Castles to stay the night on the Rhine

The Kranenturm in Bacharach is a castle built in 1588. Fatima and Kurt are great hosts, and Kurt will even cook you dinner in his restaurant. The city is just south of Koblenz and it's right on the water.

I don't think the Kranenturm is a castle. The name means "crane tower", and, when it was built, it was right next to the river, and it was used to unload boats so they didn't sit so deep in the water when they went over the shoals under the Lorelei. Their load was carried around the Lorelei in wagons and reloaded below the Lorelei.

There is also a 'castle" called Schönburg, above Oberwesel (between Bacharach and St Goar), that is now a hotel. I'm not so sure I would call it a castle. First, I think it, like all of the castles on the Rhein, except for the Marksburg, was destroyed by French troops around 1800 and has been rebuilt on the site of the ruins. If it were a real castle, it would have stone floors and walls, no electricity, and outhouses, and you wouldn't want to stay in it. And, second, I'm not sure you even stay in the original buildings, just modern ones built next to the original ones. It is also, imo, over priced because some people will pay anything to think they have slept in a castle.

There is also a hotel next to Burg Rheinfels, in St Goar. It's buildings also resemble castles, but they are new.

The Kranenturm is next to the railway nowadays.

I think your point is that you want to overnight in something that, whether damaged or not, was once a castle - and now resembles a castle in some way... a place that has been converted into comfortable accommodations, perhaps with a castle-period atmosphere. That's what most questions like yours are about.

Bacharach's Castle is called Stahleck and is an official HI / DJH hostel - and very popular. Like many castles, it's a steep walk up from town.

http://www.maggiewilliamswanderer.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/bacharach.jpg
https://www.jugendherberge.de/en/youth-hostels/bacharach-390/portrait/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ya8QQ8oIaos

The castle-hotel that earns the most lavish praise is Auf Schönburg in Oberwesel (which Lee mentions.) My in-laws had a private balcony room and loved it.
https://www.hotel-schoenburg.com/en/

Burg Rheinstein in Trechtingshausen has 2 apartments.
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g804481-d190238-Reviews-Rheinstein_Castle-Trechtingshausen_Rhineland_Palatinate.html

Also in T'hausen: Burg Reichenstein castle/hotel
https://www.burg-reichenstein.com/en/

Burg Liebenstein (Kamp-Bornhofen) is a castle/hotel.
http://www.castle-liebenstein.com/

Most of the other castles do not offer accommodations or public access - they are in private or government hands, and just a few offer tours.

Bacharach’s hostel castle books up far in advance

Anyway, Stahleck is a hostel environment.

BTW, if you are arriving in Bacharach by train, and if you have a rolling suitcase, you'll have a long roundabout route (2.4 km) on paved roads to Stahleck as the half km footpath directly from the stations is steep, dirt, and not conducive to a rolling suitcase.

The Kranenturm is next to the railway nowadays.

Right next to the tracks, but a half mile walk from the station.

Than you everyone. We were able to book a castle. We have sent messages to a farm. Landhannes.com and have not heard back. Do you know if they still have rooms to stay at??? Thanks so much. Deon.