hadn't been discussed beforehand. The venue itself is stunning, but couples considering booking should be aware that the owners remain very present and involved throughout the event. Sometimes in ways that make it difficult to fully relax and enjoy your celebration. read more

Great experience! Beautiful castle! My husband can't stop talking about it and we are returning for the medieval faire

We had our wedding here and it was phenomenal! Doug and Josephine were just the best hosts ever! I am now so spoiled by their attention to detail and hospitality and accommodations that the current hotel we are staying out just doesn't even compare to where we just came from. The property and grounds are just exceptional. So quiet and peaceful. If we needed anything they were there to help and answer questions. I can't tell just how perfect they helped make our wedding and wedding night. We felt like true a king and queen. Plus the next morning we were served the best breakfast of all time, so much attention to detail and they were just so sweet. We will definitely be back!! Thank you so much for making our day so special!! We wish we could give them more stars! read more

The place is beautiful. Our bathroom wasn't very clean, toilet sink, mirror & we had to be up & out into the hall to have coffee & breakfast @ 9:00. We were hoping to have a bit of a later start before starting our day. Since we were on our honeymoon. I'm sure it's great for festivals. Just hard to align with the early start. read more

Lovely getaway! The castle is an English style manor house tucked away in the woods and fields not far from Spencer Indiana. The rooms, the food, the hosts. The views, the props ... It's all well done! We will be back. read more

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This review is purely based on being allowed to visit the grounds and walk around. I have never spent the night or had an event here. I contacted the owners and asked if I could visit to just check everything out. They were very nice about it and opened it up so I could see the rooms and spend the afternoon walking around the gardens. From the perspective of ambiance and creating a medieval scene, I thought they did an excellent job building and decorating the facility. The grounds are large and offer a lot of different opportunities for creative events. It might be costly to get the necessary equipment and extra help if you were having a wedding or large event. It is remote and has a long gravel road to access the gates. read more

We had such an amazing stay at Clayshire Castle. Lord Douglas & Lady Josephine are incredible hosts, and the B&B is so beautiful. The breakfasts we had were incredible (definitely didn't leave hungry!) and they were able to accommodate my celiac which is always the hardest thing for me while traveling. Don't worry about missing breakfast... at 9 am sharp Lord Douglas bellows through the castle that breakfast is served. We loved exploring the grounds, and soaking in the claw foot tub. We will definitely be back! read more

We had a lovely stay. Everything was beautiful, the hosts were very sweet, and the accommodations were perfect. Definitely a getaway worth taking! read more

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Last summer, on the recommendation of a relative, we stopped by Clayshire Castle for an open house. My husband and I loved it so much that we booked the Wine Cellar soon after they opened. Doug and Mary Jo were wonderful hosts! The room was fantastic. The electric fireplace made it extra cozy, and we even enjoyed a bath in the extra large wine barrel tub. Breakfast was delicious, and they were able to cater to both my husband's full-of-meat diet and my vegetarian diet. We look forward to visiting again~ read more

Clayshire Castle - Bed & Breakfast Near Me - Bowling Green, Indiana

My husband and I absolutely loved our stay at Clayshire Castle. We were greeted by one of the very friendly owners who gave us a tour and showed us to our room! They had a wonderful selection of medieval clothes you could wear (that were all clean) and various games that were fun to play. Breakfast the next morning served promptly at 9 AM was amazing .... warm scones, baked pears, cheesy egg soufflés and bacon. I will be dreaming about that breakfast for many mornings to come. Can't wait to come back! read more

If you are looking for an adventure you need wait no longer this place! I suggest you go to their yearly open house in September. Very family friendly event and quite affordable for a family adventure. read more

