A DEVOTED father has spent his life constructing a castle for his son, and it looks like something out of a fairy tale.
Highlands Castle, located in Upstate New York, includes royal bedrooms, a library, and a music room, as well as spectacular lake and mountain vistas.
The castle was created by John Lavender II, who promised his son that once he divorced in 1978, he would build him one for the two of them to live in.
“I made the commitment and I said I’m going to show my son that if I utter words to him, I’m going to follow through no matter what it takes,” he stated to Insider.
Four years later, John used money raised from a school fundraising corporation to purchase a big parcel of land in Bolton Landing.
With the help of his friends and some hired men, he designed and built the castle himself.
There is a music room, library, and cloak room inside the castle, as well as the “heart of the castle,” the Great Hall, which provides views of Lake George nearby.
There is also a “Royal Bedroom” for two people with an outdoor patio, as well as a second double room, as well as a private kitchen, dining room, family area, and bathroom for visitors to use.
The Romeo and Juliet stained glass door, which is over 250 years old, is one of the highlights.
For the tiny cost of £6,223 each night, you and seven buddies may rent it out on Airbnb.
John’s ambition of living in a castle with his son became a reality, and the two of them married there.
But John wasn’t finished after finishing Highlands Castle, so he went on to build two other castles on the same site.
On Airbnb, you may also reserve The Castle Cottage and The Castle Gatehouse.
For nearly three decades, the estate was a private residence for the Lavender family, but it has been open to visitors since 2010.
“Every person who stays here will thank you for opening up your home to us,” John remarked.
“All I have to say now is, ‘Thank you a hundred times more for discovering us and allowing us to stay here.'”
