Deals of the day
Château de La Chèvre d’Or
Nature is everywhere at Château de la Chèvre d’Or. There are lots of different gardens filled with sculptures, fountains, waterfalls, flowers, herbs, trees and shrubs. The area is perfumed with the scents of jasmine, bougainvillea and roses. The magnificent colors create a framework that blends into the horizon and the sea…
Meneghetti Wine Hotel & Winery
In search for unique places, sometimes you need to get off the main roads. However, let them lead you to Bale, Istria. Then slow down and follow the road that gets narrower with every mile, as nature draws closer. Slow down even more, and then make a turn into the white road. As the iron gates of the Meneghetti estate open up in front of you, stop for just one moment – and realize that the magic actually appears off the…
Palazzo Navona Rome
The innovative Palazzo Navona Hotel fully deserved of its role as being amongst one of the most qualified 4 star Hotels within the city “centro”, capable of fulfilling its own lifestyle qualities to satisfy even the most demanding guest. The intimate and charming ambience emits a feeling of almost magic by creating a special atmosphere which pervades this residence surrounded by its historical-art and ancient Roman…
Cocos Hotel Antigua
Perched on a lush green hillside, encircled by miles of heavenly blue sea and sandwiched between two gorgeous white sand beaches is COCOS Hotel, an all inclusive Antigua resort for couples and adults only. This rustic yet romantic and cozy boutique resort is located on the sunset side of the beautiful Caribbean Island of Antigua and comprises of a collection of 35 quaint wooden Cottages positioned on a pictoresque…
Royal Mansour Marrakech
The Royal Mansour can be counted amongst the few establishments in the world that defy hotel excellence. Just a few steps away from the famous Jemaa El Fna square beats the heart of the Marrakesh Palace, offering travellers the unique concept of a medina within a medina.
Each area has been designed to intuitively take guests on a sensory journey. Take a step into the secret and sumptuous history of one of the…
Villa Belvedere Taormina
Hotel Villa Belvedere is a delightful and charming boutique hotel, located at just a few minutes from Taormina’s lively town centre and from the world-famous Greek-Roman Theatre, which are both reachable by walking through the inspiring and panoramic Duca di Cesarò Botanic Gardens. The hotel benefits of wonderful views over the sea, the bay of Naxos and Mount Etna. The hotel has always been…
Villa Principe Leopoldo Lugano
Live in a fairy tale, surrounded by prestige and nature. Imagine contemplating Lugano’s beauty in a princely residence. The former private home of German Emperor Wilhelm’s brother in law, the Villa is located on a picturesque promontory called the Collina d’Oro (Golden Hill), whose views and location are the best kept secret in town. If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to live in a legendary home, a stay…
Relais Borgo Santo Pietro
Situated in the heart of Tuscany, Relais Borgo Santo Pietro was once a healing stopover for medieval pilgrims. Today it continues to provide a sanctuary for modern souls, merging a 5 star luxury hotel and spa concept with a ‘farm to plate’ philosophy on a 300-acre estate. A sumptuous feeling of home pervades the 800-year-old luxury farmhouse hotel, with its worn leather armchairs pulled up around open fires, fresh flower…
Cliveden House
Cliveden House is a privately owned 5 Red Star award-winning hotel, and sister to the world-renowned Chewton Glen Hotel & Spa in Hampshire. Our story is one of over 350 years of powerful personalities, iconic parties and scandalous affairs. Built in 1666 by the 2nd Duke of Buckingham, as a gift to his mistress, Cliveden House has remained a pinnacle of…
Kudadoo Private Island
Kudadoo’s renowned eco-consciousness and sleek design extend to the Maldives island’s 15 over-water residences where your uninterrupted enjoyment of the private island charm and the splendid natural surrounds are the norm….
