Book the Ballyfin Demesne Hotel with VIP Benefits

Set at the foot of the Slieve Bloom Mountains in the center of Ireland, Ballyfin is a place of history and romance, tranquility, and great natural beauty. The house has long been admired as the most lavish Regency mansion in Ireland, and after eight years of restoration, Ballyfin re-opened in May 2011 as a 5-star country house hotel like no other. Offering the very best of Irish hospitality in the most beautiful surroundings imaginable. With only fifteen rooms for the 600-acre estate, this 5-star luxury hotel is the perfect place for a break from the modern world's stresses and provides discretion and privacy like few other destinations. With just 15 bedrooms, it is also the ideal place to take over for an extraordinary celebration.

Irish country houses were created as places for entertainment. The recent restoration aimed to return Ballyfin as closely as possible to how it functioned when it was built. Conceived on a generous scale for receiving guests, Ballyfin combines magnificence and intimacy in its State Rooms. The decoration of these interiors has long been acclaimed as among the finest of the Neoclassical and Empire periods in Ireland. From the enormous Saloon at the heart of the house to the eighty-foot Library, which runs the length of its south façade, the State Rooms make for a glorious backdrop to a stay in the house.

The Library is perfect for whiling away a few hours with plenty of quiet corners for conversation. Alternatively, guests may enjoy the Drawing Room's elegance, with its French-inspired decoration and beautiful ceiling of rich stucco work, the Saloon's grandeur, or the informality of the sun-filled Conservatory reached through a secret door hidden in a bookshelf of the Library. At Ballyfin, formality is blended with ease and enjoyment. Guests are invited to enjoy these splendid interiors, decorated with Irish art and antiques worldwide, in the same spirit of refined elegance as visitors to the house did in the 1820s when Ballyfin was built.

The Estate

Is fabled for its natural and human-made beauties. As the house is open to residents only, Ballyfin offers a perfect opportunity for rest, tranquillity, and outdoor activities. At Ballyfin, stone walls enclose 600 acres of parkland, a lake, ancient woods, delightful garden buildings, follies, and grottoes. The landscape, laid out in the mid-eighteenth century, is among the finest examples in Ireland of the natural style of gardening inspired by 'Capability Brown. Many highlights will keep garden lovers and outdoor enthusiasts exploring for days. These include the medieval-style tower, built as a folly in the 1860';s, the walled garden with its formal borders and kitchen gardens, the abundant wildlife to be seen on early morning walks, and the now nearly restored Edwardian rock garden.

Every room and each suite in the house offers an impressive array of amenities, specially chosen to give their guests a sense of Irish tradition and hospitality. Dining options All meals, snacks, and coffees are included in the room rate, and a wide choice of dining options is offered in delightfully elegant surroundings. Should you choose, the day at Ballyfin can be centered around truly outstanding gastronomic experiences – from a customized breakfast to a delicious lunch of your choice and onwards into the evening with a bespoke dinner. Guests hiking, biking, or simply relaxing may opt for a traditional, gourmet picnic hamper to enjoy in any location across the grounds or select an alfresco meal on the terrace of the main house. The cocktail hour is back at Ballyfin, ushering in dinner where you may choose from the grandeur of the State Dining Room or the intimacy of the Van Der Hagen Dining Room. Alternatively, something simpler can be served in the Library, the Bar, or the magical, sun-lit Conservatory. Downstairs private dining can be arranged in the Porcelain Room lined with the famous 'Flora Danica' set of china or atmospheric Wine Cellar.

At Ballyfin, the rooms' architectural splendor and their historical resonances combine with the food to make truly memorable dining experiences. Guests dine at individual tables unless a preference is expressed to dine with other guests. The Ballyfin Bar is Discreetly hidden away in the former Servants'; Hall downstairs. The Ballyfin Bar is the perfect place to enjoy the convivial hospitality for which Ireland is famed. The relaxed atmosphere is perfect for a quiet drink and the chance to admire some of Ballyfin's collections of contemporary Irish art. On a summer's day, the bar opens out onto the former Kitchen Yard, which is now laid out as a courtyard garden.

Accommodations

Rooms - All rooms in the house are beautifully appointed, yet all individually designed to mirror the unique style of the original house. The marble bathrooms are equipped to the highest standard with walk in shower, bath, double basin and luxurious toiletries. Suites - All suites in the house are beautifully appointed, yet all individually designed to mirror the unique style of the original house. The marble bathrooms are equipped to the highest standard with walk in shower, bath, double basin and luxurious toiletries.

