The small island with a big smiling personality, Ireland is an underestimated beauty capable of enchanting both the adventure traveller and the holidaymaker looking to escape and unwind. Listen to Irish folk under the wooden beams of a Dublin pub, marvel at the might of prehistoric Newgrange or brave the surf of the Atlantic. Lose yourself and a piece of your heart in Ireland.
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Having been awarded the Conde Nast Traveler Reader’s Choice Award, Adare Manir has become a driving force of luxury accommodation in Ireland. Make a name for itself for it’s fine dining, impeccable heritage and warm Irish hospitality, it is a labour of love for all who work there. Welcoming guests like long lost friends, you are right at home from the moment you walk through the door. Occupying 840 acres of private parkland, it is one of the largest estates in Ireland that guests can explore. The gothic architecture of the manor house stands proudly in the quintessentially rugged Irish landscape and has become rooted in Limerick’s culture and history. Delivering the first Michelin star to Limerick, the hotel is a purveyor of magnificent cuisine, with the Oak Room utilising the best Irish ingredients to create dishes that are as creative as they are delicious. It is something that has to be experienced to be believed and we strongly recommend that you take this culinary journey when you’re in Ireland.
There are no end of castles that you can visit in Ireland, and Ashford Castle is definitely one you cannot miss. 800 years old and build from enduring stonework, the hotel has been recognised by National Geographic as a Unique Lodge of the World, an accolade it doesn’t fail to live up to. Formerly home to the world renowned Guinness Family, it now welcomes guests from all over the world for an authentic Irish experience. 350 acres of landscape offer a host of estate activities for guests to enjoy and with views of Lake Corrib, the hotel is a magic Irish adventure. 83 bedrooms and suites alongside the Castle’s Hideaway Cottage are all decorated to the highest standard or Irish interior decoration. Carefully curated antiques and artworks are treasures from a by-gone era that will deliver a sense of grandeur and intrigue to each area of the castle. Dining is an experience here, with ingredients that are foraged from the estate or grown in the grounds to create West Irish cuisine with the freshest and local produce. If you stumble upon some wild delicacies on your walks on the estate, you can be sure the team will be able to transform it into something delicious.
Within 614 acres of irish landscape sits the grand regency mansion of Ballyfin. With boundless space that guests can explore, it offers privacy and discretion for those who seek it. Located within the Slieve Bloom Mountains, there is so much landscape to journey through. 20 bedrooms are housed within the mansion that has been specifically designed for entertaining. Magnificent reception rooms and guest areas have been restored to reflect the Neoclassical and Empire periodic history that the house once existed in. A token of a by-gone era, the Saloon is the central draw for all guests and the main entertainment and event space. Whether it is hosting a party, a wedding or significant celebration, the Saloon is the perfect place to begin. For those just looking for pockets of privacy, The Library runs down the length of the south façade and has many quite corners to lose yourself within. The Conservatory is a light and airy place to take afternoon tea after a morning of walking and for those looking to embed themselves in Irish history, the antiques and artworks throughout have their own stories to tell.
Describing itself as ‘Built for a Bishop – Fit for a King’, Culloden Estate and Spa is one of the finest luxury accommodations in Belfast. Enviably sitting atop the Holywood hills and overlooking the County Antrim coastline, it is a place the showcase the best northern Irish landscape. Only 10 minutes away from the city centre, it is ideally located between country and city for endless exploring. Recently refurbished, the hotel looks like a castle on approach and as you cross the threshold you are firmly welcomes with warm Irish hospitality and traditional décor. With 98 bedrooms and suites to choose from, all with the hotel’s iconic King Koil ‘Cloud Beds’. All designed for comfort for both the leisure and the business traveller, you can be sure a good nights sleep is waiting for you here. Passionate about local produce and local flavours, the Culloden Estate’s Restaurant is a place to experience the finest Irish cuisine, all curated by the expert Chef team.
Irish history has become the stuff of legends and folklore, so why not stay in a place that has played host to some of this history? Dromoland Castle has been welcoming travellers since the 16th Century and is the former ancestral home to the O’Briens family of Dromoland. With a family lineage that dates back over a thousand years, you can be sure to be walking in the footsteps of former Irish nobility and royalty. Today, it is a welcome refuge for guests coming from far and wide. Dromoland Castle offers all of the traditional pasttimes of an authentic country estate, so explore the grounds of the 450-acre estate and see what you can discover. Tee off on their world famous golf course and see how you fare against the skills of the greatest golfers in the world. Indulge in a decadent afternoon tea in the drawing room, or venture to the spa to discover lavish treatments in the sanctuary of the hotels treatment rooms.
Like many of the five star properties in Ireland, The Merrion is another member of the Leading Hotels of the World portfolio, proudly added after taking central Dublin by storm. Setting the bar for 5-starred stays in the cultural capital, it is a hotel that boasts a 2-Michelin starred restaurant, iconic Cellar Bar, Tranquil Garden Room and exceptional facilities. Their cosy and intimate No. 23 cocktail bar has become famous for welcoming the most exclusive names to enjoy one of their cocktail creations. Ideally located in the heart of the city, it is perfectly placed for guests to explore Dublin’s charm on foot. Its 143 bedrooms and suites are elegantly restored 18th Century Georgian townhouses and maintain the heritage and beauty in each room. Subtle colours throughout are soothing reminders that you are here to relax and the King Koil Executive Club beds are 6-feet worth of enveloping comfort in Egyptian cotton sheets.