Piccolo Hotel Portofino
Hotel Piccolo Portofino, surrounded by the typical luxuriant vegetation of the Liguria Riviera, among the crystal clear water of Portofino and the blue sky, is a piece of art of the reception, unique of its kind. A hidden jewel, that has to be searched end discovered. Obtained from a refined period villa, today it is a boutique hotel, and from its generous terraces, a breathtaking view onto this exclusive stretch of coast…
Il Sereno Como
Il Sereno brings a new era of luxury to the banks of Italy’s iconic Lake Como. Awarded the title of “Most Anticipated New Luxury Hotel Opening in 2016” by Luxury Travel Advisor magazine, Il Sereno’s ethos of understated elegance presents a freshness to this well-established destination. Designed by Patricia Urquiola, Wallpaper* Magazine Designer of The Year 2015, the all-suite hotel promises modern style and an authentic…
Azulik Tulum
In the heart of the Mayan jungle, a revolutionary project is about to redefine human evolution. A new vision of the future that is guided by ancestral knowledge and creates community is beginning to shape up.The VILLAS of AZULIK Tulum are built in harmony with the Mayan jungle and the Caribbean Sea. With no electric light, A/C, or television, we present nature as our main amenity, setting the perfect mood for a…
Juma Amazon Lodge
With its prime location in one of the most remote and preserved regions of the Amazon Rainforest, Juma Amazon Lodge is an intimate and inviting property harmoniously nestled into the forest environment which defines it. Juma Amazon Lodge features 19 intimate bungalows seamlessly nestled into the lush surroundings of the Amazon Rainforest. In order to accommodate the water levels of the wet season…
Gecko Hotel & Beach Club Formentera
In the beautiful and protected island of Formentera, Gecko Hotel & Beach Club was set out for like-minded individuals to unwind, connect with oneself and nature and above all celebrate life. Gecko brings to Formentera a new form of hospitality that unites our love for the island, the beach life and the elegance of a time in the past that continues to inspire us. Our clublike restaurant, in front of the Migjorn beach, offers a…
Il San Pietro Di Positano
The San Pietro di Positano is more than a hotel. It is a journey within a journey, where memories are created and never forgotten. A haven of peace, immersed in nature, this elegant home harmonises old-world traditions of hospitality with contemporary, understated luxury. Escape to this small slice of paradise suspended between the sea and sky. Carved into the cliff overlooking the mediterranean Sea, our rooms are a…
Aria Hotel Budapest
The Aria Hotel Budapest is a luxury boutique hotel with an exquisite design inspired by music. To compliment the musical concept, master designer Zoltan Varro’s vision was to simultaneously recreate the rich, lavish atmosphere of a historic Hungarian palace while also embracing visitors in the warmth and comfort of a private residence…
Casa Casuarina Miami
Casa Casuarina was built in 1930 by Alden Freeman. Alden Freeman’s father, Joel Freeman was Treasurer of The Standard Oil Trust (also known as Rockefeller’s Company) and left Alden a fabulous wealth when he passed away. That gave the young and wealthy Alden the opportunity to retire at the age of 27 from being an architect and travel all over the world. Alden was also a descendent of the Mayflower on his mother’s side…
Bawah Reserve
A gorgeous tropical paradise surrounded by a blue ocean, Bawah Reserve sits in sheltered seclusion 160 nautical miles (300km) northeast of Singapore in the remote Anambas Archipelago, Indonesia. This pristine and previously uninhabited marine conservation area is surrounded by turquoise lagoons and coral reefs, which cater to outdoor adventurers looking to indulge as well as those looking to relax in paradise…
Boutique Hotel Die Alpbacherin
The history of DER ALPBACHERIN began in the former Angelika house. Some time ago, in the middle of Alpbach, at house number 405, stood the small bed and breakfast “Haus Angelika”. Georg and Lisa ran them with a lot of love. The success proved you right and so the desire for a new place for more guests was born. A dream came true. Together with daughter Valentina and her boyfriend Thomas, plans, dreams and…
Laucala Island Fiji
A private island refuge in the South Pacific, Laucala unites dramatic rainforest-laced landscapes and white sandy beaches with unparalleled levels of luxury and privacy. No expense has been spared at the exclusive tropical hideaway, where 25 Fijian-styled villas are set amid coconut plantations, beside deserted beaches and atop the island’s volcanic mountains, overlooking fertile coral reefs and endless jungle. Style and…
Cavo Tagoo Santorini
The exclusive Cavo Tagoo Santorini, twin of Cavo Tagoo Mykonos is located within walking distance from Fira and just a few kilometers from Oia, the resort offers luxurious suites, spectacular sunsets over the sea and a personalized service exceptional. All Suites are modern and feature a hot tub or private pool on the terrace style, design details, 43-inch LCD satellite TV, patio or terrace with stunning panoramic view…
Mnemba Island Lodge
Steeped in culture and history, Zanzibar enticed adventurers, seafarers and traders from far and wide. Known as the spice island, from the centuries old trade of cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon, today the Zanzibar Archipelago is still bathed in the heady scents of spices and traditional dhows still drift across the horizon. A romantic hideaway, Mnemba Island is an exclusive paradise featuring twelve rustically chic beachside…
La Clef Champs-Élysées Paris
La Clef Champs-Élysées Paris, a 5-star hotel in the centre of Paris, offers you a unique stay in a typically Parisian atmosphere. The building was built in 1907 by the Hennessy family, during the enchanting interlude offered by the Paris of the “Belle Époque”. Reflecting this magical era, our luxury hotel in Paris embodies a certain French art de vivre. La Clef Champs-Élysées Paris enjoys an idyllic setting and immerses you in the…
Ballymaloe House is a family run country house hotel and restaurant on 300 acres of farmland located in beautiful East Cork countryside. Internationally recognised as the birthplace of Modern Irish Cuisine, Ballymaloe House offers you the very best of Irish hospitality and food and a unique Irish Country House experience.
