We traveled from San Francisco to Ireland for our dream wedding at Castle Leslie on the word that…read morebusiness was as usual for the venue during the pandemic. As the week progressed with the worldwide pandemic, Castle Leslie still insisted that things were still going ahead as scheduled and that we would have the castle to ourselves so we advised family that they should still travel. 2 hours before check-in, they called us and tried to transfer us to a different location. Then, they said the CEO (Brian Baldwin) was on a call and would get back to us. He didn't and they canceled our reception. It was a huge disaster and disappointment for everyone involved. The problems were only starting however. The castle started advising ourselves and couples from other bookings to speak to their solicitors as they kept the €5000 deposits on all the canceled weddings. This was out of our control and had they told us at the beginning of the week or before we even left for Ireland, we could have at least rescheduled at that point. Very disappointed that a venue who claim to be high-end acted with such sneakiness and lack of class. I strongly advise to pick a different location.

There are so many places to stay and packages to purchase at Castle Leslie, my vacation and review…read moreis for the Sports Package (equestrian package) at the Lodge. **5-Day Sports Package** What a deal! Our sports package was 6 nights in a Stable room, located at the Lodge of the Castle (a separate building from the castle itself). The package included the hotel room, breakfast and dinner daily, and 3 hours of horseback riding daily. For breakfast, a lovely continental breakfast was laid out daily which included 8+ juices, fresh breads, pastries, yogurt, cereals, fresh fruit, jams, jellies, compotes, sugar, and everything you need. Or order anything from the hot breakfast menu (free of charge) including omelettes, crepes, etc. Service was superb with coffee or tea service and a tray of toast. For dinner, the Sports Package included one entree at the Snaffles restaurant or a starter and entree at Conor's Pub. Drinks, sides and desert extra. See below for reviews of each restaurant - but both were great. **Stable Rooms at the Lodge** We reserved 3 Stable rooms (1 single and 2 doubles) located at the Lodge. The Lodge is the social hub of the estate and contains Conor's Pub, Snaffles restaurant, the spa and entry to the equestrian center. Many of the rooms have balconies that overlook the stables below. The rooms are large, beautifully decorated, and light and bright with windows and doors that open to let in fresh, Irish air. Daily cleaning and evening turndown service was lovely. **Equestrian Centre** If you're an equestrian looking for an excellent place to vacation, Castle Leslie is your place. It's not for the faint of heart. We heard that the estate has over 50 horses including "handsome hunters, cheeky ponies or flying armchairs" as they claim. We started with an hour-long assessment so that the Centre could properly place us with varying levels of horses. Each riding program was customized. As a dressage rider, I opted for daily 2-hour hacks in the morning and a 1-hour flat lesson in the afternoon. Friends opted for 2-hour cross country jumping adventures in the morning and 1-hour jump lessons in the afternoon. The 2-hour walk/trot/canter hacks were AMAZING. However, all canters are more like a gallop! But the trails are safe and defined so no one got too out of hand. There are endless kilometers of trails through fields and heavy woods and streams. There's also a sand pit made just for a proper gallop. Excellent. I wasn't impressed with the flat classes. I'd skip them altogether next time, or switch to jumping. Castle Leslie's horses are wonderful but they aren't trained for lateral work or carrying themselves on the bit (especially giant draft horses). So next time, all hacking! **Conor's Bar** For a tiny pub, Conor's made for many enjoyable lunches and dinners. There are great beers on tap (love the red lager) and lovely wines (try the rosé) for reasonable prices. There is always a new soup of the day and a few special dishes in addition to the regular menu. Our favorite dishes were the kitchen salad and fish n' chips. Oh, and garlic bread too! **Snaffles Restaurant** Dinner attire: Dressy! Pack a few nice dresses or slacks and shirts for this fancy place. Book reservations at the front desk at least the day before. Due to events, the restaurant isn't open daily, and reservations go fast. Our Sports package included one entree here but we were also treated to a tiny starter of the chef's choice (e.g. smoked salmon or a cod fritter). Skip the Mediterranean veggie entree but the halibut, steak and coq au vin were great. We enjoyed the daily seafood specials too. All entrees are also served with a family-style side dish of vegetables - always a type of potato, green veggie and root veggie (e.g. mashed potatoes, buttered snap peas and roasted parsnips). Service was great and very proper. Wine was served in a fitting glass; silverware was removed or added depending on your entree. And the staff was always exceptionally friendly. **The Spa** I splurged on a hot stone massage and, after 5 straight days of hard riding, I'm SO glad that I did. Book ahead! The spa was small and intimate. Massages were WONDERFUL (Amy did an amazing job). **The Castle, Grounds & Services** The Castle has thought of nearly everything. Forgot to pack boots to hike in the damp Ireland weather? Help yourself to Wellies in the Boot Room. Same with umbrellas. Mineral bath salts were provided and recommended for our aching riding muscles (and it worked wonders!). I only wish they'd have had some form of a market or shop on site. Whenever we were in need of water bottles, snacks or even cold medicine, we had to drive into Emyvale. Not that we minded an adventure! We had an EXCELLENT vacation at Castle Leslie. We pushed our limits on riding adventures, enjoyed kilometers of green countryside, and relaxed in the warmth and comfort of the Lodge. We can't wait to go back!

