Six Luxury Staycations In Ireland Published Courtesy of: The Travel Buddhist Neil Steedman, The Travel Buddhist, steedman.neil@gmail.com Phase 2 of Ireland’s roadmap for reopening came into effect on 8 June and you may now travel within your own county, or up to 20km from your home if crossing county boundaries – and Gardaí can no longer arrest or prosecute anyone moving outside the radius. These travel restrictions may be removed completely in Phase 3, scheduled for 29 June. In addition, the Irish Government – as well as the three parties engaged in new government formation negotiations – is reported to be considering a scheme proposed by ITIC (the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation) to give a €500 staycation voucher to every household in the country to spend on activities registered with Irish tourism bodies, including hotels, restaurants and tourist attractions. After 13 weeks of ‘lockdown’ you may feel like splashing out and treating yourselves to a luxury breakaway, so below I have selected Six Luxury Staycations In Ireland that are located all around the island. StaycationInsurance.ie But first, there is interesting news from Blue Insurance, which has launched www.StaycationInsurance.ie providing cancellation cover for holidaymakers taking a staycation in Ireland or the UK and covers the insured for cancellation or curtailment including if the insured is diagnosed with Covid-19. The cover also includes protection against hotel or other accommodation closure due to an outbreak of Covid-19 on the premises, but it does exclude any claim where government regulations prohibit travel or access to the accommodation. This is the first insurance product on the market to offer cancellation cover for a Covid-19 diagnosis and starts from €7.99 for four-day cover. The cover must be purchased at least 17 days prior to your accommodation check-in date. StaycationInsurance.ie also covers the insured for all irrecoverable and unused accommodation and public transport travel costs if their staycation trip is cancelled or curtailed due to serious illness or injury, home burglary, or a court summons. The product offers two levels of cover, Premier Cover with €750 worth of cancellation cover per booking and Premier Plus Cover providing €1,500 of cancellation cover. The policy covers persons up to 79 years of age. Powerscourt Hotel Resort & Spa, Enniskerry, Co Wicklow Re-opening on 2 July is one of my favourite 5-star hotels in Ireland, the Powerscourt Hotel Resort & Spa in Enniskerry, Co Wicklow (www.powerscourthotel.com). Powerscourt Hotel Resort & Spa, Enniskerry, Co Wicklow You can dine in the Sika Restaurant overlooking the Sugar Loaf Mountain, rejuvenate yourself in the spa or 20-metre Swarovski crystal-lit swimming pool, or ask the concierge for a complimentary bicycle and explore the Estate: pay a visit to Powerscourt House & Gardens, sample Fercullen Whiskey at Powerscourt Distillery, or venture through the River Walk or the Powerscourt Waterfall. A one-night stay with breakfast and dinner costs from €204 per person sharing, while a two-night ‘Powerscourt Escape’ costs from €320pps. Mount Juliet Estate & Golf Club, Thomastown, Co Kilkenny I don’t play golf but I still enjoyed my stay at the Mount Juliet Estate & Golf Club in Thomastown, Co Kilkenny, (www.mountjuliet.ie) without joining my colleagues on the 18-hole Signature Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course. Mount Juliet Estate & Golf Club, Thomastown, Co Kilkenny The hotel and 500-acre parkland estate re-open on 29 June and amenities include a spa, swimming pool and fitness centre, tennis, fishing and horseback riding, while nearby are the ruins of the 12th-century Jerpoint Abbey. You have a choice of dining in the Michelin-starred Lady Helen Restaurant in the Manor House or, from mid-July, in The Hound at Hunter’s Yard. The hotel is offering ‘Welcome Back’ rates for two-night stays including breakfast from 29 June to 19 July 2020 inclusive, with 15% off (or 25% off for Members), from €616 per double room. Sheen Falls Lodge, Kenmare, Co Kerry The setting of Sheen Falls Lodge near Kenmare, Co Kerry (www.sheenfallslodge.ie) is hard to beat, as is dining in its 2AA Rosette restaurant overlooking the falls. This 5-star Relais & Chateaux hotel will re-open on 1 July and is just a five-minute drive from the heritage town