This review feels like a novel but bear with me. Clayshire Castle isn't your typical B&B experience we all know and many enjoy. Nor is anything typical about Lord Douglas and Lady Josephine Smock OR your own experience here. Lord Douglas is an aerospace engineer with Rolls Royce and Lady Josephine is a successful pediatrician in Indy with non-conventional retirement dreams of living in a castle. Most couples looking forward to retirement are considering downsizing, spending more time with the grandchildren or traveling. Not so much for Mary Jo and Doug Smock whose vision of building their retirement castle was realized last year, July 2012, with the B&B opened "pre-their-retirement" schedule. The installation of a beautiful wrought iron gate was necessary so inquiring minds wouldn't be knocking on their door at all hours. Not only is this a B&B on the weekends but Mary Jo & Doug's private residence within this 10,000 sq. ft. home. Are you an admirer of anything Renaissance or Medieval? Dream of an evening in a beautiful castle, dressing as Lady Guinevere with your own King Arthur escorting you to dine in the Grand Hall? Then a reservation at Clayshire Castle is a must for you. The drive from Indy is a little over an hour but enjoyable especially this time of year. As you pass through the gate onto the property you'll follow a winding 1/2 mile gravel driveway to reach the B&B. The winding drive can be hypnotic surrounded by the changing foliage and natural beauty then suddenly you notice the silence and tranquility. As you drive passed the stocked lake you'll fine you're already making mental notes of the cool spots along the way to revisit. Then without warning, standing before you is a magnificent 4 tower, 3 stories stone castle with a manicured lawn and gardens majestically sitting before you. I found myself pausing to admire every detail within sight while emotionally admiring the unshakeable commitment and dedication of the family. Envision staying in one of the five themed guest rooms, all with private baths, in a three story castle built on 120 acres of rolling hills where guests can walk miles of trails, fish in a 3 1/2 acre stocked lake, play lawn chess, walk through a developing hedge maze, enjoy an outdoor aromatic cedar hot tub, or curl up with your favorite book in an overstuffed chair. The Great Hall (max. 100 guests) is striking with handmade "medieval" furniture by Tell City Furniture, a stately fireplace, 4 large chandeliers' suspended from the vaulted ceiling with large windows allowing natural sunlight to fill the room and lovely views of the property. An impressive room for special events and large enough for weddings, renewing vows, anniversary parties, banquets (in costume? fun), or smaller gatherings for bridal/ baby showers, or a memorable milestone birthday bash. The Castle fits the bill for a romantic weekend and private wedding proposal. If you feel so inclined over 100 spectacular, theatrical-quality costumes are available to heighten the medieval experience. As with any well planned retirement and beginning of a new business this has taken 10 years of baby steps, financial planning and momentum from the family. The property was purchased in 2004 and seven years later, Sept 2011, Daniel Builders began construction and 10 months later completed their dream home. Of course staying with medieval guidelines the castle was appropriately dubbed "Clayshire," indicating the county of residence, just as it would have been titled back in medieval days. "Shire" is an old English word meaning "country". Katie, one of their daughters and a pediatrician by trade, explained this was the 7th version of the castle she drew with many changes recommended along the way by the family. Katie isn't an architect but has always loved to "scribble". Truly a family affair with love and pride engraved in every inch of the home by a fun loving and disciplined family. After speaking with the family for a matter of minutes we soon realized not only do they love castles but exhibit a wealth of historical knowledge they love to share with humor and personality. This home wasn't designed to be historically accurate down to the last stone but to be a fun 21st century version with historical highlights. Clayshire Castle rock's modern day twists with geo-thermal heating, private baths, flat screen television, electric fireplace and a sitting area in each bedroom. Downstairs has a family room atmosphere with full service kitchen, LARGE flat-screen, overstuffed sofas, board game area, children's play room, costume room plus an exercise room. This is a medieval experience with all the luxuries of the 21st century. Choose from one of the following 5 themed rooms for a fun getaway. On the 1st floor is the Tournament Room & Tapestry Room, The Enchanted Forest & Fairy Tale Room are both on 2nd floor, and the Wine Cellar Room is downstairs with an amazing tub. Thank you for sharing your dream home with us. read more

