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Home , Adare Manor, Ashford Castle, K Club

ELITE recommends medieval castle / malahide,

Top Suites of ireland

From sophisticated urban retreats in city to immaculate woodland estates and castles to some of the globe’s premier five- star golf resorts, elite visitors to the Emerald Isle are lucky enough to choose from an en- viable spectrum of high-end hotel options.

By Larry Olmsted

PB top suites

Presidential suite master bathroom /

Presidential suite master bedroom / ashford castle

Lady Caroline’s room Living area / manor

Adare Manor Ashford Castle Lady Caroline’s Room Presidential Suite Key selling points | With a fairy-tale castle feel (arched Key selling points | Set in the original part of the castle, ceilings, fireplaces, elaborately carved headboards) and which dates to 1228, the views of the from the eye-catching views of the , this top suite at the large sitting room make guests feel like the master of the “Augusta of Europe” offers visitors an unforgettable stay. house. Standout service | A guest was having trouble falling asleep, Standout service | Ashford Castle’s School of Falconry col- so a member of the concierge team took him on a private laborated with a guest on a very special marriage proposal, tour of the house, complete with a cup of hot cocoa from the in which one of the school’s hawks landed on the bride-to- kitchen. be’s arm with an engagement ring tied to his leg. Style | Irish country house, by Carleton Varney, 1988 Style | Traditional Irish country house, by Carole Roberts, Special amenities | Private library and classical music col- 2005 lection, world-class fly-fishing facilities Special amenities | Whirlpool bath, one-of-a-kind antique Square footage | 530 furniture, Yon-Ka spa products Number of rooms in suite | Two Square footage | 884 Number of bathrooms | Two Number of rooms in suite | Two Number of rooms and suites in hotel | 62, Number of bathrooms | One including six suites Number of rooms and suites in hotel | 83, Who’s slept here? | John Travolta, Bill Clinton including five suites Nightly rate | $900 Who’s slept here? | Pierce Brosnan, Location | Adare, County Nightly rate | $1,250 Contact | General Manager Anita Higgins, 353-6139-6566, Location | Cong, [email protected]; www.adaremanor.com Contact | General Manager Niall Rochford, 353-9-4954-6003; [email protected]; www.ashford.ie

2 top suites

presidential suite sitting area / castlemartyr

presidential suite dining area / castlemartyr presidential suite master bedroom /

Castlemartyr Dromoland Castle

Presidential Suite Presidential Suite Key selling points | A private elevator leads to this spacious Key selling points | The lake view from the oversized residential-style accommodation. The suite is perfect for castle-style window in this suite is the best in the hotel. entertaining with ample living, anteroom and dining room Palatial finishes, from bespoke furniture to fine linens, space, all overlooking formal gardens, the and match the room’s rich history. the 800-year-old ruins of the original castle. Standout service | Staff located a guest’s missing passport Standout service | A staffer with carpentry skills fixed at a local restaurant three hours away and delivered it to a display unit that a corporate client had shipped in for him before departure. a business event. Style | British royal palace, by No. Twelve Queen Street Ltd. Style | Palatial , by Schelling, 2006 and Hallmark, 2000 Special amenities | Automated high-tech room with touch Special amenities | Custom mattress by Kayfoam Woolfson, panels, Philips HDTVs, Celtic linens bespoke 500-thread-count Egyptian cotton sheets, plasma Square footage | Just over 2,500 HDTV with iPod docking station Number of rooms in suite | Four Square footage | 12,000 Number of bathrooms | One and one half-bath Number of rooms in suite | Three Number of rooms and suites in hotel | 109, Number of bathrooms | Two including 32 suites Number of rooms and suites in hotel | 99, Who’s slept here? | Jay-Z and Beyoncé Knowles, The Prodigy including 14 suites Nightly rate | $3,700 Who’s slept here? | Hillary Clinton, Nelson Mandela, Location | Castlemartyr, County Cork Russell Crowe Contact | General Manager Andrew Phelan, Nightly rate | $2,000 353-21-421-9000; [email protected]; Location | Newmarket-on-Fergus, County Clare www.castlemartyrresort.ie Contact | General Manager Mark Nolan, 353-6170-0645; [email protected]; www.dromoland.ie

3 top suites

suite 13 bedroom / the lodge at doonbeg

presidential suite living room / the ritz-carlton powerscourt suite 13 master bedroom / the lodge at doonbeg

The Ritz-Carlton Powerscourt The Lodge at Doonbeg

Presidential Suite Suite 13 Key selling points | Floor-to-ceiling windows in this country Key selling points | With a terrific location granting full resort’s top floor offer breathtaking views of Sugarloaf views of the Atlantic from its stunning cliff-top perch over the Mountain and , acclaimed for some of the beach, this suite is decorated with owner Leonard L. Long’s finest formal gardens in Europe. The private rooftop terrace personal art collection. offers the same views—plus a 10-person plunge pool. Standout service | Two guests went for a Sunday drive in the Standout service | A little girl was dining at Gordon Ramsay Burren and got lost, so they phoned a staff member who had with her parents and her beloved teddy bear “Rosie.” given them her mobile phone number. Although she was at Within 30 minutes, the staff made a special cushion cover home at the time, she drove approximately 30 miles to meet embroidered with the teddy’s name to match the little girl’s them and escort them back to Doonbeg. own cushion. Style | Irish country estate, by Jacquelynne P. Lanham Style | Palladian meets Georgian, by Peter Silling of Hotel Designs, Inc., of , 2006 Interior Design, 2007 Special amenities | Mosaic rain shower, 19th-century Irish Special amenities | Sauna in master bath, private roof terrace antique country furniture, The Burren Perfumery toiletries with plunge pool and Jacuzzi, fireplace, butler’s kitchen Square footage | 2,600 Square footage | 2,500 Number of rooms in suite | Five Number of rooms in suite | Five Number of bathrooms | Three and one half-bath Number of bathrooms | Two Number of rooms and suites in hotel | 205, Number of rooms and suites in hotel | 200, including 75 suites including 124 suites Who’s slept here? | Golfers Greg Norman and Ronan Rafferty Who’s slept here? | Johnny Depp, The Smashing Pumpkins Nightly rate | $1,150 Nightly rate | $7,500 Location | Doonbeg Golf Club, Doonbeg, County Clare Location | Powerscourt Estate, Enniskerry Contact | General Manager Joseph Russell, Contact | Hotel Manager Max Zanardi, 353-1274-8888; 353-6-5905-5609; [email protected]; [email protected]; www.ritzcarlton.com www.doonbeggolfclub.com top suites

