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!

I don't know what the other reviews are about, but I had a really lovely stay here. I was staying…read morefor a weekend for a wedding. Communication is hard coming from the states, but every email was answered promptly and courteously. The hotel has ample parking, the grounds are clean, and the room was spacious (family room). The restaurant was good, it had variety for dinner and my kids also liked their selections, which is always a huge plus for me. Loved the breakfast every morning and miss having an Irish breakfast back in New York. The event space was lovely, the staff was all nice throughout my entire stay. Literally, everyone was pleasant and helpful. I took away a star because the rooms do not have air conditioning. I am a hot person and to me that was a negative. I understand that Ireland does not get super hot, and most people keep their windows open, but I have bad allergies so I would wake up every morning sneezing. I got used to it after the first night, but I definitely wish there was air conditioning just to keep the humidity down with four people cohabitating. I will definitely be back!

It's not often that I want to rate a place zero stars, but this was 100% one of those instances…read more My partner, her three children, and I all went to the Four Seasons to grab some food, charge some devices (tablets and phones), and use their internet. This was all following Storm Éowyn. To clarify, my partner's children would all be neurospicy like her and myself (she's Autistic and I've got cPTSD and ADHD). Her eldest son is Autistic and would be slightly more profound than the rest of us. I initially had a poor interaction with a girl in the restaurant. She was incredibly rude for no reason. Following that, I approached the reception to give feedback on their staff and politely complain. Before I could even explain anything, an overbearing voice from beside me started asserting that the hotel staff were all doing their best etc. I explained that none of that was really what was in question. I wanted to tell them that I'd had a very rude experience. This offensive gentleman got right up in my face in an extremely threatening manner. I was extremely surprised to discover the gentleman was nom other than the MD of the hotel. His completely casual attire and overall manner, should have given a clear indicator of the unprofessional approach I would experience. What resulted was an initial exchange between Fank and I, followed by an exchange between Frank and my partner. The contents of which were Frank detailing how Autistic children should be put in care and he would ring Tulsa about her child. When the hotel MD said this we left immediately. Unfortunately, this took us about thirty minutes as my partner's son had an autistic meltdown over the incident.

We came here for a wedding and it was incredible. Each room has a unique feel to it and with over…read more100 people at the event it felt very comfortable. We stayed upstairs in room 11 and it was really pleasant. Newly remodeled and clean. Highly recommend checking this place out for an event or just to stay and admire the castle!

When one of my best friends told me he was going to get married in a castle in Ireland, I was…read moreimmediately pumped for the trip. And Bellingham Castle was the chosen venue and boy it exceeded all expectations. I even got to stay here for one night and they had such a pleasant hospitality. We ended up getting the "Kevin" room, which had a balcony view of the garden and patches of greenery that stretched as far as the eye could see. The place was really peaceful and my New York State of mind was completely gone, although temporarily. I really felt like a little kid when I went on to explore the different rooms in the castle. The furnishings and designs are things you would expect to see in films. My favorite rooms were probably the Bottlery (wine room) and The Buttery (the kitchen). Their castle dog, Ri, was super adorable and roamed around as if he owns the place. Some castles can feel intimidating but this place felt very intimate and homey. If only I could live there forever....

We stayed at Walsh's hotel for two nights for our stay in the North of Ireland. It was a lovely…read morecharming hotel, wonderful staff nice bar and dining. Nice location as a base for exploring the North of Ireland.

What a pleasant surprise to find this oasis of super friendly staff who were on point for every…read morerequest from our group of high school students. The rambling hotel with never ending spaces and types of rooms were inviting and provided plenty of room. There were local activities and frankly the hotel acts like a community center. Zumba, line dancing, and a pub with a huge TV for viewing games or GoT premieres! Grocery is nearby and laundry round the corner made mid-tour replenishing easy. Thank you for making us feel welcome and well fed!

Absolutely stunning hotel with a surprisingly large ballroom! Came here for part of a wedding…read moreceremony and was amazed by how the ballroom/conference space was quickly transformed. Additionally, the ballroom is far enough from the actual hotel rooms so that it wasn't too noisy or crowded. There is also an entrance to the hall directly from the parking lot (located behind the building), reducing the amount of traffic coming through the main entrance of the hotel. The conference room is complete with several chandeliers and its own set of toilets. The hotel itself is located in a local, quite area. It seems like such a beautiful place to have an event or stay for a quiet weekend getaway. Can't wait to come back and stay as a guest!

From the owner: The Glencarn Hotel is renowned for good food, friendly service & lively entertainment…read more Our Restaurant offers fine dining at affordable prices with both table d'hote & a la carte menus. Carvery Lunch in the bar daily from 12.30 - 3.00 with barfood menu from 3.00 - 10.00pm daily. Entertainment in our bar every weekend. Big Band Dancing every Friday night. Concerts and events throughout the year. The Leisure Centre facilities include 21m Swimming Pool, children's pool, sauna, steam room, cardio vascular room, plunge pool and weights room. Just 2 mins from Concra Wood Golf Course and with Manaan Castle & Rossmore Golf courses close by, the Glencarn offers the ideal base for a golf break

From the owner: Hillview Lodge has spacious en-suite bedrooms comprising of Single, Double, Twin, Triple & Family…read more The rooms have been furnished in a modern open plan style. There are tea/coffee making facilities in the rooms. All of the hotel style en-suite bedrooms have Television, Wi-Fi Wireless Internet and Power Shower.