Was at a wedding reception here (Feb 2011) and was so impressed with this venue. The function…read morefacilities were city standard and although it is a 3* hotel I believe the manner and enthusiasm of the staff to be beyond 5*! The manager (Greg) worked very hard to see that the Bride and Groom had the best day. I saw him doing everything from putting out extra tables himself to serving the buffet! I even saw him sweeping up a broken glass. This is country hotel with modern facilities run with old fashioned hospitality. If I was spending time in this part of the country I would stay at the Valley Hotel.

Stayed here for a few nights with my fiancée and had the most relaxing time. We wanted to get away…read moresomewhere quiet and peaceful from city and this was definitely the place. The staff were lovely and very friendly and met all our needs while we stayed we will come back again some day soon thanks valley hotel .

We took advantage of their dinner bed-and-breakfast deal and really enjoyed our stay. Quaint inn…read moretucked away in an unassuming corner of Knockaterry county of Cavan Ireland. The ambience is elevated rustic farmhouse with lovely windows letting lots of natural light, a friendly cheerful staff and comfy nooks all around. We started our evening with a cocktail in the atrium which was cozy with overstuffed furniture for comfy seating. We ordered a Bellini and an old-fashioned and enjoyed every minute before we were moved to the main dining area. The dining area was lovely. The only negative was that we were seated by our window with a view of a dumpster and construction equipment. That was kind of a bummer since we were celebrating our anniversary, but otherwise the ambience is delightful. Before courses we received a delicious vegetable base soup and a bread basket with red onion focaccia, Brown Guinness, Cheese twist & Brown wheaten bread. They were all delicious, but we particularly loved the red onion focaccia. Dinner is a set three course menu so we ordered Starters: warm, crusted, brie with walnuts and baby beetroot, pear. Also ordered the scallop starter, which was a stuffed ravioli with a prawn bisque Mains: Seabass and the lamb. The Seabass was pan fried with red pepper, chive and lime and an Olive oil dressing. The lamb was a rack that was herb crusted with fondant potato, mint & pea jus. Desserts: tiramisu and warm rice pudding The highlights for us were the starters and probably the best tiramisu I've ever had ever! The mains were good, but just not as flavorful as the rest of the courses. Really loved the unexpected soup course and bread course. Definitely on the very pricey side so would only splurge for special occasions. Plenty of parking and handicap accessible with no steps.- at least I don't remember any.

Fantastic Food, with great atmosphere. Staff were very friendly. The whole restaurant had a very…read morecosy, warm feeling...I'd highly recommend it.

