REST ASSURED

Relaxing time is guaranteed at Galgorm hotels

STALL FOR ONE: Farmers’ market in Monaghan Town

BEING able to completely switch off from the modern world is something that is getting harder and harder to do.

Events of the last few years have left us wondering if we will ever get a break. However, a visit to Galgorm Resort and Spa just outside Ballymena offers a perfect respite to all the doom and gloom.

The multi-award-winning hotel, located just half an hour from Belfast and two hours from Dublin, was this year named Ireland’s Best 4* Spa Experience at the Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Awards.

Arriving at Galgorm for a stay recently, my wife and I were particularly struck by the sheer scale of the place.

The word ‘resort’ is certainly not taken lightly here — as on a sunny day (which we were lucky to get) you could easily be convinced that you were swanning around somewhere in the Mediterranean.

The hotel is situated on 380 acres of beautiful parkland and, to help visitors feel closer to the nature that surrounds them, Galgorm has installed a series of Shepherd’s Huts which is where we stayed.

These cabins designed for couples have a rustic feel yet are equipped with all our modern conveniences — giving you the best of both worlds.

Haven

There’s a firepit for barbecues in the summer or for keeping warm on autumn and winter nights, and there’s also an outdoor bath giving you the option for a luxurious soak while listening to the soothing strains of the River Maine which runs right alongside the huts.

What’s more, just a short walk away is the Thermal Spa Village — a unique hot tub haven with plenty of places both indoors and outdoors to take a refreshing dip or simply just to sit down and read a book.

After donning our robes to wander around the spa in all its glory, we worked up a sweat with a Celtic Sauna Infusion — hosted by the enviably titled Sauna Master — and there’s a plunge pool if you want to cool off afterwards.

Having spent a blissful afternoon catching up on our relaxation, a shuttle ferried us to the main hotel where we dined at Gillies Grill, one of two restaurants on the premises.

The food was fantastic with a wide range of dishes for both meat lovers and vegetarians, the salt and chilli tofu being a particular highlight.

After such a peaceful stay, we thought life couldn’t get much more laid-back — until we also paid a visit to Galgorm’s sister hotel The Rabbit, just half an hour away in Templepatrick.

This boutique property, which opened in June 2020 and is part of the growing Galgorm Collection, may not be on the same scale as Galgorm — but it more than holds its own in the com