Hotel of the week: Ballyfin, County Laois, Ireland
This neoclassical mansion overlooks a lake and houses a fine collection of art and antiques.
To stay at Ballyfin is to feel like a houseguest at one of Ireland’s most magnificent private estates, said Aoife O’Riordain in the British Condé Nast Traveller. The 15 guest rooms are located in an 1820s neoclassical mansion that was recently restored to its original opulence after a nine-year renovation. The mansion, which houses one of the country’s finest art and antiques collections, “overlooks a tranquil lake” on a 600-acre estate. A French chef and the hotel’s “personable yet discreet” staff answer all needs. Overnight, Ballyfin has become “easily the grandest hotel in Ireland.” ballyfin.com; doubles from $998
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