This incredible Castle dates all the way back to 1228 and is situated in the County of Mayo, Ireland. Formerly owned by the Guiness family for over 100 years, Ashford Castle was recently acquired by the family owned Red Carnation Hotel collection.
After a $75 million dollar renovation, this Castle has now become the ultimate destination for a getaway with kids in tow. Every nook and cranny has been restored with care (and there are many!) The Castle rooms are clean, comfortable, and fit for any little Prince or Princess.
This is not a cold and drafty Castle. This place is warm, comfortable and welcoming. The amenities are vast and include (but are not limited to)
- A cinema room.
- A spa & fitness center
- A game room for the kids
- Lego delivered via room service
Goodies for the Children include a customized book, and a tray with a personalized cookie and apple juice. Pint size bathrobes and slippers are also provided for the Children.
Adults are welcomed with a tray of munchies and wine, ready to enjoy.
If it interests you, take some time to explore the Castle. We had fun having a look around. There are many works of art to admire, beautiful stained glass windows, and a few nooks complete with books!
We were lucky and had pretty good weather during our stay, but I think this would be a great place to be stuck in on a rainy or cold winter’s day.
As beautiful as the interior of the Castle is, stepping outside the Castle is even more so. The Castle grounds are vast and stunning. To give you an idea of just how big they are, and what is available on them, click here.
The Estate gardens are also an experience in and amongst themselves. I HIGHLY recommend for you to take your children out to explore them.
There are also a variety of other exciting activities that you can book during your stay at Ashford. If you enjoy watching videos, this video here shows a few of the activities you may enjoy during your stay.
- Golf
- Tennis
- Fishing
- Falconry
- Equestrian
- Lake Cruising
- Cycling and Kayaking
- Traditional Boat Trips
- Stand Up Paddle boarding
- Clay Shooting and Archery
- Zip Lining & Tree Climbing
Another fun activity at Ashford Castle is to hang out with the resident Irish Wolfhounds. We were able to meet one of them during our stay, and my daughter was over the moon about it.
On our visit, we were also able to tour the School of Falconry. We saw the amount of work and care that goes into raising the birds, and to ensuring they are both healthy and happy. We were also able to meet and spend some time with the resident Owl, Dingle.
Here are a few photos of our experience flying one of the Harris Hawks, Blaskett.
We also spent some time with the horses, and the sweetest dog on the grounds named Tingle, at the Castle’s Equestrian centre. My daughter even got to ride the Pony Biscuit through what appeared to be an enchanted forest.
But what about the food you are wondering?
Mealtimes at Ashford are a special affair. (Dinner in particular) The Castle has been hosting dinner for guests for nearly 800 years – One of which was the Prince of Wales (who later became George V of England.) In honour of his visit in 1905, the Guinness family built a special dining room which still bears his name to this day. This Castle has seen it’s share of interesting guests!
Nowadays, acclaimed Chef Philippe Farineau is in charge of the kitchen. This basically guarantees you will have a superb dining experience. To top it all off, while you are dining, the resident pianist plays softly in the background. The only way to describe it is Magical.
That is not your only option for dining though. If you like, you can also choose one of the other Castle restaurants to dine in. Take a look…
Every dining option available at the Castle is certain to please.
You may also be curious about what is available to eat in the village. The Village of Cong is not too far away, and we were able to walk there.
We ended up choosing a local Pub called Pat Cohan’s Bar. It is a great place to stop and grab a draft, and the food on the menu is quite appealing. It also just happens to be the original location used in the making of the 1951 film, ‘The quiet man’ starring John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara.
Cong is a quaint little village. Along the walk we came upon a beautiful old church and a few cute shops. My daughter was also very excited to come across some wacky woollies in a window display.
The village also has old ruins dating back from the 1200’s, and the remains of an old house thought to be built in the 15th or 16th century. If you have the time it is worth checking out.
The breakfast at Ashford Castle is also an impressive affair. If you enjoy a traditional and hearty Irish breakfast you will not be disappointed. There are many things to satisfy your appetite, and appeal to the kids. Everyone in your entourage is sure to walk away satiated (or stuffed to the gills if you so wish!)
I also forgot to mention that Ashford has an afternoon tea service that is quite popular. I believe that you can even book a tea if you are not staying within the Castle grounds. That would be a great option for someone who didn’t want to stay overnight, but wanted to come and see what Ashford was all about.
If you are staying in the Castle, you are also able to enjoy a tea in the evening (which is what I enjoyed doing.)
My daughter and I would take a walk around the Estate grounds and then cozy up in the tea room on a comfy sofa. The resident piano player is amazing and plays a set of relaxing music while you drink your tea.
Position yourself so you can enjoy the view of the Lough Corrib through the big picture window.
My only other advice is not to stay long with the kids. The music was so relaxing that my daughter fell asleep. I was forced to carry her through the Castle corridors and up a few flights of stairs to get back to our hotel room one night!
What does it cost to stay here?
Rates will vary by season and occasion. In the low season you can find the rooms as much as 40% less per night. The most expensive time to book accommodation in Ireland is during the summer months. A good idea (and what I did) was sign up for their newsletter and wait for a good offer to come up before booking. I also split the cost of the room with my brother which helped make it a little more affordable.
For rooms in the Castle, you can expect to pay anywhere from €376 in December (and up depending on the room or suite) and around €655 (and up) in August, which tends to be the most expensive time of year for travel in Ireland.
One or two nights is a suitable amount of time to tour the grounds and book an activity or two if you wanted to just plan for a weekend getaway. This is not a place that you have to stay at for a week to enjoy – although, if you have the means to do so, you would not get bored!
Staying in a Castle overnight is a pretty special thing that your kids are sure to enjoy. It is not often that one gets to sleep in a Castle after all!
What would be YOUR ultimate experience at Ashford Castle?
Let me know in the comments below :).
*All photographs in this post are my own and taken by me
