Ashford Castle

We had another wonderful stay at Ashford Castle full of new experiences and discoveries. Every time it gets better and better. Room, service and food were excellent. Niall's favourite for lunch is the chicken schnitzel. I wanted a non-alcoholic cocktail before lunch but struggled to find something I would like from their drink menu, and Paul in the Prince of Wales Bar very kindly prepared a bespoke one for me. It was fantastic, thank you Paul. After lunch we had the privilege to taste Paula's new creation which is coming out in May and will be on the menu in the Drawing room. Watch out for this delicious chocolate treat - rich, yet light with incredible balance and full of flavours. As we stayed just before Easter, we had an opportunity to try Paulas's amazing chocolate Easter Egg, inspired by a century old apple tree planted during the Guinness family's ownership of the Ashford Castle estate. There also was a hand-crafted masterpiece - a huge Easter Egg placed on the table in the hall. We had many afternoon teas in Ashford, but again they surprised us with a new offering prepared by Benjamin and team. We really enjoyed it. This time we stayed in the beautiful Suite 409 with stunning views over Lough Corrib. The room was spacious with a separate sitting area and an unbelievable comfy four poster bed. We still can't make up our mind which room is our favourite. Each of them has its own character and beauty. A massive thanks to all the Ashford Castle team who are always very attentive and welcoming! We look forward to our next stay. See you soon.

We had one of the BEST experiences at Ashford Castle Hotel and Country Estate. Everything was absolutely amazing! We could only stay for one night (this time round...), but, when we came home, it felt like we had been away on holidays for a week! My oh my! Atmosphere - it was awesome...very relaxed. Rooms were just absolutely incredible - clean, hygienic and super comfortable. Housekeeping staff 10/10!!! Loved the 'Castle' feeling! The location was breathtaking...I could have stared at the views in the quiet of the outdoor gardens for hours and hours. Staff were super, super super! Service 10/10. The spa, gym, swimming pool etc. were all fabulous. Massive thank you to all the staff in the spa for taking such good care of my Mother ...she loved her treatments. This trip was just one of a kind - inexpensive given the brilliant memories it created. Inexpensive given the exquisite service, food and amenities. I will cherish my memories for ever. I simply just can't wait to visit again. See you all soon. Can't wait !!! xxx

My husband and I stayed March 5. There was a huge wedding going on that weekend, but we felt just as valuable as the larger group. We had a wonderful dinner in the Dungeon, and a fantastic breakfast in the George. Our room was beautiful and the bed was amazing as was the bathroom facilities and all of the high-tech conveniences seamlessly combined with the classic decor. We enjoyed walking the gorgeous grounds and exploring the castle with its Wall of Fame, billiards room, gardens, and other little rooms and tunnels of interest. We visited the spa but did not have time to use it or the separate pool and gym area, regrettably. We absolutely loved our walk with James and the wolfhounds where Molly got the zoomies and was "full of beans", which is a new phrase for us to use for years to come. James was very fun and kind and made it so enjoyable. We then did clay shooting and that was also fun, lots of patience with us and options presented to make it fun and successful. There was a variety of different type of shooting, along the ground "rabbit" or different heights and speeds and all sorts of combos. Lastly we did the hawk walk with Mia and Aztec. Miguel hosted us and he was great, so personable and informative, we loved him and the hawks. We were able to each have our own hawk and walked the grounds with them perched on our arm (very light weight) and taking turns flying away and returning. Our stay at Ashford Castle was one part of a 14-day trip, but it was such a highlight. 100/10 recommend

Ashford Castle is a true jewel! It was beyond our expectations. The castle is amazing with the beautiful furnishings and artwork. The staff is exceptional and always ready with a smile and greeting. I highly recommend staying in the castle instead of the lodge if possible. We stayed for 2 nights and wish we had booked for 3 nights. Great memories will always be with us!

