Taymouth Castle Taymouth Castle is situated just north - east of the village of Kenmore , Perth and Kinross in the Highlands of Scotland . It stands on the site of the much older Balloch Castle ( built in 1550 ) , which was demolished to be rebuilt on a much larger scale in the early 19th century by the Campbells of Breadalbane . Built in the neo - Gothic style on a lavish scale , no expense was spared on the castle ' s interior , which was decorated with extravagant sumptuousness incorporating carvings , plasterwork and murals . Panels of medieval stained glass and Renaissance woodwork were incorporated into the scheme . Much of this decor survives , though the castle has lost most of its original rich furnishings . It has been empty since 1979 , although plans have been put forward for its redevelopment as a luxury hotel . The castle is a category A listed building , and the grounds are included in the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes , the national listing of significant gardens . It is also included on the Buildings at Risk Register . History . Balloch Castle . A tower house on the site , known as Balloch Castle , was built around 1550 by Sir Colin Campbell of Glenorchy , descendent of Duncan Campbell , 1st Lord Campbell . Sir Colin ' s son , Sir Duncan Campbell , was made a baronet in 1625 . James VI visited the castle in August 1582 , tipping the gardener 40 shillings - only a few days later he was seized at the Ruthven Raid . 18th - century rebuilding . Sir Duncan Campbell ' s descendent John Campbell was created Earl of Breadalbane and Holland in 1681 . In 1720 the 2nd Earl commissioned William Adam to remodel the house and lay out extensive formal gardens . The 2nd Earl ' s son oversaw further changes in the 1750s , and by the 1780s the formal gardens had been replaced with a picturesque landscape in the manner of Stourhead and Painshill Park . The present castle . The 4th Earl called upon Robert Mylne to prepare plans for a new " chateau " in 1789 , though they were not carried out . Ten years later the main block of the old house was demolished , to be replaced from 1806 by a Gothic building to the designs of the brothers James and Archibald Elliot . The English - Italian Francis Bernasconi carried out the ornate plasterwork of the staircase and drawing rooms between 1809 and 1812 . In 1818 the old east wing was pulled down and replaced by a two - storey wing designed by William Atkinson . The 4th Earl , created Marquess of Breadalbane in 1831 , was succeeded by the 2nd Marquess in 1834 . He completed the improvements from 1838 , by the remodelling of William Adam ' s west wing , which was enlarged and refaced to match the main block . This time the architect was James Gillespie Graham , with interiors designed by A . W . N . Pugin . The ceilings of the west wing are described by Historic Scotland as the " finest of their period in UK " . The works were complete by 1842 , in time for the first visit to Scotland of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert , when they stayed at Taymouth for three days . On the death of the 2nd Marquess , Taymouth passed to a distant cousin , along with the Earldom of Breadalbane . The Marquessate was re - created for his son Gavin Campbell in 1885 . The family estates were much reduced during his tenure , and on his death in 1922 Taymouth Castle was sold . It was converted into a hotel , opening in 1929 , with an 18 - hole golf course designed by James Braid in the grounds . It was used as a hospital for Polish troops during the Second World War , and between 1950 and 1968 it housed the Civil Defence Corps training school for Scotland . Taymouth was subsequently used by a boarding school for American children . This closed in 1979 and the building has since lain empty , though the golf course has continued to be operated separately . Restoration . In 2004 , it was reported that plans to redevelop the castle as a " six - star " hotel had been approved by Perth and Kinross Council . By May 2006 the buildings was weathertight , but work stopped in late 2006 and in April 2009 the company restoring Taymouth Castle was declared insolvent . Following the purchase of the estate by Meteor Asset Management , work re - commenced late in 2010 and , despite financial problems , the restoration was continuing in summer 2012 .