The Lodge at Castle Leslie

Victorian hunting lodge in the grounds of the Castle Leslie estate, with state-of-the-art equestrian centre, spa, cookery school and acres of Irish border country

When Sammy Leslie took custody of her family’s crumbling ancestral pile in 1992, she faced a conundrum: how to save the estate without selling out. The castle roof was leaking, the land was running wild, County Monaghan was a bit too close to ‘the troubles’, and there was no money in the bank. But she was determined to turn the place around without losing an ounce of its character or losing a single square inch of her legacy.

Her dream realised, the 1,000-acre estate now provides an ‘equestrian playground’, with a riding school and 21 miles of cross-country rides. The revamped Hunting Lodge - featured here - offers luxury accommodation in the original Victorian house and a newer wing, as well as a fabulous organic spa, a cathedral-like Brasserie, and a good old-fashioned Irish pub. Up in the Castle itself, you can book a cookery course in the old kitchens, or dine by candelight in its opulent hall. One of the very few Irish country houses that remain in family ownership, the place is not just a taste of the real Ireland, but a big generous dollop.

Highs

• An easygoing blend of Guinness, gourmet food and the Great Outdoors
• Long walks around a vast walled estate, ancient woodlands, a tranquil lake - you don’t really need to go anywhere else
• The Snaffles Brasserie: Italian-meets-Irish cuisine and a lively atmosphere
• The horses, the stables, the miles of bridleways – for keen riders, it doesn’t get much better than this
• Friendly, helpful staff

Lows

• The so-called ‘Victorian spa’ fails to deliver an authentic period feel, although the organic treatments are the real thing
• With the stables on one side and the bar’s outdoor terrace on the other, some of the rooms in the new wing can be a little noisy
• The estate gets its fair share of society weddings and corporate gatherings - most of which take place in the Castle and the Mews buildings respectively - which is one of the reasons we prefer the more intimate Hunting Lodge