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In short: TERRIFIC experience and highly recommended! Anniversary trip for us filled with excellent hosts, exceptionally clean and beautiful facilities, abundant amenities, delicious breakfast, and an overall memorable and wonderful experience. Details: My wife and I decided to spend a night at the castle for our anniversary. The first thing you'll notice is the castle is wayyy off the beaten path! We actually really liked that. The drive itself - though a bit slow at times (some gravel roads on the way) - was actually quite beautiful and helped build the anticipation and excitement for us. Once you round the corner and see the grounds and castle - WOW - such a picturesque and memorable moment. The land is beautiful and well-manicured. When we arrived inside, one of the owners/hosts greeted us (in time period attire!) and showed us to our room (after offering us freshly baked cookies and lemonade). Our room (the fairy tale room) was exceptionally clean and well-decorated. You can see pictures for yourself on the castle's website. There was PLENTY to do (for us) in the area and at the castle grounds. We ended up going to the nearby exotic feline rescue center to tour and see tigers, lions, and even some jaguars (yeah, all of this in southern Indiana - who would have thought?) We got a good dinner in a nearby town, came back to the grounds and hiked around the various trails, showered up, and borrowed a movie from the free, fairly large collection of DVD's (each room as a mounted tv with built in DVD capabilities). We didn't even have time to do the cedar hot tub, use the telescope to see the stars, explore books in the nostalgic library, or use the campfire area for a cookout (though other guests we met all took advantage of these amenities). In the morning, a homemade breakfast awaited us (9:30am - although the hosts were accommodating if we needed an earlier time). On the menu that day was a fresh fruit parfait, fresh scones, hot coffee, homemade raspberry jam (picked by the owner/hosts on the grounds the night before - it was DELICIOUS), baked French toast, and sausage. Again, it was all delicious. We finished our stay by picking a time period costume from the LARGE selection provided, and getting pictures in and around the castle (that the owners graciously took for us!) All in all, we had a wonderful, wonderful time and would recommend the Clayshire Castle to anyone young at heart who is looking for a fun getaway and a top-notch bed and breakfast experience. read more

What wonderful place! We had a beautiful wedding there 2 years ago and have been visiting ever since. It's romantic and quite. The breakfasts were fantastic. Hospitality was awesome! Thank you for all of the great memories had and yet to come! read more

Clayshire Castle - Collage - Bed & Breakfast Near Me - Bowling Green, Indiana

The attention to detail is great. Having a quite weekend off the grid, and this B&B is the perfect medicine. You have to experience how wonderful a stay can be. read more

Clayshire Castle - A peaceful pond on the property. - Bed & Breakfast Near Me - Bowling Green, Indiana

My wife and I recently held our medieval themed wedding at Clayshire, and we could not be happier with the venue and the service! The castle is impeccably clean, and the grounds are absolutely gorgeous, especially in autumn with the leaves on the trees changing. The decorations in the five rooms are all wonderful, and combine the rustic elements of a medieval castle with modern accommodations; I especially enjoyed a hot bath the large tub in the Wine Cellar room. The bedding was incredibly comfortable, and the downstairs room was perfect for hanging out with our wedding party the night before and after. Mary-Jo and Douglass were also incredibly polite and helpful at every turn; from an amazing breakfast both mornings to ensuring that we had all that we needed throughout the weekend, they were always glad to help with a smile on their faces. They were happy to lend some of our guests pieces to complete their costumes, and helped us coordinate hay bails for seating. They also worked hard to ensure that things stayed clean, drinks remained full, and that anything from towels to napkins to bottle openers were on hand when we found ourselves short. Douglass is also very knowledgeable regarding medieval history, and was happy to share and entertain throughout our stay. One thing I would recommend keeping in mind is a plan for dinner; Clayshire is in rural Indiana, and it's a bit of a drive to Spencer to grab food. Fortunately, Mary-Jo was there to help us coordinate a late-night pizza run on Sunday! It's very clear that the owners love what they do, and we were so incredibly glad that they shared their home with us, and gave us the opportunity to have a perfect weekend. read more

