Loveland Castle Museum — Attraction in Symmes Township

No, just no. I can’t believe there’s an abundance of positive stars for this place. It’s not a castle. Well, a real castle. I would say a replica is my best disc option. And kids 8-15 might enjoy it? There’s no bathroom inside that is available to the public. You can use an insight potty John in the parking lot though! Depending on the kids level of interest in knights, odd castle replicas and pretend play or just plain architecture this place is for big kids with a big imagination. Not toddlers or small ones.

If you can’t afford a real castle or one isn’t nearby. Go! But it’s small. Sketchy at times and tons of areas either blocked off completely under construction. So that was a bummer.

The $5 is worth it if you live within 20/30 min away.

It was a building created by one man (Sir Arthur - self named) and took him 30 years to complete - totally completion in 1980. Impressive? Yes.

But the experience was beyond underwhelming for a whole trip. We drove 2 hours to see this place with high expectations due to all the positive reviews. The self guided tour took 10- 15 minutes and it is not for small children.

The grounds are limited, so really just stuck with nothing to do after you check it out. The entire place was decorated with bizarre oddities and inauthentic artifacts of a time beyond what this actually original builder understood or could grasp. The building itself was quite impressive for one man. I wish there was more on the construction process. The video they show is ok, but didn’t explain the photos of modern day people getting married hanging on the walls.

It was obviously just a replica of an old time castle with knights, Chinese made swords and seemed more like a man who never grew up and had a lot of time on his hands to work on a hobby verse a historical sight. I will give him some kudos on building this and the attention to detail there but the new owners seem off. Just off! And maybe incapable of expressing the history of this man verse their own delusions of being attached to this castle whilst dressed up in 16th century costumes (in photos) - the staff seemed all related and rough around the edges but friendly though!

I recommend checking out if you have other plans near here. But don’t make it the main event. The most underwhelming experience sadly. I hate to leave a bad review but other Families should be informed. And aware of what they are embarking on. These wonderful reviews seem paid or don’t have small children or life far away? Or just really excited about anything outside of their house? I am not sure. I think actual historians would have a a hard time...

It's been a long time since I have been to Chateau La Roche, I hope I spelled that correctly or the more widely used Historic Loveland Castle. For a few years, I would make the trek from home in Florence/Alexandria Kentucky, or from Hamilton Ohio, and bring new people to see and experience the Castle. I also returned with them on subsequent visits. One year for my birthday, my church friends got together to throw me a party and spent the afternoon with me doing whatever I wanted. This will date this for anyone who has lived in the area since the 80s and 90s. After our morning church service, we all drove up to Po' Folks on Colrain Avenue for their all-you-could-eat chicken dinner for $5.00. They had bought me a card and when I was away from the table they took up a collection so that I could purchase some souvenirs from the gift shop. They all knew I wanted to go to the Castle, a few of them didn't understand why I chose this place to hang out, they thought maybe there were rides or something special about the place but, I wouldn't give in and tell them too much information, I would just tell them that they had to wait and see. There were between 15 and 20 of us who showed up in several cars and then began their education. I gave a little tour, everyone signed the guest book and they walked the grounds with me then we separated and checked it out individually. As we were getting ready to leave one of the young ladies called out to me, thank you Rhonda for sharing this with me. I had no idea that this was here, had no idea what it was, or why you would keep coming here. Thank you, this place is magical. Now I understand and I'll be back. I did buy myself a few things from the gift shop, mainly my red Chateau La Roche t-shirt that I wore very often. That was one of my favorite memories at the Castle. The reason I haven't been back in so many years, I think my last trip was somewhere in or around 2008 and that is because my health changed. I used to walk everywhere that I wanted to go and enjoyed it but through these years I have had more difficulty walking and can only do so for very short distances, longer distances are taken in my electric wheelchair. I hope to come back someday. I'm trying to learn how to alleviate the pain and build up my stamina. I have some pictures somewhere and when I find them,...

We recently extended our drive to visit the Loveland Castle, after discovering it on the Facebook Group "Ohio Roadtrips." Situated at the bottom of a steep and winding driveway, the approach to the castle is somewhat daunting.

The castle itself is quite impressive, particularly given its unique history and the dedication of its original builder. Admission is reasonably priced at $5.00 per person. However, potential visitors should manage their expectations; while the castle includes elements from various traditional castle styles, it is on a much smaller scale.

We learned that construction continued after the original builder's death in 1981, resulting in some parts appearing newer. The architecture is eclectic, and although the decor attempts to evoke a knightly theme, it often feels inconsistent, with sci-fi swords and sheet metal armor sculptures. Many of the staged rooms are closed off, viewable only through bars.

The castle and its builder possess a fascinating history, but the overall experience would benefit greatly from a more cohesive curatorial approach. The grounds, featuring a mix of annuals and shade perennials, would also benefit from better upkeep. Many of the terraced hotbeds were vacant, which was surprising given the presence of an inexpensive greenhouse behind the castle. Filling these hotbeds with perennials, such as creeping thyme, could significantly enhance the venue’s appeal.

We opted for a self-guided tour rather than being accompanied by one of the orange-shirted staff members. Upon departure, a staff member provided some additional background information, which was interesting, though much of it can be found online.

Overall, the Loveland Castle holds potential as a wedding venue with significant upgrades, an intriguing museum with better curation, and a worthwhile curiosity if you are nearby and have 30 minutes to spare. However, the state of the public facilities, which had not been serviced in a week, detracted from the...