Celebrity Traitors has kicked off as Claudia Winkleman returns to host a line-up of famous faces including Jonathan Ross, Alan Carr, Stephen Fry, Kate Garraway, Tom Daley and more
The highly-anticipated Celebrity Traitors has finally kicked off this week, with Claudia Winkleman returning to the Scottish Highlands to pit traitors versus faithfuls for a potential £100,000 prize pot for charity.
Famous faces including Jonathan Ross, Alan Carr, Stephen Fry, Kate Garraway, Tom Daley, Charlotte Church, Clare Balding, Cat Burns, Paloma Faith and more have headed to the now iconic castle, where they will need to use their wits to figure out who amongst them are the selected traitors.
The Traitors’ castle has become an iconic location thanks to its picture-perfect landscaped gardens, huge grounds, breathtaking library, living room and even its own bar. It’s therefore not surprising that fans always clamour to find out if they can hire it out for a holiday with their friends and recreate their own Traitors experience.
The real-life location is Ardross Castle in the Scottish Highlands, around half an hour’s drive north of Inverness.
Unfortunately before you rush to book a room at the beautiful 19th century spot, it’s not a hotel. However, it can be hired for the likes of weddings or corporate events. The landmark’s website is quite clear: “The estate is located in Ross-shire and is available for exclusive use hire for both corporate and private clients. The Castle is not a hotel and we do not let individual rooms.”
If you do hire it, don’t expect to find the infamous Roundtable Room; the whole set-up with the table and atmospheric decor is for the show.
It’s not hugely surprising; even during the show, the Traitors and Faithfuls themselves don’t sleep on the property but instead get whisked away to a nearby hotel, as Ardross Castle wouldn’t have enough rooms to accommodate all of the participants. (Although they do of course travel back to have breakfast in that gorgeous dining room, even if those breakfasts can get very tense).
Don’t be disheartened if you were picturing a fun weekend in a castle for a big group holiday; there are plenty of other castles across the UK which are open for bookings. Sykes Holiday Cottages, the Landmark Trust, Host Unusual and Big House Experience all have a variety of castle listings that cater to a wide array of budgets and group sizes.
It appears that The Traitors has caused quite a boost of tourism in Scotland, with increased searches for stays in the areas. Chris Ross, Chief Brand Officer & EMEA Executive Chair at Collinson International, said of the trend: “We’ve seen a remarkable uplift in visits to our Scottish airport lounges, and it’s clear that The Traitors has played a major role in putting Scotland, and especially the Highlands, firmly on travellers’ wish lists.
“Our data shows fans are turning their on-screen fascination into real-world adventures, with more travellers than ever flying to Scotland to experience the drama, beauty and intrigue for themselves. Scotland’s moment in the spotlight really is translating into a tourism boom.”
Do you have a story to tell us? Email us at [email protected].