I'll start with the odor of cat urin. Not just cat urine but cat urine that has seeped into the ground and floors of level one. Several women in my group were allergic to cats. The beautiful silver on the second floor appears as though it hasn't been polished in decade. Silver left to deteriorate as that is not appreciate. Black in color. It looks as if these people have no taste. Some of the decorations are nice. Then they went to the dollar store and bought a bunch of junk and put it next to it. Not my cup of tea. read more

Beautiful and charming place!! everyone should go there and enjoy the ambiance!! Highly recommend this place for special occasions.

Saturday September 22 2018 So my fiancée wanted to plan this years anniversary and she chose castle ravenstone which was ok and has great potential. After reading other reviews I feel I should put this out there that this is my first b&b. So upon arrival I was very skeptic as the owners Rose and Jose have many animals running about the property inside and out. Do remember you are out in farm country so this is very very common. Lol I just was surprised by all them. So we stayed in the king Arthur's room which had many wall decorations and was nicely decorated with some hand made some manufactured decorations and was well furnished. So I'm going to list the good things, things I think could have used improvement and the things that were interesting. Interesting- no WiFi and poor signal with t-mobile, but still manageable so that I could put some music on to break the silence. Good- so very very quite, very good for relaxation, a little to quite for me tho. Interesting- cornfields as far as the eye can see lol for me it's ok during the day but at night to scary, you can stay out late and they will make sure you can still get back in. They go lights out about 10p which we were back before then out of respect for this is not only their business but it's their home too. Interesting/good- the décor is definitely all one of a kind kind of things they have collected over the years which gives it a antique like feel and you won't see it anywhere else Things for improvement- there was a good deal of flys in our room which I think is expected in the country but it was a lot about 20-25, I found they were coming from a whole leading outside at the upper right corner of the air conditioner and clogged it with a bit of wet toilet paper, after that I proceeded to go on a genocidal rampage on them with a rolled up price of paper lol I got 15 confirmed kills before I stopped counting and went more efficacy over bragging rights lol Good- the room has air condition, but it was nice and cool when we went so we did not need it. Good- the room had its own bathroom and with mood lighting. It was actually funny because theres a horned mans face with on the top of mirror lol so with the red mood lighting we joked it was the devils bathroom and I would let out a comically evil laugh. Good / interesting- the house makes many many noises at night, you can hear foot steps in the halls, loud creaking noises, sounds of the night (animals and such) corn field noises like the their shushing something. Good- I liked having the cats around the house while I was their, it gives it a more lived in feeling and they are friendly little kittys too. Interesting- no TVs in the rooms, theres is a 13 inch one in common area with snacks and pop corn. Awesome- the breakfast was amazing. There was assorted fruits, yogurt, locally bought pastries, eggs (how you like them) sausage and some of the most amazing coffee I have ever had. The coffee was so good I had 4 cups. Rose and Jose talked with us while we ate which was wonderful, we got to learn more about the castles history and history behind most of their rescue cats. Overall it was a great new experience , and I would go back again provided we had more people coming with us. Cause then we would have more people for board games and other local activities like apple picking pumpkin patches and such. Very fun time. read more

This has been a remarkable weekend to stay at the ravenstone castle. The owners are excellent hosts and they have carefully designed the castle to perfection. Strongly Recommended!! read more