Stay at Ballymaloe House
Our accommodation at Ballymaloe House is simple and elegant. We have a range of rooms in the main house, some large and airy with beautiful views over the fields as well as cosier rooms at the top of the house in the eaves.
Our newer, light filled garden rooms are at the back of the house and look on to the river and oak and horse chestnut trees beyond. We also have charming rooms in a lime washed, rose-covered farm building in the courtyard.
Our Accommodation
All our accommodation has a calm and relaxing feel. Our beds are comfortable, and fresh flowers are brought in from the garden every day. In summer, sweet peas and old roses, and in the autumn and winter, foliage and branches from the woods.
There are paintings and drawings by Irish modern artists such as Pat Scott, Michael Farrell, Louis Le Brocquy and Norah McGuinness throughout the house, as well as examples of Irish studio pottery.
During your stay
Make Ballymaloe House your home for a few days and enjoy afternoon tea in our drawing room by the fire or in the conservatory filled with scented geraniums and winter jasmine looking out onto our gardens and river.
Benches are dotted throughout the gardens for you to sit in summer and read or listen to the sounds of the farm. In winter the drawing room is warm and peaceful-the perfect place to relax after a long walk by the sea and look out at the wild Irish sky.
When booking, please select the Personalise Your Stay option for a selection of Ballymaloe wines, hampers and books available or to let us know any special requirements or requests you may have in advance of your stay.
The Bedrooms at Ballymaloe come in all shapes and sizes, from large and airy superior rooms to cosy country house, and include some ground floor rooms in the courtyard. Cots and children’s beds can be provided for accompanying little guests.
Dine at Ballymaloe House
Our food emulates the best Irish Country House cooking with its emphasis on fresh home grown produce. Our restaurant serves locally sourced and home grown food from our walled garden and farm.
Our Food
Our chefs draw up the lunch and dinner menu every day depending on what comes in from the garden and the boats at Ballycotton. Fruit and vegetables are sent up each morning from the gardens.
Herbs, edible flowers, soft fruits and apples come from our walled garden as well as onions, potatoes, kale, cabbage and salad leaves and many other vegetables. We have rhubarb plants which come originally from the walled garden of Mrs. Allen’s childhood home in Cork.
Lemon verbena and mint are gathered to make our own herbal infusions. Fish arrives fresh from Ballycotton every afternoon and it is not until then that the dinner menu is finally decided upon.
JR, our pastry chef, might turn loganberries in to a sorbet or make a pear tart depending on the fruits that are available. The gardening team at Ballymaloe are central to what we do in the kitchen.
They are continually planting new varieties; last year they planted borlotti beans, swiss chard, peas and broad beans, Chioggia beetroot, Castelfranco and Tardivo Treviso radicchio, Romano courgettes and red onion squash.
At Ballymaloe House in the walled garden, we grow quantities of flat-leaf parsley, basil, sweet marjoram and mint.
From Farm to Fork
The Ballymaloe menu is based on the food from our own farms or producers in the locality. Local farmers supply us with poultry, ducks, geese, guinea fowl, chickens and turkeys. We keep our own free-range hens for a guaranteed fresh supply of eggs and also have recently taken to rearing our own free-range pigs on the farm.
All our lamb and beef is grass-fed, reared on neighbouring farms and slaughtered by local family butchers. Our pork and poultry is locally produced, non-intensive, free range or organic.
Vegetables and herbs come mainly from the walled garden, originally tended by Mick Cullinane for over 50 years and now looked after by head gardener Mags Coughlan and her team, as well as from the organic farm and gardens of the Ballymaloe Cookery School.
Floury new potatoes come to us from Patrick Walshe and Willie Scannell in Shanagarry and Ballycotton. Our fish comes from small boats in Ballycotton and shellfish from Kenmare Bay. Sally Barnes, Bill Casey, Frank Hederman and George Devereux smoke fish for us.
Our cheese board celebrates the remarkable rebirth of Irish cheeses from small farms all over Ireland. We sincerely thank and value all our local suppliers who help us to keep a high quality product on our tables.
Wine at Ballymaloe
We have an extensive wine list at Ballymaloe House and our sommeliers are happy to give guests a tour of the wine cellars, please ask at reception if you would like this to be arranged. We also hold regular wine events throughout the year when wine experts and producers from around the world give talks and tastings.
