Ballyfin

Previously the country home for the distinguished Coote family and recently reopened after extensive renovations, Ballyfin is now considered the most lavish Regency mansion hotel in all of Ireland. A jaunt through its grand interiors and idyllic gardens is a step back in time to a bygone era marked by Jane Austen romance, sweeping natural beauty, and an unprecedented, unpretentious tradition of service that eclipses any modern imitation.

Property Details

Despite its vast 614-acre estate and extravagant interiors, Ballyfin features only 20 exclusive suites and staterooms, each beautifully appointed and individually designed to mirror the unique style of the original Coote home. Think four poster beds draped in sumptuous velvets, silks, and 100% damask Egyptian cotton from Italy, as well as generous en-suite marble bathrooms equipped with walk-in showers, bath tubs, Voya luxury bath amenities from Ireland’s northwest coast, and scented Sally Miller handmade soaps from Cork. Among the most prestigious quarters are Lady Caroline Coote’s dramatic private suite, with its rococo details and 17^th century Flemish tapestries, and Sir Christopher Coote’s massive suite sitting over the south portico. No matter the accommodation, Ballyfin’s few and fashionable guests are treated to the property’s hallmark service, exceptionally discrete and personalized to provide the utmost privacy.

Ballyfin was originally conceived in the 1820s as a place for entertaining guests, a role that it continues to embody even today. From the Alhambra-inspired Rotunda to the rich, stucco ceilings of the Gold Drawing Room, Ballyfin combines both grandeur and intimacy within its never-ending corridors adorned in Irish art, international antiques, and some of the finest neoclassical décor in Ireland. Every evening, cocktail hour in the receiving rooms transforms into formal dinner in one of two dining rooms. Simpler or more private meals are best taken in the magical, sun-lit Conservatory hidden behind one of the library’s bookcases, in the Porcelain Room lined with the famous Flora Danica china, or within the elaborate vaults of the Wine Cellar. Whether it’s afternoon tea by the library fireplace or a heartbreakingly delicious multicourse tasting menu in the State Dining Room, all of the cuisine at Ballyfin is sourced from local, natural, and seasonal produced yielded directly from the hotel’s gardens. This is proud, Irish garden-to-plate dining at its best, whether its apple juice from the Ballyfin orchard, honey from the property’s bee hives, or eggs laid fresh every morning and personally collected by guests.

Ballyfin’s stonewalls enclose 614 acres of rolling parkland, ancient woods, follies and grottoes, medieval towers, abundant wildlife, and rock gardens. Designed in the mid-18^th century, the estate grounds offer miles of countryside diversions such as falconry, croquet, archery, and clay pigeon shooting. Set out on a boat ride on the 28-acre lake and take a gourmet picnic prepared by your personal butler to enjoy lakeside, or stroll through the mown grass paths in search of wild birds, fox, and deer. Beyond the Ballyfin estate are the rolling hills of the Slieve Bloom Mountains and some of Ireland’s finest golf courses. However, some of the most memorable experiences involve stepping back in time, trying on period dresses in Ballyfin’s costume collection or touring the property’s art and architectural details for a glimpse into its remarkable history.