www.glenloabbeyhotel.com – inspirecreativecommunicationsblog

GLENLO GOLDEN ESCAPES

Mid-week escapes to the West of Ireland

There’s nothing more decadent than sneaking away for a few days midweek. Guests are invited to leave all worries at the door and escape to the West for some rest and relaxation.

Why not leave the car behind and take the train to Galway city, where Glenlo concierge will be there to meet you at the platform and chauffeur you to Glenlo Abbey Hotel. On arrival, you will be warmly welcomed by the attentive staff and spend three-nights enjoying luxurious accommodation; breakfast each morning and dinner on one evening. Curl-up with a book by the open-fire and enjoy a Cream Tea on one afternoon in the glorious Victorian surroundings of the Ffrench Room. For culture enthusiasts, tickets to Kylemore Abbey & Victorian Walled Garden are included in this mid-week package.

For those looking for an active mid-week break, the redeveloped 9-hole golf course is the perfect place to while away the hours and with the newly built floodlit Driving Range and Putting Green, is perfect for both daytime and nighttime practice. Full day tours to Connemara can be arranged for an additional fee.

The Glenlo Golden Escapes three-night package includes; nightly accommodation, breakfast daily, dinner on one evening, cream tea and tickets to Kylemore Abbey & Victorian Walled Garden price: €269 per person sharing October and €199 per person sharing during November and December.

For reservations and enquiries, please contact reception on +353 (0)91 519600 or email reception @glenloabbey.ie. Website: www.glenloabbeyhotel.ie

NOTE TO EDITORS:

Majestically rising from the still waters of Lough Corrib and dating back to the 18th Century, the 5 star Glenlo Abbey Hotel is where old world charm meets contemporary elegance. From the moment you drive through our magnificent cast iron gates the beauty of this enchanting lakeside estate overlooking Lough Corrib will captivate you.

The 50 Bedrooms and Suites have been designed with an emphasis on general space and comfort, and afford unrivalled views of the dramatic West of Ireland landscape with its ever-changing colours.

The restoration of the three elegant receptions rooms in the main house which exude old world charm; the Ffrench Room, the Kentfield Lounge and the Palmer Bar where guests can enjoy a relaxing pre dinner drink and canapés, signature Afternoon Tea or take time out to relax and read.

The Oak Cellar Bar now includes a beautiful new lounge – a hat tip to an elitists men’s club, with restored herringbone parquet floors, darkened mahogany panelling, softened with tartan upholstered chairs and aged leather sofas. An ideal hideaway, just off what was the original parlour of the house.

The Pullman Restaurant on the grounds of Glenlo Abbey Hotel is one of Ireland’s truly unique dining experiences. Comprising of two dining carriages, one of which is called Leona, dates back to 1927 and was part of the original Orient Express and carried VIP’s all over Europe and the UK during its lifespan. 1965 saw Leona’s final journey when she was used as part of Winston Churchill’s funeral cortege. After this event, Leona with other carriages played a staring role in the classic movie, “Murder on the Orient Express”, which featured greats such as Albert Finney, Lauren Bacall and Sean Connery. Opened in May 1998, the Pullman Restaurant aboard the Orient Express enjoys fabulous views of Lough Corrib and ironically 300 metres away from the old track bed of the now lost Galway-Clifden railway line.

The Glenlo Abbey Hotel and Golf Course is situated just 2 miles/4kms from Galway City Centre on the N59 to Clifden. The hotel is only 4km from the city centre.

The 5* Glenlo Abbey Hotel in Galway is pleased to announce the completion of a two year grand renewal and refurbishment process.

Following on from the initial refurbishment of the Corrib Banqueting Suite in 2013, the €2 million re-development of the main house and bedrooms of Glenlo Abbey Hotel has been completed in full.

Rory O’ Sullivan General Manager of the hotel commented ‘The refurbishment process has given Glenlo Abbey Hotel real momentum to build upon the fine standing that the hotel garnered since its initial opening in 1992. It is fitting that we recently welcomed the President of Germany to stay in the hotel at the end of the refurbishment process, as the house itself was long renowned as a destination of note for landed gentry, statesmen and royalty alike down through the years. We are well positioned to truly offer a warm, personable and luxurious experience, which will compete with the very best of luxury hotels throughout the country. The staff of the hotel has contributed greatly to the success of the refurbishment and to creating enchanting and lasting memories for our guests. We look forward to welcoming you’.

