Gilly Hopper
Irish hospitality lives up to its reputation at Adare Manor. A 19th-century house, built by Lady Caroline Wyndham and her husband, the 2nd Earl of Dunraven, its construction offered a lifeline during the devastating Potato Famine. The neo-Gothic gem is an example of a rare ‘Calendar House’ — a building with architectural elements that nod towards the number of days in a week, a month or a year. The style first rose to prominence in the Elizabethan era, reappearing in the Victorian one. Adare is adorned with 365 leaded windows, 52 chimneys, seven stone pillars and four towers.
In 2015, Adare was bought by the ultimate local-boy-made-good, the billionaire J. P. (John Patrick) McManus, who immediately set about transforming it. After only 22 months of work, Adare reopened as the most luxurious of hotels: the new, 42-bedroom wing, which features a ballroom where weddings can be celebrated without disturbing other guests, blends seamlessly into the old part. The Signature Suites, which come with a dedicated Manor Butler, are among the most prized.
John’s dream to host the Ryder Cup, on his superb golf course designed by Tom Fazio, will be fulfilled in 2027 — a podium of sculpted grass steps is already in place. Noble trees overlook the smooth swards, including the oldest cedar of Lebanon in the British Isles, and trout await fly-fishermen in the clear tumbling waters of the River Maigue.
It’s a grand place, from the soaring Gothic hall, with embracing armchairs and books on Irish architecture, stairs designed by Pugin and a spectacular 132ft-long Gallery where you take breakfast. Yet for all that, the manor itself feels like a home, with muddy boots allowed and sit-up-and-beg bikes waiting by the door for exploring the grounds. Luxurious and full of thoughtful touches, this is a hotel with heart.
And there’s plenty to do, from the spa, the first in Ireland to offer customised face and body treatments from 111Skin, and impressive Padel Club, which caters to aficionados of one of the world’s fastest growing sports.
Other highlights — they emerge, one after the other like Russian dolls — include the Michelin-starred Oak Room, afternoon tea served in a gallery inspired by the Versailles Hall of Mirrors and the world-class whisky collection, stored in the clubby Tack Room bar. It here that cocktail impresarios whip up concoctions of whisk(e)y and bitters, liqueurs and gins, named for the mythical beasts that adorn the manor and served in everything from teacups to glass birds.
Take breakfast in the aforementioned Gallery, where sunshine gleams through stained glass as tables are crowded with plates of kippers and eggs Benedict, homemade pastries and lime-and-tequila marmalade from Co Tipperary.
After lunch in The Drawing Room and dinner in The Oak Room, it was clear to me why head chef Michael Tweedie and his team received their first Michelin star in 2019. A map on the menu reveals ingredients’ origins — ‘local’ is far more than a buzzword here — and the food shows true imagination. Jaffa cake for pudding, anyone?
Click here to read more about Adare’s efforts to become known as ‘The Irish Augusta’
-
What on earth is the person who comes up with Annabel's otherworldly facade displays on? London's most magical Christmas shop displaysPhotographs by Greg Funnell.
-
What trees taught me about perfect planting — Alan TitchmarshSense and patience is key to growing healthy trees, as a certain Mr Mackenzie showed a young Alan Titchmarsh
-
The Surrey hotel review: The new kid on New York's Upper East SideRosie Paterson checks into The Surrey, A Corinthia Hotel, one year on from its grand opening.
-
Wildhive Callow Hall hotel review: I felt like a squirrel preparing for hibernation and I loved itThe boutique treehouses at this Derbyshire getaway are the best way to unwind in nature and explore the Peak District, writes Lotte Brundle.
-
Ardbeg House review: Concept design is a tricky business, but this Scottish whisky distillery-turned-hotel proves that it can be done to great effectSteven King checks in to Ardbeg House, a boutique hotel from the LVMH behemoth.
-
'The night smells like engine oil… and money': Singapore’s glittering night race paved the way for a new era of city-centre Grands PrixIt's the Las Vegas Grand Prix this weekend, but it and other city-centre Grand Prix would be nothing without trailblazing Singapore. Natasha Bird explains how the city state got it so right.
-
Storrs Hall: A glimpse of what a trip to Lake Windermere ought to beLake Windermere — the largest stretch of water in the Lake District — is a tourist mecca that can often feel crowded, but head to places like Storrs Hall and you can still find the beauty and seclusion that first drew people here. Toby Keel takes a look.
-
‘For several days between Christmas and New Year, the departures lounge at Heathrow Terminal 5 becomes busier than Daylesford HQ’: A snob’s guide to winter sunAnyone in their right mind abandons ship after Christmas for some winter sun, says Sophia Money-Coutts
-
Waldorf Astoria New York review: The Midtown hotel where Frank Sinatra once partied and the salad of the same name was invented emerges from a decade-long renovationOwen Holmes checks into the Waldorf Astoria New York hotel.
-
Saltmoore hotel review: The place to stay that's woodland retreat, seaside hotel and spa sanctuary all in oneSaltmoore, on the North Yorkshire coast, has barely been open a year but is already earning recognition as one of the finest places to stay in Yorkshire. Toby Keel checked in.
