Adults-only getaways: 10 adults-only hotel, spa and country house stays in Ireland
Sometimes, you just want a getaway where you are guaranteed some peace and quiet.
where you can take a dip in the pool without navigating cannonball kids. A restaurant that doesn’t have chicken nuggets on the menu. A wonderfully quiet sanctuary where not a single child is to be seen.
That can apply to anyone, including (especially, perhaps) parents. Two years after the pandemic, with months of lockdowns, homeschooling and cabin fever below our belts, and Valentine’s Day fast approaching, it’s the perfect time to consider a getaway for people. great.
Whether you prefer a romantic getaway for two or simply a place where you can get some peace and quiet, here are 10 adults-only places…
1. Monart, Co Wexford
This luxurious spa is the ultimate kid-free paradise where relaxation is valued. It won ‘Best Spa Ireland’ in our Reader Travel Awards – a category it has completely dominated since the award was first introduced a few years ago. Think about pampering perfection. You’ll spend the day in your bathrobe, drifting between the hydrotherapy pool and the various saunas and steams in the thermal room, stopping only to be scrubbed, rubbed and polished in treatment room. And it’s not just children who aren’t allowed here – cell phones are also banned, so you can really use this time to turn off and disconnect. “You can wear a robe all day…even in a restaurant,” as one reader told us. “I mean, this is heaven.”
How: Rooms from €278; monart.ie
2. Country house for couples, Co Cork
Farm for couples, Co Cork. Photo: Phil Pound Photography
You might think that treehouses are children’s domain. But why let them have all the fun? These luxury treehouses near Skibbereen are the ultimate romantic retreat for grown-ups, nestled among the spruce branches on the grounds of Grove House, near Skibbereen. They are fully equipped with kitchens, satellite TV, folding tubs and even hot tubs for two on the deck, so you can soak with a cup of bubbles while looking out over the tops. tree. There are other cottages, too, almost all with their own hot tubs.
How: Treehouses from €179 per night; houses from around €159. cottagesforcouples.ie
3. Killarney Glamping, Co Kerry
Killarney Glamping, Co Kerry. Photo: Colm Timmons
If you want to enjoy the great outdoors but also want some all-weather security, these covered suites are a great compromise. With tarpaulin ceilings but wooden roofs, the triangular pods look a bit like a safari tent but have a sturdier base. Unusually for the campsites, they are open 11 months of the year, closing only in January. But everything stays warm in winter, with heating in the bedrooms and patio, and electric blankets on the beds. And if romance to you means pizza in bed rather than a 10-course menu, you’re in luck – you can get a takeaway delivered right to your tent.
How: Prices from € 90; killarneyglamping.com
4. Barbican, Co Antrim
Barbican Gate Lodge, Co Antrim. Photo: Davison & Associates
Any of these stunning properties from the Irish Landmark Trust are perfect for adults-only stays. Mainly because the spiral staircase or the odd staircase makes them unsuitable for children. But it is these historic features that make for a desirable romantic getaway. Located within the grounds of Glenarm Castle, the Barbican is a Gothic masterpiece built in 1825, with stone turrets, medieval heavy doors and even a fairy bridge. If you really want to get out of this world, try the beautiful Helen Tower in Co Antrim, an adults-only fortress deep in the woods.
How: Barbican begin from €333 for two the nights; irishlandmark.com
5. Wicklow Escape, Co Wicklow
Wicklow Escape, Co Wicklow
With a few motel-style rooms dotted around a beautiful garden in the Wicklow Mountains, it’s a getaway to the world. New to Ireland’s Green Book this year, the focus at Wicklow Escape is all about the food, with a tasting menu and jungle parties cooked by new chef Mark Ahessy, formerly of Chapter One and L’ Écrivain (he replaces Danni Barry, who worked on Escape after its debut last year). Between meals, you can soak in a wood-burning hot tub, hike in the mountains, or get a good night’s sleep in the giant, cushy beds.
How:
ohne–night package begin from €592including meals; thewicklowescape.com
6. Silk Bed, Co Clare
Set in the village of Labasheeda (which translates to “silk beds”), these handcrafted shepherds’ huts are small but majestic, with kitchenettes and decorations like natural stone pots. in the bathroom and the Edison bulb above the bed. For the ultimate in experiences, book the Eri Hut Room, which comes with private access to the seaweed barrel baths, where you can soak under the stars in the garden.
How: Hut begin from €139 Every night; the Eri Hut cost € 40 extra; bedsofsilk.com
7. Screebe House, Connemara
Only a short distance from Galway, but Screebe House feels like a million miles from the city. With elegant rooms, roaring fires and a fantastic location right on the water, this is the Connemara guesthouse of your dreams. Right next door you’ll find the Spa Lodge, with an indoor saltwater pool, seaweed baths and outdoor hot tubs overlooking the ocean. If you really want to wake yourself up, hop into the water from one of the nearby jetties, before heading back to warm up the cockles in the sauna and steam room. With no television in the bedroom, this is a place to turn off and hide from the world.
How:
Rooms from € 220; screenbe.com
8. Ballyfin, Co Laois
This is where you’d be terrified to bring the kids (although they’re welcome when the whole place is exclusively rented), Ballyfin is the ultimate free kids getaway. Here, you can lounge on golden armchairs and live like royalty, if only for one night. The food is exceptional, the spa is a dream, and the various lounges and drawing rooms are so luxurious they feel like they should be hidden behind a red velvet rope. All that, and there’s a whole demesne to explore. It is also a member of the Green Book of Ireland.
How:
Meals from € 930; ballyfin.com
9. Lorum Old Rectory, Co Carlow
Lorum Old Rectory, Co Carlow. Photo: David Branigan / Oceansport
If you’re after a character-filled country house holiday, Hidden Ireland is always a good place to start, with their self-catering rentals as well as breakfast offerings in their books. While not all are strictly adults-only, Lorum Old Rectory is one such place, home to a splendid collection of casual living rooms, complete with overflowing bookcases and four-poster beds . In the living room, you can curl up on the couch and relax by the giant marble fireplace, perhaps even sipping a glass of wine before dinner.
How: Rooms from € 180; hiddenireland.com
ten. Hodson Bay Hotel, Co Westmeath
Hodson Bay Hotel, Co Westmeath. Photo: Ashley Morrison
Strictly speaking, this one isn’t strictly for kids. But there’s an adult-only wing of this hotel, which is also home to their spa. Not only that, the Retreat Wing also has a lounge where you’ll find free adult activities, like wine and cheese tastings with their ales, whiskey and craft beers, caregiving talks leather and the like. The rooms in this wing have also undergone a dizzying refurbishment, and you can breathe in the peaceful atmosphere as you stroll around the 145-hectare meadows and woodlands along the lakeside.
How: Rooms from € 140; hodsonbayhotel.com
NB: All prices are subject to change/availability. Rates are for two adults sharing. Book direct for the best price.
https://www.independent.ie/life/travel/ireland/grown-up-getaways-10-adult-only-hotel-spa-and-country-house-breaks-in-ireland-41330633.html Adults-only getaways: 10 adults-only hotel, spa and country house stays in Ireland