Powerscourt Hotel Autograph Collection

First off I have to say that I didn’t actually pay to stay here as I was a guest of GDS and their CMO marketing conference — but I did pay for the odd meal, drinks and some peanuts and crisps from the mini bar so feel like it’s fair game to review this place as it wasn’t a freebie by the hotel.
Set in the middle of wonderfully stunning countryside, about 45 mins drive from Dublin airport it truly is set in a unique place that makes you feel like you’re away from it all.
The room was like a suite with some great touches (although a few let downs were no nespresso machine in the room, rubbish generic lager like Coors and Heini in the mini bar and an overcomplicated light system that made me revert to unscrewing some light bulbs in my room to turn them off…)
But all the food I had was great — the burger in the bar lovely and there’s even an onsite pub made to look like some traditional Irish hangout — some Guinness got sunk here by the attendees I can tell you!
Then there’s the spa — I was lucky enough to squeeze 2 short trips in between meets and it has a lovely pool, but the steam room is the real winner — that shell — that’s all I’m gonna say (apart from also drink lots of water in advance as the heat is very intense)
Overall I will definitely be wanting to call here again and enjoy their hospitality — hopefully with less meets — the views look perfect to enjoy a nice book and pint of the ol’ black stuff with!

I don’t think I could imagine a more perfect stay than what I experienced at the Powerscourt in mid February of this year. Maybe I’m just not accustomed to luxury accommodations, but this was like something out of a dream. From the moment we entered, the charm washed over my girlfriend and I like a warm bath.
I should start with one of the most accommodating experiences I’ve ever had before going into the exquisiteness of the room and grounds. Our flight got into Dublin around 5 AM and we got a rental car. Through the rain and darkness, we made our way from the airport to the estate only using signs. It’s a quick run — maybe 25 minutes. We weren’t sure what to do since it was so early but we decided to enter in the hopes we could, at least, drop the bags off. Tired and stiff from the flight, we went in and were greeted cordially at the front desk. We were informed that we could actually check in to our room! At 6 AM! That’s unheard of in my book. It was like having an extra night! The wi-​fi was easy to access and we were settled very quickly. When the hotel isn’t busy, parking is a breeze.
We wanted to rest for a few hours, but we were starving and decided to enjoy the hotel breakfast first. I am not exaggerating when I say that it was likely the best breakfast I have ever had! At the early 7 AM hour, we had the dining room almost completely to ourselves and watched the sun rise over the Sugarloaf mountain, rolling back the foggy darkness — all from the dining room. The spread was a feast for kings! They had every breakfast item imaginable and then some: eggs, sausages, pastries, fruits, charcuteries, jams, blood sausage, beans, bacon, ham, honey on the comb, and more. And so much of it was locally sourced! As tired as we were, we enjoyed it for hours. I was amazed at how affordable it was too! I’ve paid far more and gotten far less for breakfast before.
Our room was a suite in the truest sense. A decadent marble bathroom with a large tub, rain spout shower, WC and double vanity — complete with a television built into the mirror! We didn’t use it, but that’s cool! The bedroom was spacious and the bed was soft as a pillow. The parlor had comfortable seating and a desk for writing. The view over the garden was hard to look away from. The closet was massive and reminded me of some sort of mansion home’s closet with compartments on either side. There was even a power converter built in! You know a hotel is impressive when even the closet is awe-​inspiring. Plus, I’m pretty sure the closet would count as a penthouse apartment in NYC.
The décor from the lobby to the rooms is done to the nines. It has the old world charm that best represents the actual Powerscourt house which sits right next to the hotel on the expansive grounds. The gardens are spectacular — more so in spring and summer I imagine — but take the better part of a day to explore so reserve some time for that. The rooms feel decorated in 1920’s to 1940’s furniture and décor, but I’m no expert. They are just elegant and beautiful and thoroughly enjoyable to spend time in which causes a dilemma for any tourist wanting to get out and see Ireland. Still, I couldn’t imagine coming back to a lovelier room each day.
The room service only heightened the experience. I rarely indulge in this meal practice, but the food was so good and so disgustingly inexpensive that it was worth it. Again, I’ve paid a lot more and gotten a lot less. The seafood chowder should have awards. The soda bread was excellent as well. It’s worth doing at least once and if you have long days like we did, it’s nice to come back and have a quiet meal in your room.
The location seemed like a very good base of operations for touring the country too. From Enniskerry, we drove to Trim, Dublin, Cork, Waterford, Limerick, and the cliffs of Moher and many places in between. We never spent more than 3 hours in the car. Enniskerry is a pleasant little village as well with a few shops and several great eateries too.
It might seem silly, but I don’t think I would stay anywhere else when visiting Ireland. I hope the Powerscourt never changes! It cannot be improved! On my next visit, I want to enjoy more of the restaurants inside and have afternoon tea!
If you want to experience a fairy tale existence for a brief time, this is good choice. I’m off to reminisce now.