Weddings at Ballymaloe House
Ballymaloe House is the perfect location for your dream wedding day. This long-established Irish country house hotel set in rural East Cork is the most romantic venue a bride and groom could wish for, and the hospitality team at this famous family hotel are always happy to help brides and grooms with every aspect of their special day if their chosen date is available.
From the carefully written Ballymaloe menu and wine list for the occasion to florists, music and the wedding cake and everything or anything else to ensure a memorable wedding celebration.
Events at Ballymaloe House
Situated only 35km from Cork city and Cork airport, Ballymaloe House is the ideal location for your conference or corporate event, meeting, seminar, conference or team-building needs.
The beautiful house and grounds are the perfect venue for anything from a half day meeting with a light lunch to a full conference inclusive of five course dining with accommodation.
Ballymaloe House has 29 bedrooms and several self catering houses available on site and our experienced staff will ensure every aspect of your event runs smoothly. There is plenty of other accommodation in the area for larger events.
Ballymaloe Grainstore
The Ballymaloe Grainstore is the latest addition to Ballymaloe House and is undoubtedly East Cork’s most versatile venue!
Originally a 17th century farmyard building, it has been recently converted into an elegant multi-purpose venue that as well as hosting a variety of musical, theatrical, film or art events throughout the year (see what’s coming up here), the Ballymaloe Grainstore is available for hire for any occasion including concerts, weddings, lectures, family events, exhibitions, workshops, classes, demonstrations, dances, etc.
The Ballymaloe Shop
The Ballymaloe Shop is located at Ballymaloe House. here you will find a range of Irish designer crafts, wool blankets and scarves, cook books, kitchen accessories, bakeware, kitchen and dining textiles, pottery, pots, saucepans, knives, food and lots more.
Ballymaloe Cookery School
The internationally renowned Ballymaloe Cookery School, run by Darina Allen, is located two miles from Ballymaloe House. There are many cookery courses and demonstrations on throughout the year.
Croquet
There is a croquet lawn in front of the house which is always popular on dry days with both children and adults. It is free for residents to use, you will find croquet mallets and balls in a little box beside the lawn.
Make Irish Soda Bread with our Baker
Step into the kitchen and roll up your sleeves, you can learn the secrets of Ballymaloe bread baking!
Pilates
A fun, beginners Pilates dance class to tone your body and loose inches. €50 for a six week course, contact Lindsay to discuss a drop in rate.
Summer Swimming Pool
The outdoor swimming pool is filled as soon as the weather gets warm enough – usually sometime in May, and emptied when it gets too chilly to swim – usually in late September.
Tennis
The relaxed, outdoor tennis court is located between the swimming pool and woodlands. No need to book a space, use it as you wish.
Yoga
Fusion Yoga with Alison Faith combines a variety of Yoga styles with relaxation and well being techniques in a carefully selected blend (like great coffee!) to liberate, recharge and empower your whole system!
Tour & Tasting: Visit to the Ballymaloe Wine Cellar
Join one of our Ballymaloe sommeliers and visit our cave wine cellar, deep in the foundations of Ballymaloe House and sample a little something from our Award-Winning wine list.
Ivan Allen began learning about, and collecting, wine in the 1960s. Little was known in Ireland at the time and Ivan and Joe, his farmhand turned sommelier started building an award-winning wine list to accompany Myrtle’s delicious menus.
They invited wine producers from all over the world to visit Ballymaloe and many photographs and stories are still shared on the cellar walls.
Whiskey Tasting Experience with our Bar Manager Traford Murphy
Traford has created two Ballymaloe Whiskey tasting experiences offering our guests the opportunity to sample some of Ireland’s finest whiskeys from Jameson, the home of which is in our nearby and historic market town Midleton.
Each tasting will consist of comparing three samples from Jameson’s exceptional range. You will have the opportunity to explore the nose (scent), taste and finish with Traford’s expert guidance, and learn the subtle complexities of these exceptional whiskeys.
Ballymaloe History Walk & Talk
Members of the Allen family, or a long term member of staff, will take you on a very personal tour of Ballymaloe House; you will learn a little about Ballymaloe’s impressive art and artefact collection, an insight into the Ballymaloe / Allen family story past and present, as well as history of the house and farm.
Ballymaloe House is still a family-run country guest house which can credit its success to the Allen family’s passion for growing and serving good fresh food in a unique homely ambience and style.
Ivan and Myrtle Allen opened up their family home to the public in 1964 to subsidise their farming income but most notably because Myrtle loved to cook, and taught herself innovative, yet simple, ways to make the most of her husband’s seasonal farm produce.
