Tag Archives: Ireland

Ashford Castle. County Mayo, Ireland

July 31, 2015Hotel of the Week5-star hotels ireland, ashford castle, castles you can stay in, county mayo, Ireland, irish castles, luxury hotels in county mayo, top hotels ireland, top luxury hotels ireland, tops hotels in county mayoStefanie

The Ashford Castle is an absolute gem and a stand alone spot in terms of greatness for all of Ireland. Built in 1228, the Castle sits on 350 acres of lush green and on the shores of Lough Corrib. Voted the third best hotel in the world by Travel + Leisure in 2015 and number two in the Top 10 Resorts in Europe by Conde Nast Traveler’s readers in 2014, the whole world has given us an extra vote of confidence on the fabulousness of this hotel.

With 82 rooms total, Ashford Castle has 68 guest rooms, each of which are unique and have amazing views, as well as 14 luxury suites. Due to much renovation and refurbishing of the ancient castle, each guest room is unique in its decoration and has been designed to stand apart from one another. Rooms have amazing artwork, antique furniture sourced from all over the world, and bespoke beds that you will never want to leave.

Sip on afternoon tea, a tradition that has been preserved at Ashford Castle since 1868. They serve the yummiest pastries, homemade scones and even cupcakes…indulge in champagne instead of tea, or both if you want the full experience.

Dine like a royal in the George V Dining Room, where they have been hosting famous guests, and even real-life royals, for over 800 years. The Prince of Wales, who then became George V, was the most distinguished guest, and after he came in 1906, the dining room proudly boasted his name. They are famous for their slow roasted beef rib, cut right at your table from their serving tray, accompanied by bérnaise sauce, made in house. Desserts are equally as amazing.

Discover the ancient art and ever-present fascination with falconry at Ashford Castle. They are home to the oldest established Falconry School in Ireland, and here you can learn to fly hawks right on hotel grounds. This leisurely activity has been around for 4,000 years and is a highlight for guests at Ashford Castle. Note too, that no previous falconry experience is necessary, and all ages can participate, so bring the kids along!

Enjoy all of the other amazing on-site activities at the estate, including the serene and stunning sanctuary that is their spa, where you can treat yourself to just about any type of service you can imagine in the purest of luxury and relaxation. The Castle also has on-site tennis courts and a 9-hole golf course, so be sure to pack your tennis whites and golf shoes! If you are still looking for more activities, and trust us, you should be, try fishing, horseback riding, cycling, kayaking, archery, skeet shooting, and boat trips galore. You will want to stay here forever, and if you do, please take us with you!

City Guide: 72 Hours in Dublin

July 29, 2015City Guidebest activities in dublin, best bars in Dublin, Best hotels in Dublin, Best restaurants in dublin, city guide of dublin, Dublin, Dylan Hotel, Ireland, luxury hotels Dublin, Westbury HotelStefanie

Now that you have followed us through an exploration of the lovely Scottish city of Edinburgh, let us take you all around Dublin. To see our favorite looks from this city check out our lookbook below!

Thursday:

1:00pm– Check-in to the Westbury Hotel, a perfect place to stay that is just as vibrant as the city you are so lucky to find yourself in. The Westbury is located right in the center of eccentric Dublin, and surrounded by all of Dublin’s best shopping, restaurants and pubs.

If you would like a hotel with a bit more history, try the Dylan Hotel. It was once a Victorian boarding house and now is a beautiful, 44-room boutique hotel. This is a great spot for you if you want a little bit of a quieter place to escape to, but still want to be walking distance from the action.

2:00pm– Wander around the area of your hotel of choice to get your bearings with the city. All hotel options are centrally located and near to all sorts of Irish drinking and debauchery (in the best ways, of course).

8:00pm– Dinner at at Wilde. Here you will find yourself immersed in some of the finest dining that Dublin as to offer, right in the comfort of the Westbury Hotel. They serve wonderful dishes with the freshest produce from the surrounding lush and beautiful areas of Ireland. You cannot go wrong with ordering the caviar to start and then the duck confit.

10:00pm– Drinks at 777, a 12-foot tequila bar that hosts Dublin’s most beautiful city goers.

Friday:

10:00am- Dublin is one of the most famously walkable cities in the world. Start your morning strolling along Grafton Street before heading into San Lorenzo’s for their, appropriately named, “Breakfast of Champions”. There has been much chatter about their brunch lately, and the eggs with caviar and champagne is to die for. If you’re looking for something sweeter, order the french toast with coco-crust and caramelized bananas.