Gahhh, where do I begin?! The entire property is breathtaking and the castle is immaculate! We were the first of the guests to arrive so the keeper was kind enough to show us through every room during our tour. The owners are so knowledgeable and passionate about their Castle and all of their charming medieval collectibles. We had so much fun choosing our evening attire from their very large selection! The attention to detail is incredible and the quality of the beds, bedding, furniture is top notch. It was incredibly clean and I felt just as comfortable there as I would at my own home. Our favorite room was the Library! Word of advice; if you have a 4 wheel drive vehicle, drive it. Also, do yourself a favor and stay two nights!! I so very much regret not staying two nights!!! Thank you so much for sharing your joy with the rest of us, Clayshire! read more

Took my family here for a quick getaway. Wonderful people and so much fun! We actually had the entire castle to ourselves. Thank you for a great time! read more

Lovely venue! I absolutely recommend it for any occasion. We rented it for our family's Thanksgiving gathering. We have a large, continually growing family, and it was getting harder to fit us all into a single house for holidays. Clayshire Castle was a wonderful venue for us. Plenty of space and although it did require a little more time in the car for one of the families, it was a fairly central location for all of us. The owners were great as well, very kind, courteous, and always asking if there was anything they could do to make our time there more comfortable. Thank you very much. read more

We stayed here in May of 2016 for our anniversary. If you are looking for somewhere off of the beaten path to spend a romantic weekend, this is the place. The attention to detail is quite impressive, and the hospitality is by far the best we've ever experienced. We had a great time dressing up in the period costumes available, there were so many to choose from in every size imaginable. If you read the reviews, you will see everyone speaks of the breakfast, it truly is top notch. Clayshire Castle will become a yearly destination for us. There are plenty of things to do in the area, including the Exotic Feline rescue, and several natural waterfalls within a short drive. It's difficult to believe you are in Indiana at times. read more

My two sons & I stayed here on a weeknight on our drive cross country. They being Knight lovers, thoroughly enjoyed the themed accommodations, playing Jenga with swords and the copious movie selection. The Lady & Lord of the castle were absolutely wonderful. The rooms were immaculate. The grounds lovely. Our breakfast was out of this world delicious. Our only disappointment was that we arrived about two hours later than planned and didn't get to enjoy more time here. We look forward to our next opportunity to spend a night or two and hope to bring either family or friends to have as much fun as we did! read more

I attended a wedding at Clayshire Castle this past weekend. Beautiful place but not for a wedding. The owners acted COMPLETELY overwhelmed. Also, when you rent a place for a wedding and reception, you don't expect to see the owners hovering around like vultures. They were everywhere. I'll be surprised if they aren't in half of the pictures that were taken at the reception. I also witnessed the tantrum that the "lady of the house" threw over the use of the "wrong tablecloths". Completely uncalled for and unprofessional. The wedding was beautiful despite the distractions. They should really stick to the B+B business. They are NOT ready for the wedding business. read more

