As fairytale settings go, Dromoland is straight out of central casting. There are limestone turrets and tartan-clad suits of armour, tinkling chandeliers and silver cloches at breakfast and dinner, but also plump sofas to sink into, the comforting waft of log fires and not a draughty corridor in sight. And now there’s also a contemporary edge with a newly buffed spa, where the Dr Barbara Sturm facials give glowing results, and the most sophisticated hotel boutique you’ll ever find, Charlotte & Co, which stocks bow ties from Belfast and sculptural knitwear from Galway. The 16th-century castle and country club, set on the edge of a lake amid 450 acres of native woodland and manicured fairways, is the ancestral home of the O’Briens – descendants of Brian Boru, the High King of Ireland – so it’s got serious historical pedigree. To stay here is to be immersed in that history, but it also feels properly spoiling; as if you too are the highest of kings.
Address: Dromoland Castle, Newmarket on Fergus, County Clare
Price: Doubles from about £350