Ravenstone Castle - Bed & Breakfast Near Me - Harvard, Illinois

Got stuck in Harvard last night during a snow/ice storm, found this adorable B&B through google, and were lucky enough that they weren't booked full for us to get in so last minute! Especially since this turned out to be the same weekend as their Christmas Art Fair! The owners, Rose and Jose, were very gracious, especially considering our late check-in. The rooms are all themed, and we opted for the Egyptian Room, which is a jacuzzi suite. When we arrived at the castle, you enter in the sun room, which was full of arts and crafts for this weekend's fair. It smells like antiques, which I love, so I immediately felt at home. Went up a small ramp to the kitchen, which is a modern kitchen with old world charm, including copper pots and things hanging above the sink. Rose helped us with our bags up the large staircase to our room. It was SO CUTE, reminded me of The Luxor in Vegas. The queen size bed had a firm mattress with soft pillows, and the jacuzzi tub was perfect for my sore back. The attention to detail in the room was amazing. There was no tv in the room and no wi-fi, but we were so relaxed and tired, we didn't need it. In the morning, we did discover the sitting room Rose had mentioned, around the corner from our room, which did have a small tv and dvd player. For breakfast, we had strawberry yogurt, apple strudel, and scrambled eggs with orange juice. We were also offered fresh fruit, raisin toast, english muffins, coffee and tea. Before leaving, we also found the sun room had a little shop where they were holding the craft fair, with fudge! Lots of different flavors of fudge! I got Irish Cream Fudge and my bf got Pumpkin Fudge, both sooo good. If we ever need to stay the night in Harvard again, we'll be staying at the Castle! FYI if you have pet allergies, this may not be the B&B for you. There's an older dog who's kept seperate, and there are two friendly kitties who roam free. read more

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January, 2019 Each winter my husband and I choose a bed and breakfast to stay at, and this year we went to the Ravenstone Castle, which we've been curious about for some time. We checked in around 3:30 in the afternoon and met our host and hostess who were very nice and gave us a brief tour of the second floor rooms before we got settled. We stayed in the Egyptian room, which has a small bathroom (sink and toilet) as well as an in-room jacuzzi and a small sitting area. Since it was cold during our stay, we didn't use our balcony, but did use the small heater which they keep in the room to help warm up the room. The bed was comfortable, and in the morning the breakfast was very good--Trader Joe's yogurt, pastries, fresh pineapple, orange juice, tea, coffee, eggs, and sausage--served at a cozy table in a breakfast nook accompanied by pleasant conversation with our host and hostess. Considerations: * Watch yourself if there has been snow recently when you visit in winter. The parking area was a bit slippery, and since it isn't perfectly level, you can slide if you aren't careful. * If you have cat allergies, understand that they do have some friendly indoor cats. (My husband is allergic, but our room was extremely clean and he had almost no problem while at the castle.) * If you're a light sleeper, bring earplugs. My husband could hear the cats prowling, pouncing, and meowing above us at night, making it difficult for him to sleep soundly. (I had earplugs, so I slept through any sounds entirely.) * There is no Wi-Fi, and there are no TV in the rooms, although there is one available in a common area. Overall impression was good and we were glad we stayed there this year. If you like solitude and quiet, it's a great choice for a unique country getaway for a night or two. read more

This is truly a unique location and a great place to experience. The rooms are well appointed and feature custom fabrics and draperies with big, plush beds. Attention to detail is everywhere with the antiques and tapestries- all are just breath taking. We rented the entire castle for our wedding and could not have been happier. We reserved rooms for our parents to stay over the weekend as well. What a joy it was to hear them rave about the accommodations and their generous hosts, Rose and Jose. If you are looking for a quiet get-away not too far from home, look no further. It's beautiful, luxurious and so unique! read more

stayed two nights here in the unicorn room. Jose and Rose have built a lovely castle, and the accomodations were very clean and well appointed. breakfast consisted of eggs and sausage, scones or toast, some pastries, fresh fruit, coffee or tea, etc. all very good. i was there in november, the property would be spectacular in the spring or summer. ravenstone is about an hour out of chicago proper, in the farmlands still outside the city. if you need to head into town, it may be just as fast taking US-14 in as heading down to I-90. and you avoid the tolls. huzzah! some notes... as others have noted, no wi-fi. i don't consider this to be a problem, but if you absolutely positively have to have it, you may have to go find a starbucks or something. also, there are several cats living in the castle and a dog, keep that in mind if you have any pet allergies or issues. they're all very friendly, and the cats of course will wander into any open room like they own it. read more

