UNREAL ESTATE
Johnstown’s homely charm in luxury setting McSTRAVICK
LUXURY, but with a very homely feel — that’s exactly how I would sum up our recent visit to The Johnstown Estate in Co Meath.
I knew little about the hotel before we headed off for a relaxing night away on Easter Monday and I was more than pleasantly surprised.
Driving through the gates of the stunning period property, the first thing that struck me was just how well-preserved the original house was.
The listed 18th century Georgian house dates back to 1761, and has been operating as a hotel since 2004 after being bought by The Marriott Group.
It was purchased by the current owner in 2016 and was extensively refurbished, expanded, and rebranded to become The Johnstown Estate.
Despite the refurbishments, the hotel still has a historic feel, albeit with a modern twist, which is my ideal mix. It felt homely but yet chic and modern.
After our drive from home in Co Tyrone, we headed straight to The Coach House Brasserie for some much-needed lunch.
Again a very homely atmosphere greeted us as we took our seats beside the fire at the window overlooking the stunning and perfectly maintained gardens and the beautiful fountain at the front of the estate, looking great despite the rain which had followed us down the road.
We had a relaxing afternoon planned so we opted for a light lunch, with both of us choosing the soup of the day, potato and leek. Served with homemade brown soda bread it was a hug in a bowl, the perfect accompaniment when it was so wet and miserable outside.
Detail
From there we headed to the spa — and for someone who has been to plenty of spas in my time, this one is honestly up there with one of the best I’ve been to in Ireland.
The attention to detail was incredible. We checked in and were given our electronic wristbands which open the lockers and also allow you to gain access to the various areas of the spa.
One of the lovely team took us on a quick tour of the facilities and gave us our complimentary tote bag containing towels, robes and flip-flops, and informed us we could keep the bag and the flip-flops after our visit. Who doesn’t love a freebie?
We were both booked in for a full body massage, but before that, we had some time to check out the Thermal Suite, which was bliss.
It had pretty much everything you could imagine in a spa, including a steam room, dry sauna, tropical showers, aromatherapy walkway, heated loungers, and even a salt chamber which I loved. Having recently recovered from a nasty flu, the salt chamber works wonders for your lungs and breathing.
But that was just the indoor offering — outside on the stunning rooftop was a private and tranquil space with a hydrotherapy pool, perfect for those tired and sore muscles as well as a jacuzzi.
I honestly could have spent the entire afternoon up there, and even better the rain had disappeared just in time to enjoy it!
Time for our massages and we made our way to the waiting room and were invited to help ourselves to complimentary fruit and water.
My massage therapist Camille took me through a quick medical questionnaire before she got to work on the many, many knots around my neck and shoulders!
This was one hour of complete perfection. I totally switched off from the stresses of daily life, something I find difficult to do.
Afterwards, I was led to the Relaxation Lounge to cosy up on one of the aqua beds complete with blanket and pillow and rehydrate.
My husband and I both walked out of the spa on air, totally refreshed. We also grabbed a quick coffee on the way out in the beautiful spa cafe, another unique experience to the Johnstown Estate.
We checked into our room, a beautifully modern space but also very much in keeping with the charm of the original building.
A quick freshen-up and it was time for dinner, again in The Coach House Brasserie and having had a quick look at the menu earlier, I couldn’t wait to eat!
It’s not the largest menu I’ve ever seen in a hotel but there was something to suit all tastes. I had spotted the steak being served to a neighbouring table and I had made my mind up that I couldn’t look past it — my husband opted for the same.
Beautifully cooked, it was served with skinny fries and a red wine jus, as well as some al dente vegetables and a small side salad. The portion was huge, but I did my very best to finish it as it was too good to waste.
Dessert
Despite the big main, we still left a little bit of room for dessert which for me was the Berry Meringue Mille Feuille, which was beautiful, light, and just the perfect sweet treat after dinner. My husband chose the Chocolate Brownie and said it was one of the best he’s had!
After our meal, we perused the drinks menu and as an avid cocktail fan I loved the range on offer, I could have quite easily worked my way through that whole list.
But I opted to try the Strawberry Smash, which was vanilla vodka, passion fruit, strawberry, lime juice and sugar syrup. It was beautiful, refreshing and not too sweet.
THE Escape Spa Experience costs from €523 for 2 people sharing.
It includes accommodation in a deluxe room, full Irish breakfast, a 60-minute spa treatment (choose from a Full Body Swedish Massage, an Elemis Classic Facial or an Oriental Head Massage), 90 minutes in the indoor and rooftop thermal suites, and a four-course evening meal.
Bed and breakfast from €169 for two people sharing. For bookings, call 046 954 0000 or email reservations@ thejohnstownestate.com.
Despite being a very luxurious hotel, the thing that struck me most was just how relaxed I felt in the Johnstown Estate.
I’ve been to other luxury hotels in the past and they almost feel too stuffy and uptight, like you can’t just chill out with a drink in the lounge, but the Johnstown Estate is very much a homely hotel and the staff couldn’t have been more attentive and friendly.
After a beautiful breakfast the next morning, the sun was shining so we took the opportunity to explore the stunning 120 acres of land around the hotel, and enjoyed a beautiful walk down by the water.
And if you happen to forget appropriate footwear for a walk in the woodland, the hotel happily provides Wellington boots and bike hire if you don’t fancy exploring on foot.
The Johnstown Estate doesn’t just cater to couples, although it is the perfect couples’ retreat, but it’s also more than accommodating for families, with a large playpark, leisure centre and beautiful walks including a fairy trail.
We’re already planning our return trip — this time with our two little ones. The Johnstown Estate is a true hidden gem, and one to definitely pay a visit to this summer.