Hilltop Castle — Hotel in Berlin Township

Fairytale family gathering.

Our large family recently stayed at Hilltop Castle for our annual family reunion, and it was nothing short of a dream come true.

The property is like something out of a storybook: Sprawling architecture, charming grounds, and picturesque setting. Nestled on a hilltop overlooking the surrounding forests and fields, Hilltop Castle offer a crazy amount of indoor space (30,000 sq ft). For a family that stays indoors all Shabbos (Saturday - iykyk), that is ample room for a huge crowd to be in.

Inside, every room is tastefully decorated and comfortable. The rooms have numbers - hotel style - each room with its own large bathroom and shower. The style of the place is not designed to be very elegant (more of a rugged theme- this was done purposely) - but still expect to find everything perfectly clean and inviting and all the amenities: ample towels, soaps, shampoos, linen, comfortable beds, nothing is left out to make your stay super comfortable. If you're thinking of sleeping with children in your room, things can get a bit tight, as the rooms are not that large. There is an extremely generous amount of sitting areas, strategically placed bar tables, niches in the hallways with benches. Outside the rooms, there's literally unlimited space!!! We were also amazed by the attention to detail.

One of the most impressive features was three amazing swimming pools. They were a huge hit with everyone, especially the kids! Each pool was crystal-clear, and while it cost a bit extra to have them heated, it was well worth every penny. Regardless of the weather, and the kids spent countless hours splashing around. The pools added such a luxurious touch to our stay. The rooms have an annoying pool alarm when you open the sliding doors to the outside - and that's a good thing. Beforehand, were were quite worried about the small kids and the pool, but it really worked out and everyone was able to stay safe because of the alarms. Obviously vigilance is important, but we found it extremely manageable.

Multiple escape rooms are scattered throughout the castle! There is also what looks like a soda machine, but upon closer inspection the soda machine door opens up. It is an entrance to a slick video game room! There is also this crazy underground tunnel.

Of course, there was plenty more to keep us entertained. The indoor FULL basketball court was perfect for family games, it has a raised scorer's table with a digital scoreboard and audio controls (the number of features in this place just don't end), a mini golf course in the basement, a massive home theater (80 seats!!) was a hit! The bowling alley - although it was hand-powered, added a charming, vintage feel, and the kids couldn’t get enough of it. There was also a game room complete with two pool tables, offering endless fun and friendly competition.

The gourmet kitchen was another standout feature. We have several avid cooks in our family, and this kitchen was an absolute dream. Fully equipped with top-of-the-line appliances and ample counter space, it made preparing meals for a large group a breeze. The adjoining dining room was equally impressive, with a massive table that comfortably accommodated all of us for family feasts. It's right next to the lounge area that has loads of couches and three massive smart TVs.

Outdoors, the beautifully landscaped grounds provided the perfect setting for family barbecues and outdoor games. The spacious patio was ideal for soaking up the sunshine during the day, while the fire pit became our go-to spot in the evenings. Sitting around the fire, toasting marshmallows, and sharing stories - great fun! There is an actual manicured walking path through the forest, that I unfortunately did not even have time to do, but it looked incredible.

Side note: Upon arriving home, I realized that we had left a cheap DVD player at the castle. We mentioned it to the staff, and the owner of the castle himself had it shipped back to me the next day! That is the level of service that these guys provide....

From the moment our crew walked into the castle, we knew it was going to be a great trip. Nothing compares to the feeling of stepping into the foyer for the first time and finally seeing everything in person. We booked a short family & friends getaway, and it was absolutely perfect. We had ~30 guests and there was more than enough space to accommodate all of us and our activities.

Our arrival kicked off with a short tour from Matt, one of the property owners. He was super friendly and gave so many tips and recommendations to improve our experience. He lives down the road and is readily available to answer any questions.

While this place obviously isn't advertised as some luxe hotel, we had all the things we needed for our stay. All our guests loved their rooms, highlighting how comfortable the beds were. The rooms are a bit small but clean and everyone has their own private bathroom, stocked with clean towels, soap, shampoo, and extra tp. The ground-level rooms also directly connect to the backyard which was super convenient and offered great lighting and views. The walls are a bit thin and some floors were creaky, but wasn't an issue as we spent most of our time having fun outside of our rooms, and by bedtime we were all too tired to be bothered by any noise.

Our group consisted of adults and two children -- even our toddler had a great time exploring. There is SO much space everywhere and so many different things to do, we actually had a hard time tracking each other down without our phones. We particularly enjoyed the indoor basketball court, where we were constantly running basketball and pickleball games all day long. We also got a lot of use out of the movie theater room. In addition to Roku service, we were able to connect a laptop via HDMI and ended up streaming the Knicks game on the big screen which was awesome.

For our stay, we opted for their catering service and it was the best decision. Eric made coordinating our menu selections a breeze and he was a great communicator throughout the entire process. Our chef, Jenn, was absolutely amazing. She was so discreet coming in and out of the castle and was super considerate of our space. The food was ready right on schedule as we coordinated and tasted amazing. My group LOVED the honey chipotle chicken in particular. The meals were served buffet-style and we had so many trays of leftovers, but it wasn't an issue as all the activities made us hungry again later anyway. We still ended up having to take some trays home.

As for activities "outside" the castle, some members of our group embarked on the enchanted hike. We followed the red trail, and things ended up being... super muddy. That should totally be expected as it had rained the whole week before our stay, but be sure to pack extra shoes! And be wary of tracking dirt into the castle afterwards! We had our hikers remove their shoes at the door upon returning.

We also tried to do some swimming to get some use out of the very well-kept pools. Unfortunately, the weather is still a bit chilly, but the pools would surely be more enjoyable if you're booking in the warmer months. However, the chilly weather did make it perfect for starting a fire where we sat around and made smores. There's a shed in front of the castle that sells firewood for $10/bag so make sure you bring cash!

Overall, we thoroughly loved our stay. I don't think I've invited my friends and family anywhere else where they had literally zero complaints. My only regret is not making our trip longer. In less than 24 hours since checking out, I'm already hearing requests about booking this place again. A part of me hopes whoever is reading this doesn't end up booking the castle so there's more available dates for me; but the rest of me hopes that everyone does because this place truly does offer a magical experience. 10/10...

We recently came back from our fifth stay at a Hilltop property and our second at the Hilltop Castle. We were there not long after construction was complete back in 2019 and just returned for a board/staff retreat (now that covid has given us a bit of a reprieve). We loved the property when we were there the first time and loved it even more this time. Our previous stays at the Hilltop Mansion were just as fun, especially having the fireplace and hot tub, but I have to say, the private bathrooms in every bedroom at the Castle is SO helpful.

Check in was seamless and Matt was, as always, super helpful. The property was clean. The kitchen was stocked to allow cooking for a houseful. For this visit, we used the recommended caterer so that we could spend more time enjoying ourselves and less time cooking and cleaning up. That was so worth it, and the food was plentiful and great.

Even with a snowy late winter visit when we couldn't enjoy the outdoor amenities, we had no shortage of indoor activities to keep everyone entertained. Mini golf, bowling, basketball, billiards, and game time at the very large dining table were just a few of the ways we all enjoyed ourselves. The treasure hunt kept a few of us totally entertained during our meeting down times. The time and energy that went into designing and building those elements must have been extensive. The experience will have anyone who tries it in awe.

I'd love to bring some friends and family to experience all that the Hilltop properties have to offer. If my upcoming birthday weekend becomes available, I just might...