My boyfriend and I stayed here a few nights ago and we were definitely impressed. Neither of us have been to a Bed n Breakfast before and didn't think it would be all that special. Maybe we spoiled ourselves by going here first cause I can't imagine many Bed n Breakfast places can top this experience. I called a few days before our anniversary and asked if the Egyptian room would be available on Saturday night. They were already booked for this room and the Unicorn room, the other room with a whirlpool tub inside the room. So we decided to come on a Friday and made our reservation only the day before. We live on the southside of Chicago and were able to get there in a reasonable time. We checked in and went to our room and were amazed at how nice it was. We also felt like the owner and her family who were around are all very nice and friendly. We got to pet a few of their precious cats and dogs. To us, this is a bonus. To someone with allergies... maybe not the best place to go. But the rooms were very clean and I didn't see any pet hair around. We drove to Woodstock and had dinner (that didn't turn out so well) and then back to our room. The next morning, we had a delicious and freshly cooked breakfast. The coffee was good, the assorted fruit and breads were good and they made scrambled eggs and sausage. It wasn't exactly the English breakfast we expected but delicious enough to make me happy. We got a tour of all the rooms. I was impressed with the detail in each room. The owner Rose makes tapestries and sells them at the Bristol Renaissance Fair. So each room has hand made bed spreads, rugs, and tapestries. If you stay in the other rooms, you still can use the whirlpool tub in the hallway bathroom. My boyfriend liked the King Arthur room and wants to stay there next time. Overall a great experience and not overpriced. I would definitely come back to the castle and maybe spend some time in the garden areas outside! read more

We spent the night at this unique bed and breakfast castle. The interior and the themed rooms are senstional. The grounds are beautiful. The host and hostess were so kind and friendly. There are so many beautiful tapestries throughout the castle and they even have some tasty you can purchase. There is so much to see. It was wonderful having breakfast watching the birds and wildlife just outside the window. They are cat lovers so there are cats inside the house that come to greet you. There is a pond on the grounds with a fountain. The grounds are very scenic. We will definitely coming back. read more

I bought a gift certificate through WRMN Radio Shopping Show for a $24 tour for 4 with the plan we would take our Webelos den there for a tour. When I called Rose was extremely rude on the phone and said that the gift certificate was only a 'credit' and that we would need to pay more as well. $8 per adult and $6 per child. Then she said they don't give tours despite their website saying otherwise.I said it was for the Cub Scouts so she agreed. She then called a few weeks later saying I needed to mail in our 'deposit'. I said we would have 3 adults and 6 kids. One was a toddler. I sent the certificate plus $36 and awaited our trip. Upon arrival we were greeted with Rose's daughter who was very, very nice. The boys enjoyed the tour. When we ended the tour it was like a Jekyll/Hyde moment as the daughter turned quite harsh and said , WE NEED TO SETTLE UP. I and my co-leader were shocked by her demeanor and the request for yet more money. I said I would handle it and sent the other adult and the boys outside. I explained what I had already paid and she said, we charge a $100 minimum for tours. I said that is not what was explained to me on the phone by Rose. I had already sent in $50 and as it was we had one adult and one boy cancel last minute. She was brusque and said,' I'll have you talk to Rose.' Well apparently Rose was really nearby because the daughter went away and I could HEAR her tell Rose that she needed to come talk to me. Rose said 'what does she want?' and the daughter said that I didn't want to pay the additional $50. Rose sighed and said , tell her tours are $100 min. The daughter said something unintelligible and then Rose sighed again and stomped out to talk to me. I was polite and said, 'oh your Rose, it's nice to meet you. I'm Brenda' and she would have none of it. She just said 'we charge a $100 min. for tours. I told you that.' I said ma'am I never knew any of that. I re-explained the pricing she had mentioned to me on the phone and what I sent in awhile. She would have none of that. She said, well it's a hundred dollars and walked off. I was sick to my stomach. The house was cool and the tour was nice but not even an hour and not worth $100!!!!!!!!!!!!! I said I would need to get my purse and went outside. My co-leader was upset too, as the pricing was clearly misrepresented. Had we known, we would have never visited this place and I would have never purchased the voucher from the show. We gave them an additional check for $50, left quickly and felt sick. It was a horrible way to end a decent experience. No way is that tour worth $100!!! They misused the show certificate and then gouged us for more and we really felt like we were getting the shakedown. Bottom line: it's fine if you want to build a castle but you guys should not be in the customer service business! read more

