Wine Goose Cellar - Cavan

This is an incredible destination for a spa day! My friend arranged this experience for us after our trip to Istanbul as a special treat. We drove two hours from Dublin on a rainy afternoon and checked in around 2 PM, ready to enjoy the spa. Although our treatments were scheduled for 5 PM, we took the opportunity to relax in the pool, saunas, and explore other fantastic amenities. The hotel itself is beautiful, and the staff is exceptionally friendly! Our package included a 30-minute spa treatment and a three-course dinner for 150 euros, which was a great deal. My scrub and massage were amazing; I felt completely rejuvenated! Dinner was delicious, and the rooms were very comfortable. The buffet breakfast the next morning was outstanding as well! If you have the chance, take a stroll around the grounds. Overall, it's a wonderful little getaway to relax and indulge in some pampering!

The hotel is modern and quiet in structure, but several small issues indicate that a facility manager is badly needed. There are dirty windows, grimy and rusted surfaces outside the dining room, exposed cables in the corridor from an uninstalled light fixture, missing dimmer knobs on the light switch in the room, and an old TV with poor picture quality and limited channel selection. There's no air conditioning—only a plug-in fan tucked away in the wardrobe. The window needed oiling to allow for easier opening to release heat, and the internet speed was poor. Additionally, there seemed to be an unusually high number of CCTV cameras in the corridors. Overall, the place has potential but requires significant investment to encourage a return visit. Externally, the paint is clean, but internally, the staff need training to improve service. It's quite shortsighted for a newly built hotel not to include air conditioning in the guest rooms.

For relaxation, there are indoor and outdoor pools complete with comfortable loungers and pillows for reading by the water. The spa facilities include steam rooms at various temperatures, foot spas, and refreshing showers. On quieter days, you can truly soak in the peace and tranquility while enjoying unlimited tea, coffee, and juice. During my stay, I treated myself to a Swedish back and shoulder massage at the beauty salon, which was simply amazing! They even have a hair salon on-site, so you won't need to leave the hotel for your entire stay. Dining options are plentiful, with the Botanic restaurant and the Cellar Bar (as well as room service) offering a wide range of choices—all coming from the same kitchen. I was particularly impressed by the buffet breakfast—it had one of the largest selections I’ve ever seen at a hotel! You can choose from fried, scrambled, or boiled eggs among many other options. The staff were also incredibly friendly and helpful, adding to the overall experience. Having stayed there three times in the last two years, I can confidently recommend Farnham Estate, and I know I’ll return again.

This is a great place to retreat with your favorite (like a GF, BF or BFF). It is not for the weak wallet or untested, but it does provide you one hella sleep. Be sure to bring your hiking boots or running shoes, so you can go cross-estate on the tracks behind the golf course. It is well worth a few hours outside to check out the different routes and take in the scenery. If you are half decent with a camera you might as well take a few shoots to show off on Facebook and make all you friends jelly. You can also pamper yourself or a group of friends in the mint-steam spa resort. Complementary access comes with a stay, but any massage or fancy treatments will come out of your pocket at a price. The restaurant offers your amazing food and whether your for beer, cocktails, mock-tails or wine they will have something to suit your taste buds. It can get quite busy when there is no wedding in house, because other couples will spend their time here as well. So be sure to book in advance of your stay or your spouse might be cheated of an worthy experience.

Apparently the biggest country house estate in Ireland certainly lives up to its name. It takes about 5 minutes to drive from the gate to the hotel! Check in was very efficient and the room was lovely, looking out into the countryside and spa. We managed to sneak in an hour in the pool and steam rooms the former included an indoor and outdoor heated infinity pool area looking out to the rolling hills of Cavan with a hint of cow poo in the air. Can't get any more Irish than that! Both the Botanica Restaurant and Wine Goose Cellar Bar were lovely, serving very good food and drink although prices are on the steep side. All in all a very pleasant stay :