Quite simply, this is as good as it gets. There were many aspects that contributed to the hotels excellence but a special word has to go the wonderful staff, who made our stay so special. The team were welcoming, genuinely friendly (nothing formal or obsequious), a pleasure to greet each day. We’ll be back for sure

Our first time to stay here and thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience. The standard is set from the moment you arrive. The staff go over and above to ensure you are welcome and looked after, the decor is luxurious yet comfortable and the food is amazing in ever aspect. We just didn't have enough time and cannot wait to return.

The closest place we’ve stayed to Ashford Castle was the perfect-in-every-way Goring in London, so I have to compare it to that. The location is obviously amazing, and the property outstanding. Service is a bit mixed though, compared to the highest levels, and I would expect a little more polish for a grand a night. We hated the lack of tea and coffee in the room, forcing me to traipse downstairs to the coffee station to avoid the exorbitant cost of a cup of tea. Said tea in the lounge is a truly astonishing 20 euros. Yes, we paid a grand a night, but this is just nasty price gouging. Breakfast was as good as anywhere I have stayed in the world, with impeccable service. Dinner in the George V was acceptable, but below the quality I expect. Most of the food was good, but ruining some turbot by turning it into tasteless leather is unforgivable. Ultimately, we enjoyed the stay but left feeling ripped off and not having had the magical service we experienced at the Goring.

My Wife treated me to this break as i had always talked about going to this Castle since we have stayed at their other Hotel; Summer Lodge in Dorset. It was a treat from my Wife Clare for my 50th Birthday and i was unaware of our destination until the SatNav displayed it. We arrived at the entrance to be warmly greeted by one of the Staff at the Gate House, He welcomed us to the Hotel and directed us down the drive. We arrived and were blown away by the beauty of the place. From signing in to signing out the Staff were absolutely amazing, totally professional and could not do enough for us. Special mention must go to the Ladies at Breakfast, always a joy during our three days. Also, Courtney at the Birds of Prey center, what a guide!, Great fun, very knowledgeable and really made our trip special. We also had a great session at the Clay Pigeon Shooting. We had a Turret room at the Castle and it was stunning, Electric Blinds, A/C, Great view of the Lake, Luxury! The food and drink also did not disappoint throughout our stay, including when we dined at the Lodge. We had a couple drinks at the Lodge outside during our stay and one day we timed it perfectly as a Peregrine Falcon was being exercised and was flying right over us to land on the Chimney of the Lodge to then fly back to its Trainer. Ashford Castle and its staff (not to forget my Wife of course!) made my Birthday a truly special occasion and something i will remember forever.

We recently stayed at the hotel and I can’t say enough about the experience and what a wonderful stay we had. It started with the check in process and how easy it was. They brought our luggage in from the car and placed it in our room. They gave us an orientation of the hotel and a complimentary cocktail or drink. Our room had all the amenities we could ask for. The turndown service even included little details like cord organizers. There were many activities included with our stay like the cinema, a billiard room, golf, early morning coffee/tea and pastries for those who were up for the early morning walk with the Wolfhounds. The boat ride was also interesting with lots of history about the castle and lake. Highly recommend a stay!

However wonderful you think staying in a historic Irish castle would be, it's better than that. However great you think the food and service will be, it's better than that, too! From the moment you enter the gates, the warm welcomes begin and every need and desire is attended to. Their house keeping staff does so many wonderful things to make your stay magical and the beds are beyond comfortable. The food is magnificent in every setting- you really can't go wrong. Be sure to book a reservation for High Tea as it's the best we've ever had. Warning- you will be full after that so don't schedule a big dinner immediately following! Do the Heritage Walk with Vincent (free!) so you can get an understanding of the true history and splendor of what Ashford Castle is. You can feel his passion for the beautiful grounds and all of the dedication to keeping them pristine and cared for. Every single member of the staff makes you feel both welcome and spoiled. You will likely start your morning with Eleanor welcoming you to breakfast and you will miss that once you leave. The falconry experience was the best we've ever done and I will keep photos of that on my wall. What I loved most, however, is that the staff makes you feel like you are part of the Ashford Castle family, which makes all the difference.