Dining

The Restaurant - It's all about the flavour - at breakfast, lunch and dinner, simple, elegant and really tasty dishes are created from exceptional produce by the Chef and his team. The Food - Inspiration starts in the grounds. Eight acres of walled garden, full year-round with a rich variety of fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs all expertly grown and tended to by the team of gardeners.The six hundred and fourteen acres of grounds bring a diverse collection of wild foods throughout the year. In Spring the woodlands are filled with ramsons leaf wild garlic and wood sorrel's delicate white flowers. Then in Autumn, the forest floor is littered with hedgehog mushrooms, giroles and sometimes, in just a few secret corners of the estate, the King of the forest floor appears, the magnificent Cep(s).

Hidden away near the picnic house live Ballyfin's Bees, a Buckfast hybrid, Irish born and bred. They make us honey, honeycomb and wax from Spring until Autumn. Bern, the bee man, tends to the hives checking on the bees weekly, collecting the comb and then extracting the honey a little further up the Slieve Bloom Mountains, only 5 kms from us here at Ballyfin (as the bee flies). A hop over the wall and you will find the producers who supply us with exceptional ingredients. The Butcher, Mick Keegan, rears beef, pork and lamb for his shop 8 kms away in Mountrath. Patricia Butler produces chicken in her farm in County Kilkenny. The seeded sour dough comes from bakery and coffee shop Mueller & O'Connell in nearby Abbeyleix.

Travelling out of Laois, the fish is landed and then delivered daily by The Duncannon Fish Company out of Kilmore Quay, and SSI sea foods out of Dublin. The butter on the tables is from Glenilen Farm in County Cork. The Menus are a team effort with the Kitchen, Sommelier and Restaurant all working together to produce a seamlessly enjoyable evening. Dishes are simple in delivery, focusing on bold flavours and balance - food that is meant to be enjoyed!

The Cellar Bar

Discreetly hidden away in the former Servants' Hall downstairs, the Cellar Bar is the perfect place to enjoy the convivial hospitality for which Ireland is famed.While the relaxed atmosphere is perfect for a quiet drink the informal setting provides residents with an opportunity to enjoy an alternative dinner experience.Here the night time menu is a simpler affair – grill style but making excellent use of Ballyfin garden produce as well as fish, fowl and meats from local suppliers.

The change in style from the main floor of the house is reflected in the décor and here there is a chance to admire some of Ballyfin's collection of contemporary Irish art which includes a major work by Michael Farrell (1940-2000) showing Vincent Van Gogh painting at Arles and a vividly expressionist piece above the bar by Brian Maguire (b. 1951) which contrast with the gentle lyricism of a series of flower pieces by the young Irish artist Michael Canning (b. 1971). Here you will also find a superb collection of the best of Irish whiskies including single cask Middleton 1996; Inish Turk Beg, only 2,888 bottles produced; twelve-year old Red Breast and seventeen-year old Connemara, single cask. On a summer's day the bar opens out onto the former Kitchen Yard, which is now laid out as a courtyard garden.

Wellbeing & Treatments

"Magical, wonderful oasis of peace, calm and tranquility." Hugh & Maureen, Laois. Treatment and Fitness Rooms The gym is fully equipped with the latest cardio vascular machines, audiovisual equipment and free weights. A personal training service is available on request (additional cost). The treatment rooms provide an ideal place to unwind, restore and to invigorate the body and mind. The highly trained therapists will ensure you leave feeling revitalised and refreshed.

Feel free to discuss your treatment choices with the reservations team - they will know and understand the treatments and will advise on which experience would best suit your needs. Alternatively you can reserve an amount of time and upon arrival and consultation, your therapist will select treatments for you.It is requested that you book in advance of arrival to ensure the availability of the therapists and treatment times required.

Indoor Pool - Whether you feel like swimming some laps, enjoying some water exercises or simply relaxing, the 14m heated indoor pool, overlooking the courtyard garden, is a beautiful space for invigoration and wellbeing. Vitality Pool and Sauna - The vitality pool is equipped with a mixture of air and water based features. It includes a large feature seat with a combination of fine air bubbles and powerful water jets. The air pad in the centre of the pool floor offers an invigorating air massage while wall mounted hydro jets add vigorous leg and back massage to your experience. All features are available on demand and the water is kept at 40'C for your comfort while the low level lighting adds to the ambience.