of Kenmare, from where you can explore further along the Wild Atlantic Way. Sheen Falls Lodge, Kenmare, Co Kerry The hotel is offering a Three-Night Saver Package from €1,140 for two people sharing a newly refurbished Classic Room overlooking the water, including three full Irish breakfasts and dinner on two nights. The third night includes a 50% reduction on the rate. A credit card is requested to secure your reservation, but no deposit is required at the time of booking. Hotel bedrooms can be cancelled without any charge up to 24 hours prior to the arrival date. Ashford Castle, Cong, Co Mayo Re-opening on 3 July is Red Carnation Hotels’ 5-star Ashford Castle, in Cong, Co Mayo. This 800-year-old castle estate is a National Geographic Unique Lodge of the World, Ireland’s first Forbes 5-star, and a former home of the Guinness family. Also within the 350-acre estate and overlooking Lough Corrib is The Lodge at Ashford, which offers country house charm and fine dining in Wilde’s Restaurant. Ashford Castle, Cong, Co Mayo Platinum Travel (www.platinumtravel.ie) has offers for three nights for a couple or for a family of two adults and two children under 12 years in the Castle and two similar offers in The Lodge: In Ashford Castle, a Corrib double room with breakfasts, one casual three-course evening meal, one five-course table d’hote dinner in the George V dining room, and complimentary green fees on the nine-hole golf course, costs €2,015.00. A Deluxe Queen room of two queen beds with breakfasts, one casual three-course evening meal, one five course table d’hote dinner for two in the George V dining room (children priced on consumption), and a one-hour Hawk Walk for the family, costs €2,695.00. In The Lodge at Ashford, a Courtyard Deluxe double room with breakfasts, one casual three-course evening meal in the Quay Bar, and complimentary green fees on the nine-hole golf course, costs €530.00 midweek or €595.00 weekend. A Quay Suite with a pull-out sofa bed, with breakfast, one casual three-course evening meal in the Quay Bar for adults, one two-course evening meal for the children, and a one-hour Hawk Walk for the family, costs €1,000.00 midweek or €1,065.00 weekend. Lough Eske Castle, Donegal Town, Co Donegal For anyone in the north-west, the good news is that Lough Eske Castle in Donegal Town, Co Donegal (www.lougheskecastlehotel.com), including the swimming pool, will be re-opening on 29 June, followed by the gym and Cara Organic Beauty Spa on 20 July. Lough Eske Castle, Donegal Town, Co Donegal Built in 1861, the Castle has a wide range of guestrooms and suites and is set in extensive gardens and woodlands that provide great walks, or unwind in the beautiful surroundings of Lough Eske. Donegal Town is a 10-minute drive, while 45 minutes away is Slieve League, the 600-metre-high coastal mountain described as ‘Ireland’s ultimate sea cliff experience’. Lough Eske Castle is offering three nights’ accommodation for the price of two for two people sharing a Courtyard guestroom from €455, including full Irish breakfast each morning and complimentary access to the swimming pool and fitness room. For a longer stay, you can also avail of a special limited offer of seven nights for the price of five. Culloden Estate and Spa, Holywood, Co Down My final Luxury Staycation In Ireland will be of interest to anyone in Northern Ireland: Hastings Hotels’ signature property, the 5-star Culloden Estate and Spa in Holywood, Co Down (www.hastingshotels.com/culloden-estate-and-spa/) will re-open its 98 bedrooms and suites on 17 July – and by that date anyone in the Republic may also be free to travel there. Culloden Estate and Spa, Holywood, Co Down Built in 1876 as an official palace for the Bishops of Down, the Culloden estate is just over 8km from Belfast city centre and comprises 12 acres of gardens on the wooded slopes of Holywood Hills on the eastern side of Belfast Lough. The exclusive Spa offers health and leisure facilities, and a full range of ESPA spa therapies. The Culloden is offering bed & breakfast rates for two adults from £234 per night, or you can stay two nights and get £16.73 off per day, or stay for three nights and get £22.31 off per day. **** Whichever one of my Six Luxury Staycations In Ireland you choose, relax and enjoy being pampered for a few days! Published Courtesy of: The Travel Buddhist Neil Steedman, The Travel Buddhist, steedman.neil@gmail.com Published on: Jun 17 2020 Created by: admin_plat_stage_astn84 Tags:
