Located a mile (1.5 km) west of Newtongrange in Midlothian, on the banks of the River South Esk, Dalhousie Castle was originally built in the 13th Century and unsuccessfully besieged by King Henry IV of England in 1400. It was extended in distinctive pink sandstone around 1450 and further enlarged in 1633 to form a Renaissance house for Lord Ramsay, the Earl of Dalhousie. The castle was again altered in 1825, by the architect William Burn (1789 - 1870), when an entrance hall was created on several levels.
Since the early 20th century, the Earls of Dalhousie have chosen to live at one of their other homes, Brechin Castle. Dalhousie Castle was leased to a series of tenants and was a boarding school, before it was converted to a hotel in 1972. Many features of the original castle still exist, including its dungeons, and a major restoration has been undertaken.