Five amazing Irish getaways for summer 2021
Breac.House
Looking for a happening urban escape? Cork’s new Hogan’s Quay district is the most exciting thing to happen to the city in years and centre stage to all the buzz is the fabulously swish Dean Hotel. Bursting out of the docklands skyline like a maritime artwork, The Dean’s brazen facade teases guests with a taste of what’s to come inside: on-point design with an irreverent touch.Â
Just like its Dublin twin, the hotel offers a breath of fresh air to the hotel landscape, bills itself as a slice of boutique bliss in the heart of the city. Rooms, as a result, are a haven of retro, boujee feels, loaded with slick design (and highly Instagrammable) moments. Guests can make themselves at home with big, bouncy beds, original Irish art, subway tiled bathrooms and Marshall amps to thump your playlist. There’s also a Samsung Smart TV for your Netflix& ‘chill vibe and a fully stocked mini SMEG for treats. All in all, they’re gorgeous rooms — consider splashing on the two bedroom penthouse if you’re seeking the ultimate post lockdown sleepover! Beyond the rooms, the hotel also features a Manhattan style gym, a fancy thermal suite, as well as its iconic Sophie’s Restaurant with incredible city views (and yes, it features a swing).
Summer B&B rates start from €205 per night per couple. The hotel’s two night Missed Moments package includes a glass of bubbles on arrival, a three course meal at Sophie’s (including a bottle of vino) as well as a complimentary cocktail of choice during your stay. Guests also enjoy access to the hotel’s fancy POWER gym and trendy pool + sauna. They’ll also be in line for priority early check-in / late check-out and will even receive a gift (intriguing!) on departure. Sound value here from €500 per couple. thedean.ie
Contemporary retreats can be hard to come by — particularly in the West of Ireland — but jutting over the Donegal landscape like a Hollywood Hills eco-dream is one such hideaway, Breac.House. The stunning architect-designed property stands on the pillars of sustainability, local food and design, and a stand-out setting. That very location would be Horn Head, a protected peninsula of outstanding natural beauty on Donegal’s Atlantic Wilds, that gifts guests an immediate sense of escape with its bracing views and raw nature. Inside the property, furnishings are pared back, but stylish and are created from local, sustainable woods and materials where possible – the property even features a wood-fired sauna which is an homage to ancient seaweed sweat houses present in the area fadó fadó. Another plus point is the hug-on-a-plate food. Breac.House are proud members of the Donegal Food Coast network and deliver a breakfast to your door each morning featuring home-made bread, pastries, yoghurt and local goodies like seasonal fruit and organic smoked salmon.
For the entire 2021 Breac.House’s set rate is €295 per room based on a two night minimum. That rate is inclusive of everything, namely that delicious local breakfast, a picnic lunch, bike usage, sauna, a seaweed bath for two and pre-dinner drinks. Breac.house.com/book
With many staycation plans seeing the annual migration West, there’s great value in booking a summer break in Dublin. Billed as Europe’s first fully-sustainable Hotel, Iveagh Gardens on D2’s Harcourt Street, makes for an oasis of style, calm and eco-friendliness in the heart of the capital. The Georgian hotel features 145 stylish rooms, where a jewel-inspired colour palette is paired with trending art deco furnishings and swish marble bathrooms. Come evening, you can enjoy a pre-dinner cocktail at their oh-so-trendy botanical terrace, before savouring the fare at Elle’s Bistro which offers dishes such as cauliflower tempura, Louisiana hot chicken wings and chocolate torte. Beyond the hotel, your central location offer the ideal location to either take in Dublin’s food, culture and shopping scene and chilled out park life, allowing you to enjoy the best of an al fresco Dublin summer.
Summer room rates start from €150 per night. The hotel’s current Girls Getaway package includes a one-night stay, a full Irish breakfast, drinks on arrival in the chic Elle’s Bar & Bistro and a 3-course set dinner with a late check out the following day. They’ll even pop a welcome bottle of Prosecco in your room to kick-start your getaway! Prices start at €105.00 per person sharing or €315.00 for the total of three guests staying in on the hotel’s stylish triple rooms. iveaghgardenhotel.ie
Outdoor cabin getaways can typically mean you need a little compromising when it comes to luxury but you can park that preconception at the influencer favourite and all-round wilderness wonderland of Cabu by the Lakes. Located in Ireland’s trending lake county of Cavan, this smattering of luxury cabins is nestled in Killykeen Forest Park on the shores of stunning Lough Oughter (famed for its island castle). The lodges are stunning with some of them sensitively based on pre-existing Coillte cabins — but that’s where the similarity ends. Inside, interiors are seriously slick offering that overall Scandi look that will make you feel like you’ve woken up in a pop-up Pinterest board — in Sweden. Come evening, either rustle up a meal chez vouz or venture out to the sitooterie – a kind of indoors/outdoors common area with, campfires, hosted BBQs’ and social amenities like ping pong. To get active, you can avail of Cabu’s bikes or rent boats or kayaks. Venture beyond, and you’ll be able to explore the country’s highly underrated natural sites from the Cavan Burren to the Stairway to Heaven mountain boardwalk which straddles the border with neighbouring Fermanagh.
Cabu offer three night minimum stays with cabin sizes hosting two people and upwards. one bedroom up. Four night summer rates start from €973 but if you’re looking for a dreamy group getaway, their six person Boathouse is available from €1696 (so from €70pps per night). Dog-friendly cabins are also available.
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Looking for a more traditional self-catering escape? Then consider a visit to Delphi Lodge, the latest property to join the exclusive fold of Ireland’s Blue Book, a collection of luxury Irish country house hotels and manors. Named after the valley’s apparent similarity to the home of the Oracle in Greece, the region offers a getaway of epic proportions in Connemara (particularly if you can’t quite make it this summer to Mykonos).
Beyond its main hunting lodge manor, the property offers six self-catering options; three Boathouse cottages as well as their Wren’s cottage and Waterfall cottage. Interiors here are traditional and rustic, with cozy couches, large open fire places, traditional blue Bangor slates and a general vibe of Hibernian hygge that screams out for board games and gin nights. But don’t linger too long indoors. The location is the major draw here. The stunning valley is teeming in flora and fauna and surrounded by some of the highest mountains in the west of Ireland — as a result the cottages are also popular with hill-walkers, artists or those just in search of a dreamy escape. Be sure to take food-tour of Connemara to stock that kitchen of yours, not least by paying a visit to the food-lovers’ paradise of Clifden.
While Delphi offer three night rentals off season, the lodges can only be booked by the week over the summer. Their smaller Boathouse which sleeps up to four guests is available from €960 to €1120 per week with their off-season three nights rate from €550.
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