If you’re considering escaping to the Emerald Isle, we’ve rounded up a collection of fab hotels from our Island of Ireland magazine to help you plan your holiday.
Watching the passing parade by a hotel’s entrance is one of life’s little pleasures - and The Shelbourne’s luminous lobby is certainly a spectator’s dream. There are well-heeled families arriving for afternoon tea at the ornate Lord Mayor’s Lounge, old friends gathering for tipples in the cosy Horseshoe Bar, and the excited flurry of bridal parties preparing for the celebrations ahead.
For nearly two centuries this Dublin institution has been a destination for locals, out-of-towners and the glitterati - Princess Grace of Monaco and Elizabeth Taylor are just two of the Hollywood greats who have revelled/slumbered here. Overlooking St Stephen’s Green, The Shelbourne’s Victorian facade commands architectural attention, and its interiors are just as graceful. Once inside you'll spy marble floors, gilt cornices and vases of flowers in riotous hues, all prepared by the four in-house florists. And while the hotel may exude style and elegance, history also plays a role - the central staircase is backdropped by stained glass windows representing Ireland’s 32 counties, a fitting detail given that the constitution was drafted here in 1922.
Make for Waterford to wile away a few nights by the sea at Cliff House Hotel, a boutique abode that seems to hover above the water. Built to blend in to the coastal landscape, its roof is cloaked in salt-loving moss, and rooms are spacious, bright and topped with balconies that open to unbroken views of the lobster-pot-dotted Ardmore Bay. Inside, contemporary art nods to the sea, hand-loomed wall pieces are crafted by Wicklow-based artist Muriel Beckett, Celtic motif appear in the custom carpets and The Well by the Sea spa features outdoor tubs perfect for restful seaweed baths among the blooms. And then there’s the House Restaurant, which champions Irish produce and is more than worthy of its Michelin star. With abodes like this as your base, you’ll never want the holiday to end.
The Black Castle, a once-derelict, 16th-century Gaelic tower, is found near Tipperary’s Lough Derg, and comes with a fascinatingly patchy history. What we know for sure is that it was built around 1550 by Kennedy chieftains, formed part of a network of defensive towers, was destroyed under Oliver Cromwell and is now being lovingly restored by Sonja and Kevin Bergin.
Having fallen for the restoration process while salvaging their 400-year-old thatched farmhouse, the couple traversed Ireland for five years in search of a castle, unearthing this woodland-framed gem in 2007. Work got underway in 2013, with Kevin repointing the exterior, stone by stone, over six months - his efforts leaving The Black Castle weather-tight for the first time in more than three centuries. Restoration is ongoing, but the great hall (where guests can stay for the night) is a thing of wonder, with a stone-vaulted ceiling, immense fireplace, mullioned windows, carved oak furniture and stained glass. Without electricity or plumbing, all you’re left with come nightfall are candles and moonlight.
Photograph by Orlando Gili
Powerscourt Hotel Resort and Spa
A mere 30-minutes from Dublin, and found within the lush grounds of Powerscourt Estate (noted for its 68-room mansion and 47 acres of gardens), Powerscourt Hotel Resort and Spa has interiors reminiscent of old-world country homes, yet come with playful touches. Take for example the hot air balloon sculptures adorning the lobby, a nod to The Count of Monte Christo, parts of which were filmed here in 2002. The rooms are sumptuous, with plush beds and Irish linen, but the verandahs overlooking Great Sugarloaf are a highlight - the perfect spot to watch the sunrise over the Wicklow farmland.
Fittingly, the landscape is ever-present, a backdrop to afternoon teas, fireside lounging and spa treatments (which you can complete with a dip in the Swarovski-lit swimming pool). If you truly want to be amongst it, though, there’s hiking aplenty, clay-pigeon shooting, cycling, golf and even falconry. Whatever activity you choose, days should end at Sika, a restaurant renowned for its contemporary Irish cuisine, and swish, friendly service. In fact, that’s what sets this hotel apart - the staff’s attention to detail and their genuine sense of care.
The Harrison Chambers of Distinction
If you want to fall in love with Belfast quickly, check in to the riot of genteel eccentricity that is The Harrison Chambers of Distinction, a 16-room boutique hotel with a vibrant bohemian heart. Found in a converted Victorian merchant’s residence, across the road from the Botanic Garden, each room boasts a unique design inspired by a beloved personality from Northern Ireland - think C.S. Lewis, Jonathan Swift and Hans Sloane. My suite, named for the latter, was bedecked with a bay window, clawfoot tub, chandelier and vintage furnishings. The interiors are the work of owner Melanie Harrison, who was quick to direct me to Books Paper Scissors (if you’re after something penned by a Belfast native, this is where you shop) and the brilliantly-titled Crown Liquor Saloon for the first of many libations.