Such a wonderful experience in a Bed and Breakfast. Upon check in we were greeted by the hospitable keepers Terry and Jim. We were given a tour of the Castle to include all of the rooms available for rent. We stayed in the Egyptian room and could not have been more please with the accommodations. We could tell by the décor and quality of woodwork in the Castle that a significant amount of time and effort went in to planning and construction. The room had a private bath, Jacuzzi tub, and separate sitting room with a high ceiling. A small balcony outside with a view of the countryside complement the room. The breakfast was yogurt with fresh berries, apple strudel, banana and blue berry bread, orange juice, sausage and scrambled eggs. One word of caution is that if you have allergies to cats consider another inn as Sir Peter, Buttercup, and Princess are on the prowl but away from the rooms! read more

Ravenstone Castle - The sitting area in King Tut's room. - Bed & Breakfast Near Me - Harvard, Illinois

We have done many Bed & Breakfasts in our lifetime. I will share with you first what I liked about Ravenstone and then second what I did not like. I would first suggest if you have NEVER done a B&B do not make this one your first as it is not typical of a Bed & Breakfast. What I liked: Gorgeous grounds, gorgeous themed rooms. Beautiful architecture complete with gargoyles even! Very nice hostess, Terry. Greeted us and gave a fabulous tour. This place is pretty much more for ambience, total get away... I mean stare at each other and at the walls get away. I will tell you why I say that later. They took time with each and every room to make the decor match the theme. We stayed in the Egyptian Room. There was a huge sarcaphagus in a separate sitting room complete with spinx and much more decor themed to the Egyptian Period. Our bath was even decorted with two colums containing hieroglyphics . Gorgeous blue and red coloring. We had a private balcony overlooking a courtyard and had it been a warm Chicago night we would have enjoyed sitting out there but there were no chairs anyhow.... All the other rooms were each as enchanting. If I go again I'd stay in the King Arthur room. The castle is home to five cats and a dog. We saw two delightful cats..Buttercup and Sir Peter along with the dog who greeted us at breakfast. Breakfast...outstanding...a lot of food and delicious and traditional faire...not weird things that not eveyone likes. One complaint was the owner Rose chatted a bit too much while we just wanted to sit and eat. We were the ONLY guests at the castle which was very cool! What We didn't like: There is NO TV in the room, no internet connection. Not even a radio to play some music. There is one sitting area that has a DVD player The TV is about a 16 inch screen. Took us forever to figure out how to get it to work. A table is in the middle of the room blocking that DVD player and the chairs to sit on are uncomfortable. The DVD selection is poor. Most bed & breakfasts provide board games. This one did not even have that. Just a few thriller type books. We ended up retiring at 11:30 because there was nothing to do but stare at each other. LOL There are not many snacks and no drinks provided to guests. We had to go to the local walmart to buy our own. usually Bed & Breakfasts let you roam the other adjoining community rooms. But the owners live in a part of this castle and lights were out at about 10 pm so we felt uncomfortable doing that. Would have liked to sit in the living room by the fireplace but again felt awkward. It was a cold night for September our room temp had to be about 50 degrees. The space heater provided did not work. We were told in the morning that they do not put the heat on until October despite cold temps and cold guests we just threw on an extra blanket. The town of Harvard itself very small. We found a Walmart to get some drinks and snacks and waste a bit of time before our dinner for which we did head to Lake Geneva WI which was only a 30 minute ride. All in all a fine experience. We loved the decor but not sure it was worth the $165 we paid for the night. This is not a resort setting by any means. You must be familiar with bed & breakfasts first of all and also you must know this is for great atmosphere and just to get away and have some solitude in a delightful setting. Kudos the the chef...it was an amazing breakfast set out on a bistro table in a delightful renaissance like setting! read more

