Clandeboye Lodge Hotel – in a league of their own
Situated just minutes from Belfast City Centre, the Clandeboye Lodge in Co Down is set in a tranquil, rural location that is perfect for a relaxing stay.
“It was always our aspiration to create a haven of luxury within a rich woodland setting” says Pim Dalm, Managing Director. “The hotel is ideal for guests looking for all the quality you would expect from a top city centre hotel, but preferring a quiet, relaxed, non-urban setting.”
“Staying at Clandeboye Lodge is a perfect pleasure, a timeless indulgence. We are separated from the hustle and bustle of the city, but still close enough to enjoy it,” says Pim. “Our guests are at the forefront of everything we do.”
SURROUNDED BY WONDER
Two of Northern Ireland’s major visitor attractions are on our doorstep. Titanic Belfast, the world’s largest Titanic visitor experience, is just a 15-minute drive away. Only four miles down the road, you can visit the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum where you and the family can explore the thatched cottages, farms, schools and shops of 100 years ago.
Famous for its flora and fauna, Strangford Lough is also nearby. It has the wetland reserve, Castle Espie, on its banks where, in the autumn months, over 70,000 seabirds including Brent geese, knot and redshank migrate from northern latitudes. On the opposite side of the Lough, you will find Mount Stewart, which features one of the most significant silver displays in the National Trust’s care. Its gardens are regularly voted amongst the top ten gardens in the world.
For sporty children and those who are young at heart, there is the Aurora Aquatic Centre and Eddie Irvine’s Sports Centre with karting, paintball and laser combat.
Nearby Holywood is home of golfing legend Rory McIlroy and a stay at Clandeboye Lodge brings golf fans within a 10-mile radius of many championship courses. There is even a course beside the hotel where guests can enjoy a one-hour Trackman lesson, prior to playing the Hamilton championship course.
MAGICAL MAKEOVER
Clandeboye Lodge has recently undergone an extensive renovation. With new, elegantly stylish interiors, luxurious rooms and a famed brasserie, it ranks amongst the top three hotels in Co Down on various review sites such as TripAdvisor and Booking.com.
Hotel owner Pim describes the guest room refurbishment as a “top-to-bottom luxury makeover”. It has resulted in a luxurious feel with coloured accents in soft furnishings and the geometric pattern of the wallpaper. The fabrics and upholstery were all locally sourced, with bespoke carpets, headboards, throws and curtains all featuring the key theme colours of teals and rust. The same approach has been taken with the high-quality finishes in the luxurious new bathrooms.
Pim is keen to praise his staff. “The makeover is incredible and has added to the comfort and style. But, it’s really our staff, always attentive from dawn to dusk, who ultimately create the feeling for our guests that the Clandeboye Lodge is their luxury home away from home.”
The natural light that flows through lounge areas, with wood and tiled floors that change in style from one area to the next, enhances the mixture of carefully selected upholsteries, outstanding pieces of art and quality craftmanship in rugs, wood and brass.
The open-truss ceilings and large, gothicstyle windows in the brasserie take their origin from the 19th century schoolhouse which sits at the core of the separate events complex.
COQ & BULL BRASSERIE
Pim explains that the fields of the Ards Peninsula have helped shape the hotel’s vision of good, honest food. The on-site brasserie offers vegetables grown on local farms, organic chicken and beef from farmreared Irish breeds and fresh fish caught in the Irish Sea.
With great quality food and an eclectic but well priced wine list, this is the perfect place to enjoy pre-dinner cocktails and dinner in a relaxed ambience.
“Aaron Fleming, our brasserie head chef is an avid follower of programmes such as Great British Chefs and Saturday Morning Kitchen to inspire him with new creative ideas,” says Pim. “The entire team at the Clandeboye Lodge really care about food and local produce, and aspire to deliver on our guests’ specific wishes. There is a reason our guests come back again and again.”
The Clandeboye Lodge recently won a ‘Good Hotel Gold Seal’ award and TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence for their offerings. They are also shortlisted for a ‘Best Company to Work for’ award.
“We are also immensely proud of our Ireland Excellence Award, endorsed by the European Foundation for Quality Management. It is in recognition of our culture of excellence, good practices, innovation and results.
“We usually welcome a diverse mixture of leisure guests, corporate guests, events delegates, and those wanting to combine dinner in the brasserie with a lazy stay-over,” says Pim. “We are happy to support any request we get.”
During the autumn and winter months, the traditional dinner, overnight stay and breakfast package, which allows guests to create their own itinerary, is still the most popular.
For visitors from the Republic of Ireland, the current Euro exchange rate is a bonus for those who love to shop in the city or nearby Bangor. The Clandeboye Lodge offers amazing value with several guest packages suitable for any visitor.