Ballyfin

Ballyfin is the epitome of extravagance. Set in the Slieve Bloom Mountains, it is one of Ireland's most luxurious hotels, with sophisticated country-house décor — world-class Irish art, silk-lined walls, antiques, and marble – and a menu that shows the best of what's grown in the garden. The glass conservatory, which is ideal for long summer lunches of Irish cod goujons, salads, and tarts, was constructed in 1855 by Dublin-born architect Richard Turner and has since been meticulously repaired to retain its cage-like, cast-iron construction.

In Ballyfin, the inspiration begins on the property. Eight acres of a walled garden brimming with a wide range of fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs skilfully cultivated and cared for by their staff of gardeners. Throughout the year, the six hundred and fourteen acres of grounds provide a rich assortment of wild edibles. The forests are alive with ramsons leaf wild garlic and wood sorrel's lovely white blossoms in the spring. Then, in the autumn, the forest floor is filled with hedgehog mushrooms, giroles, and occasionally, in a few secret nooks of the estate, the majestic Cep emerges (s). Ballyfin's Bees are a Buckfast hybrid that was born and raised in Ireland, and they dwell near the picnic area. From Spring through Autumn, they produce honey, honeycomb, and wax for humans.

Address: Ballyfin, Cappanrush, Ballyfin, Co Laois, R32 PN34, Ireland

Website: www.ballyfin.com

Tel: 353 57 875 5866