Ashford Castle

This was the most spectacular place my wife and I have ever been! We came to Ireland for our honeymoon and this was one stop of many and we wish we could have stayed forever. The room was so beautiful, very high tech and very comfortable. The castle itself is stunning and the property it’s on is fantastic and you can definitely kill a lot of time just walking around the beautiful gardens and exploring. The staff was the nicest and the service was nothing short of perfect and on point. There is so much to do here that you really don’t ever need to leave, especially if you are only staying for a few nights. We wish we could have done the falconry and archery but we just never got around to it. They have a beautiful cinema and they play great movies every night. The pool is also very nice. My favorite room is the billiards room and it is so classy. The bar is incredible and some of the staff have been there for over 30 years so you better believe they can make some epic cocktails. I fell in love with their Old Fashions! The two restaurants are unbelievable and by far some of the best food and service you will ever have. I couldn’t even move an empty plate without a server swooping in to grab it before I could even put it down! We really felt like royalty and it was like we were first class passengers on the Titanic! This was definitely far beyond any honeymoon dream come true!

If this is not the most often 5 star place ever. Falconry is A MUST. everything is great everything is fun. Everyone is nice. It is simply the best place ever. Please if you are able to enjoy this; do it. I can not imagine anything on the world being nicer.

This castle is just beautiful. From the moment into our arrival we were breathless and every minute after that as well. You are treated with absolute professionalism and respect. Every single staff will treat you or any guest as they would royalty, they are extremely clean, organized and well balanced. Whether you are going for a stroll around the camp grounds or doing activities or dining (cottage was my favorite) it’s just perfect. We came to go around Ireland and lets just say if they didn’t have an exclusive wedding for whoever that has rented out the entire castle for their exclusivity we would def change our entire trip to stay here.

This place is a must do while in Ireland. The grounds are amazing and the level of service provided is impeccable. The Falconry and the Crowe’s Nest were my favorite parts. The Dungeon Restaurant and the price of the rooms would be the two low points for me. Saying that, I wish we would have stayed more than two nights.

Be sure to take the lake cruise to Inchagoill island with Patrick and his crew. It’s indescribable!

If you ever vacation in West Ireland and you’re into castles, you really want to give this place a shot. We stayed here on a Castle Package put together by an Irish travel agency, so we didn’t know what to expect.
After driving in from Shannon Airport on the scariest, tiniest, no-​shoulder, rainy roads, we were ready for some stress relief. We pull up to Ashford Castle at 6:30 AM and had no idea how impressive the vista would be (it was still dark). The castle was built in 1228 (what!) and has been refurbished several times by loving owners. The grounds are expansive and sort of flow into the quiet, nearby village of Cong. When you at Ashford, you are totally isolated.
We checked in and waited in the… lounge for the sun to rise and for breakfast service to begin. Soon after, we were greeted by Donal, who was the first person in Ireland to treat us with outstanding service and general kindness. We were bleary-​eyed, dirty and worn down from the harrowing drive. Donal treated us like rich folk who flew in on a private jet. By the time breakfast was served, we were happy, relaxed and really digging Ireland.
All meals are served in the King George dining room. There is a good variety of buffet breakfast food if if you require a hearty breakfast. Note that the pancakes aren’t great, but everything else is tasty. (After one dinner in the dining room, we decided that it was a bit stuffy for us and had dinner in the village the next night.)
We explored the grounds after breakfast and realized you could actually walk off your meal doing so. Your experience exploring the grounds will be: taking in fresh, cool air, listening to birds chirping, water flowing and gravel crunching underfoot. You’ll duck under branches as you get lost in the forest and be completely enveloped by green foliage soon afterward.
Exploring all the downstairs rooms in the castle transported us back in time so we understood how grand it is to live in a restored castle, even if just for a few moments.
Minuses: just a few
*Rooms are hot, even in October. Stupid global warming.
*Dinner at the King George Dining Room. Take dinner in Cong instead.
*Ugh, why are there so many Americans everywhere (asks the American)?
Pluses: everything else
*Tea/​coffee/​bar service in the lounge very early and very late!
*Bar downstairs from the lounge for even more revelry.
*Excellent and friendly service from everyone — love the staff here.
*Rooms are beautiful and large, with river drinking water and decent bathrooms.
*Falconry worth the price of admission, even though it will make your arm smell bad.
*Charming village of Cong is a short walk away from the castle. Eat/​drink at the pubs.
*Free Wi-​Fi when you’re in range. Bring your laptop to the castle center, near the lounge. Better yet, limit your time on the computer and take in the garden instead.

Ashford Castle probably does not need a letter of appreciation from me as they received multiple, numerous letters from far more distinguished people. *cough* Prince of Wales. *cough* President Reagan. I can keep coughing but I’m sure you get the idea.
Nonetheless I am going to present my letter anyway.. . Because I can and because they really deserve my deepest gratitude. So without further adieu.. .
Dear Staff at Ashford Castle,
I am writing on behalf of myself and guest who stayed in room 430 over our birthdays holiday. My guest and I agree that our stay at Ashford was nothing short of the highlight of our trip to your beautiful country. We were greeted warmly and professionally upon arrival and received exemplarily service that far exceeds my high standards. Words cannot describe our beautiful and elegant room nor the breathtaking view of the castle grounds.
A special thanks is warranted to the lady who checked us in and escorted us on a tour of the castle and the gentlemen who brought us our luggage. He provided us with our personal wifi router after we inquired about internet access within the castle.
The activities offered at the castle offered such unique experiences that we altered our travel plans to spend an entire day on castle grounds. Despite late notification, we were accommodated to all activities of interest — horseback riding, archery, facial and massage and falconry.
Thank you once again for a memorable birthday and stay at the castle. A visit to Ashford will certainly be highly recommended to all who are visiting Ireland.
Truly,
TG and CK

If you are visiting Ireland, Ashford Castle is a MUST… not to be missed! We visited and stayed at several castles during our Ireland adventure, but Ashford was hands down our favorite — the best all around.
It sits on beautiful grounds, surrounded by majestic green rolling hills and dense forests. The staff is exceedingly warm, welcoming and attentive… they are friendly and lack any pretentiousness.
The castle (and staff) were very kind and accommodating to our three young children and there were many activities for us to all participate in and enjoy. Our favorites, that I highly recommend, included: archery, horseback riding, and a once in a lifetime outstanding School of Falconry adventure. Do not miss the hawks/​falcons! During a one hour walk you get to bond with your hawk and have it send/​return to your glove 25+ times… an incredibly unique experience (we adored our guide Connel, and our hawk Aztec).
Ashford Castle was excellent in every regard… a true 5-​Star Experience.