Neil Steedman, The Travel Buddhist, steedman.neil@gmail.com Phase 2 of Ireland’s roadmap for reopening came into effect on 8 June and you may now travel within your own county, or up to 20km from your home if crossing county boundaries – and Gardaí can no longer arrest or prosecute anyone moving outside the radius. These travel restrictions may be removed completely in Phase 3, scheduled for 29 June. In addition, the Irish Government – as well as the three parties engaged in new government formation negotiations – is reported to be considering a scheme proposed by ITIC (the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation) to give a €500 staycation voucher to every household in the country to spend on activities registered with Irish tourism bodies, including hotels, restaurants and tourist attractions. After 13 weeks of ‘lockdown’ you may feel like splashing out and treating yourselves to a luxury breakaway, so below I have selected Six Luxury Staycations In Ireland that are located all around the island. StaycationInsurance.ie But first, there is interesting news from Blue Insurance, which has launched www.StaycationInsurance.ie providing cancellation cover for holidaymakers taking a staycation in Ireland or the UK and covers the insured for cancellation or curtailment including if the insured is diagnosed with Covid-19. The cover also includes protection against hotel or other accommodation closure due to an outbreak of Covid-19 on the premises, but it does exclude any claim where government regulations prohibit travel or access to the accommodation. This is the first insurance product on the market to offer cancellation cover for a Covid-19 diagnosis and starts from €7.99 for four-day cover. The cover must be purchased at least 17 days prior to your accommodation check-in date. StaycationInsurance.ie also covers the insured for all irrecoverable and unused accommodation and public transport travel costs if their staycation trip is cancelled or curtailed due to serious illness or injury, home burglary, or a court summons. The product offers two levels of cover, Premier Cover with €750 worth of cancellation cover per booking and Premier Plus Cover providing €1,500 of cancellation cover. The policy covers persons up to 79 years of age. Powerscourt Hotel Resort & Spa, Enniskerry, Co Wicklow Re-opening on 2 July is one of my favourite 5-star hotels in Ireland, the Powerscourt Hotel Resort & Spa in Enniskerry, Co Wicklow (www.powerscourthotel.com). Powerscourt Hotel Resort & Spa, Enniskerry, Co Wicklow You can dine in the Sika Restaurant overlooking the Sugar Loaf Mountain, rejuvenate yourself in the spa or 20-metre Swarovski crystal-lit swimming pool, or ask the concierge for a complimentary bicycle and explore the Estate: pay a visit to Powerscourt House & Gardens, sample Fercullen Whiskey at Powerscourt Distillery, or venture through the River Walk or the Powerscourt Waterfall. A one-night stay with breakfast and dinner costs from €204 per person sharing, while a two-night ‘Powerscourt Escape’ costs from €320pps. Mount Juliet Estate & Golf Club, Thomastown, Co Kilkenny I don’t play golf but I still enjoyed my stay at the Mount Juliet Estate & Golf Club in Thomastown, Co Kilkenny, (www.mountjuliet.ie) without joining my colleagues on the 18-hole Signature Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course. Mount Juliet Estate & Golf Club, Thomastown, Co Kilkenny The hotel and 500-acre parkland estate re-open on 29 June and amenities include a spa, swimming pool and fitness centre, tennis, fishing and horseback riding, while nearby are the ruins of the 12th-century Jerpoint Abbey. You have a choice of dining in the Michelin-starred Lady Helen Restaurant in the Manor House or, from mid-July, in The Hound at Hunter’s Yard. The hotel is offering ‘Welcome Back’ rates for two-night stays including breakfast from 29 June to 19 July 2020 inclusive, with 15% off (or 25% off for Members), from €616 per double room. Sheen Falls Lodge, Kenmare, Co Kerry The setting of Sheen Falls Lodge near Kenmare, Co Kerry (www.sheenfallslodge.ie) is hard to beat, as is dining in its 2AA Rosette restaurant overlooking the falls. This 5-star Relais & Chateaux hotel will re-open on 1 July and is just a