My husband and I were married here on October 7, 2018. The owners seem nice at first. Maybe they are ok at running the B&B, but they are terrible at events. I had several bad things happen on my wedding day. 1) The owners and I exchanged several emails to nail down all details of the wedding. Despite this, some things just didn't happen, and some things we had to insist upon. Example: The husband (who is also an ordained minister and is who married us) sent us an email with example ceremonies, and asked us to advise what we wanted. I used his examples and sent him the ceremony we wanted *verbatim*. Because they are also a bed and breakfast, they refused to let us have a rehearsal there (and he refused to come to our rehearsal, even though he was the minister), so it was a surprise when, after I came down the aisle and my hand was placed into my soon-to-be husband's, we found him with a paper that had mad-lib type blanks on it, and he whispered to us, asking us certain things we wanted said. He also didn't remember that our Unity Sand Ceremony was to include my 11 year old son, and we had to whisper instruction while we were standing at the alter. Embarrassing and stressful! 2) We were not allowed access to the location until 11am, for a 2:30pm wedding. Everything - set up and decoration of the reception, the ceremony, the wedding party getting dressed, make-up, hair, pictures, sound check - EVERYTHING had to be done in that 3 1/2 hours. The ceremony was held outdoors, with guests to be seated on the lawn. We were told by the owners that there were some benches to be used for seating, and that it was our responsibility to set them up - all the info we were given. No problem. I had a crew of 5 friends (girls and one guy) who were coming to help. Come to find out when we arrived those benches were solid oak benches weighing likely close to 75 lbs each, and they were stored across the property. I had no one who was capable of lifting those benches and getting them all the way to where they needed to be. Had I known, I could have easily had a pick up truck with some big guys available to set up. But we were not told. We asked about using the lighter chairs provided for the reception, and the owners refused. My guests had to stand for the entire ceremony in the 90 degree heat. 3) The property has a lot of authentic Medieval costumes that are available to rent for $10. As we were having a Medieval wedding, this was a dream come true! I spoke to the wife owner several times via email about the costumes; we were given the opportunity when we toured the facility to choose costumes for our wedding party; as instructed, we took pics of the costumes we wanted, and were told by the wife owner IN WRITING (email) that they would be cleaned and set aside for the wedding, and would be waiting for us when we arrived, and that her daughter would be there to help them. None of this happened. My poor wedding party had to frantically try to find the original costumes we chose out of the 100 or so that were there - again, with all the other things that had to be done in that 3 1/2 hours - and literally no one was there to help them. 4) The owners don't communicate - with guests or each other. Both were nasty to my family and friends who were there to set up the ceremony and reception while I was in the basement getting ready. Doug *told* my aunt to place items in the fridge in their kitchen. She started doing so, and Mary Jo came in and SCREAMED at her that the kitchen was off limits, and to take them to the fridge in the basement. My crew was frequently snapped or yelled at during set-up, though we followed the do's and don'ts in the contract to the letter. 5) The worst thing that happened was tear-down. When we booked the wedding, we were told that while events had to end by 5pm on Fridays and Saturdays, on a Sunday we could chose any time. We booked and paid for 2:30pm - 5:30pm for ceremony and reception. At 5pm, the husband owner came out, announced that the reception was over, asked everyone to leave, and started breaking down our tables. My coordinator tried to tell him that we were booked til 5:30pm, and he snapped at her that all events end at 5. It was chaos; we didn't get to say goodbye to many guests, and we didn't get our bubble exit. I addressed this with Doug, asking for a half-hour of my money back, and I got a blank stare and no refund. While the venue is beautiful, the owners ruin it. Do NOT book a wedding here! UPDATE: The responses below by the owner are misleading or simply lies, unfortunately. For example: they followed our helpers around and screamed at them - that isn't being "just a rental venue." There was no "agreed-upon" rehearsal time - they just said no.We were NOT already breaking down at 5 - Doug started tearing down and ran off our guests. I stand by my review - and there are others who have given similar reviews for weddings. I think that says it all. read more

My daughters (aged six and nine) and I came to Clayshire Castle for their first medieval fair, and then stayed on for the night in the Fairy Tale room. The fair was a treat--just the right size for two kids on a hot September afternoon. And the night at the castle was a just wonderful. Even with the hustle and bustle of clearing up after the fair, the owners took time to give us a tour and outfit all three of us in medieval/Renaissance costume. The kids were enchanted with the costumes, the well-stocked game room, and the beautiful library that's loaded with castle themed literature for all ages. The rooms are beautiful and impeccably clean. Breakfast was a fruit parfait, scones, eggs Benedict, and sausage--all delicious, and all with a side of friendly conversation from the owners and other guests. A fantastic escape--and less than 90 minutes from The city. read more

Our hosts were gracious and knowledgeable, and Clayshire itself was a first rate bed and breakfast. Wonderful food, wonderful room, wonderful hot tub...One of the best B&B's I've ever been to, and I've been to a lot of them, both domestically and overseas. We couldn't recommend it more highly! John & Darcy read more

Had a wonderful weekend here. Hosts are welcoming, knowledgeable, and enthusiastic. Great breakfast.