Disappointing as the Powerscourt was previously my favorite hotel in Europe. Came for a night before flying to Mauritius, thought it would be a nice way to get the trip off on the right foot. Unfortunately, a collection of mistakes that you would not expect at a hotel like this. First, on check in, we had booked two 2Xdouble rooms, back in September (for a late March stay). When checking in was told one was a king room. A few hours later they did get us a second double a few hours later but they were on different floors so our family was split up.
Second disappointment was as we were having lunch in their Sugarhill Café while waiting for the room situation to be resolved. Was seated by the maitre d but nobody came to take our order. He eventually took it but we did not even get our drinks (including beverages for two kids) until two other tables who had arrived later were served their full meals (yes, our meals took about 30 mins longer).
Third disappointment was breakfast today. The main dining room (Sika) was full so was sent upstairs, told the menu was the same. Unfortunately, they did not have the pancake making machine upstairs that was the reason my kids wanted to come to this hotel. I also had to search and find a waitress to get coffee for my wife (I never got tea).
While none of these experiences was a disaster, it is for a supposed five star resort. Maybe it is the transition from Ritz to Marriott but has gone from my favorite hotel to a sad memory.

Gorgeous hotel. The rooms were surprisingly large for a European hotel. There is a converter in every room which made charging our phones, etc easy. Rooms decorated impeccably. Bathrooms were beautiful with a great big bathtub and modern rain shower. Staff very friendly and helpful. They have a great pool and hamman suite in the spa that is open 7am –9pm. If you want to go for a nice walk or run ask the front desk for a map and they will also give you code as there are many gates around property that you will run into if you are exploring around.
We had dinner at the Sika restaurant. Food and wine was delicious and great service. I would suggest wearing a jacket for men although there were a few gentlemen that were more dressed down but they stood out.
During our stay we checked out the waterfall which was a few minutes drive. there was a playground and food kiosk at the waterfall.
We also explored the Powerscourt house and gardens. The Powerscourt house is separate from the hotel. The house is full of shops for gifts, food and a café where you can sit down and eat. I suggest you grab a to-​go coffee before walking out to the gardens as it was a bit chilly when we were there. Gardens take about an hour at a leisurely pace.
For both the waterfall and gardens we still had to pay the entrance fee even though we were staying at the hotel.

Beautiful accommodations and estate. The service has been good (not quite great), and the food has been A+!

5 star review for a 5 start hotel and spa resort. The minute you enter reception your comfort and satisfaction is top priority. The staff there cannot do enough for you. So attentive and warm and friendly. The room we had was basically an apartment. Just incredible. Afternoon noon tea is auch a treat, you really must do it. And it will fill you up.
I was a bit disappointed with my room sevice dinner as it wasn’t amazing, but it is not detrimental to the review. If you want the King and Queen treatment you simply visit here.