five-minute drive from the heritage town of Kenmare, from where you can explore further along the Wild Atlantic Way. Sheen Falls Lodge, Kenmare, Co Kerry The hotel is offering a Three-Night Saver Package from €1,140 for two people sharing a newly refurbished Classic Room overlooking the water, including three full Irish breakfasts and dinner on two nights. The third night includes a 50% reduction on the rate. A credit card is requested to secure your reservation, but no deposit is required at the time of booking. Hotel bedrooms can be cancelled without any charge up to 24 hours prior to the arrival date. Ashford Castle, Cong, Co Mayo Re-opening on 3 July is Red Carnation Hotels’ 5-star Ashford Castle, in Cong, Co Mayo. This 800-year-old castle estate is a National Geographic Unique Lodge of the World, Ireland’s first Forbes 5-star, and a former home of the Guinness family. Also within the 350-acre estate and overlooking Lough Corrib is The Lodge at Ashford, which offers country house charm and fine dining in Wilde’s Restaurant. Ashford Castle, Cong, Co Mayo Platinum Travel (www.platinumtravel.ie) has offers for three nights for a couple or for a family of two adults and two children under 12 years in the Castle and two similar offers in The Lodge: In Ashford Castle, a Corrib double room with breakfasts, one casual three-course evening meal, one five-course table d’hote dinner in the George V dining room, and complimentary green fees on the nine-hole golf course, costs €2,015.00. A Deluxe Queen room of two queen beds with breakfasts, one casual three-course evening meal, one five course table d’hote dinner for two in the George V dining room (children priced on consumption), and a one-hour Hawk Walk for the family, costs €2,695.00. In The Lodge at Ashford, a Courtyard Deluxe double room with breakfasts, one casual three-course evening meal in the Quay Bar, and complimentary green fees on the nine-hole golf course, costs €530.00 midweek or €595.00 weekend. A Quay Suite with a pull-out sofa bed, with breakfast, one casual three-course evening meal in the Quay Bar for adults, one two-course evening meal for the children, and a one-hour Hawk Walk for the family, costs €1,000.00 midweek or €1,065.00 weekend. Lough Eske Castle, Donegal Town, Co Donegal For anyone in the north-west, the good news is that Lough Eske Castle in Donegal Town, Co Donegal (www.lougheskecastlehotel.com), including the swimming pool, will be re-opening on 29 June, followed by the gym and Cara Organic Beauty Spa on 20 July. Lough Eske Castle, Donegal Town, Co Donegal Built in 1861, the Castle has a wide range of guestrooms and suites and is set in extensive gardens and woodlands that provide great walks, or unwind in the beautiful surroundings of Lough Eske. Donegal Town is a 10-minute drive, while 45 minutes away is Slieve League, the 600-metre-high coastal mountain described as ‘Ireland’s ultimate sea cliff experience’. Lough Eske Castle is offering three nights’ accommodation for the price of two for two people sharing a Courtyard guestroom from €455, including full Irish breakfast each morning and complimentary access to the swimming pool and fitness room. For a longer stay, you can also avail of a special limited offer of seven nights for the price of five. Culloden Estate and Spa, Holywood, Co Down My final Luxury Staycation In Ireland will be of interest to anyone in Northern Ireland: Hastings Hotels’ signature property, the 5-star Culloden Estate and Spa in Holywood, Co Down (www.hastingshotels.com/culloden-estate-and-spa/) will re-open its 98 bedrooms and suites on 17 July – and by that date anyone in the Republic may also be free to travel there. Culloden Estate and Spa, Holywood, Co Down Built in 1876 as an official palace for the Bishops of Down, the Culloden estate is just over 8km from Belfast city centre and comprises 12 acres of gardens on the wooded slopes of Holywood Hills on the eastern side of Belfast Lough. The exclusive Spa offers health and leisure facilities, and a full range of ESPA spa therapies. The Culloden is offering bed & breakfast rates for two adults from £234 per night, or you can stay two nights and get £16.73 off per day, or stay for three nights and get £22.31 off per day. **** Whichever one of my Six Luxury Staycations In Ireland you choose, relax and enjoy being pampered for a few days! Published Courtesy of: The Travel Buddhist Neil Steedman, The Travel Buddhist, steedman.neil@gmail.com
