Inside look at newly-restored castle on Logan Martin—here’s what we discovered [PHOTOS]

Have you ever wanted to spend a night in a castle? If a drawbridge, turrets and medieval themes are what you’re looking for in an Airbnb, you won’t have to leave the state of Alabama to find the perfect place to stay.

This isn’t an adventure for just a couple of people getting away for a weekend but if you want to plan a group outing or retreat, a spot on Logan Martin Lake has opened up after a long process of renovating a castle. Here’s what you need to know:

• 14 beds in 8 bedrooms, 3.5 baths
• 9-hole putt-putt course and pickleball court
• Arcade games+ping pong table
• Lake access with two-story dock

We spoke with the owner Blake Shultz about the history of the property, why he decided to take on the challenge + got a tour of the place. Here’s what we found out.

How it all came together

“About a year ago, we saw signs for an auction. When you’re up the road, it was just woods. You couldn’t see the property, it was just overgrown. No one had lived here for 18 years. We were just like… ‘what in the world is this? This is crazy.’

~ Blake Shultz

Shultz has a background in construction and has moved into the real estate world. While seemingly no one else wanted to take on the challenge, he saw an opportunity not just to make a short-term rental, but to also preserve much of a special property.

He saw the castle for the first time about a week before the auction. A website advertised the place as a definite teardown project with the value only being in the land. However, after one walkthrough, Shultz and his wife decided it only need a little bit of care.

The auction closed at $230,000 for the castle but that was just the start of the cost for the project they were taking on. It took almost a year to be ready for visitors but the finishing touches are being put on and they are officially accepting guests.

And you might see a place for a trip to the lake with some extra games but there’s also plenty of history you can learn, thanks to the efforts to salvage some things still found inside.

The history of Hartman Castle

After buying the property, Shultz got inside to learn even more about the previous owner. And there is a lot to learn.

Donald Hartman built the original castle by himself over 30 years, often refusing help according to neighbors. He did every carving and cut every piece of wood. There are over 1000 pieces of wood in the castle turret alone at the front of the building!

“We wanted to keep it as it was as much as we could because it is so unique… We came in and did some stuff but anything that was salvageable, we left and revitalized.”

~ Blake Shultz

Inside, Hartman still had several newspaper clippings and articles that were written about his building process over the years. He was also a writer himself, leaving behind several books and manuscripts that are now available for guests to read.

“We call this a museum to him.”

Touring the castle

As you arrive at the property, the first thing you’ll see is the pickleball court which is up by the road. But by the time you get out of the car, you want to walk right past that court and go down the hill to the castle. And as with any good castle, you’re welcomed by a drawbridge.

For guests, the drawbridge will come with instructions when you book. Once it’s down, you get to walk into a room that immediately makes you forget about the pickleball court and remind you that your are in fact, standing in a castle.

Suits of armor have been added to increase that feel but you are immediately surrounded by the history of the building (you can see more about that below).

You eventually walk downstairs into a bigger room with the first available bed. It also has a piano and an organ, one that was already in the castle when it was bought.

You continue into a new part of the building that was clearly the second stage of the construction process. It includes a study, a kitchen, more bedrooms and an old — no longer working — furnace. There is also a deck at the top level overlooking the lake. The lower level includes arcade games before moving outside on to a deck.

The outside area includes a large seating area, a fountain, a newly built putt-putt course and a pathway down to the lake. There is a spot to sit and relax next to the water + a two-story dock. But the feel from the original castle remains with a previously built fountain and gate.

The Castle is listed at $999/night + a cleaning fee. You can book your stay here.

If you ever visit Hartman Castle, make sure to tag The Bama Buzz in your social media posts on Instagram, X, Facebook + LinkedIn!