Highlands Castle, a hidden private estate among the trees is just three minutes away from Bolton Landing in Upstate New York. John Lavender II (67), who built three miniature castles on the estate, told Insider that he purchased the land in 1982.
All three were kept private as a residence for Lavender and Jason, their sons, and their wife Yvonne. However, they have been welcoming guests since 2010. âmagicalâCastles offering picturesque views of Lake George
Highlands Castle ($6,995 per night), The Castle Gatehouse, or The Castle Cottage (both $11,145 per night) can be booked directly through. WebsiteOr Airbnb.
Lavender, a Troy native, stated that he was just recently divorced at the time. He lived in a Clifton Park share-house with five other men. âIt wasnât an environment to raise a three-year-old,â Lavender told Insider. âI took him aside and shared with him, this is not our home, this is temporary.â
âI made the promise and I said Iâm going to show my son that if I speak words to him, Iâll follow through no matter what it takes,âHe added.Â
âI had no interest in castles,â Lavender told Insider. He couldnât stop drawing castle designs when he started planning for a home on the land that he had bought for himself and his son. Lavender claims that the promise he made five-years ago remained with him.Â
Lavender stated that he did not have any experience in architectural design and construction. Lavender said that all he knew was that his son wanted to live in a place where his friends could come over and where he could spend his time with them the same way as his father, a Methodist minister.
Lavender started a nonprofit to raise money for schools across the country in 1978 to help him achieve his dream lifestyle.
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Lavender made the blueprints for each miniature castle during the design and construction process.Â
âWe didnât even need stamped architectural blueprints back then, things were a little different and not what they are today,âHe stated. âI would have an oversize piece of white poster paper and everything sketched out and all the dimensions written out.â
He said that he would build two to three walls per day with the help of friends and some hired workers. âThen I would go back and draw something else for the next dayâs work,âHe added.Â
Lavender claims that he fell from a ladder on August 23, 2008 while trying to place a tarp under a section roof being redone at Highlands Castle. He fell on the concrete terrace off his balance, and came down like an angel. âsledgehammerâOn his right leg which was shattered in 20 spots.Â
His wife, Yvonne who he met in 1986, and was married at the property in 1993, found him moments later. Lavender was in a wheelchair for eight months and began to think about how it would feel to share their home with others. âBeing able to catch up on lost income, and just reinventing myself,âHe described it as an intriguing prospect.Â
Yvonne was a hospitality professional, Lavender stated. She had worked as an assistant manager at The Greenbrier in West Virginia, and at The Greenbrier in West Virginia. They met at The Sagamore in Bolton Landing in 1986.
Lavender, Yvonne and their initial hesitations were understandable. However, they both said that they were stunned by the results. âgratefulâ âkindâPeople who visit them.
âEvery guest that stays here will say to me, thank you for opening up your home to us,âHe stated. âMy response now is just, âThank you a hundred times more for finding us and staying here.'â
They run the business today, they stated, and only hire a cleaning crew when guests are staying.Â
âItâs my purpose now,âLavender spoke of inviting guests into his miniature castles. âIâm the steward of the property.â
Lavender indicated that Jason, his son has now moved into his own house with his family. However, he said that Yvonne and Yvonne have remained. They live on the property but they now live in Highlands Castle. âthe main house,âAccording to Lavender, this is his favorite.Â
According to the estate website Highlands Castle can sleep up to eight people and is the largest mini-castle in the country. Guests can stay in The Royal Bedroom or The Kingâs Suite. A terrace overlooking Lake George is located around the building.Â
The site lists rental prices for 4 guests at $6,995 and 395 each additional.
The Great Hall contains a variety of antiques Lavender has sourced from before he started construction in 1980s. This is one of the many benefits to renting the castle.Â
âI did everything kind of backwards, I bought all these antique suits of armor, antique gothic furniture, and light fixtures,âInsider heard from him, and he explained that he began designing and building castles using inspiration from these pieces.
The Great Hall today âthe heart of the castleâHere guests can enjoy a formal dinner with views of Lake George.Â
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Lavender claimed that he purchased the stained-glass doors from an antique dealer on Cape Cod 45 years ago. They were owned by the dealer for 59 years. He told Lavender that they were Tiffanyâs original design for a Vanderbilt family house. The doors are now part of Highlands Castle.Â
They werenât initially for sale. But Lavender stated that he called the dealer to see if anything had changed. âA few months later, I got a call,â Lavender said, âand he said âJohn, I kept your name and my health is failing, I remember your story and Iâm calling to say these doors are for sale for the very first time.'â
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In 1982, he claimed that he had created a footpath leading to the view. He invited his father (a Methodist minister) and his mother to see it. He added that they were both skeptical of his decision to buy a plot of land in the mountains just an hour from Clifton Park.Â
âWith picnic baskets in hand, they walked my path, put the picnic baskets down, turned around, and said, âNow I see why you bought this property,'â Lavender told Insider. âMy father was proud of what was put here, he would call me âmy son the castle builder.'â
The Castle Cottage can accommodate four to six guests and is just a few steps from Highlands Castle. For $1,145 per night for four people, and $125 per person for each additional guest, a stay is available.Â
The cottage is just like Highlands Castle and has an outdoor terrace that offers views of Lake George as well as the Adirondack Mountains.Â
According to the website The Castle Cottage features two cozy bedrooms as well as its own kitchen.Â
Highlands Castle does not offer any goods or services. However, Lavender stated that Bolton Landing, a hamlet just three minutes away, is home to a variety of boutiques as well as restaurants.Â
The following is an extract from the Warren County Tourism Department WebsiteYou can find a lot of watersport activities in the vicinity of Lake George. There are many waterfront restaurants, hiking trails and marinas.Â
The Castle Gatehouse sleeps up to seven people. Stays are $1,145 per night for four people and $125 each additional person.Â
According to the website the gatehouse is decorated with antiques that Lavender has purchased back in the 1980s and boasts high-vaulted ceilings.Â
The Castle Gatehouse was completed in 1988 and offers three bedrooms. Two of them have king-sized beds.Â
According to the website, the Grand Room of this miniature castle has reclining sofas and the kitchen area houses antique chairs.Â
âMy fantasy would be to have my son inherit the property and my grandson and granddaughter to be here after that,â Lavender told Insider.Â
But, he stated, âthis might not be their world.âHeâs content with them for now. âchasing and realizingâThey can pursue their dreams even if they are not at Highlands Castle.Â
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