ESCAPES
155
July 2020 | REDONLINE.CO.UKADARE MANOR
HOTEL AND GOLF
RESORT, IRELAND
From top: spectacular interiors at
The Carriage House; views to die
for; a sumptuous stateroomA
dare Manor Hotel and Golf Resort is set
in 840 acres of parkland and is a place
that words could never do justice to.
I have been lucky enough to stay
in many luxury hotels as part of my job,
but this Irish manor house – built almost two centuries ago – raises the bar.
First and foremost, it is the service – warm greetings by every single member
of staff you meet, which blurs the boundary between home and hotel. By our
second day, we know the doormen and chauffeurs by name and by the third day
we know it is going to be difficult to leave them. The waitresses in the airy
parlour, which looks out on to the gardens and golf course beyond, learn the
way we like our tea almost immediately and sniff out that we prefer the blueberry
petit fours, so dutifully swap out our least favourite (almond) to add more.
Second, it is the property itself. It feels as though we are living in a forgotten
age of decadence, and it’s not far from the
truth. Adare Manor was once a Georgian
pile belonging to a wealthy heiress. It still
has a double-height entrance hall, with tall
stone arches, sumptuous red couches and
huge roaring fireplaces. The gallery above
it is like something out of Harry Potter
- breakfast and afternoon tea take place
here, as the sunlight streams in over the
turrets and shines on to the heraldic wall
hangings and gargantuan glittering
chandelier. Our bedroom is just as
atmospheric – it has the original fireplace,
views across the manicured gardens, and
a sumptuous claw-foot bath tub complete
with Acqua Di Parma toiletries.
Surrounding the manor is a golf course
that sprawls over acres of lush greenery,
while the rest of the grounds are home to
The Carriage House (the hotel restaurant),
manicured gardens, a Franciscan friary
and a Trinitarian abbey, a large lake and
an enchanted fairy garden. Dining options
include The Oak Room, the manor’s fine-dining offering, where head chef
Michael Tweedie, who is as friendly as he is gastronomically brilliant, takes
us through a seven-course taster menu that consists of beautifully presented
delights such as veal sweetbreads, duck liver with duck jelly, artichoke
gnocchi and crème caramel with gooseberries and ginger beer.
We dine at The Carriage House on our second night. The great glass structure
at the front gives way to a bistro-style collection of rooms with a relaxed vibe,
an à la carte menu and staff who positively encourage us to linger over our meal.
I also squeeze in a hot stone massage – one of the best, most thoughtful
treatments I’ve ever had – totally tailored to me without being intrusive, and
followed by home-made truffles and fresh herbal tea in the relaxation room.
Adare Manor is truly the stuff of dreams, a chance to walk in the footsteps
of the high society of the past while enjoying all the splendour that modern
hosting has to offer. ANYA MEYEROWITZ
TRIP NOTES
Rooms cost from £235 a night, including
breakfast. Visit adaremanor.com.
Fly to Shannon Airport with Ryanair
from £46 each way. See ryanair.comThe
Carriage
House
restaurant
at Adare
Manor.