Hotel review: Is this extraordinary Munster hideaway the perfect Irish escape?

"Dreamily decadent and welcoming, this magnificently restored Palladian manor offers a masterclass in Irish hospitality."

The exterior of Tipp's Cashel Palace Hotel

Cashel Palace Hotel, Co Tipperary

Our rating: 10/10

Location

Cashel Palace’s setting is extraordinary, wrapped in nature yet sitting in the centre of the lively Tipperary town of Cashel.

With a buzzy main street out front and exquisite gardens out back, guests can enjoy a private walkway to the ancient Rock of Cashel, the significant landmark which sits on an outcrop overlooking this former archbishops’ palace.

Factor in the rolling hills of the Golden Vale and proximity to the M8, and you’ve a central location that ticks boxes for everyone.

• 10/10

Style & design

The Drawing Room at Cashel Palace Hotel

The vision was inspired. 

Working with the best restoration experts, craftspeople, architects, and tradespeople, the Magnier family, owners of nearby Coolmore Stud, purchased the former hotel in 2016 and set about reimagining this jewel of a property. 

From its impressive stone facade to its large-scale rooms, exquisite public spaces, ornate stucco, and sumptuous furnishings and chandeliers, it manages to be beautiful and comfortable without taking itself too seriously. 

From the vast and wonderful art collection ranging from Lavery to Lowry (all impressive copies of the Magniers’ originals) to the intimate cocktail bar, sleek pool, and glorious gardens, it’s lavish, seductive, and charming.

• 10/10

Service

With Adriaan Bartels at the helm, Cashel Palace is led by one of Ireland’s finest hoteliers. 

Savvy and charming, the affable GM has created a warm and welcoming team where a culture of understated excellence pervades. 

From the chatty check-in to the engaging restaurant team, the interested gardener to the spa staff, the witty doorman to the young man helpfully offering to guide guests to dinner who seem lost, there’s a kindness and calming confidence to every interaction.

• 10/10

Guest rooms

Rooms in the original house are always going to trump any new-build wing, and our luxurious Avenue Suite doesn’t disappoint.

With high ceilings, smart cornicing, sash windows, a fireplace, and comfortable bed with golden coronet, it’s restrained in its beauty and supremely spacious.

Equally noteworthy is the opulent bathroom, with smooth marble, tub and shower, luxe layered robe, and gorgeous Irish Leather toiletries from Irish-owned fragrance house Memo Paris.

Bonus points too for the foolproof lighting console.

• 10/10

In-room perks

Cashel Palace’s all-Irish room offering is one of the finest in the country.

Alongside petit fours, mini bottles of Cashel Palace gin, distilled locally, welcome guests, with Poachers tonic, ice, and fresh citrus slices and berries to customise your own G&T.

Silken tea bags; locally roasted filter coffee; fresh milk; handmade apple juice, Lemony Lemonade, and Apple Chips from Tipperary’s Apple Farm; and O’Donnells crisps round out a 100% local offering of the highest quality.

• 10/10

On the menu

A house for all seasons and all occasions, Cashel Palace’s dining offering is impressive.

From afternoon tea in the Queen Anne Room to a pint in the Guinness Bar, a casual lunch in Mikey Ryan’s to a digestif in the charming Residents Cocktail Bar, you’ll find a place or space to match your mood.

The big story, of course, is dinner at The Bishop’s Buttery, with its Michelin star, earned by culinary director Stephen Hayes and head chef Stefan McEnteer.

Together, the pair have created a sophisticated and appealing menu filled with delights.

Cratloe Hills agnolotti with violet artichoke; Tipperary lamb with black garlic; Irish lobster with caviar and saffron; yuzu cremeux with brown butter – each delicious dish is skillfully cooked, beautifully plated, and served with flair.

• 10/10

Activities & amenities

The Spa at Cashel Palace Hotel

The light-flooded pool area with large windows overlooking the gardens is as chic as it is tranquil, the sleek indoor-outdoor pool with its large Jacuzzi, thermal suite, and seaweed baths complemented by yoga, spa treatments, and a salon.

Individual changing rooms with showers and toilets bring an added layer of luxury.

The magnificently tended gardens are a joy to explore or sit in to sip cocktails or coffee.

Overlooked by the medieval Rock of Cashel, guests can enjoy a private walkway, past the beehives, to the impressive heritage site.

Cashel Palace’s guest experiences programme has a selection of horse-themed outings including an exclusive tour of Coolmore Stud.

Recharge, a new juice bar in the front courtyard, has proven an instant hit, while a new boutique and fitness classes in The Secret Garden all build on the hotel’s extensive offering.

• 10/10

Checking in

The bill? Rooms from €365 B&B.

Room to improve? It’s difficult to fault anything here.

Access for guests with disabilities? Yes. Room options include the Garden Wing and Carriage House.

Family-friendly? Children are welcome, but this is very much a hotel for grown-ups.

Dogs welcome?  Yes, in Ground Floor Garden Wing rooms and in the Gate Lodge. Pets are permitted in your room and the hotel gardens; they are not allowed in indoor public areas or restaurants unless seated outside.

EV chargers? Yes.

• Cashel Palace Hotel
• Main Street, Cashel, Co Tipperary.
• cashelpalacehotel.ie
• Jillian Bolger was a guest of Cashel Palace Hotel.