Lyrath Estate in Kilkenny is a place to chill out, with or without the kids

Despite growing up in the neighbouring county of Waterford, my trips to Kilkenny have been fairly infrequent, basically comprising a school tour and a hen weekend.

There’s been a lot of water under the bridge since both of those visits, and having heard many favourable reports of the great buzz and numerous attractions in the city, I was looking forward to reacquainting myself with all it had to offer on a more leisurely footing.

Lyrath Estate is 2km outside the town and the ideal base to explore the sights of medieval Kilkenny, while offering plenty to occupy the visitor who wants to stay put and make the most of the extensive facilities.

Situated in 170 acres of lush parkland, behind the original country house facade, lies a large and modern hotel. The lobby is in a bright and attractive atrium space linked to the old house, with a bar adjacent, and there was a nice bustling atmosphere there when we arrived. A wedding party was milling around the main lobby area, but the hotel is big enough to absorb a large event like that easily.

The nooks and crannies in the hotel are well worth exploring: just off the bar is a long glassed-over veranda, an inviting prospect on a chilly or rainy day if you fancy one of the craft beers behind the counter.

There is also a lovely reading room in the old house if you prefer to get away from it all and get lost in a book: it’s intimate and thankfully muzak-free, which contributes to the atmosphere of a little oasis of peace.

That lack of tinkly standards being piped in to annoy you is just one of the little touches that Lyrath certainly gets right; we noticed on our arrival in a light drizzle, for example, that a covered walkway gave guests shelter as they came in from the furthest reaches of the car park.

The room we stayed in was spacious and impressively laid out, the numerous large wardrobes and vanity unit comparing favourably with other establishments’ less than generous allocation of storage space.

The bathroom was also roomy, with his and hers sinks — well, a girl can always dream— and a separate large power shower.

Determined to make the most of my one night away, I didn’t waste any time in getting to the spa for a treatment. While the spa is small and not lavish, it was cosy, clean and welcoming.

The therapist was thorough and professional and my skin was glowing after my Kerstin Florian facial. I had never encountered this range of beauty products before, but my skin felt in great condition for days afterwards, which is a testimonial in itself. Some other female guests I spoke to later also praised the quality of their massages and body treatments.

The swimming pool was small and very busy so I took an invigorating dip in the hydrotherapy pool which was just the thing to give me an appetite.

The hotel has several eating options, including Tupper’s bar in the old house and Yindee’s which has an Eastern theme. We ate in the more formal La Perla restaurant, which looks out on to the gardens. Our meal was perfectly balanced, with main courses of sea bass and pork flavoursome but not too filling. The service was perfectly pitched, friendly without being overbearing; we were a little early and the main rush hadn’t begun, but the staff weren’t tripping over to refill our glasses, which can sometimes happen just before a hotel dining-room fills up.

Lyrath is convenient to Kilkenny but it’s still a good hike into town, so we hopped into a taxi and headed for the bright lights.

The arts festival was in full swing and there was a great atmosphere on the prettily-arranged and winding streets.

Frequent visitors extol the compact lay-out of the city, which enables people to get to many of the its main attractions in a short period of time, and we were no different, enjoying a few glasses of wine in some of Kilkenny’s many atmospheric bars.

A busy breakfast time can often challenge the most well-oiled hospitality machine, especially when a hotel is full. I have rarely seen as bustling a breakfast service as the one in Lyrath but the good-natured staff kept it all running like clockwork.

For those with kids, who are on the look-out for family-friendly destinations, Lyrath is highly recommended — the toddlers and children running around at breakfast-time certainly didn’t draw the exasperated looks you see occasionally in other hotels. The fact that the grounds are so spacious will also appeal; those prairie spaces are just right for tiring out little legs before bedtime.There are also swings and slides in the walled garden and bicycles available to explore the grounds.

It can be challenging for hotels seeking to draw customers away from urban centres which aren’t short of budget-priced accommodation; to succeed they need to provide a viable alternative, and if that alternative involves providing a high-quality service then they’ve got to come up with the goods. In fairness, that’s a challenge Lyrath has overcome in style.

As a cosy base from which to launch your conquest of Kilkenny, it could hardly be bettered.

www.lyrath.com