Ballymaloe House, Munster

Description: Ballymaloe House

Set in a beautiful 17th century mansion, built on the site of a Norman keep, Ballymaloe House is surrounded by 400 acres of stunning gardens and idyllic parkland. The home of one of Ireland's most famous restaurants, this charming boutique property offers five-star accommodation and a magnificent selection of bespoke services and facilities in fabulous rural location.

Guests at Ballymaloe House can enjoy countless activities in the house and on the estate, including tennis, croquet, a heated outdoor swimming pool, cycling, walks in the grounds or bread baking workshops and yoga and pilates classes. The Grainstore, a recently converted 17th century farm building is the latest addition to the estate, providing a multi-purpose space for music, cinema and theatre, along with larger conferences and other events.

The Ballymaloe House restaurant serves locally sourced and home grown food from the estate's walled garden and farm. Every day, the chefs and the kitchen brigade draw up the lunch and dinner menu depending on what is available from the garden, the boats at Ballycotton and local dairy and livestock farms. Cuisine is based on the finest Irish country house cooking, with the emphasis on the finest home-grown produce.

Type of rooms: Ballymaloe House

The accommodation at Ballymaloe is simple and elegant. There are a range of rooms in the main house - some large and airy with beautiful views over the fields as well as cosier rooms at the top of the house in the eaves. The newer, light filled garden rooms are at the back of the house and look onto the river and oak and horse chestnut trees beyond. There are also a selection of charming rooms in a lime washed, rose covered, farm building in the courtyard.

All accommodation has a calm and relaxing feel. Beds are comfortable and fresh flowers are brought in from the garden every day - in summer sweet peas and old roses and in the autumn and winter foliage and branches from the woods. There are paintings and drawings by modern Irish artists such as Pat Scott, Michael Farrell, Louis Le Brocquy and Norah McGuinness throughout the house, as well as examples of Irish studio pottery. Guests can choose from the following room categories.

Large Single
Standard Double Room
Large Double Room
Superior Room

Additional information: Ballymaloe House