This hotel is pure luxury and 5 stars all the way! (See pictures of our suite.) Digital panels in every room to control the lights, flat t.v. in the bathroom mirror, comfy robes and slippers, bar area, flat panel televisions in the main room and bedroom, luxuriously soft bedding– and that’s just the room!
The pool and hot tub are exquisite. Chic and modern atmosphere with a great spa and workout room attached.
The lounge overlooks their fountain and beautiful grounds. The 3^rd level pub is well decorated with an authentic Irish vibe and doesn’t come off as cheesy.
We did not eat there (see my review for Mac’s Lounge or the Powerscourt Arms in Enniskerry) but I’m sure the food, like everything else, is fabulous.
It was rainy while we were there but the gardens are supposed to be legendary. You do have to pay to enter the gardens (even if you’re a guest) as they are not owned by the hotel, but it’s a beautiful scene just from the hotel.
The staff are all helpful and friendly and will do just about anything you ask! It’s roughly 45 minutes south of Dublin and perfect for a romantic and high end getaway. Highly recommend!

A beautiful hotel on a beautiful piece of property south of Dublin. Kicked off our 12 day adventure around Ireland at Powerscourt and it was a wonderful place to relax after such a long flight. It gives off the impression that it’s a very fine hotel especially with the Ferrari and Maserati parked out front when we got there.

Room smelled like a sewer pipe.
Pretty room, hotel and grounds. we compalined to the desk staff after first going into the room that the room smelled like feces. The desk staff said he had never had an issue wiht that romm but sent someone to spray the room with prefume.
After the first night we complained again that it was so bad we couldn’t sleep and they did nothing.
At checkout they compd us one of the meals for about 60 Euro.
the hotel has great amenities, decent food and nice staff (except for the one rude chartacter at the begining). But the smell really smelled like we were in a sewer and unacceptable a hotel of htis calibre.
I would never stay there again.

I have been super busy recently and really felt I needed a little R & R for a night. While I LOVE Dublin, it’s not always easy to just relax and chill out as there’s so much going on and I get a serious fear of missing out! :-) Not wanting to travel too far for an overnighter, we decided The Powerscourt Hotel & Spa would be perfect… living in Rathfarnham, I knew it wasn’t too far from me but didn’t expect to fly down and be in another world within half an hour! The hotel is just through the small village of Enniskerry in a beautiful part of Wicklow. I have honestly never seen so much greenery and trees… it’s little wonder it’s commonly called the Garden of Ireland. The Powerscourt Hotel is quite a popular spot, hosting numerous celebrity wedding bashes, and when you get there it’s not hard to see why. No expense has been spared and the result is simply stunning. It was a grey day the first day so didn’t show the hotel in it’s best light… but it is impressive none the less.
Entering the hotel at the reception area on the 4^th floor, straight ahead the Sugar Loaf lounge looks out to plentiful trees and the backdrop of the Wicklow Mountains. Many guests were enjoying an Afternoon Tea and just relaxing. We chose a quiet corner and enjoyed a quiet drink and a chat. It has to be said, the cocktails are pricey — but this was a damn good Strawberry Margarita!
Then it was check in time! I’d got a package for € 290 to include a 1 bed suite with mountain view, breakfast plus dinner and was excited to see the room.
I most definitely didn’t expect such a fabulous room. we walked into the lounge area with a sofa and desk and a large balcony with fantastic views. Through to the bedroom, walk in wardrobe and huge bathroom with a mega deep bath, double sink with tv in the mirror and separate shower.
We then mosied down to the pool area which was absolutely stunning! This reminds me very much of The Marker Hotel’s pool area, dark and totally relaxed… heaven!
After a quick change it was time for dinner. The package included a 3 course dinner in the Sugar Loaf lounge area, hoever it wasn’t open for dinner this particular evening so we were upgraded to the Sika restaurant at no extra cost — result! :-) Yet again, fabulous view out to the mountains and a lovely relaxed atmosphere… along with some absolutely super food!
We had Pan-​fried Scallops with pig’s head croquette, creamed leeks, lardo and colcannon, Toonsbridge Mozzarela, baby artichoke, black olive, basil yoghurt and heirloom tomato.
Mains were Wild Garlic Risotto with roast artichoke and poached egg & Rib eye of Veal with purple sprouting broccoli, caramelised onion mash, wild leeks, a glazed cheek and blanquette sauce.
Desserts were just fab — Chocolate cylinder, white chocolate, mind and orange mousse with cocoa sorbet & Chocolate Soufflé with malted barley ice cream.
I never ever skip brekkie when I’m staying somewhere nice and was very glad not to miss out on this! A huge selection of pastries and freshly baked goods, plenty of cereal and fruit options, a buffet style hot breakfast which was all fresh and replenished, and best of all… a little pancake making machine with a hefty jar of Nutella beside it — I had to indulge! :-)
After that it was time to pack up and head off to enjoy some of the beautiful Wicklow countryside before heading back home. I loved my stay here and have to say, the special offer was one of the best I’ve ever found for a stunning 5 star hotel of this standard… I would thoroughly recommend!

