It is impossible to truly summarize the magnificent experience of staying at Ballyglunin, but here is an attempt: it is incredible. We were greeted by George, the wonderful manager, who led us on a tour of the massive and stately manor home, a combination of Georgian- and Victorian-era architecture that has been carefully restored, but complete with fabulous modern conveniences. I could spend paragraphs describing the kitchen itself, which is larger than most entire Tokyo flats/apartments. We all got lost at least once our first day in the massive home.
The house itself has been restored and renovated with skill and sensitivity. Photographs of the rooms fail to do justice to the expansive scale and beautiful details of the spaces. The stained glass, for instance, is exceptionally lovely, as are the plaster ceilings in many of the rooms. The rooms were as comfortable as they were impressive, making Ballyglunin feel homey even though it is far grander than any typical house.
After leading us on a tour, George left us with a welcome tea and scones, as well as a basket of local goods to enjoy during our stay. (But George was available for anything we needed, either in person or swiftly over email, during the entire stay. And when we ran into him at a nearby restaurant during the week, it was great to be greeted warmly by a local friend!)
We didn’t even leave the property for the first 24 hours, there was so much to explore in the home and on the grounds: a river runs through the property, complete with a weir that creates a picturesque waterfall (and in which many of our party enjoyed several hours’ worth of fishing - fishing rods, as well as picnic baskets and lawn games provided by Ballyglunin), there are sheep, horses and cows that the grandchildren loved watching, and walking paths that wound through the property, so there was plenty to do without ever leaving.
However, when one does feel like going further afield, there are many small towns nearby with magnificent, 800-year-old+ ruins and rich histories to visit within a 15 minute drive of Ballyglunin, and at about 30 minutes from Galway, you are never far from something fun to do. It is also an excellent base from which to take day trips to places like the Cliffs of Moher, Doolin, the Burren, Connemara, Spiddal, etc. At the end of long days of exploring the west coast of Ireland, returning home to Ballyglunin, to unwind in one of the massive bathtubs or relax in the game room, etc., just feels like an absolute gift.
Staying at Ballyglunin is a magical, once-in-a-lifetime experience, and we highly recommend it.