RavenStone Castle,

4504 Illinois 23, Harvard, IL 60033

"Stopped by for a tour and was really excited to see it, however as soon as we walked in we were hit with a stench of urine and cats. It was tough getting through the tour because of the smell, i couldn’t imagine staying an actual night and having to endure that. The castle also looks very unkept, the outdoor areas need serious maintenance and the inside is very cluttered. We also noticed mouse droppings upstairs in the tapestry room - yikes! I really wanted to like this place but unfortunately I won’t be back."

"so enjoyed our stay --my pictures are beautiful and the hosts could not have been more welcoming. The Egyptian room is lovely and the sitting room is very nice, if one wants to sleep and the other wants to read. breakfast was delicous and we enjoyed seeing all their plants."

"We had a small family gathering for tea and a tour on a Sunday afternoon. It was delightful to chat in the parlor and then have a scrumptious lunch in the dining room. We did not feel rushed. Someday I would love to come back and stay overnight."

"Was just there this past weekend. A beautiful relaxing place if your looking for somewhere while visiting Lake Geneva in Wisconsin. We stayed in the Egyptian Room, the room was spotless, a tad cold but it was very cold outside. Whirlpool in our room was very relaxing and quiet. We are animal lovers, so the cats roaming the house was an amazing experience. Breakfast was lovely! (Cinnamon bread was my favorite). We definately plan on going back for their Butterfly Faire in the warm season."

"Husband and I went to tour the castle as they had announced they would have this service available on this day. Tour took about a half an hour and our guide was very friendly. It is a striking thing to come upon a castle in the middle of an Illinois field. The building is a labor of love within a family, and each guest bedroom has a theme. So much of the wood in the home has been hand-crafted. Beautiful doorways, flooring, light fixtures, art, and tapestries run through the entire place. There are so many things to look at that I feel I could stay a whole week and not notice everything. We were told by our guide that they are happy to accommodate small group functions like very intimate weddings or bridal showers. The tour group ahead of us was a boisterous group of young people celebrating a Harry Potter themed birthday. Please be advised for those of us with allergies or scent sensitivities that there are cats and there is a noticeable smell in the gift shop/entrance area, though I will never fault people for rescuing animals. I'd love to think I would do the same if I had this much space. The rest of the home did not seem to have that feline presence and it seems they do keep the kitties out of the guest areas."