3 Days at Ballyfin

After our family trip to the Cotswolds, I hopped over to Ireland for a three day girls trip with Sarah Flint. Its so special when you find a friend that loves all the same things you do and has the same travel style, and Sarah and I both share a love (obsession?) with historic homes, antique furniture, gardens and lots of fringe - and there is perhaps no better place to enjoy all those things than Ballyfin.

We planned this trip so Sarah could gather inspiration for an upcoming shoe collection, and while we originally assumed we'd hop around Ireland, when we started looking into a stay at Ballyfin we realized it was worth dedicating all three days to this incredible property. Originally built as a country house for entertaining guests by the Cootes Family in 1820, Ballyfin was sold to the Patrician Brothers in the 1920s and used as a school for the rest of the 20th century. When the property was sold again in the early 2000s it needed a lot of work to restore the mansion, and the restoration was aimed at returning Ballyfin as closely as possible to how it functioned when it was originally built. And let me tell you, the end result is fabulous.

A trip to Ballyfin is like getting the keys to a grand country estate for the weekend. With only 20 rooms and countless outdoor activities spread across their 600 acre estate, you will feel like you have the place all to yourself, and only realize there are other guests there when you all gather for meals. While there is a lot to do, there's such a quiet, peacefulness to the place that makes Ballyfin a true retreat, and I left feeling totally rejuvenated. While this was a girls trip, Ballyfin is easily one of my top 5 hotels of all time, and would be very special for a honeymoon or anniversary where you really want to relax. (Cihldren over 13 are welcome, so our little boy has a few more years before he can join us!).

This travel diary is perhaps my longest yet because I could not stop taking photos! Scroll down for more details of our stay.

Sarah and I met at the Dublin Airport and rented a car for the drive to Ballyfin. It's only an hour and 20 minutes to the estate...unless you take a wrong turn, then it's a little longer. (Oops!) However driving on the left side of the road was surprisingly easy and we arrived in time for a gorgeous lunch. Since Ballyfin is at least 20 minutes from other towns, you'll likely want to opt for either their half board or full board options. We're sure glad we did! Also, an impressive 80% of their menu is sourced from the estate gardens or foraged on their grounds. Just incredible.

On our first afternoon Sarah and I grabbed bikes to explore Ballyfin's 600 acre property. Riding through fields strewn with hay bales, exploring the rock garden and "fernery", and hiking to the top of "The Tower" for views over the countryside were all so much fun. Ireland possesses so many lush and beautiful landscapes and everything was made all the more magical by the golden hour sunshine we enjoyed all afternoon.

Sarah's olive suded booties were perfect in the Irish countryside. Can you believe they're made with water resistant materials and are currently 25% off!?

After relaxing in our room for a bit we dressed for dinner. I had been saving this romantic Ralph Lauren dress for a nice dinner and it was just so fun to wear - the ruffles fluttering as I walked through the halls. Ballyfin is a part of the Relais & Châteaux collection, which is known for their fabulous food. We joined other guests in the dining room for a 4 course meal (really the first time we saw other guests all day!), and were amazed that when Sarah casually mentioned she doesn't really like fish they brought in a new custom menu for her a few minutes later that had different fish-free offerings. As it turns out, the menus are printed each day for each guest taking their dietary considerations and preferences. Needless to say we were impressed. From the goat cheese "pillows" to decadent chocolate bar for dessert, this was the best meal I had had in recent memory. (And everything was so good we booked in for dinner again on our second night!)

The breakfast tables beautifully laid with blue Spode. I opted for the full Irish breakfast.

We opted for a picnic lunch on the second day, and the staff packed a beautiful hamper full of tea sandwiches, scones, and shortbread cookies and hot Irish Breakfast tea for us to enjoy. Guests are welcome to set up at tables in the tea house which is at the top of a neighboring hill, or spread a blanket for a picnic anywhere on the grounds, but we got excited about taking out a rowboat and picnicking out on the water - and I'm so glad we did! Sarah and I took turns rowing, and pulled out our picnic supplies when we were in the middle of the pond. The views of Ballyfin's mansion from the water are gorgeous and it was so relaxing to sip tea and enjoy scones with jam and cream while the boat gently rocked. I could have easily laid down for a nap in the bottom of the boat it was so relaxing. (You can see a little video here and fully blog post here.)

Sarah’s beautiful dress can be found here, and she’s wearing her own Alexandra boot! (And it’s on sale!)

Touring the gardens is a must for any trip to Ballyfin, and we loved bumping into Emily, one of the estate gardeners, while she was gathering flowers to refresh the house arrangements. Even though it was late September we were amazed by how much was in bloom! There are also a number of stately historic homes and gardens worth touring in the area and we loved visiting Heywood Gardens (about 20 minute drive) and hiking around The Rock of Dunamase at sunset. (Check opening times for the estate tours, as most are only open a few days a week.)

Ballyfin offers house tours every day at 4pm, sharing the history of the neo-classical mansion. We also asked to see a few guest rooms that weren't occupied as each room has it's own unique and thoughtful decoration. I'd come back over and over again just to experience all the beautiful rooms! (Can you imagine this place at Christmastime?!)

These photos are from our hike around the Rock of Dunamase, a Celtic fortification which was settled as early as 800 AD and was an important Anglo-Norman stronghold for centuries, before it was laid to ruin during the Cromwellian invasion in 1650. The views of the countryside were so beautiful at sunset. Sarah and I both wore her brand's Wanderlust sneaker which was perfect for jumping over the rocks and ruins. This trip has made me fall head over heels in love with Ireland and I can't wait to come back with David sometime soon!