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The stunning estate is basically the size of NYC’s Central Park.
Vanessa Wilkins/Travel + Leisure
Step intoAdare Manorin southernIrelandand you’ll feel as if you’ve entered a fairytale.
Credit:Vanessa Wilkins/Travel + Leisure
Built in the 1800s, the former home of theEarl of Dunravenis now a luxury hotel and golf resort.
There are quirky accents all around the facade of the building, including 365 stained-glass windows and 52 chimneys.
Inside the estate, the bold architecture is balanced out by warm and inviting lounge decor.
Vanessa Wilkins/Travel + Leisure
Plush sofas, custom tapestries, and marble white bathrooms elevate each of the 104 individually designed guest rooms.
Additional highlights from the propertys restoration include a grand ballroom, a movie theater, and a state-of-the-art spa.
There’s also an infinity pool, steam room, and sauna on-site.
Vanessa Wilkins/Travel + Leisure
The on-site activities are plentiful, but not overwhelmingly so.
Our instructor raised the stakes, suiting me up in a brown leather gauntlet for a free-fly experience.
All of this happened within my first three hours at Adare.
Vanessa Wilkins/Travel + Leisure
I thought to myself incredulously.
Even walking the grounds of the property is an adventure.
After all, the massive estate spans 842 acres.
Vanessa Wilkins/Travel + Leisure
Guests can also traverse the property on bikes provided by Adare or arrange for a horse-and-carriage tour.
Adare Manor’s staff was just as special as the hotel.
Every member shared a genuine love for their craft and the property it was both palpable and infectious.
Theres Gerry OHalloran, the energetic manager ofThe Padel Club, who encouraged me to try a padel lesson.
(Padel is a racket sport that is a mix between tennis and squash.)
His enthusiasm for the sport motivated me to try my hand at something Id never done before.
Our goal is to be the best at what we do, he told me.
The fine-dining restaurant,The Oak Room, is theonly Michelin-starred restaurant in Limerick.
A short walk from the manor is the more casualCarriage House.
And for drinks, there is no better place to be thanThe Tack Room.
Some bottles are so rare they are kept under lock and key.
Here, I enjoyed a private whiskey tasting led by Tommie Doyle, the resorts whiskey ambassador.
(Yes, that is his actual title.)
Doyle fervently walked me through the history of the water of life.
Just enjoy it however you like, however it feels right, and that is right.
Nightly rates start at $830.
To learn more about Adare Manor or to book your stay, head over toadaremanor.com.
