One of the most beautiful castle hotels in Ireland, Ballynahinch is located just off the main Galway to Clifden Road in the village of Recess. Set in 700-acres of woodland and rivers, a property has been on this location since the 1500s. The present ‘house’ has been in existence since 1756 and was extensively renovated in 1813. A variety of individuals have owned Ballynahinch since that date, including, a Member of the British Parliament, Richard Martin, the Maharaja Ranjitsinhji in 1923 and the Irish Tourist Board in 1952. Since then it has been in private ownership and has seen individual visits of former US President Gerald Ford, and Michael D Higgins of Ireland in 1981 and 2012 respectively, amongst many other VIP guests.
There are 48 beautiful rooms and suites at Ballynahinch each one with its unique character and design style. The décor oozes class and elegance irrespective of which category of bedroom you stay in – Classic, Riverside, Superior, Luxury, Riverside Suites, or The Lettery Lodge. Every bedroom is equipped with a King bed as a minimum, has complimentary Wi-Fi, refreshments, turndown, aircon, and satellite TV. The majority are located in the original main house and are incredibly comfortable and relaxing spaces. The Classic Riverside rooms are in the old house which was built c1700 and as the title suggests, have great river views over the Connemara countryside. Superior rooms are a step up in size, with a minimum of 43 sqm of space and many of these rooms have four-poster beds.
The Luxury category has walk-in dressing rooms, separate bath, and showers, large sitting areas, pillow-topped mattresses, and additional technology. A selection of Luxury rooms on the ground floor of the castle has French doors that open out onto the gardens that bring the sound and atmosphere of the river right indoors. The Riverside Suites are some of the most impressive rooms of their kind that you will ever stay in. The views across the river and onto the woodlands with the Twelve Ben’s Mountains as the backdrop are unrivaled. At 882 square feet, they are also substantial spaces combining four-poster beds, large lounge areas, dressing rooms, and a second bedroom. Finally, the Lettery Lodge, a separate space just a minute walk from the main castle provides private accommodation of world-class standing. There are five bedrooms, a fabulous kitchen with island centerpiece, a dining room, lounge with open fire, games room, yoga studio, and a remarkable outdoor entertaining space. This is the ideal space for those looking for privacy or just that little extra piece of luxury and comfort.
The food and beverage offering at Ballynahinch Castle is quite simply an experience in its own right. There are few restaurants in the world with the views that the Oranmore Restaurant provides across the Castle Terrace and down towards the salmon river. The restaurant interior is beautifully decorated with rare works of art from the likes of Jack Yeats, Louis de Brocquy and William John Leech while the food is simply outstanding. The Fisherman’s Pub and Ranji Room showcase the very best of The Wild Atlantic Way and its cuisine, people and Ballynahinch itself. Freshly caught Atlantic salmon, prawns from nearby Killary Harbour and pork from the estates own farm as well as venison, pigeon, woodcock, and a range of other pub favorites are served on a rotational basis at the Fishermans. The Ranji room has soft leather armchairs, an open fire, and a rustic feel to it, the perfect dining annex to the pub to relax in pre or post meal.
Throughout the hotel there are a series of little rooms and annex into which guests can escape for some solitude or relaxation; the Library, the Hunts Room, both afford such exclusivity. In fact, there is an air of escapism about Ballynahinch Castle Hotel all round. It is an unexpected gem of a property and one that can easily fit into a golf vacation to the west of Ireland. We at the Consummate Pro highly recommend it to our guests.