Kilronan Castle is the Perfect midweek Getaway

Kilronan Castle stood proud as we drove up the long drive and first impressions did not disappoint. Lovingly restored by the Hanly Group to its 18^th century splendour (it was a total ruin until 2004 when restoration commenced), it offers an ideal blend of old-world elegance and new-world luxury.

Gorgeous Graham and I wanted to banish the January blues with a night away and a special offer of 119 euro for two (B&B) led us to Boyle, County Roscommon and Kilronan Castle, a sister establishment of Lough Rynn Castle Estate in neighbouring Leitrim (where we also enjoyed a visit some years ago).

Kilronan oozes sophistication. The reception area (below), for instance, welcomes with its open fire, warm wood, sparkling chandeliers and friendly reception team, while there are other areas inside which are equally appealing.

Accommodation

We were not staying in the luxury older-style rooms in the castle, but in the modern extension and the rooms were lovely, nicely furnished with a very comfortable King-size double bed. On leaving, we asked to see the deluxe Castle Suites in the ‘older’ part and we certainly think it is worth paying an extra supplement (of €40 upwards) for one of these, particularly if you are staying two nights. It is the little extras, like the lovely views over the lake, the 4-poster bed and the Nespresso coffee-maker, that make the difference.

 

Food

Dinner in the intimate ‘Douglas Hyde Restaurant’ was a delight; every mouthful was delicious and beautifully presented by pleasant and knowledgeable waiting staff. Particularly impressive was the Pinot Noir wine we chose, priced at a reasonable €31. We learned later that the Australian head chef, only there two years, has won numerous awards and we were not surprised. GG has a thing about my taking photos of the food and claims it ruins a pleasant meal out but I did snap one of his main course of sea bass (below) when he wasn’t looking!

He even wrote a blog post last year about how annoying it is to be married to a blogger. If you want a laugh, have a read HERE

In a pleasant contrast to the now norm of self-service hot food at breakfast in most hotels, Kilronan offered made-to-order breakfasts delivered to the table…wonderful.

Spa

I was disappointed not to be able to get a treatment in the award-winning spa, but I left it too late to book. I did talk to two ladies who had wonderful Elemis facials and sang the praises of the therapists, while the prices seemed very reasonable to me, compared with other spas and beauty salons. Similar to other areas in the hotel, the staff were very helpful and friendly.

We did spend an hour in the Thermal Suite and Graham even had a little snooze in the relaxation area.

The Drawing Room

Before we left we sat for an hour reading the complimentary papers by the fire in The Drawing Room in comfortable armchairs with coffee and home-made biscuits. Original paintings and 18th century furniture make this a really cosy place to relax.

Final Thoughts

Would we return to Kilronan Castle? Most definitely and would take the opportunity to explore Lough Key Forest Park and maybe visit the Arigna Mines nearby. If you fancy living like a lord or lady for a day or two, check out their website HERE.

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