Photograph by Orlando Gili
I arrived at West Cork’s Dunmore House under cover of darkness. But there’s a lot to be said for allowing this family-run boutique hotel to reveal itself with the rising sun, when the panoramic view over Clonakilty Bay is at its most spectacular. An early morning wander revealed a wildflower paddock, hammocks, and a kitchen garden dotted with contented chickens. Standing among the courgettes and flowering sweet peas, I felt myself getting a little lost in the seascape, and watched as bursts of sunlight transformed the waves from a moody greys to dazzling teals. For Antonia, one of Dunmore’s three kitchen gardeners, the water is magnificent. “If you turn up in a bad mood, it will absolutely ground you. Some days it’s like glass, other times it roars, but it is always hypnotising.” It’s little wonder fare from the hotel’s Adrift Restaurant is so delicious - or that its palette and decoration are odes to the sea.
Photograph by Orlando Gili
I’ve always loved long weekends in Dublin: there’s the joy that comes with walking in the footsteps of literary greats, tipping a scholarly hat to the Book of Kells, gushing over the deer in Phoenix Park, lazing away a sunny afternoon in the National Botanic Gardens, watching the sunset at Poolbeg Lighthouse, and embracing the weird and wonderful at the Dead Zoo (aka The Museum of Natural History).
But as fun as these meanderings can be, having somewhere lavish and calm to rest your head at the end of the day is vital. For this, may I suggest the super-swish Westbury Hotel, tucked behind Grafton Street and part of the family-owned Doyle Collection (one of their charming sister hotels is The River Lee in the heart of Cork).
The moment you enter The Westbury you’re smitten. You are welcomed by sparkling chandeliers reminiscent of an inverted Manhattan skyline, immense floral displays guaranteed to make you swoon, and an extensive art collection. And while the interiors are perfectly luxurious, The Westbury is designed to make you feel at home - presuming your home comes with light-filled rooms, pastel tones and palatial beds.
If you want to experience Dublin’s verve, book a table at WILDE, a restaurant adorned with cascading floral arrangements inspired by festivals and the seasons. The overall design reflects 1930s Dublin - even their glassware is Art Deco-inspired - and while the decor is a chic melange of tiles, mirrors and marble, the menu remains decidedly contemporary. The vanilla creme brûlée isn’t a dessert I’ll soon forget, and the flamboyant cocktails are equally wondrous. Oh, the odes one could pen while revelling (and unwinding) within these dashing walls.
Synonymous with lakes and waterways, County Fermanagh is a treasure trove. There’s the Marble Arch Caves (a staggering subterranean network of passages, chambers and waterfalls), Castle Coole, the Cliffs Of Magho, Devenish Island (a monastic site founded in the 6th century) and - for those craving calm - the brilliant, back-to-nature Finn Lough.
Surrounded by the lush expanse that is Muckross Wood, Finn Lough is a hideaway designed help to you recharge. It’s the creation of siblings Gillian and Michal Beare, who have breathed new life into their childhood home, which their parents Bobby and Rosie first set about transforming in 1983.
Finn Lough now offers family-friendly lakeside villas overlooking Lough Erne, and bubble domes, which come with all the glamping luxuries you could desire - think freestanding baths and four-poster beds topped with heated mattresses. Designed in partnership with local craftspeople, the domes are both luxe and soothing, but your attention is firmly rooted in the verdant world beyond the PVC walls. Here, you’re encouraged to simply sit and look, and discover that there are few places more dreamy for stargazing.
When it comes to food, breakfast hampers are delivered to your door, while dinners are savoured in The Barn, where ingredients are either grown and foraged on-site, or gathered from nearby suppliers. Afternoons can be whiled away in the spa (the Elements Trail involves a series of pools, saunas and outdoor treatments), vintage cinema, or by devouring s’mores by the communal fire. Alternatively, you can dabble in waterside yoga, wander through the forest, or simply dive in - Lough Erne may be chilly, but it’ll do wonders for your soul.
Photograph by Orlando Gili
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Photographs by Orlando Gili