Simone Gannon: Winding down at Westmeath's Wineport Lodge

"What I didn’t expect was to be enveloped in what felt like a giant hug for the entirety of our stay - it's welcoming in a way so many places are not anymore"

A successful spa getaway should include three things; a calm, relaxing atmosphere, an excellent treatment that helps you release your shoulders from your ears for the first time in god knows how long, and some kind of view. I might be pushing it with the last one, but you can’t beat a good view. A river, mountains, a cityscape, I’ll take anything.

Having furiously googled Wineport Lodge before arriving, I knew it was possible that more than one of the boxes would be ticked, mainly because of its waterside location. What I didn’t expect was to be enveloped in what felt like a giant hug for the entirety of our stay. Wineport is welcoming in a way that so many places are not anymore. It’s like spending 24 hours with your favourite family members. Endless warmth, kindness and laughs (and excellent service. Not something you get from family members too often!).