11:30am– Continue your walk after brunch by continuing along Grafton Street, where you will find some of Dublin’s best shopping. This could take up an entire day if you want it to…but if not, keep strolling onto St. Stephen’s Green, a stunning park known for staying flawlessly green all year around.

1:00pm– Have lunch at Dublin City Food – the city’s best sandwich shop, and since you will probably still be a bit full from brunch, a sandwich sounds perfect, doesn’t it? All meats are smoked and roasted in house, and their pastrami and pulled pork are to die for.

2:00pm– Continue on your walking adventure after lunch by crossing the famous Ha’Penny Bridge and then wander into Phoenix Park, another beautiful park that showcases the stunning green of Ireland.

8:00pm– Dinner at Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud, Ireland’s only two Michelin Star restaurant. This restaurant has been written up in practically every major publication, including the New York Times and the Irish Times. They strive to make every dining experience impeccable, and they do an unbelievable job. If we had to start recommending dishes, we would have to recite the whole menu. Each dish is delicious, but make sure you book in advance.

10:00pm– After-dinner drinks at House for a more casual experience to counter your crazy, tequila-filled bout last night. Here you can cozy up in one of their wine rooms in front of a wood-burning fire. You’ve had a long day, so it should feel great to relax in front of a warm fire with a glass of red wine.

Saturday:

10:00am– Have breakfast to fuel your busy day to come at Forest Avenue, a spot that locals rave about because of their 5-course brunch. Just over the Grand Canal, this spot is known for its high-end dining experience and delicious food. The menu is always changing, so you’re sure to find the best and freshest ingredients. Expect a yummy, sweet starter, followed by a traditional breakfast dish like granola, and then prepare to move slowly into more brunch/lunch-like items.

11:00am– Head to the Dublin Castle, which was originally erected in the 13th century. Since then, it has undergone many renovations, but is still strikingly beautiful. During the summer, the castle doubles as a venue for many art, music and cultural events.

1:00pm– Since you recently finished a 5-course brunch, you have solidified a hefty layer for a typically-Irish afternoon of drinking. Choose from either the Jameson Experience or the Guinness Brewery tour this afternoon. You can’t leave Dublin without doing at least one of the two. The Guinness Brewery tour takes you through the brewing process of the world famous beer. The best part is The Gravity Bar, which features a 360° view of Dublin, where you can enjoy a pint of the Irish stable that you just learned how to expertly pour. If Jameson is your favorite, head that way, where the original distillery began in 1870 and today offers tours and tastings. Be sure to book online for both.

3:00pm– Go to Anseo for a truly Irish experience – it is a perfectly traditional Irish pub that will make you feel right at home. You can drink Guinness’s all afternoon if you chose the Jameson Distillery earlier.

8:00pm– Have dinner at L’Ecrivain, a Michelin Starred French Restaurant that has been wildly popular for years and years. With six and ten course tasting menus, this spot brings French fare to new heights. Their Sommelier has also been renowned as the best of the best, so be sure to take expect advice on wine pairings for your meal.

10:00pm– Go to The Twisted Pepper for the epitome of Dublin’s nightlife scene. They consistently book some of the best in the electronic/dance music scene, as well as local musicians. On Fridays and Saturdays, each of the three stories fills its stages with a different act, so there is sure to be something for everyone.

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Top 5: Spookiest Haunted Hotels

October 29, 2014Top 5Haunted Homes, Haunted Mansions, Ireland, Luxury Haunted Hotels, New OrleansStefanie

Just in time for Halloween, we have collected the Top 5 most luxuriously haunted mansions and hotels in the world, for a price. If you are faint of heart these places are definitely not for you, however if you’re the thrill-seeking-scared-of-nothing type, this may be right up your alley!

The Stanley. Estes Park, Colorado.

Most famously known as the isolated ski lodge from, The Shining, this glamorous mansion of a hotel also comes with the amazing mountain backdrop and a beautiful lush interior. While the Hotel is very well haunted, every year The Stanley celebrates the presence of the hotel’s supernatural with their annual Shining Ball and guests can enjoy murder mystery dinner and Ghost Adventure Package. Just don’t forget to ask to stay in rooms 407, 217, or 418, the hotels most haunted rooms. In room 407, the tobacco smoke from The Earl of Dunraven can still be smelt. Stephen King and his wife stayed in room 217 and experienced some extra ghostly housekeeping services: bags unpacked and clothes folded neatly into the dresser without any explanation. But room 418 is the most haunted of all, the stay say they’ve seen ghosts of children and even their impressions left behind on the mattresses. SpoOoOoOoky!

