The Slieve Donard Resort & Spa can be found in the town of Newcastle, immediately adjacent to the Royal County Down Golf Club and, as the famous song from the tenor Percy French goes, “Where the Mountains of Mourne sweep down to the Sea.” Construction on this fabulous Victorian Hotel began in 1896 when it was envisioned as an “end of line” Railway hotel to bring the gentry and ‘well to do’ from Belfast to the seaside to vacation and play golf. The Saturday “Golfer’s Express” brought many of them in their droves from the city to test themselves on the links of RCD. When it opened its doors in 1898, it had cost £44,000 to build and was one of the most luxurious hotels of its kind. The hotel was also one of the first to be entirely self -sufficient, with a bakery, gardens, pigs, laundry and power plant. The highlight for the guests back then was the fact that every bedroom had its very own hot saltwater seaweed bath available to them! The rich and famous have all stayed at the Slieve Donard. Charlie Chaplin to Rory McIlroy, Jack Nicklaus to Michael Douglas, Tiger Woods to Bishop Desmond Tutu, have all used it as a temporary sanctuary.
The hotel is one of the most iconic in golf and is regularly photographed by golfers when they play the course. The most synonymous photo of RCD is the one taken from the top of the hill on the 9th hole, with the spire of the hotel in the foreground and the beautiful Mourne Mountains in the background. The building itself is architecturally strikingly beautiful. The rooms at the front of the hotel all have fabulous views across Newcastle Bay towards Slieve Donard mountain, and at the rear of the property, the rooms all look towards the golf course, with those on the highest floors getting a fabulous view down the 1st hole. There are 181 bedrooms in the ‘Slieve,’ ranging from Classic, Superior, Deluxe and Resort as well as a selection of Suites. The hotel underwent a significant redevelopment and extension in the early part of the 2000s and opened just in time for the 41st Walker Cup match between GB&I and the USA in September 2007. That added over fifty new rooms to the hotel, mostly in a new wing of the hotel that houses the ‘Resort’ category, a fabulous new spa with a 20-meter pool, a hot tub overlooking the mountains, and sauna and steam room. On the treatment floor of the Spa, there are 18 massage rooms set out around a relaxation suite, with thermal baths that overlook the sea and the mountains. Experience showers, a rock sauna, and steam room complete the offering in what is one of the best spas of its type in the country.
All of the bedroom categories at the Slieve Donard are exceptionally well appointed and very much in keeping with the history and ambiance of the hotel. All bedrooms include an excellent range of amenities such as complimentary Wi-Fi, iPod docking stations, complimentary refreshments, Plasma Screen TV’s, etc. as well as having a luxurious King Koil “Cloud” mattress for the ultimate night’s sleep. The best views are available from the higher category rooms, and the Resort bedrooms are the epitome of luxury in terms of space, amenities, views, and comfort, and we highly recommend these at The Consummate Pro.
Food is a serious business at The Slieve Donard Resort and Spa with several different options available to guests. The fine dining Oak Restaurant on the ground floor serves breakfast, lunch and also evening meals. The restaurant is one of the most opulent that you will find anywhere with a beautiful wooden carved fireplace greeting you at arrival and additional wood paneling and stunning mountain views making it a truly immersive dining experience no matter what time of the day it is.
The Perch French Inn is located at the entrance gates to the property and offers a more intimate and relaxed dining experience. The traditional fayre includes steaks from award-winning Hannon meats to Lamb Shanks, freshly caught Scampi, Sea Bass and Haddock, to Irish Stews. The log fire is always burning, and there is an excellent pub atmosphere in the Perch French year-round.
Finally, the Lighthouse Lounge in the Spa area offers an altogether ‘healthier’ alternative menu in keeping with its location. Light bites, hearty soups and tapas plates are the order of the day, and the Lighthouse is the perfect place for that quick snack during the day.
Golfers are well served at the Slieve Donard as you would expect. A ‘dry room’ facility is available in-house to store clubs overnight if required. Practice nets at the rear of the Resort, adjacent to the entrance to Royal County Down allows players to warm up before tackling the links. The short walk, through the arch separating the hotel and golf course, is one of the most memorable walks to a first tee in golf. The Slieve Donard Resort & Spa is an excellent location from which to play Royal County Down and nearby Ardglass.