JANE SLADE recommends some special hotels in Ireland which make for an ideal autumn weekend break
The Culloden Estate & Spa, Belfast
Just five miles from Belfast City Centre, the Culloden is a five-star hotel standing in 12 acres of beautiful grounds and woodland. Formerly the official place for the Bishops of Down, this grand but cosy establishment overlooks Belfast Loch and is just five minutes from the George Best Belfast City Airport, making it ideal for a short break.
You won’t want to move from this stunning spot with its roaring log fires, sumptuous sofas and super comfy beds. The ESPA spa is second to none with eight treatment rooms, a swimming pool, steam room and Jacuzzi and the dining is pretty special too with a variety of mouth-watering options from Irish stew with a contemporary spin to a gourmet treat in a gothic setting. Superior Double from £135 per night from October 1.
The Merrion Hotel, Dublin (pictured left) and the The Ballyfin Hotel, Co Laois
Soak up some Irish art with the finest cuisine in two of Ireland’s top hotels during a special weekend in October.
The Merrion in Dublin and Co. Laois’s Ballyfin (pictured above), will be coming together to showcase the best of Irish art over three weekends in October 2013 and April 2014.
The Merrion’s spectacular collection focuses on 19th and 20th century Irish art, whilst Ballyfin’s significant collection runs its course from the mid-17th century onwards.
On each of the three weekends, experts from the National Gallery of Ireland, in Dublin, and Irish art connoisseur William Laffan, at Ballyfin, will share their knowledge and bring the works to life, giving guests a uniquely privileged insight into Irish art.
Weekends will also take guests on a luxurious, all-inclusive journey, from The Merrion at the heart of Georgian Dublin, to the glorious countryside of Ballyfin’s 600-acres of parkland, just over an hour away.
Two astonishing art collections
There are more than 90 works in The Merrion’s collection. In fact, on visiting the National Gallery of Ireland – just around the corner from The Merrion – guests will recognise many of the works on display, because the paintings displayed in the gallery are by many of the same artists whose work graces the walls of The Merrion.
Works include a specially commissioned series created for the neo-classical stairwell by Martin Mooney, one of Ireland’s finest young painters, and paintings by Jack B. Yeats, the younger brother of the poet W.B. Yeats, and renowned as Ireland’s greatest painter – his ‘Hour of Sleep’ (1951) hangs in the front hall.
Ballyfin has long been admired as one of Ireland’s most lavish late Georgian houses, originally designed in the 1820s. After eight years of restoration, Ballyfin reopened in 2011 as a five-star country house hotel. Leading figures of Irish Art are represented in the collection, alongside continental and American artists who have painted and drawn from Irish subject matter.
Among the principal highlights are the ancestral portraits of the Coote family (Ballyfin’s 19th century owners) which have now returned to the house after almost a century; fine neo-classical paintings by Robert Fagan and Irish landscapes by William Ashford and Thomas Roberts. More modern acquisitions – ranging from 20th-century Irish masters to young artists embarking on their careers – are exhibited on the way downstairs to, and within, the Ballyfin Bar and the spa.
The two hotels have three notable Irish artists in common: the pioneering abstract painter, Mainie Jellet (1897-1944) credited with introducing Cubism to Ireland, holding a special place in the growth of modern art in the country; William Leech (1881-1968) who like most Irish artists of his time was strongly drawn to France and French art and Louis le Brocquy (1916-2012), born to a prominent Dublin family of Belgian descent, self-taught, and who was arguably the most cosmopolitan Irish painter of his generation.
The weekend itinerary
Friday 11 October – After arriving at The Merrion, guests will join an expert from the National Gallery of Ireland for a private tour of the Merrion’s collection and visit to the National Gallery, followed by ‘Art Tea’ – The Merrion’s witty confectionary homage to its paintings. Dinner will be at the hotel’s Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud, Ireland’s only two Michelin starred restaurant.
Saturday 12 October – Guests will depart for Ballyfin after breakfast at The Merrion, just over an hour from Dublin. After lunch, curator, historian and Irish art expert William Laffan will introduce guests to Ballyfin’s art collection with a private tour, finishing with afternoon tea. An evening drinks reception will be followed by a five-course dinner in the State Dining Room. William will join dinner to offer further insight into Ballyfin’s collection, its significance, and its place in the context of the Ballyfin estate.
Sunday 13 October – Guests can make the most of Ballyfin’s 600 acres of parkland after breakfast discovering the wide-ranging facilities indoors and around the private parkland.
‘Inspiring Irish Art’ weekends from €2,727 per couple (€1,364 pp) based on two sharing, subject to availability. Price includes return airport transfers, and transfer between The Merrion and Ballyfin, and two night’s accommodation on an all-inclusive basis.
Friday 11 – Sunday 13 October 2013 | Friday 4 – Sunday 6 April 2014 | Friday 11 – Sunday 13 April 2014
For further information, and to book, contact:
The Merrion – 00 353 1 603 0600 | info@merrionhotel.com | www.merrionhotel.com
Ballyfin Demesne – 00 353 (0)5787 55866 | info@ballyfin.com | www.ballyfin.com
The Culloden Estate & Spa www.hastingshotels.com; 028 9047 1066 offer nightly rates in a Superior Double on a B&B basis from £165
The Slieve Donard Resort & Spa (pictured left) www.hastingshotels.com; 028 9047 1066 offer nightly rates in a Superior Double on a B&B basis from £180.
The Everglades Hotel www.hastingshotels.com; 028 9047 1066 offer nightly rates in a Superior Double on a B&B basis from £95.
Ballygally Castle (pictured below) www.hastingshotels.com; 028 9047 1066 offer nightly rates in a Classic Double on a B&B basis from £115.
