An island adventure
Luckily, our ferry trip lasts a mere three minutes before allowing us to disembark onto the private 300-acre island that is home to the quiet wonderful five-star Waterford Castle Hotel & Golf Resort.
Luscious landscapes and mature gardens greet you on a small winding road up to the castle’s doors. The children’s eyes are peeled. They have been told to watch out for the rabbits and deer running about the land.
There is a sense of giddiness in their parents, too. How nice to be on an island that makes you feel a million miles from Ireland, even though Waterford city is only a stone’s throw away.
Beautiful oak doors lead into the reception of the 19-bedroom hotel and a large open fire embraces its guests with a warm welcome. I’d love to sit right there and then chill out with a book and perhaps enjoy the Afternoon Tea.
But alas there are children to entertain /run ragged before bedtime and, thankfully, there is plenty for them to enjoy here too.
A pleasant greeting from staff and collection of a key sends us on our way to one of the much-more family-friendly 48 family lodges on site here.
Passing the golf course, driving range, clubhouse and tennis courts, we arrive in mere minutes to what will be home for the next two nights.
Much more elegant than might have been at first expected, the three-bedroom lodges have a very modern, glossy finish with a high-end, cool kitchen, and a large living room peppered with Waterford Crystal glass, designer chair and a built-in funky fireplace.
There is plenty of room for the children to swing their toy golf clubs and try to smash the glass back doors that lead out to fields and communal gardens where a newly-built playground awaits them.
First we must climb the oak staircase to unpack our bags in our trendy, large rooms with ensuite bathrooms. The underfloor heating has us feeling even more smug with our nice weekend away.
The ingenious thing about Waterford Castle is its approach to food.
Remember, this is a five-star hotel boasting head chef Michael Quinn, who has been compared to Heston Blumenthal, the cook famous for his scientific approach to cooking.
I started with pork & prune rillettes, apple jelly, toasted sour dough with red onion marmalade. It was top class but played second fiddle to the main: Skeaghanore duck breast with caramelised orange, smoked pineapple and spinach with textures of foie gras.
The food is excellent but it’s not all too posh here either — which adds to the relaxed general feel about the place.
The following day, having already enjoyed a fry-up in the morning and a barbecue earlier for lunch, we were unsure as to how to manage the children in the evening.
We didn’t fancy dragging two reluctant children into a restaurant.
No problem, however. Option one is to enjoy a pizza service from the castle where you can order and collect food to have back in your lodge, or take up the child-minding facilities available in the hotel, where your children can play safely at the Kids’ Club, in the next room to you, as you dine on chef’s stunning menu in the equally tasteful Munster room.
Babysitters can be arranged to stay in the lodge (€15 per hour), if the little ones are worn out after enjoying a teddy bear picnic basket, specially prepared by Michael Quinn in the kitchen earlier in the day.
The hotel puts on regular family outdoor activities and there is so much to do here, from golf to driving ranges, walking trails, tennis, clay target shooting and picnics and playgrounds.
For the adults, there are also bars and the restaurant on the island while the ferry service operates all night for those who fancy a night on the tiles in Waterford city.
Should you be unlucky with the weather, do not fear. Children’s activity centre Run Amuck (runamuck.ie) is a 10-minute car journey away in Tramore and a smash hit with the small ones as is Copper Coast mini farm (coppercoastminifarm.ie)
The lodges are ideal to block-book for weddings or golf weekends, but those travelling with just their families should not be put off by this, as the grounds are so vast, nobody is in each other’s way.
There are good deals to be had here and a long weekend would be far more comfortable than taking planes, trains and automobiles to foreign lands. It is ideal for weddings, golf tours or couples spending a pampered weekend away together.
But this is a place to be cherished for those travelling with children, something other hotels will have to catch up on.
A two-night break at the lodges can be picked up for €350. Tel: 051-878203; email info@waterfordcastle.com.
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