A 7,000 square foot castle on 10 acres in Banner Elk with secret rooms, a game room, two full kitchens, a hot tub, and up-close views of Grandfather Mountain. Book the whole castle for 20, a wing for 14, or the cozy keep for 6.
Hidden Castle — Full Property · 7 Bedrooms · 20+ Guests · 3 Floors
Castle Tower — 5 Bedrooms · 14 Guests · Juliet Balcony · Hot Tub
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Castle Keep — 2 Bedrooms · 6 Guests · Big Deck · Hammocks · Egg Chairs
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The Grounds — 10 Acres · Grandfather Mountain Views · Moss-Covered Stone Walls
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The Hidden Castle sits on a secret summit in the woods of Watauga County, centered around a 40-foot stone turret with panoramic views of Grandfather Mountain. Three floors, seven bedrooms, five bathrooms, and enough gathering spaces that your group of 20 can spread out without ever feeling like they're on top of each other.
The main level is built for being together. A stone fireplace anchors the living room with grand windows framing Grandfather Mountain. The game room has a 60+ classic arcade, skeeball, and shuffleboard. The kitchen is stocked with everything you need to cook for the whole crew — plus a coffee bar and a cocktail station with its own mini fridge.
The lower level is a second home entirely — its own full kitchen, living space, and a library in the round at the base of the turret. This is where the group splits naturally: the night owls stay up in the game room while the early risers make coffee downstairs.
And then there are the secret rooms. A bookcase door that swings open to reveal a bunk room. A closet tunnel connecting spaces. A forest-themed kids area. Your group will spend the first hour just exploring.
7 bedrooms, 14 beds, 5 bathrooms across 3 floors. Here's the breakdown so you can assign rooms before you arrive.
The Hidden Castle was built for groups. Seven bedrooms, three floors, two kitchens, and 7,000 square feet of space that lets 20 people be together without being on top of each other. This is the stay your group will be talking about for years.
All three floors. All seven bedrooms. The entire 10-acre estate.
Perfect for: family reunions, friend groups of 10-20, milestone birthdays, bachelor/bachelorette weekends, corporate retreats
The Castle Tower and Castle Keep are smaller, independently bookable sections of the same property — each with their own private entrance, kitchen, and living space.
Mid-size section with Juliet balcony and hot tub.
Ideal for: mid-size groups, extended families
The cozy wing — castle atmosphere, smaller group.
Ideal for: couples, small families, weekend escapes
Every direct booking includes secure payment processing, identity verification, and flexible check-in and check-out whenever our schedule allows. No hidden fees.
The castle is centrally located off Hwy 105 — no winding back roads. Everything in the High Country is a short drive.
4.98 stars across 54 reviews. Here's what families and groups say after their stay.
"We had a large family get-together and this home gave us enough space to all gather in one place for meals and enough separate areas to spread out in smaller groups. … The game room was a very cool touch."Jennifer — Family Gathering
"We chose the Castle House because my now-wife had always dreamed of getting married in a castle, and it couldn't have been more perfect. … It gave us such a beautiful and memorable setting for our wedding"Steven — Wedding Party
"We were having a reunion … The castle was exactly what we needed. … The hot tub was a huge hit and the view was so incredible even with wet weather."Lauren — Family Reunion
9 guests · Ski-in/ski-out · Hot tub · 100-mile views
2-16+ guests · Cabins, domes, 20 acres
2-4 guests · Hot tubs · 100-mile views
6-20+ guests · Pool · Theater · 20 min from Uptown
5-19 guests · 40 acres · Weddings & events
The full Hidden Castle sleeps 20+ guests in 7 bedrooms with 14 beds and 5 bathrooms across 3 floors. Smaller groups can book the Castle Tower (14 guests, 5 bedrooms) or the Castle Keep (6 guests, 2 bedrooms).
The 7,000 square foot castle has secret rooms (including a bedroom with 4 twin beds hidden behind a bookcase door), a game room with a 60+ classic arcade, skeeball and shuffleboard, two full kitchens, a hot tub, a stone fireplace and a library in the round at the base of a 40-foot stone turret — all on 10 acres with views of Grandfather Mountain.
In Banner Elk, North Carolina, centrally located off Hwy 105 with no winding back roads. Grandfather Mountain is 8 miles away, the town of Banner Elk 5 miles, ski resorts (Sugar, Beech and Appalachian Ski Mountain) 10-20 miles, Blowing Rock 18 miles and downtown Boone 20 miles.
Yes. They are smaller, independently bookable sections of the same property, each with its own private entrance, kitchen and living space.
Family reunions, friend groups of 10-20, milestone birthdays, bachelor and bachelorette weekends and corporate retreats.
Booking direct at thenookandnest.com means $0 booking fees, secure payment processing, identity verification, flexible check-in and check-out whenever our schedule allows, and direct communication with your host — at the best available rate.