What a wonderfully unique Irish experience! We weren't sure exactly what to expect with our stay at Castle Ellen, but any expectations we had were blown away by Michael and his legendary hospitality. He made our stay so much more than just a place to spend the night, he made it an unforgettable visit to a property with a passionate host, an incredible history and a delightful experience that we will cherish for a long time.
After welcoming us and showing us around briefly he took us into town for some takeout and glass of Guinness at the local pub. We came back and shared dinner and wine and lively conversation around the fireplace (one of 17 in the building!) well into the evening, before retiring to our room.
The castle is old, chilly, and sprawling, in various states of renovation, with rooms filled with dusty historic artifacts, maps, pictures, and collections from Michael's world travels, but the upper floor and our room were more recently renovated and clean. The room was large, with huge windows overlooking farmland, a fire place to heat it, and down duvets, plus an electric blanket, to keep us toasty warm.
The next day we got a tour of the grounds and all the out buildings surrounding the castle, with Michael explaining the history and the restoration process along the way. It was unlike anything we'd experienced before, very cool to see everything up close and personal. After the tour we said goodbye, and Michael invited us back the next day to watch the start of a traditional horse ride and fox hunt. We're very glad we did, because it was one of the highlights of our trip. So neat to see all the horses, hounds and riders getting ready and riding off to the forest.
If you're looking for a truly unique, unforgettable, no frills, Irish experience then look no further than Castle Ellen. Michael is a real treasure, with a wealth of knowledge, history and experience that is unmatched in my decades of travel. It's not often that you get to stay in a beautiful old castle, and make a new friend in the same day.