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| Waterford Castle |
Condé Nast has bestowed on the
Irish tourism industry – and Irish hotels and golf resorts in particular – an
important mantle. Following publication of the magazine’s Best Hotels of the World and Top Resorts in Europe awards, Ireland
can boast several of the best hotels/resorts… and the number one hotel in the
world.
Take a
bow Ballyfin Demesne. Condé Nast’s 300,000 readers awarded the hotel a score
of 99.11 out of 100.
Conde Nast Best Hotels of the
World
For those of you
who don’t know Ballyfin, it’s a few miles outside Portlaoise. With only 20
rooms and a 614-acre estate this is serious hideaway luxury. The hotel is a
former Regency mansion which took eight years to renovate.
Ballyfin’s
guests might not be too interested in golf but there are some excellent/fun
courses close to hand - Mountrath and Portarlington most notably. Not
surprisingly, however, the Ballyfin website only lists the glamour courses,
with the nearby Ballesteros course at The Heritage mentioned alongside the K
Club (81 km) and Mount Juliet (78 km). It’s all about luxury, darling.
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| The K Club's charming par three beside the River Liffey. |
The other two hotels in the top ten have
stronger ties to golf. In 9th place is The Lodge at
Ashford Castle, Co Mayo, which enjoyed a €68
million makeover in 2015. It is separate to the renowned and multi-award
winning Ashford Castle next door, but it is owned by the same group (Red Carnation Hotels Collection). Far more importantly, they share a 9-hole golf course
on the castle grounds – designed by Eddie Hackett, no less. What better way to
warm up for dinner than with a quick spin round the course. Golf is
complimentary to hotel guests, although the links at Connemara may prove irresistible
as the drive through the Connemara landscape and the scenery on offer from the
course are breathtaking.
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| The 2nd green at Waterford Castle |
In 7th position is a resort far more familiar to
golfers: Waterford Castle has been investing heavily since being taken over in
March 2015, and the golf course has benefitted as a result. Yes, the hotel
receives all the plaudits (including the Michelin-starred
Munster Room restaurant) but the 18-hole
golf course is stretched across this 310 acre island and you have to take a
private ferry to get here.
Ireland is the only country to have multiple winners
in the top 10 Best Hotels of the World:
1.
Ballyfin Demesne, Co Laois, Ireland
2.
COMO The Treasury, Perth, Australia
3.
Hotel Matilda, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
4.
Umaid Bhawan Palace (Taj), Jodhpur, India
5.
Summer Lodge Country House Hotel, Dorset, England
6.
Virgin Hotels Chicago, Illinois, US
7.
Waterford Castle, Co Waterford, Ireland
8.
Hotel Unique, São Paulo, Brazil
9.
The Lodge at Ashford Castle, Co Mayo, Ireland
10. Hotel Il Pellicano, Tuscany, Italy
Conde Nast Top Resorts in Europe
Of the top 25 European resorts, four are in Ireland…
and all four have their own golf course!
In 5th place is Ashford
Castle – see The Lodge at Ashford Castle above.
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| The new 6th hole at Trump Doonbeg |
In 20th place is Trump
International Hotel & Golf Links. Investment is the name of the game for
most of the Irish hotels and resorts on these two lists… and Doonbeg is no
different. The Greg Norman-designed links course received the Martin Hawtree
treatment over the last two years, opening for full play a few months ago.
In 21st position is Adare
Manor Hotel & Golf Resort. I rate the course as the best parkland in
Ireland, but let’s not forget that the entire resort is currently closed as it
enjoys a multi-million makeover. Talk of Fazio’s redesign has golfing pundits
salivating. And when it re-opens (2017 is planned) the resort should rise up
these rankings.
The final resort is Dromoland
Castle, at number 24. Personally, I think the parkland course which wraps
around the castle is hugely under-rated. It has everything you could ask for in
terms of variety and challenges and beauty.
These Irish winners are
luxury destinations and are therefore beyond the reach of many Irish golfers, but
if these awards make international travellers sit up and take notice of what
Ireland has to offer then that can only be a positive thing. After all, Condé
Nast carries a lot of weight. And, even if you don’t stay, there’s nothing to stop you playing the golf
courses.
If you're passing your clubhouse in the coming days pick up a copy of the Irish Golfer Magazine. The new issue is just out and is distributed free to most golf clubs. Alternatively, you can read it online, here.