Chillingham Castle. Northumberland, England.

Chillingham became a fully fortified castle in 1344 and since then has up kept its medieval luxury and royalty feel. Kings and Queens would come to here to hunt and for leisure vacations. The staterooms are known for their Elizabethan ceilings and antique originals. Fresh from his royal triumphs at Windsor Castle, Sir Jeffrey Wyatville created a garden so extensive Queen Elizabeth would be proud. And yes, there is a dungeon and a torture chamber, standard right? Due to multiple executions during the castle’s battle days, many spirits stayed behind such as The Blue Boy, whose screams can be heard in the night, and Lady Mary Berkeley, who is still in search of her long lost husband. Don’t let these things deter you, I assure you the ghosts are perfectly friendly!

Dragsholm Slot. Sealand, Denmark.

Located in the picturesque and idyllic town of Sealand, one would think this castle just provides the perfect long-weekend getaway. With expanding lawns and gardens perfect for a wedding, the 34-room mansion is built for the wealthy of Denmark to come eat, drink, and be merry. It is also one of the oldest castles in Denmark, built in 1200 and remodeled over the years. One thing they do not like to advertise are their 3 resident ghosts: The Earl of Bothwell, The White Lady, and The Grey Lady. During one of the hotel’s renovations, a body of a nobleman’s daughter was said to have been found entombed inside the castle walls. Her father imprisoned her after she fell in love with a commoner. The Earl has been said to ride through the courtyard with a full horse and carriage, so be sure to watch out to not get run over.

Hotel Monteleone. New Orleans, Louisiana.

Known as “The most haunted city in America” due to its dark and mysterious voodoo past, the Hotel Monteleone was built in 1886 and has had multiple renovations done to it since then to expand into over 300 rooms in the heart of the French Quarter. 5-generations have owned and operated this 15-story hotel since then, all while keeping up the Beaux-Arts style interior and antique decorations. In the late 1890s Josephine and Jacques Begere, their 3 year old son, Maurice and his nanny came to stay at the Hotel Monteleone. Josephine and Jacques Begere went to the Opera, while the nanny stayed with Maurice at the hotel. Disaster was just around the corner. Tragedy struck when Jacques was killed in a carriage accident. Their son, Maurice caught yellow fever, and died at the hotel. Josephine never got over losing her husband and son, and died a year later of a broken heart. This is one of the many many instinces in which the hotel is claimed to be haunted. The International Society of Paranormal Research even spent some time at the hotel to investigate these claims. If you want to know what they found, try checking out the hotel for yourself.

Honorable mention: Le Pavillon Hotel in New Orleans. Equally luxurious and especially haunted.

Ballygally Castle Hotel. Larne, Northern Ireland.

Built in 1625, Ballygally Castle is a beautiful and regal hotel on the Antrim Coast in Northern Ireland. It overlooks Ballgally Bay and has stunning views of the Scottish coast. The rooms are fit for a king, quite literally actually and each room comes equipped with a ‘cloud mattress’, for the nights too scary to get out of bed. Which may be many nights, according to the Castle staf,f there has been a ghost haunting the mansion for over 400 years. The ghost is said to be that of Lady Isobella Shaw, who was the wife of Lord James Shaw. Lord Shaw wanted a son to be his heir, however when Lady Shaw delivered him his heir he snatched him away and locked her up in a room at the top of the castle. In an escape attempt, it is believed Lady Shaw fell to her death. Another theory is that Lord Shaw himself thorugh her to her death or he paid someone to do it. The ghost of Lady Isobella is said to be friendly and is regularly seen wondering around the old castle, perhaps in search of her beloved son. There are countless reports of eerie activity around the castle with several guests feeling a presence in their rooms, hearing unexplained noises, and witnessing the inexplicable. A mysterious green mist has also been reported hovering above the castle. Ballygally Castle hotel is proud of its resident ghost, dedicating a room to her in one of the towers in the older part of the castle, so beware!

Also receiving honorable mention: The Langham Hotel. London, England