I run the Castle of Traitors
BBC murder mystery reality show Traitors was an overnight success when it appeared on our screens earlier this year.
The “loyal” contestants, hosted by Claudia Winkelmann, tried to find out who the competing “traitors” among them were who wanted to sabotage the efforts and “kill” them.
The 12-part series has seen over 34 million views of the detective show that sees players work together to complete a series of incredible challenges.
The show’s format was based on the Dutch version but the British and American versions were filmed in a castle in the Highlands.
Set within a 2,000-acre estate, 19th-century Ardros Castle was the centerpiece of the hit TV movie.
Isolated in the Sutherland countryside, north of Inverness, about 10 miles from the nearest village of Alness, the grand 30-bedroom castle became recognizable overnight.
Staff, who run the facility on behalf of the McTaggarts family owners, say they are receiving more and more requests from the public to visit the famous property.
“We had more people trying to visit us after the first series,” Lucas Tsarmaclis, 59, told The Times.
“We also get phone calls from people saying ‘Can we make dinner reservations for four?’ We get a lot of that.”
Ardros Castle is not open to the public to visit – and staff routinely kept trespassers away from the castle gates during filming for the second series of the show.
Currently, the cast and crew of 200 are based at the castle and using the surrounding area for filming.
“It’s good for the area,” says Tsarmaclis.
“In the immediate vicinity of the castle there are Airbnbs and B&Bs, and these have benefited because they are booked for about three months.
“And in Inverness, which is about 30 minutes away, there are all the hotels and restaurants. The people who make the most money are the hotels.”
But companies can rent the castle for team building days and activities as well as meetings, conferences and private parties.
Activities including fishing on the Alness River, mountain bike rental, horse riding and guided walks can also be booked on the property’s grounds.
The castle, located about half an hour’s drive from Inverness, is also available as a wedding venue.
The luxury hotel offers an “unforgettable experience” with specially designed celebrations for the bride and groom.
Catering for up to 120 guests, couples can start with drinks in the gardens with small parties served in the lavish and intimate dining room or large parties in the Grand Hall for their reception.
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