Everything you would expect in a five-​star hotel, and one unique feature… the location. Arguably the most beautiful area in Ireland, in walking distance to a rural village where we shared a few pints of Guinness at a charming pub.
For golfers like me, the course across the street offered a moderately challenging game, and the rental clubs (typically very good at high-​end resorts) were brand new Titleist, including Vokey wedges and a Scotty Cameron putter. Regrettably I had to peel the label off the face of the 3-​wood prior to use myself… such a bother!
The rack of lamb served at the hotel lobby restaurant was the best I have ever tasted.
We were there with a group that liked to start the day with coffee, and that service was a quite slow every day we were there. The only negative to an otherwise lovely experience.

My husband and I were very lucky to actually have gotten a huge upgrade when we stayed here (due to Mariott gold status) and the room we had was the nicest room we’ve ever had in our entire lives. It. Was. GORGEOUS. And huge. Separate sitting room, bedroom, and dressing room, and a bathroom bigger than my whole master bedroom at home. Gorgeous wood flooring. Incredible linens. Just amazing.
The grounds are just indescribably beautiful. We could have spent days just wandering the grounds.
Also, the pub downstairs was truly and sincerely the best irish food we had in our whole trip to Ireland.
Truly, truly the best hotel stay that we’ve ever had

Talk about a grand hotel, and it’s only 30 some minutes outside of Dublin. Powerscourt definitely lives up to its name and reputation. Hubby and I stayed there for a week back in November when we visited Ireland, and we were beyond impressed with this wonderful hotel. From their accommodations, friendly staff to the beautiful grounds, there is nothing negative about this place. Yes, it’s pricey but it’s definitely worth splurging to stay there even if it’s just for night. Make sure to go to the McGills bar. They carry a great selection of drinks and bar food that won’t rob your wallet.

This is an amazing hotel located about 30 mins from Dublin. This hotel is located in the countryside, so unless you want to spend the majority of your money on cab fare, get a rental car. With that said, I stayed here for a week in November and had a wonderful time. We did a lot of driving around Ireland and found the hotel’s central location a benefit. Parking is plentiful with an underground and an above ground lot. There were several days where the hotel was completely booked, but parking was never an issue.
The hotel staff was kind and went out of their way to make sure our stay was pleasant. They helped book our Black Cab Tour in Belfast and took us into town to pay the M50 toll when our credit cards declined to pay the online toll. Our room was always immaculately cleaned and water bottles were delivered to our room nightly.
I’ve traveled around Europe before and understand that rooms are typically smaller compared to American hotels, but that is not the case with the Powerscourt. The room was about the size of some apartments, was beautifully decorated and had a lovely view of the garden area. Our room had a large power converter for use, along with a hairdryer, safe and mini bar fridge. The only negative I can think of, was a lack of power sockets in the bathroom.
There are two restaurants on site, we visited the pub on the bottom floor several times. Their menu is good and the prices aren’t too bad for a hotel restaurant. We visited the Powerscourt Gardens just down the road and even in the off season, it is still beautiful.