The property and rooms are gorgeous. However, I don't think the owners are well versed in customer service. We were here for a wedding and needed a place to stay. Since everything else is 30+ minutes away, we decided to just stay at the castle. Now I recognize the we were a bit unconventional guests for the venue (a group of bridesmaids) but we were guests and we paid just the same. Unfortunately we were not treated as such. We experienced several snide and judgmental remarks from the owners. We had more than two people in the room. We checked in and let them know how many we had. They said it was fine. And then later came in and said it was an extra 25 a person. Now I understand that with breakfast and everything they need to account for that however that was not listed on the website, in the reservation, or even mentioned when we checked in. If you're going to charge more for extra people, be upfront about it. Probably would've just made the drive to a normal hotel if we had known. After a long day at the wedding, two of us laid down to nap and another went to the shower. The husband came and knocked on our door. My friend tried to be like hey people are sleeping and in the bath, come back later. He wouldn't leave, proceeded to go through this, that and the other until he woke both of us up. (This is where he finally told us about the extra fee). We paid for the room, we'd like our privacy. I'd leave the rules and such in written format in the room (holds more weight that way anyway if something goes wrong) and have do not disturb signs. The next morning, I went down to get coffee in the morning in my shorts and a sports bra. My hair was in a towel and the husband kept asking me about my shower, it felt a little creepy and uncomfortable. My only complaint about the room was the amount of dust. If I hit the bed a cloud of dust came up, YUCK! read more

My husband and I had our wedding here this past weekend, though the Castle itself is beautiful, the owners are not! Husband and wife have ZERO communication with each other, we treated very rudely, and they were not accommodating. They threw a fit over the childrens toy room being a mess, tables that I was promised being used along with linen. The gentleman of the house is also to be watched, not only did he bust in my room with myself and bridesmaids in different states of undress, but also made several inappropriate comments to many younger female guests. The breakfast was very nice, not that you would be able to talk to anyone other than the owners because of their chatter and stories, they are very overbearing. All and all, if you want a weekend away, maybe. But if you are looking to have any kind of event, I would suggest going somewhere else, they need to re evaluate their business plan. I will not be going back! read more

A Castle in Indiana, no way. It is true there is a castle in Indiana. A very beautiful castle on a vast countryside. The attention to detail in each room is wonderful. I am sure this is a top notch bed and breakfast. I am reviewing Clayshire Castle as venue for a wedding ceremony and reception. My brother recently rented this facility as the place for his wedding and reception. If you are looking for the fairytale wedding experience look elsewhere. Don't get me wrong my brother and his new wife made the best of the strangely unique owners of the castle and actually tied the knot which is what really matters. I could go on and on about the lack of professionalism of the owners. A few tips for the owners and a word of warning for renters; 1. The renters of your facility should be allowed to determine the temperature of the facility. Increase your rate if you worried about your utility bill. 2. If the renters want all of the lights in the hall on leave them on, Raise your rental rates if you are worried about the utility bill or cost of light bulbs. 3. If you don't want your inside linens used outside put them in your locked area and don't throw a fit (which my child thought was comical). 4. Make a list of rules, provide them to the renter up front and make both renter and owner sign it. Don't change your rules as you go. 5. Don't forget the customer is always right, if you don't think this way you will end up with a big castle and no guests. You may get the initial bookings with the stunning facility but your incompetence will catch on through word of mouth. Sticking to a bed and breakfast may be the best business plan. read more