Phase 2 of Ireland’s roadmap for reopening came into effect on 8 June and you may now travel within your own county, or up to 20km from your home if crossing county boundaries – and Gardaí can no longer arrest or prosecute anyone moving outside the radius. These travel restrictions may be removed completely in Phase 3, scheduled for 29 June. In addition, the Irish Government – as well as the three parties engaged in new government formation negotiations – is reported to be considering a scheme proposed by ITIC (the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation) to give a €500 staycation voucher to every household in the country to spend on activities registered with Irish tourism bodies, including hotels, restaurants and tourist attractions. After 13 weeks of ‘lockdown’ you may feel like splashing out and treating yourselves to a luxury breakaway, so below I have selected Six Luxury Staycations In Ireland that are located all around the island. StaycationInsurance.ie But first, there is interesting news from Blue Insurance, which has launched www.StaycationInsurance.ie providing cancellation cover for holidaymakers taking a staycation in Ireland or the UK and covers the insured for cancellation or curtailment including if the insured is diagnosed with Covid-19. The cover also includes protection against hotel or other accommodation closure due to an outbreak of Covid-19 on the premises, but it does exclude any claim where government regulations prohibit travel or access to the accommodation. This is the first insurance product on the market to offer cancellation cover for a Covid-19 diagnosis and starts from €7.99 for four-day cover. The cover must be purchased at least 17 days prior to your accommodation check-in date. StaycationInsurance.ie also covers the insured for all irrecoverable and unused accommodation and public transport travel costs if their staycation trip is cancelled or curtailed due to serious illness or injury, home burglary, or a court summons. The product offers two levels of cover, Premier Cover with €750 worth of cancellation cover per booking and Premier Plus Cover providing €1,500 of cancellation cover. The policy covers persons up to 79 years of age. Powerscourt Hotel Resort & Spa, Enniskerry, Co Wicklow Re-opening on 2 July is one of my favourite 5-star hotels in Ireland, the Powerscourt Hotel Resort & Spa in Enniskerry, Co Wicklow (www.powerscourthotel.com). Powerscourt Hotel Resort & Spa, Enniskerry, Co Wicklow You can dine in the Sika Restaurant overlooking the Sugar Loaf Mountain, rejuvenate yourself in the spa or 20-metre Swarovski crystal-lit swimming pool, or ask the concierge for a complimentary bicycle and explore the Estate: pay a visit to Powerscourt House & Gardens, sample Fercullen Whiskey at Powerscourt Distillery, or venture through the River Walk or the Powerscourt Waterfall. A one-night stay with breakfast and dinner costs from €204 per person sharing, while a two-night ‘Powerscourt Escape’ costs from €320pps. Mount Juliet Estate & Golf Club, Thomastown, Co Kilkenny I don’t play golf but I still enjoyed my stay at the Mount Juliet Estate & Golf Club in Thomastown, Co Kilkenny, (www.mountjuliet.ie) without joining my colleagues on the 18-hole Signature Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course. Mount Juliet Estate & Golf Club, Thomastown, Co Kilkenny The hotel and 500-acre parkland estate re-open on 29 June and amenities include a spa, swimming pool and fitness centre, tennis, fishing and horseback riding, while nearby are the ruins of the 12th-century Jerpoint Abbey. You have a choice of dining in the Michelin-starred Lady Helen Restaurant in the Manor House or, from mid-July, in The Hound at Hunter’s Yard. The hotel is offering ‘Welcome Back’ rates for two-night stays including breakfast from 29 June to 19 July 2020 inclusive, with 15% off (or 25% off for Members), from €616 per double room. Sheen Falls Lodge, Kenmare, Co Kerry The setting of Sheen Falls Lodge near Kenmare, Co Kerry (www.sheenfallslodge.ie) is hard to beat, as is dining in its 2AA Rosette restaurant overlooking the falls. This 5-star Relais & Chateaux hotel will re-open on 1 July and is just a five-minute drive from the heritage town of Kenmare, from where you can explore further