Red Carnation Hotels has completed the first of three phases in a restoration and enhancement program at Ashford Castle in County Mayo, Ireland.
Eight rooms in the castle’s Victorian and East wings, including some of the castle’s grandest suites, have been redesigned in the first phase. Red Carnation Hotels Founder and President Beatrice Tollman, along with her daughter Toni Tollman, led the design team. The new décor includes antique furniture, bespoke carpeting and marble bathrooms.
The castle is closed through mid-March to implement the second phase, which will redesign public areas and 30 more guestrooms. The renovation also includes significant infrastructure work on the building, parts of which date back to 1228. The castle is being fully air-conditioned and set up for WiFi throughout.
A vaulted area near the entrance hall will host a new library with walls of books and window seats. The castle’s kitchen is also being moved closer to the dining room and completely rebuilt to improve service efficiency. The drainage system for the property’s nine-hole golf course is being overhauled to allow for year-round use. In addition, the Cullen’s at the Cottage pub and some of the nearby buildings are being renovated, with new landscaping in the surrounding area. Ashford Castle is also planning to transform an old boathouse on the shores of Lake Corrib into a private honeymoon suite; the building has been fortified and retiled.
The third phase, scheduled to run from October through March 2015, will redo the remaining guestrooms. Pending approval, the third phase also includes a new 32-seat indoor cinema, a billiard room, a cigar terrace, a children’s game room, a full-service spa and an indoor heated pool.
The hotel also plans to significantly increase staffing levels.
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