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Hotel review: This secluded Co Wicklow five-star boasts spectacular views and great service

Beautifully secluded, with great food, service, and a top spa, this five-star resort delivers value and joy

Thu, 19 Jun, 2025 - 16:57

Jillian Bolger

Powerscourt Hotel, Co Wicklow

Our rating: 9/10

Location

The imposing pseudo-Palladian facade won’t be to everyone’s taste but, with spectacular views of Wicklow’s Sugar Loaf mountain, and secluded neatly into the rolling forestscapes, there are few who will be looking away from the scenery.

The clever curved design affords great vistas to all, with huge terraces, large windows, and the chirp of birdsong all around.

A handy 45-minute drive from Dublin City, and short walk to pretty Enniskerry village, Powerscourt House and Gardens, and the eponymous waterfall, it offers instant calm the second you step out of your car.

10/10

Style and design

A vast lobby with sweeping views makes quite the statement upon arrival.

Grand and classic, you’ll find chandeliers, statement stairs, deep carpets, plush banquettes, and ample seating, imbued with a little contemporary fun. The vibe is relaxed and inviting.

Sika, where breakfast and dinner are served, is elegant and bright with well-spaced tables, with linen cloths, a mix of fine bone china, and local Irish pottery, and knockout views.

The spa’s decor with its low lighting, chic furnishing, and crystal-lit dark pool is the most eye-catching part of the hotel.

8/10

Service

Relaxed and attentive, staff here manage that appealing blend of fun professionalism.

There’s no standing on ceremony — just a team happy to engage with guests, bringing a warm bonhomie everywhere from check-in to bar service in the Sugar Loaf Lounge, and from the spa to housekeeping.

Special mention to sommelier Daniel and waitress Valentine in Sika, whose charm and polish enhanced an excellent dining experience.

9/10

Guest rooms

A bed in the Mountain View suite of the Powerscourt Hotel

Spacious, comfortable rooms with good lighting and excellent storage are matched by cloud-like beds that deliver a wonderful night’s sleep.

Our Mountain View twin suite has a sweeping terrace that allows us drink in the setting.

Cool marble bathrooms are well appointed with double vanities, a bathtub, rain shower, Espa products, huge mirrors, and piles of fluffy towels. Top marks for the excellent lighting too.

Our room has a dressing room, with iron, weighing scales, and hair dryer, and a pleasant sitting room with TV, desk, and large windows to take in the magical mountain views.

The decor is classic if unexciting but the comfort and design are excellent.

9/10

In-room perks

A Nespresso machine, Bewley’s tea, Bakehouse cookies, UHT milk, and water are all included, while the mini-bar has the usual offerings alongside locally made Fercullen whiskey, gourmet popcorn, nuts, and O’Donnell’s crisps.

8/10

The menu

A creative cocktail menu is served with nuts, nibbles, and a view in Sugar Loaf Lounge.

The casual Sally Gap Bar and Brasserie serves food from lunch to late and is lively at night but the real star is Sika, the hotel’s fine-dining restaurant.

Helmed by the talented Cormac McCreary (formerly of Sheen Falls Lodge and Mount Juliet Estate), his seasonal tasting menus show flair and finesse, with current treats including Wicklow lamb with artichoke, estate-picked wild garlic, and fava beans, and a hyper-local dessert of Powerscourt heather honey and Fercullen whiskey (five courses €90, seven €120, wine pairing €80).

Meanwhile, the wine pairing is both interesting and well-considered.

Breakfast is served in Sika too, a large buffet with crowd-pleasing choices. A good spread of fruit, Irish cheese, smoked salmon, estate honeycomb and baked goods including bagels, Guinness bread, and four kinds of muffins.

A cooked breakfast has some nice choices, and there’s an à la carte menu too.

9/10

Activities and amenities

When it comes to extra-curricular fun, Powerscourt delivers in spades.

There are bicycles to borrow, a playground, a river walk, falconry, fishing, horse riding, a gym, and two golf courses to play on neighbouring Powerscourt Golf Club.

The vast Espa spa offers an elegant 20m Swarovski crystal-lit pool, jacuzzi, and thermal suite for all guests, with a private men’s and women’s thermal suites and serenity room upstairs with magnificent views for guests that book treatments.

A restorative salt room session is a particular highlight.

10/10

Checking in

The bill? Mid-week B&B packages, including a Sika dining experience, from €210 per person sharing.
Room to improve? I’m not a fan of surplus charges for cooked-to-order breakfast dishes.
Access for guests with disabilities? Fully accessible with several fully adapted bedrooms.
Family-friendly? Very. There’s space to explore outdoors, a playgound, kids’ club and activities in school holidays and children’s menus. The pool has limited child-friendly hours.
Dogs welcome? Only service dogs.
EV chargers? Yes, generic and Tesla.