Dromoland Castle Launches Dromoland Lodge
January 23rd, 2024
Dromoland Castle – the 16th-century castle-turned luxury hotel, and former ancestral home of the royal O’Brien family – has just unveiled its new Dromoland Lodge, a five-bedroom private residence set on the 18-hole golf course on the castle’s 500-acres.
A stay comes with daily breakfast – with a choice of having it delivered to the lodge or of dining at the Earl of Thomond restaurant in the castle, two golf carts for exploring the grounds, a personal residential assistant, and airport transfers. The property features a game room, boot room, parlor with fully stocked bar, private putting green, outdoor terrace and dining area, laundry service, and ample board games. For dinner, a chef is available to come prepare lavish meals on site, or guests can opt for the “crock pot” menu where a warm dinner will be waiting after a day spent exploring the Wild Atlantic Way or an afternoon Hawk Walk with resident falconer. Fun fact: the castle’s mews have been accredited by the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria, filled with Peregrine falcons, hawks, and owls. Guests also have access to all of the amenities of the castle, such as golf, bicycles, tennis and pickleball courts, boating, the new Castle Spa… The lodge was a former private home.
The Castle Spa opened in mid-2023, nestled within the historic stone walls and inspired by the property’s acres of manicured flower-covered grounds as well as the estate’s former chatelaine, Lady Ethel, who presided over the castle in the early 20thcentury. The reborn spa spans 320 square feet and six treatment rooms and incorporates revitalizing, science- and nature-backed therapies from three award-winning female-owned brands: celebrity-favorite skin care line Dr. Barbara Sturm (the first hotel in Ireland to offer these exclusive treatments), the plant-based Irish brand SEABODY, and the bio-nutritional British range OSKIA. Several treatments are exclusive to the hotel, including the SEABODY Beauty and Wellness Spa Experience, which harnesses the power of hardworking marine-based nutraceuticals harvested from Ireland’s Atlantic Coastline to optimize the skin’s health and vitality.
Rates start at 3,500 euro per night (approximately $3,833).
More about Dromoland Castle
If these castle walls could speak – rising from the landscapes of Ireland’s western County Clare, a fifteen-minute drive from the Shannon Airport, Dromoland Castle looks like a vision from a fairy tale. Set on 500 acres, the estate has welcomed guests like they are part of the story – and family – since the early 1960s, when the 16th-century castle, the former ancestral home of the royal O’Brien family, was converted into one of Ireland’s most acclaimed luxury hotels.
Dromoland feels like stepping back in time in just the right doses. The glorious interiors, including 97 rooms and suites, are positively regal – think chandeliers, suits of armor, drapery and silk claret wallpaper – but the property overall never feels stuffy, in large part thanks to a congenial team, many of whom have been there for decades. Thanks to the immense size of the property, days can be activity-packed, with hiking, as well as fishing and row boating in the on-property lake and such castle-appropriate options as falconry, clay pigeon shooting, fishing, horseback riding and golf. The JJ Corry experience, meanwhile, exclusive to Dromoland, takes guests to the renowned whiskey bonder for a special tour and to create a custom blend of whiskey.
The castle also caters lovingly to children, with such popular programs as “Princess for a Day” and in-room surprises. For the older set, self-care can be found at the indulgent spa and at afternoon tea in the antiques-studded Gallery, one of the castle’s most beautifully designed spaces. Dinner at the acclaimed Earl of Thomond features creative Irish cuisine, while Dromoland’s ever-popular head bartender always has something special up his sleeve, including cocktails inspired by Tarot cards and Irish mythology. The octagonally shaped room where these libations are served beside a large fireplace was once the O’Brien family’s library – just another one of Dromoland’s special corners where past and present beautifully meet.
A central location, fifteen minutes from the Shannon International Airport, makes Dromoland a fantastic base for exploring western Ireland, including such sights as the Wild Atlantic Way, the Cliffs of Moher and the Burren.
Images of Dromoland Castle: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/ga1r0pstkm6n7dbi3pq5z/h?rlkey=g4uifg4hxbzw2ndxqmcd6gmpg&dl=0
Images of the Lodge: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/8hctf152umk4hslwfrysr/h?rlkey=qlsd30lv50wbbhltjplp66ilq&dl=0