8 Former Fortresses That Are Now Stunning Luxury Hotels
Historic forts, even when forlorn, still have a little fight left in them. Perched on high hilltops, often commanding the best shorelines, a clutch of centuries-old fortresses have been refashioned as bold luxury hotels—with leisure at full force. Working with everything from 10-foot-thick walls to stone archways and inspiring turrets, designers soften the blueprint and take advantage of extraordinary fortified details. Once spartan, these fortress hotels are now sensational.
Photo: Courtesy of RAAS Devigarh1/8RAAS Devigarh, India
Yet another fortress in India’s Aravalli Range, the 18th-century Devigarh Palace was originally constructed out of locally sourced marble to survey one of three passes that accessed the valley below. At the turn of the century, and after a restoration that lasted nearly 15 years, it was given new license as RAAS Devigarh, an airy, 39-suite conversion with highly polished rooms—and ample marble accents.
Photo: Uschi Burger-Precht / Courtesy of Hotel Cap Rocat2/8Hotel Cap Rocat, Spain
It took an army to refurbish Cap Rocat—with Antonio Obrador taking the lead—a 19th-century clifftop military fortress in the Spanish isle of Majorca. Crossing the moat, guests enter between guard posts where ramparts are all in plain view but nothing is plain: The sandstone fortress is kitted out with a saltwater infinity pool, panoramic terraces, and more than enough Mediterranean flair.
Photo: Courtesy of Aman Sveti Stefan3/8Aman Sveti Stefan, Montenegro
Sveti Stefan, an island just off the coast of Montenegro, doesn’t need to work hard to be beautiful—but hard work is the bedrock of the 15th-century fortified village. The historic red-roofed cottages and buildings, home to centuries of fisherman, were restored by hand and reimagined as Aman Sveti Stefan. 58 rooms, suites, and cottages hewn from the historic stone houses are surrounded by pink sand beaches—and its own rocky shores.
Photo: Courtesy of Amangalla4/8Amangalla, Sri Lanka
Aman Resorts has a history of romancing the stone—although it wasn’t the first in Sri Lanka, where Amangalla is the second hotel to repurpose a clutch of 17th-century structures originally built to house Dutch military officers. Tucked behind the walls of Galle Fort, Amangalla’s 28 rooms and suites are all elegantly refashioned and all contemporary, charmed with polished teak floors and 19th-century antiques.
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Photo: Courtesy of Alila Fort Bishangarh5/8Alila Fort Bishangarh, India
At 230 years old, a warrior fort rises again after a striking transformation. Up high on its granite hillock, Alila Fort Bishangarh originally guarded its kingdom from northern invaders. Roughly an hour from Jaipur, it lay abandoned just decades ago—home to monkeys, bats, and history—until Sthapatya Architects elevated the ruins with a ritzy reconstruction. Nearly ten years in the making, 69 rooms were carved from the sprawling fortress, smoothed over with sandstone and marble, and decorated with frescoes and latticework.
Photo: Courtesy of Castello di Ugento6/8Castello di Ugento, Italy
The site, where a Norman fort once stood—of which a circular 12th-century tower was recently unearthed—is home to Castello di Ugento, a 17th-century castle along the southern tip of Puglia. After a sensitive restoration, the original structure was rendered anew, and with new purpose: In addition to nine hotel rooms, it’s also home to Puglia Culinary Centre, a cooking school installed within original arched ceilings.
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Photo: Courtesy of Hotel Fortaleza do Guincho7/8Hotel Fortaleza do Guincho, Portugal
Set on windswept cliffs overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, Hotel Fortaleza do Guincho’s broad 17th-century facade was originally built as a fortress near Portugal’s Cabo da Rocha, Europe’s most westerly point. Its rocky bluffs have little to defend today besides its reputation: The five-star Relais & Châteaux is best known for its Michelin-starred restaurant.
Photo: Jill Tate / Courtesy of Bath Tower8/8Bath Tower, Wales
In North Wales, the town of Caernarfon is surrounded by fortified walls built in the 13th century. The 2,408-foot-long walls are complete with a pair of medieval gatehouses and eight towers—one of which, Bath Tower, is Caernarfon’s most lofty accommodation. Restored by the UK’s Landmark Trust, the sandstone perch rests atop an original dungeon, but the interiors are hardly dire. Original curved walls are pared down with minimal antique furnishing, and the tower sleeps up to five guests.