viceroy suite master bedroom / the

viceroy suite master bathroom / the k club presidential suite living area / four seasons dublin

The K Club Four Seasons Dublin Viceroy Suite Presidential Suite Key selling points | This top suite is the original master Key selling points | A luxurious but residential feel bedroom of this once-private estate. The accommodation permeates this suite, situated in the exclusive Ballsbridge still has that intimate, romantic feel with a four-poster neighborhood, which is set amidst embassies in a peaceful canopied bed and hot tub. oasis, yet just steps away from the best shops. Standout service | A concierge arranged for Cherry Coke Standout service | During a recent cold spell, a guest to be flown in from a specialty store in London when he requested two hot water bottles from reception during the overheard an American guest say he was craving one. night but there were no more available, so a member of Style | French chateaux, by Cotton Box Design Group, 1991 housekeeping who lived nearby popped home and returned Special amenities | Frette linens, Aromatherapy Associates with two of her own hot water bottles for the grateful guest. and Jo Malone toiletries, Bang & Olufsen electronics Style | Contemporary Irish residential, Square footage | 1,050 by Frankie Nicholson, 2001 Number of rooms in suite | Two Special amenities | Bulgari toiletries, Philips plasma TVs, Number of bathrooms | One eight-seat dining room Number of rooms and suites in hotel | 69, Square footage | 2,692 including seven suites Number of rooms in suite | Three Who’s slept here? | Sylvester Stallone and other entertainers Number of bathrooms | One and one half-bath Nightly rate | $11,000 Number of rooms and suites in hotel | 197, Location | , including 40 suites Contact | General Manager Michael Davern, 353-1601-7200; Who’s slept here? | Britney Spears, Mikhail Gorbachev [email protected]; www.kclub.ie Nightly rate | From $3,850 Location | Simmonscourt Road, Dublin Contact | General Manager Jose Soriano, 353-1665-4802; [email protected]; www.fourseasons.com/dublin

5 top suites

penthouse suite dining room / the merrion, dublin linda evangelista suite master bathroom / the g,

penthouse suite master bedroom / the merrion, dublin linda evangelista suite master bedroom / the g, galway

The Merrion, Dublin the g, Galway Merrion Penthouse Suite Linda Evangelista Suite Key selling points | Accessed by private elevator, this Key selling points | This high-glam suite, with a double two-level suite has a huge private rooftop terrace with walk-in shower and relaxing views of Galway Bay, oozes sweeping views of the city and views of the formal gardens Hollywood style and new age Zen calm. from both bedrooms. Standout service | A guest took off her expensive earrings Standout services | A private chef is available for the suite’s during her meal at the restaurant and accidentally left full kitchen, and concierges double as curators for private them on her plate. The restaurant manager spent several tours of the hotel’s expansive art collection. hours locating them for her. Style | Classically elegant, by Aidan Cavey, 2006 Style | Golden days of Hollywood, by Philip Treacy, 2005 Special amenities | Wood-burning fireplace, hot tub on Special amenities | Frette linens, Etro toiletries, private roof terrace, home theater system original artwork, private terrace Square footage | 2,200, plus 1,000-square-foot roof terrace Square footage | 1,300 Number of rooms in suite | Five Number of rooms in suite | Two Number of bathrooms | Three Number of bathrooms | One and one half-bath Number of rooms and suites in hotel | 142, Number of rooms and suites in hotel | 101, including 19 suites including 29 suites Who’s slept here? | Bruce Springsteen, Will Smith Who’s slept here? | Keira Knightley, Peter O’Toole Nightly rate | $4,500 and Kathy Bates have all been spotted at the hotel. Location | Upper Merrion Street, Dublin Nightly rate | From $3,000 Contact | General Manager Peter MacCann, Location | Wellpark, Galway City County 353-1603-0600; [email protected]; Contact | General Manager Damien O’Riordan, www.merrionhotel.com 353-9177-8440; [email protected]; www.theghotel.ie FOLIO

penthouse living area / the clarence, dublin

penthouse terrace / the clarence, dublin The Clarence, Dublin Penthouse Key selling points | During renovations, an entire floor was added to the building to house this two-level suite, which has a private roof terrace with a hot tub that overlooks the surrounding mountains. A baby grand piano reminds guests that the hotel is owned by the band U2. Standout service | Hotel staff have staged a live concert link from the roof of the Penthouse. Style | Arts and crafts, by Keith Hobbs of United Designers, 1996 Special amenities | Rooftop hot tub, entertainment loft with piano, home theater and wet bar, Anne Semonin toiletries Square footage | 2,100 Number of rooms in suite | Six Number of bathrooms | Two and one half-bath Number of rooms and suites in hotel | 49, including five suites Who’s slept here? | Bono, Jack Nicholson, Kate Moss Nightly rate | From $1,562 Location | Wellington Quay, Dublin Contact | General Manager Oliver Sevestre, 353-1407-0800; [email protected]; www.theclarence.ie

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