I also attend the wedding this past weekend at Clayshire. Like others I agree with the setting, food, and how nice the rooms were. On the other hand, the whole time I was there it felt to me as I was at someone's home as the Lord and Lady followed me around and closed every window I opened and turned out every light I turned on. Now I know what my children feel like as this is what I do to them at my home. The difference is I do not open my home for business. As a guest at your establishment you are to make me feel comfortable, if I am hot open a window, if I need more light flip a switch. And by the managements actions I was made to feel very uncomfortable. The simple things at this location are hard to come by. Try getting a cup of coffee in the morning to enjoy the start of the day. I had to knock on the door (which I felt the staff hid behind) several times to get coffee for me and other guest. When I asked for a carafe of coffee, juice, or water, I was told breakfast would be served in a little bit. Breakfast was at 9:30 am. Call me weird but some people get up before 9:30 and would like a cup of coffee first thing in the morning, without having to knock on a door and made to wait while you seem to inconvenience the staff. As for the issue with cleanliness, I have a few thoughts on that. First issue, I arrived Friday and all day I was up and down the wooden stair cases that lead upstairs. I noticed the grass clippings and dirt from top to bottom on both sides of the stairs. When I got up the next morning and went down stairs at 7:30 am I looked to see if the stairs had been cleaned that morning or the night before. From top to bottom they were just as dirty as the night before, and I was the first one up and out that morning. My second issue was later that Saturday evening during the wedding reception. As I set at the table eating my dinner and enjoying myself, here comes the Lady of the house right through the middle of the reception with a clear plastic bag of trash from the bathrooms. GROSS!!! If that is going on in plain sight what kind of stuff is going on behind that locked door you made your guest stand at and made to feel uncomfortable? My tip for this location is buyer beware. read more

I attended a wedding over the weekend. The castle itself was beautiful, but the cobwebs and dirt quickly changed my opinion...The relatives of the bride and groom were cleaning cobwebs and dusting the night before the wedding. The owners were unbelievable. I can't believe they have kept the place open as long as they have. They are so rude and "lord pervert" is completely creepy. He walked in on all the bridesmaids and the mother of the bride getting dressed just to collect trash.....SERIOUSLY????? At what point have you stayed at a hotel and the maid barges in uninvited to collect the trash?...also, a couple of us decided to lay on the couches and watch tv before going to sleep...we fell asleep...no big deal right? WRONG! The Lord and lady came down at 0830 flipped on all the lights and proceeded to tell us that this is not our home and we are not to sleep on the couch, then lady testy pants walked in another room and slammed the door as hard as she could....I've read everyone else's reviews about still going there for a wknd....I think NOT...you could not pay me to go back to that joke of a business... read more

I attended a family wedding this past weekend at Clayshire Castle and the entire experience was amazing! The grounds and castle were very clean, welcoming, quirky, and wonderful. I loved how the grounds and castle were open for exploring, so many things to see and marvel at (my favorite was the giant chess board on the property)! The hosts were great to interact with, were very friendly and accommodating, and did an excellent job at making the whole experience perfect for everyone. I definitely would recommend this Bed & Breakfast to anyone looking for something a little different, it truly is a little treasure tucked away in rural Indiana. read more

Wow...were we amazed at this location, outstanding facility, and filled to the brim breakfast!!! The entire place was incredibly gorgeous. You can tell a lot of heart and enormous amounts of thought went into its construction. And make sure you are plenty hungry in the morning because you will get more than full with their delicious offerings. Our whole family had such an amazing time, and we didn't even get to stay as long as we liked. Next time... read more

In response to Mary Jo, my original review was neither malicious or exaggerated. Fact: the place was a mess and had to be cleaned by guests. Fact: there was no assistance to guests by staff with luggage. In don't know the agreement between the staff and client regarding the number of tables, I know that many members of the wedding party brought additional tables, I brought 2 myself. I also know that the staff watched us set up 3 buffet tables on Friday night then demanded we switch them out Saturday morning as they were the "wrong" tables. I also know that no tables or linens were set out, so if too many or, again, the "wrong" ones were used, the staff must take SOME accountability for not having earmarked what was for our use. Regarding unregistered guests, I was a guest Friday night and the only registration I did was signing the guest book. The entire inn (5 guest rooms) was rented as per your rules, some of the rooms have fold out couches, so I'm not sure the number of guests you were expecting, but having an extra 4 doesn't seem like that big of a deal. As far as an additional charge for moving the reception inside, what would that be? Again, as per YOUR website facility rental, rental includes access to all amenities including grounds, so what's the big deal? There were 88 guests, so the wedding was well within the parameters set by you. I stand by my review, the castle is unique and interesting, the two owners are not equipped to deal with clients or host large events. Tip from me: hire a cleaning service read more