Upon arrival I was excited as the exterior is beautiful ! The odor of cats and filth was overwhelming when we entered to check in ! Cats are everywhere , the rooms are not private and you don't get a sense of comfort at all! read more

I went there one day to just check it out and see if I wanted to bring my grandchildren for a tour. I knocked on the door and Rose came out and was very rude. She said "What do you want?" and went on and on about how busy she was. Rose wouldn't even fully come out the door and shoved a pamphlet into my hands. Apparently, there was a Strawberry Festival the next day. I should have taken that warning and not have gone but I wanted to take my grandchildren somewhere fun. So we went the next day to this "Festival" if you could call it that. We pull up and the kids are very underwhelmed. The "castle" is more like a strangely decorated house with ugly grey bricks and creepy gargoyles on the outside. It's in the middle of a cornfield. We go in and my granddaughter who is very allergic immediately starts sneezing. There was dust and cats everywhere. The litter boxes looked very attractive next to the sweating fudge that looked like it had gone foul. Apparently there was already a tour going on so we were told to wait and check out the tapestries. We waited around 30 minutes looking in this room full of old, dusty, imported tapestries. They were very strange and had images of cats wearing gowns. All the wasps that lived there and stung me were very pleasant! After half an hour we went downstairs to finally start the tour. There were 2 other people with us. It was surprising because this apparently was the "Strawberry Festival". There were 2 people already on tour and 2 waiting with us and no strawberries whatsoever so it was extremely underwhelming. Rose went on and on about how busy she was for this festival and there was no festival at all. We finally went on this tour and it was just a house. The house had lots of strange antiques and unique decorations but it did not coordinate well together and looked very sloppy. Rose and her family live in this house so the whole tour felt a little intrusive. All Rose ranted about for the entire 20 minutes was how her sons had built the place. There was a room closed off by a folding room divider. It separated the house from their "living quarters" and was meant to keep the cats out. It did not work. The cats were everywhere and it was lovely to see their decorated litterboxes randomly scattered everywhere. There was an iPad sized TV and a microwave in the "common quarters" which was really just the end of a hallway. We also saw the rentable bedrooms. They were themed very strangely and were not attractive at all. Would never want to sleep there. We left in a hurry. Overall, we are glad we went because now my grandchildren have some shared trauma to talk and laugh about in the future :) read more

Great place to stay if you want a quiet retreat. My room had a Jacuzzi bath with two separate areas. Quiet and quite a recreations of the mid-evil times castle. Decorated great with the owners being very nice. Breakfast was good. The grounds were great to walk around. So many interesting small touches. read more

Just returned from an overnight stay at Ravenstone Castle. Had been there before for various events and tours, but had never stayed longer. What a wonderful experience to stay in a real castle where we could enjoy feeling like we had slipped back into the 1500s. We were treated like family and have plans to return again. You simply cannot take it all in on the first visit. The furniture, paintings, and tapestries have to be seen to be believed. Breakfast was included, and all at a price that was less than a stay in an ordinary hotel. read more

This is a wonderful magical place. We've been there 3 times over the years and it's truly amazing. There are 4 themed rooms, all unique in their own way. The hosts are lovely and they serve a very nice breakfast. We always stop at all the farms on the way back to the Chicagoland area. Highly recommended! read more

My 2 sisters and I had our sister weekend here and would highly recommend staying The interior was just as beautiful as the exterior. We were given a tour and found the decorating fascinating. Our hosts were very friendly and accommodating, food was delicious. We are cat lovers and enjoyed their visits. I definitely plan on going back. read more