Irish castle back in business

NEWLY-RESTORED Ashford Castle in #Ireland has been awarded Opening of the Year (Renovation or Conversion) at the 2015 European Hospitality Awards. 

The award programme celebrates the finest hotels in Europe. 

Following a two-year restoration of the 800-year-old building in County Mayo, the five-star hotel re-opened to guests in April this year. The restoration cost was £49.24 million.

Ashford Castle, and the 350 acres in which it stands, required a complete overhaul of the infrastructure, parts of which date back to 1228, including treatment of the exterior stonework and repairs to the battlements.

Eight hundred windows were replaced and all 68 guest rooms and 14 staterooms were either re-built or restored while retaining the original features of the castle, which was once owned by Lord and Lady Ardilaun of the Guinness family.

New facilities include a 32-seat cinema, a billiard room, cigar terrace, boutique shop and tea room, museum, children’s playroom, and a conservatory which houses a spa, gym, and swimming pool. An abandoned underground tunnel has been turned into a wine cellar to be used for private parties and wine tastings.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

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Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/19966030@N00/509945001">Ashford Castle - County Mayo, Ireland</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/">(license)