The Lodge at Ashford Castle

We spent two nights at the Lodge at Ashford Castle. We were very impressed by the entrance into the estate and the drive through the golf course with views of the actual castle and lough as we made our way to our accommodation. Reception staff were friendly and our room was ready at checkin. The rooms like the surrounding gardens were immaculate with plenty of amenities, a good bed and a great shower. The fittings did feel like they were from an earlier decade and although perfectly functional could do with a modernisation. We ate an Wildes the first night and found the dining experience a bit mixed. The room itself liked much atmosphere and felt like it has seen better days. Waiting staff were a bit disinterested in us and a touch aloof. The food although of a good quality lacked the sparkle and invention you would have expected of a restaurant charging premium prices for its food. The next morning we had breakfast at the same place but the difference was night and day. We were given a great Irish welcome to breakfast by Kevin and the food choice and quality was excellent. We really enjoyed that experience a lot. We did a drive around the Connemara pins the following day and came back in the evening. We had planned to have dinner in the hotel as the information in the room informed us there was a platter served between 50:0 and 9:00pm, however the bar staff informed us that this was a mistake and there was no food in the hotel that evening other than at Wildes. As a result we had to leave the lodge and ate in Cong Village in a local pub. Food there was excellent and reasonably priced. Overall we enjoyed our time at the lodge but feel a bit disappointed with some aspects highlighted above.

Loved our stay at the Lodge at Ashford. Very comfortable, excellent service, gorgeous food, lovely walks around the area. Highly recommend!

One of the most beautiful landscapes highlighted by an exquisite lodge and of course, stunning castle. Truly an incredible experience from the fine dining, to the complimentary tennis courts, and exceptional staff. Will be back!!

Our second visit to The Lodge at Ashford Castle in two years not only lived up to our expectations but exceeded them once again. Last summer, our initial experience was so incredibly positive that we rearranged our entire itinerary on the day of arrival just to return at the end of our trip. We left so delighted that returning this summer was an easy decision. Upon our return, we felt immediately welcome. The personal touch of being recognized by several staff members, even before check-in, was truly wonderful. The entire team—from Cristina at check-in to staff in the Quay Bar, Wildes Restaurant, both during breakfast and dinner—were exceptionally friendly and attentive. Drivers, housekeeping, and everyone working across the magnificent Ashford estate deserve immense praise; they truly make the experience fantastic. This year, we also made sure to try the swimming pool, which we highly recommend! Rooms (we have tried three room types): In our first visit we couldn't decide between the Courtyard Deluxe King room and the Superior Deluxe Room as the description and pictures online looked very similar, we therefore decided on the Courtyard Deluxe room. When we returned on the same trip we tried the Superior room. On our most recent trip, this year, both our previous room types were booked so we decided on the Duplex Suite. • Courtyard Deluxe King room: very nice room, the smallest one, however, big enough for two suitcases. • Superior Deluxe Room: bigger than the Courtyard Deluxe room. It also felt a lot more airy and it felt like a much bigger room. As this room was not that much more expensive than the Courtyard room we would definitely recommend the Superior Deluxe room if available. • Duplex Suite: The suite was excellent, featuring a nice living room, great bedroom and a very comfortable shower (the best shower of the three). The two floors were a nice touch if one of the travelers is a bit slow getting ready. We also had a little patio for ourselves, however we did not use this as we preferred sitting outside the Quay Bar when we had some time. Location: The hotel has a great location. Just a ten-minute walk (or a short drive as the staff are always ready to take you by car if you would prefer) to a lovely cafe/shop (Mrs. Tea) and a very good restaurant (Cullens at the Cottage). Here is also the entrance to the beautiful Ashford Castle. Guests at the Lodge are most days allowed to take a stroll in the gardens at Ashford, which we also would recommend in addition to trying one of the restaurants there. Another ten minutes walk and you are in the lovely Cong village. Here you have walking paths, some shops, restaurants and our favourite in the village, the Danaghars bar that has live music seven days a week (at least in the weeks we have visited) and an amazing atmosphere. The location of The Lodge is also great for exploring other parts of Western Ireland. Galway is only approximately 45 minutes away with a car, perfect for a day trip. From the dock in Galway you can also take a ferry to the Aran Islands, where a bike trip around the island is highly recommended. We also went for a hike in Connemara, saw Kylemore Abbey, Downpatrick Head, and visited Westport. So as long as you have a car, The Lodge is a perfect starting point for many experiences and a perfect place to get back to after a day of exploring the other wonderful parts of Western Ireland. The estate offers a lot of activities. Last time we went horseback riding in the woods around the estate. It was so much fun, the horses were wonderful and the guide was very pleasant and knowledgeable – an amazing way to see the estate. We certainly weren't ready to leave when our visit ended, but hopefully we´ll be able to visit again soon.

We stayed at the Lodge for two nights From the moment we arrived the staff from top to bottom could not have done anymore to make the stay more enjoyable. The deluxe room was immaculate and very cosy. We had an evening meat in Wildes restaurant on the first evening food and staff was exceptional. We booked Cullens a thatched restaurant on the grounds for our second meal another great experience. The swimming pool and facilities were very good also. The morning we were departing we went for a walk with the estate Irish wolf hounds what a treat that was. We plan on returning in the future for another stay. Thank you to all involved in our stay.