along the Wild Atlantic Way. Sheen Falls Lodge, Kenmare, Co Kerry The hotel is offering a Three-Night Saver Package from €1,140 for two people sharing a newly refurbished Classic Room overlooking the water, including three full Irish breakfasts and dinner on two nights. The third night includes a 50% reduction on the rate. A credit card is requested to secure your reservation, but no deposit is required at the time of booking. Hotel bedrooms can be cancelled without any charge up to 24 hours prior to the arrival date. Ashford Castle, Cong, Co Mayo Re-opening on 3 July is Red Carnation Hotels’ 5-star Ashford Castle, in Cong, Co Mayo. This 800-year-old castle estate is a National Geographic Unique Lodge of the World, Ireland’s first Forbes 5-star, and a former home of the Guinness family. Also within the 350-acre estate and overlooking Lough Corrib is The Lodge at Ashford, which offers country house charm and fine dining in Wilde’s Restaurant. Ashford Castle, Cong, Co Mayo Platinum Travel (www.platinumtravel.ie) has offers for three nights for a couple or for a family of two adults and two children under 12 years in the Castle and two similar offers in The Lodge: In Ashford Castle, a Corrib double room with breakfasts, one casual three-course evening meal, one five-course table d’hote dinner in the George V dining room, and complimentary green fees on the nine-hole golf course, costs €2,015.00. A Deluxe Queen room of two queen beds with breakfasts, one casual three-course evening meal, one five course table d’hote dinner for two in the George V dining room (children priced on consumption), and a one-hour Hawk Walk for the family, costs €2,695.00. In The Lodge at Ashford, a Courtyard Deluxe double room with breakfasts, one casual three-course evening meal in the Quay Bar, and complimentary green fees on the nine-hole golf course, costs €530.00 midweek or €595.00 weekend. A Quay Suite with a pull-out sofa bed, with breakfast, one casual three-course evening meal in the Quay Bar for adults, one two-course evening meal for the children, and a one-hour Hawk Walk for the family, costs €1,000.00 midweek or €1,065.00 weekend. Lough Eske Castle, Donegal Town, Co Donegal For anyone in the north-west, the good news is that Lough Eske Castle in Donegal Town, Co Donegal (www.lougheskecastlehotel.com), including the swimming pool, will be re-opening on 29 June, followed by the gym and Cara Organic Beauty Spa on 20 July. Lough Eske Castle, Donegal Town, Co Donegal Built in 1861, the Castle has a wide range of guestrooms and suites and is set in extensive gardens and woodlands that provide great walks, or unwind in the beautiful surroundings of Lough Eske. Donegal Town is a 10-minute drive, while 45 minutes away is Slieve League, the 600-metre-high coastal mountain described as ‘Ireland’s ultimate sea cliff experience’. Lough Eske Castle is offering three nights’ accommodation for the price of two for two people sharing a Courtyard guestroom from €455, including full Irish breakfast each morning and complimentary access to the swimming pool and fitness room. For a longer stay, you can also avail of a special limited offer of seven nights for the price of five. Culloden Estate and Spa, Holywood, Co Down My final Luxury Staycation In Ireland will be of interest to anyone in Northern Ireland: Hastings Hotels’ signature property, the 5-star Culloden Estate and Spa in Holywood, Co Down (www.hastingshotels.com/culloden-estate-and-spa/) will re-open its 98 bedrooms and suites on 17 July – and by that date anyone in the Republic may also be free to travel there. Culloden Estate and Spa, Holywood, Co Down Built in 1876 as an official palace for the Bishops of Down, the Culloden estate is just over 8km from Belfast city centre and comprises 12 acres of gardens on the wooded slopes of Holywood Hills on the eastern side of Belfast Lough. The exclusive Spa offers health and leisure facilities, and a full range of ESPA spa therapies. The Culloden is offering bed & breakfast rates for two adults from £234 per night, or you can stay two nights and get £16.73 off per day, or stay for three nights and get £22.31 off per day. **** Whichever one of my Six Luxury Staycations In Ireland you choose, relax and enjoy being pampered for a few days! Published Courtesy of: The Travel Buddhist Neil Steedman, The Travel Buddhist, steedman.neil@gmail.com