My family and I attended a wonderful wedding two days ago. The wedding was of a family friend, Tina…read morewith Allen. The venue was the superb Manor House Hotel. I have previously visited the hotel for drinks and to hire a boat at the Marine, but this was our first formal visit. The grounds and location are exquisite and it's easily accessible. On arrival there were snacks and tea/coffee-all provided by the hotel and well received after our 2 hour drive. The Manor House is an award winning hotel and it is very easy to see why. The wedding ceremony was a traditional Hindu ceremony and was discharged admirably by the Priest Mr Ashok Sharma who went to great detail to explain the ceremony and involved the audience. I must say this was a truly wonderful ceremony. After the ceremony there was a drinks reception and snacks which again were provided by the hotel and tasted fantastic. There was champagne, juice and lassi and to eat there were fish cakes, chicken skewers, paneer and sweet potato chips as well as sandwiches and pastries. We then made our way into the main dining hall where John, Maureen and staff looked after approximately 200 guests with Swiss clockwork proficiency and precision . The entertainment was provided by the famous Edinburgh outfit VIP Entertainments along with the two renowned Dholis (drummers). Before the dancing there was the scrumptious five course meal of goats cheese tartlet, butternut squash soup, bacon wrapped chicken with vegetables, fruit crumble and tea/coffee. Kids had sausages and chips and there was a wonderful veggie main choice. The service ran smoothly and the food was absolutely amazing. There was plenty of wine and soft drinks to accompany. After this feast we were treated to some excellent entertainment by DJ VIPS and the Dholis. We welcomed the newlyweds onto the floor for their first dance and then partied!! We had to drive back home so couldn't dance into the wee hours....have to go back and try the bedrooms soon!!!! Thanks for the gracious invite, wonderful hospitality and best wishes for you married life.

The Manor House has always been nice and has an gorgeous lakeside location, but renovations over…read morethe last decade have improved it even more. The hotel bar is very nicely done and the Belleek restaurant, which overlooks the lake through huge glass windows (one part is a conservatory with a starry ceiling), has an extremely interesting set menu for £35. Lobster and crab pasta dishes to start weren't perfect but had a refreshing taste. I had lamb for my main, three different cuts two of which were particularly melt in the mouth. My dad loved the veal he had. Dessert wise, he enjoyed a creme brulee although said it wasn't the best ever. I had a deconstructed rhubarb crumble which had some off putting elements (frozen green stuff?!) but basically won me over by the end. Perhaps overall slightly better in the attempt than the execution but that gap isn't massive and the charming location and staff, as well as the pleasure of seeing an inventive menu, make this well worth a try.

It was a whistle stop first time visit for one night only and an almost 4 hour drive from near…read moreCarlow to get there. As we turned in off winding roads in the dark we saw lots of Christmas trees and lots of coloured lights. It was impressive alright and I was glad to turn off the car. It's an impressively huge hotel and the reception was beautifully decorated for Christmas. Check-in was a pleasant, quick experience. We got a room upgrade, which delighted us. We were offered someone to take our bags to the room. This was a Black Friday deal that included a 2 course meal. So the room was delightful, two double beds and the usual tea/coffee/hairdryer/iron and a rather small tv on the wall given the size of the room. The room was cosy warm and it was appreciated as it was a cold night outside. I tried out the steam bath and jacuzzi. They were superb but two things annoyed - the changing room was unpleasantly cold coming from the jacuzzi and the shower (and I tried more than one) was unreliable. The shower water flow work hands free, there's nothing to push, so it was a light or similar. It went on and off randomly and despite me waving my hand over the 'light' pushing at it and so on it remained hit and miss with more miss than hit. I was tired and I found this to be irritating. Then to dinner; we were seated quickly in the restaurant. I found the starter I had good, but not great and - at the price - it should have been great. The chilli sauce and the tartare sauce were out of jars. My sea bass main was even more disappointing, again at the price it should have been top notch. It was poorly cooked, poorly seasoned, not as described on the menu (it looked more like trout) with overcooked, to near mush, side vegetables and not great chips either. I was tired too, so I decided to eat up what I could and shut up but I didn't enjoy it. The waiter was not focussed on serving us as he should have been. The price of a glass of wine is the same as a bottle of wine in M&S and the price of one cocktail gets me an M&S Dine in for two with a bottle of wine. Like almost everywhere else they sell those miserably tiny and annoying 200ml bottles of coke and nothing screams rip-off to me as loudly as these do but it's an all to common rip - off now. It was a great nights sleep and the breakfast coffee, fish and croissants were ace. I also rant about the bacon and sausages served up. Like most hotels and this hotel seems no different it's the cheapest sausage and bacon that's served up. Once a hotel is four star or above it really should use its buying power to do better. Sausages with artificial type skins should be banned, these are made of collagen, often derived from cattle skin, cellulose, or plastic. Likewise bacon loaded with phosphates make for an unpleasant eat. So, it's 4 star on balance with the dinner food, under seasoned and unexpectedly poor value for money with haphazard service. We are booked to return in April 2020 for a longer stay and we are looking forward to it, so watch this space.

