It feels like a lifetime ago since I was living my best life, laying on the lawn with a gin and tonic in Markree Castle.
Back in July myself and the family were very kindly invited to stay for 2 nights in Markree Castle in Sligo. It was during the heatwave and wow…. We were spoilt.
This was a PR trip.
Arrival
To feel like you are completely stepping out in to something special, you will be greeted by a long drive through the grounds before you reach the castle. The castle is set on acres of woodlands and has a lake. There are walk tracks throughout the grounds which we really enjoyed for a post dinner stroll. When you park up and make your way to reception, the feature staircase which is lined with lanterns, tapestries and historical antiques.
The lobby is just so impressive, there are open fires, an iconic stain glass window and of course a very friendly team welcoming you and ready to take your bags reminding you that you’ve arrived and are ready to de-stress.
Accommodation
I had the little ones with me so we had the family room which is in one of the turrets. The rooms retain the old world feel but has all of the mod cons not to mention a glorious free standing antique bath. The kids were so excited to stay in the room and the view from the highest room in castle gave them the full view of the Sligo landscape.
Dining
We ate in the lounge twice. This offers a more relaxed spot for a quick bite. There’s big arm chairs and sofas which means you really relax. They have a superfood salad that I can only describe as summer in a bowl. Eoin ordered the steak sandwich both time we dined there….if that isn’t a compliment I don’t know what is. It really suited us to eat here purely because the kids had a less formal setting to play.
We had one night in the restaurant and the kids absolutely loved the ceremony of it. The staff made such a fuss of them and helped them with their silver service. They couldn’t believe their luck. We had 5 courses and the kids sat through it all. You HAVE to try their steak! You will see the pictures of our food below.
Staff
I can’t go further without dedicating a section to the team. Deirdre and Nicholas are so warm and welcoming and that has spread throughout their entire team. I can’t only say there’s a ‘loveliness’ to everyone.
A special shout out goes to Alex from the front desk! She kept bringing the boys colouring jobs and even brought them with her to do some jobs so we got a few minutes to ourselves. Honestly that’s one of the nicest things you can’t give any parent! The boys even 4 months later remember her name.
Wedding
If you are one of the lucky couples who have or are booked to get married in Markree Castle, congratulations….you are so so lucky. To me this venue has a very special edge. There is not one single thing that makes it unique but rather a series of tone setting scenes throughout the venue. When you arrive, the beautiful drive up gives you the warm fuzzy feeling. Most weddings line the stone stairs entrance with candles and flowers. It is absolutely beautiful. You can have your arrival reception drinks in the lounge which has a piano and a hidden bar. the large windows overlook the estate. You can also have your drinks on the patio. Your ceremony can be hosted in the on site chapel. This is spectacular. It has the original woodwork and stain-glass windows. There is no other ceremony location at a venue like this in the country. You dine in the wedding dining room and again you are overlooking the grounds. The dining room has a Palace of Versailles feel with gold leaf and white decor. It’s a very elegant room and the food is excellent. For you party, you retire to your very own evening bar and dance area. The whole of the downstairs has a self contained bar, lounge and dance area. It opens up to the fairy light courtyard where you can have your first dance. There’s no way i can do it justice so you should definitely go and see for yourself.
If you would like to learn more about Markree Caste you can visit them here: https://www.markreecastle.ie/
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