Condé Nast Traveller ranks Ballyfin manor where Kimye stayed ‘grandest Irish hotel’

The Midlands manor where Kanye West and Kim Kardashian famously honeymooned has been dubbed the grandest hotel in Ireland by the world’s top travel bible.

Ballyfin — which hosted Kimye on their Irish honeymoon last May — has been name-checked by the Condé Nast Traveller as the estate to “lord it up in style”.

The entire castle — which can be rented for a cool €25,000 a night— was the surprise destination for the superstar newlyweds who shunned tropical paradises for a medieval break in the heart of Co Laois.

Condé Nast Traveller described the elegant manor house, which has been restored to its 18th century glory in recent years by new owners, as the “grandest house in Ireland” in its latest edition.

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The prestigious travel magazine also waxed lyrical about Lismore Castle in an article on “captivating Irish castles”. The Waterford castle, a favourite haunt of Fred Astaire, is described as having the dream combination of “baronial swank” and “cosy domesticity”.

Ireland is proving to be hugely popular with the world’s most respected travel bible, with a number of Irish destinations included this month on its list of 50 things to do in Europe before you die.

Hopping into one of Belfast’s famous black taxis, visiting Trinity College Dublin and stepping on the Giant’s Causeway are all on the bucket list of European experiences.

“The Giant’s Causeway in Antrim is like nothing you’ve seen before,” remarked the travel bible.

“It’s not unusual to see kids and adults alike skipping from stone to stone or climbing the hill-like formations.

“These simple stones will remind you of how breathtaking nature can truly be —and, if that’s not enough for you, the Bushmills Distillery is not too far away.”

And it urged travellers to take the chance to visit the famous mural walls while they are still there: “Northern Ireland has regular talks about bringing the wall down; until then, black taxi tours of the neighbourhoods take you along the dividing line, past homes painted vibrantly with murals and propaganda, and deep into the history of the city.

“Your tour guides typically still identify as Protestant or Catholic, so the story you hear may vary slightly — though they may not tell you their religion until the end, if at all.”

The travel tome also urged its readers to “geek out at Trinity College”, comparing it to a visit to a Disney movie.

A tour of the hotspots in the In Bruges film, starring Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson, also makes the list.

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