Hotel Review: Adare Manor Hotel

Note (June 2016): Adare Manor is currently closed for a major renovation & restoration with an anticipated reopening in September 2017.
I can’t wait to check it out, even more fabulous than before!

I’ve never stayed at a hotel like Adare Manor before. A hotel that makes you literally gasp when you pull up the driveway – heck, a hotel that makes you literally gasp when you pull up their website. But after being greeted by a security guard wearing a top hat, as we slowly made our way down the long winding road that runs through Adare Manor’s property, the magnificent house came into view. And B I & both audibly gasped.

Adare Manor started off as a very simple, typical Georgian home. The 2nd Earl of Dunraven & Lady Caroline lived a happy life there. Earl Dunraven, an active outdoorsman, became stricken with gout while still relatively young & was confined inside. Needing something to keep her husband occupied, Lady Caroline suggested that they renovate their home to create a grand chateau. Construction began in 1830, but because the Earl was a bit indecisive, it was still incomplete when he died in 1850. The 3rd Earl took up the project & completed the home. It’s because of the Dunraven’s work on their home during the Great Irish Famine that the famine largely skipped Adare (local craftsmen were all employed working on the home & thus were able to continue earning money to buy food). After the Dunraven’s gave it up, the property has always been a hotel, changing hands several times, including being recently purchased by an Irishman. I’m hoping that it continues to retain its fabulousness under its new owner.

Adare Manor is a calendar home: it has 365 stained windows & 52 chimneys mark the annual tally of days & weeks. There are also references to the seven days of the week & 12 months of the year scattered throughout the home. No one is really sure why the Earl chose to create a calendar home, because they’re fairly rare. Another sign of the Earl’s fun personality: the funny guy below (who looks out over the lobby) is one of many quirky statues around the house.

From the moment you walk through the front door, again greeted by a top hat wearing bellman, the enormity of the home & the stunning attention to detail immediately hits you. The room that is now the lobby of the hotel used to be the Dunraven’s grand hall, with a gigantic organ in one corner, pipes stretching to the ceiling (which the Earl, sadly, removed after the death of his daughter – it reminded him too much of her). A roaring fire & two story mahogany staircase greet visitors on a grand note.

Gorgeous Rooms

Our room, a gorgeous Deluxe Room in the old part of the house, required a little work to get to (third floor walkup!), but was absolutely worth the effort. Despite the grand appearance of the rest of the hotel, we instantly felt comfortable in the room, surrounded by soothing blues, greens & tans. The giant king sized bed was covered in pillows & nestled under a grand canopy (fit for a Lady!). The space was so large, there was room to spare even with a fireplace, a seating area next to a giant leaded glass window & a desk area. Outside the window, a gargoyle kept an eye on the gardens for us. The bathroom was covered in beautiful marble, with an ample soaking tub & a giant pedestal sink.

Breakfast Fit for an Earl

Every room comes with breakfast in their stunning dining room, the Oakroom Restaurant. In addition to a large continental buffet filled with fresh cheeses, fruit, yogurt, & homemade pastries (which I ate too many of), guests can also order off the regular breakfast menu. I am not embarrassed to admit that their eggs benedict were so good, I had them two out of our three mornings there. I don’t even like eggs benedict, & yet I was inhaling theirs. They also offer a full espresso menu, which meant I could tuck into a double cappuccino every morning.

Beautiful Public Space

The rest of the public rooms in the Manor were equally stunning. We took a small tour of the property & enjoyed peeking into the Presidential Suite (President Clinton stayed there!), the Minstrels Gallery (one of the longest banquet halls in Ireland – they can fit a long table right down the middle of the room that seats 100 people!) & beautiful sitting rooms & even a pool! My favorite room in the whole place was the library. Dark paneled walls, floor-to-ceiling bookcases & a stunning bay window. My only regret of our whole stay at Adare Manor was that we didn’t get a chance to sit in the library & read.

Gardens & Grounds

We also enjoyed strolling the grounds along the River Maigue. For the first time in my life, I really wish I played golf so I could enjoy their championship course. Along the course is a 15th century Franciscan Friary, now in ruins.

While at Adare Manor, we enjoyed falconry, one of the many activities on site. It was an amazing experience, being one-on-one with the amazing birds of prey. I’ll be writing all about our experience – & sharing video of a very sweet barn owl named Noddy – on Thursday. Adare Manor is one of the first five star hotels we’ve stayed at that truly lived up to its five star rating. The property was stunningly beautiful, the service was top notch (we were consistently greeted by name) & it felt exactly how a vacation hotel should feel: like we were transported to another world.

Know if you go… 

– the best thing about Adare Manor is that almost all their marketing is by return guests & word-of-mouth. This creates a truly intimate feeling between the guests & staff.

– when you head there, consider booking with our awesome travel agent: Jonathan Epstein of Celebrated Experiences. I get absolutely nothing for suggesting you book with Jonathan, but you will get top notch service & extra smiles at Adare Manor, since he & his wife Laura are well known around the property.

– if you want to participate in any of the activities, including falconry, archery & definitely golf, advanced reservations are highly recommended.

– while the hotel is located just outside of Adare, it’s close enough to walk to the west end of town (we had a great dinner at The Wild Geese & great coffees at The Good Room) & a super easy drive into the rest of town.