Absafrikinlootly wonderful place, brilliant staff, sooooo helpful and attentive. Wonderful food,…read moregreat facilities and just highly recommended this place.

We celebrated my sisters 40th birthday here last night. 16 adults and 10 kids had a very good meal…read moreconsisting of starters and mains for the adults and kids meal and ice cream. The service was great, the food was amazing however my soup was a bit plain and the potatoes served with the salmon weren't what we had ordered. This did not detract greatly from our overall enjoyment. Superb setting and wonderful vfm.

We booked our room under the former owners and it's recent sale brought new owners to the B&B for…read moreour visit. The property is beautiful and our room met all of our needs. The inn is an updated traditional style inn with pink and blue colors as the main theme. Breakfast was served in an addition with liberal windows looking out to the patio, lush green lawn, and river in the distance. There were several breakfast offerings using local meats, fruits, vegetables and eggs. The innkeepers were efficient and pleasant but it would have been nice to have more recommendations on the surrounding area. I'm sure as time goes on the innkeepers will feel more relaxed with their interaction with guests.

Awesome place for a spa day!! My friend booked this place after our Istanbul holiday as a sort of…read moretreat! We drive up two hours from Dublin on a rainy afternoon. Checked in around 2pm, then hit the spa! Our treatments weren't until 5 but we hit up the pool, saunas and other cool amenities. The hotel is super nice, staff is super duper friendly! Our package includes a 30 minute spa treatment plus 3 course dinner for 150 euro, which was pretty good. My scrub/massage was awesome, felt refreshed! Dinner was delicious! Rooms were very nice and the buffet breakfast the next morning was bomb! If you get a chance, take a walk around the grounds. Overall a great little get a way spot to relax and get pampered!

With fantastic midweek offers, it's hard to resist going to Farnham Estate. The hotel is a large…read moremodern building attached to a refurbished old Manor type house. There is lots of land to roam around and explore including a huge golf course. The rooms are spacious and have lovely bathrooms with a shower and a bath. Free wifi in the rooms, a fridge, hairdryer etc and even robes and slippers! There's an indoor and outdoor pool with loungers with comfy pillows if you want to relax by the pool and read a book. There's also steam rooms of various temperatures, foot spas and nice showers. On a quiet day you can really lap up the peace and serenity, drink unlimited amounts of tea, coffee and juices and just relax. I had a Swedish back and shoulder massage from the Beauty Salon. It was amazing! They even have a hair salon! You really don't need to leave the hotel over your stay as there are plenty of options to eat. The Botanic restaurant or the Cellar Bar (or room service) have got plenty of choice on their menus. It all comes from the same kitchen anyway. I was so impressed with the buffet breakfast. So much to choose from! Probably the biggest buffet breakfast I have ever seen in a hotel. Fried, scrambled and boiled eggs to choose from! The staff are very helpful and friendly too. I couldn't have asked for more. I really enjoyed my stays here (3 times in 2 years) I recommend it highly and I know I'll go back again.