Ashford Castle………
yes I wanted to be treated like a princess and this beautiful Castle Hotel delivered!
Ashford Castle Hotel is located on the boarder of Counties Mayo and Galway and there has been a castle on the property since 1228. The first to build were the De Burgos (Burke) family and the west battlement towers are from that era. Several other families have owned the property including Baron Oranmore who received the property by Royal Grant in the late 1600’s and built the current castle in 1715 in the style of a 16th century hunting lodge. Wings were added in 1852 in the Victorian Neo-Gothic style. The overall effect is impressive.
yes I wanted to be treated like a princess and this beautiful Castle Hotel delivered!
Ashford Castle Hotel is located on the boarder of Counties Mayo and Galway and there has been a castle on the property since 1228. The first to build were the De Burgos (Burke) family and the west battlement towers are from that era. Several other families have owned the property including Baron Oranmore who received the property by Royal Grant in the late 1600’s and built the current castle in 1715 in the style of a 16th century hunting lodge. Wings were added in 1852 in the Victorian Neo-Gothic style. The overall effect is impressive.
The castle sits on the shore of Lough Comb and there are walking paths around the lake and into the woodland. You can also walk the grounds which are populated with romantic views, trellises, fountains and secret gardens. The absolute quiet gives you the sense of being separate from the rest of the world, a place where you can relax and enjoy the grandness of the castle and its 350 acres.
There are unusual estate activities like falconry and archery along with favorites like horseback riding, fishing and golfing. You can even take a cruise of the lake on the small estate boat.
There are unusual estate activities like falconry and archery along with favorites like horseback riding, fishing and golfing. You can even take a cruise of the lake on the small estate boat.
Above Photo Credit: http://www.ashfordcastle.com/activities
Ashford Castle was recently renovated to be even more spectacular, but even prior to this, our suite was large gracious, pretty and comfortable and the bathroom was sparkling clean.
The public rooms in the hotel are exactly what you would expect in a castle, filled with ornate antique furnishings creating luxurious elegant but welcoming spaces and we explored the castle looking for gorgeous sitting rooms.
Our favorite room was the little cocktail bar where everyone gathered in the evening lounging on leather couches and in front of a crackling fireplace which sported an ancient crest. The room was painted a deep red and paneled in dark gothic inspired hardwood while tall windows opened the view out over the grounds.
The public rooms in the hotel are exactly what you would expect in a castle, filled with ornate antique furnishings creating luxurious elegant but welcoming spaces and we explored the castle looking for gorgeous sitting rooms.
Our favorite room was the little cocktail bar where everyone gathered in the evening lounging on leather couches and in front of a crackling fireplace which sported an ancient crest. The room was painted a deep red and paneled in dark gothic inspired hardwood while tall windows opened the view out over the grounds.
As a special treat, we had a lovely "very formal" dinner in the George V Dining Room. This restaurant is definitely expensive, so you might want to visit The Dungeon, which is more informal, decorated in a festive traditional pub style, and specializes in Irish cuisine. There is also a lovely seasonal bistro restaurant called Cullen's at the Cottage. Unfortunately we were not able to eat there since we were at Ashford Castle in October and it was closed.
Above Photo Credit: http://www.ashfordcastle.com/activities
In 1951, the film director John Ford came to the west of Ireland to film what would become a movie classic, The Quiet Man, starring John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara. The grounds of Ashford Castle, as well as nearby Cong, formed the backdrop for much of the action in the film. And this is the reason we chose Ashford Castle!
You can actually walk to Cong (which we did of course!) where you can visit the “Quiet Man Museum” and see some of the actual props and sets from the movie. If you haven’t seen the movie, you must watch it before visiting Cong.
You can also visit Pat Cohan’s bar (the exterior was featured in the movie). Pat Cohan’s was never really a bar; the movie bar scene was just a set. It has been turned into one now, but lacks the atmosphere you would hope to find. It’s still worth stopping for a drink though! And there are other pubs in Cong as well. Naturally we didn't miss any of them!
You can actually walk to Cong (which we did of course!) where you can visit the “Quiet Man Museum” and see some of the actual props and sets from the movie. If you haven’t seen the movie, you must watch it before visiting Cong.
You can also visit Pat Cohan’s bar (the exterior was featured in the movie). Pat Cohan’s was never really a bar; the movie bar scene was just a set. It has been turned into one now, but lacks the atmosphere you would hope to find. It’s still worth stopping for a drink though! And there are other pubs in Cong as well. Naturally we didn't miss any of them!
As you walk back through the grounds to the castle, you can visit the small church where John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara first meet in the movie. You could very well be walking where the outdoor scenes were shot on the castle grounds.
Ashford Castle is a magical hotel, with a wonderful history and it is well situated for lots of all day driving tours and we absolutely loved our time there.
Click Here to learn more about staying at Ashford Castle!
Click Here to learn more about staying at Ashford Castle!