Nice location with forest and mountain abound. Great little pub that should greet any traveler with a cheer. Suites are wonderful with great mountain view.
To access the garden and lawn chess, take the elevator to the spa and there are access doors to the lawn on either side of the spa.
There is a kids game-​room on the spa level with toys, pool, foosball, ping pong etc but only available on the weekends. Too bad there isn’t a game room for adults.
5 minute walk takes you to the Powerscourt House that seems quite popular for a lunch, coffee and access to the gardens with a few shops inside the house to tickle your fancy.
A golf course across from the Powerscourt House should fit the needs of anyone desiring to hit the little white ball, chase it down and smack it some more.

PURE luxury. The staff were über friendly. They made me feel very special. Saying hello in the corridor, helping me when I was trying to carry 10 things back to the table from the breakfast buffet — well had to get my monies worth after all!
The rooms were just beautiful and full of everything you need from hair bobbins to razors. It had the comfiest beds I have ever slept and jumped on! Dinner was so good. With little tasters in between and a plate of home made sweets at the end. These extra touches have made this five stars and I hope it continues to stay open as it really is worth the treat.
To top it all off was a real ginger bread house in the lobby. The smell was lush every time you walked by. We did have fierce trouble with the lighting at night but the staff were prompt and courteous in fixing the situation.

It is a Ritz baby! Can there be anything better than a Ritz-​Carlton hotel? I think not. THis hotel is what the lap of luxury is like in Ireland. It is right in the middle of a gorgeous sprawling gardens and has spectacular views. They feature a Gordon Ramsay restaurant, a martini bar, and a great little pub. You almost never have to leave this place. The rooms are ridiculous! The closet area is celebrity walk-​in size and could sleep additional people, its so big. The bathroom features a double sink, a separate rain shower, a HUGE soaking tub, and TV in the mirror. The use aqua di parma toiletries and the room is controlled by a main electric touch pad at the door and in the night stand. The rooms have their own door bell and are beyond spacious. If you are looking to really live it up, you absolutely must experience the Ritz at Powerscourt.

The term 5 star is often over used, but you can be sure it’s not here. This Hotel is spectacular on many levels ranging from accommodations to the level of service. This is a must do on the Emerald Isle

I return to you Unilocalland after 2 days in the spectacular surrounds of the Ritz Carlton in Eniskerry.
The hotel has a name as being one of the best in the country and having stayed there I am happy to concur. Every detail, every whim looked after; the rooms and facilities brilliantly maintained and luxurious.
We drank in McGills (the pub in the hotel), lunched in the restaurant in the lobby (The Sugar Loaf Lounge) and dined in the Gordon Ramsay restaurant in the evening… all of it perfect.
The surrounds of the hotel are in and of themselves proof that God exists (…and I’m an atheist!). Walks and outdoor pursuits are the order of the day… and thoroughly necessary if you eat half as much as I did.
Our room was one of the Junior Suites, it was spectacular and incredibly comfortable and I now absolutely need to have a TV in my bathroom at home, Can’t see how I can survive without one to be honest.

Beautiful hotel and grounds not far from Dublin close to the charming village of Enniskerry. Rooms get a 5 star… spacious, luxurious, tastefully decorated, fabulous beds and amenities. The room rates were quite reasonable for what we got.
The Spa is fabulous as is the pool and hot tub. McGills was a nice cool pub and had a great atmosphere. Sugar Loaf lounge served good food and I really enjoyed my fish and chips for lunch. The chickpea falafel main was also excellent.
Gordon Ramsay restaurant only gets 3 stars for ok food. Nothing really had the wow factor. My starter of Wicklow crab brandade was excellent the steak was good and chocolate sphere for dessert was good. My wife had pork medallions that were chewy and the waiter who went to speak to the chef about it never returned. The wine list was good but pricey. Not likely to eat here again which is a shame as we love the hotel itself.