With the focus primarily on guests experience and how Glenlo can offer a distinct, unique and personable Five Star experience to mirror the very best throughout Ireland. Each of the 50 bedrooms and suites has been completely transformed with this focus in mind.

Contemporary interiors yet in keeping with the timeless elegance have been the mainstay of the refurbishment. Guests can relax in luxurious surroundings with plush bedroom furnishings; each of the Abbey Classic and Corrib Deluxe bedrooms come complete with Mindy Browne lamps, Baroque style mirrors, woven Axminster carpets throughout, diamond tufted headboards handmade by Abbeyowney, bespoke Queen Anne style furniture – upholstered in Boyle & Butler fabrics, Damask Zoffany Wallpapers and handmade curtains from the Cremins Moiselle Trend Collection. Step into an oasis of calm, with a colour palette of muted gold tones and subtle duck egg blues.

The signature look of the bedroom corridors with woven Axminster tartan carpets, photographs of Connemara landscapes from Sean Tompkins, attract the eye as you stroll towards your room, set beautifully against the dark mahogany woodwork.

The restoration of our three elegant receptions rooms in the main house which exude old world charm; the Ffrench Room, the Kentfield Lounge and the Palmer Bar where guests can enjoy a relaxing pre dinner drink and canapés, our signature Afternoon Tea or take time out to relax and read.

The 18th Century Abbey has been transformed with under floor heating, redesigned with lighter tones highlighting the gothic style windows and natural wooden beams. And our beautiful new south-facing terrace to the rear of the Abbey, overlooking the walled garden, is ideal for BBQ’s or just a quiet lunch in the sunshine.

And most exciting of all is the restoration & re-opening of the Pullman Restaurant aboard the Orient Express, Galway’s most unique dining experience. A 66 seater restaurant comprising of 2 of the original carriages from the Orient Express tastefully restored to its former glory and recently awarded an AA Rosette for its cuisine.

The redevelopment of the 9-hole golf course has brought a renewed lushness to the hotel grounds. Originally designed by Jeff Howes and redesigned by Christy O’Connor, the course has undergone extensive redevelopment in the last two years and final works are almost complete to bring the course back to its former glory. The golf course has been restored to a traditional 9-hole layout. In the past, each hole had two greens. The golf design experts have collaborated on which green was the most unique and challenging for each hole and an extensive renovation of these greens was implemented. The old greens have been reintegrated into rough and fairways and also serve to frame the newly restored greens. Tee Box restoration has been completed and now boasts a Championship, Men’s and Ladies’ Tee. Natural water hazards have been dredged and exposed around the course. 7 of the 9 holes boast a water hazard. The rough has clearly defined first and secondary cuts. The driving range has been upgraded to 21 bays: 9 covered bays and 12 outdoor bays. Upgraded with partitions and matts and The Driving Range is fully floodlit for night-time practice. The newly built elevated putting green is now completed and floodlights have been installed ensuring golfers an illuminated putting surface during dark hours.

Glenlo Abbey Hotel welcomed a new award winning Head Chef in April, Alan McArdle. Having previously worked in some of Ireland’s top hotels and restaurant including, Moy House Lahinch, The G Hotel Galway, Harvey Nichols Dublin, Bijou Restaurant Dublin, La Mere Zou and L’Ecrivain, Alan brings a depth of knowledge and flair to the kitchens at Glenlo Abbey. He is currently building his team and plans on changing the menus each season using the finest, locally sourced ingredients. Alan’s cooking style is classic in origin with modern nuisances, letting the quality of the ingredients shine through. Guests can look forward to some incredible taste sensations on The Pullman Restaurant Aboard The Orient Express this autumn. Glenlo Abbey also plan on hosting some very special food & beverage concepts over the coming months.

Visit www.glenloabbeyhotel.com for details on autumn/winter breaks. T: 091 519600. E: stay@glenloabbey.ie

-ENDS-

PRESS CONTACT:

Ailish Cantwell

INSPIRE PR

T: 01-8222330 M: 0876999159

E: ailish@inspirepr.ie

Note to editors

The Glenlo Abbey Hotel and Golf Course is situated just 2 miles/4kms from Galway City Centre on the N59 to Clifden. The hotel is only 4km from the city centre. The newly opened N6 motorway getting to Galway could never have become easier or alternatively collection from the bus and train station can be organised on request.

The wildness of Connemara is right on our doorstep and the vibrancy of Galway City Centre is only two miles away. The ideal location for exploring the West of Ireland – Glenlo Abbey Hotel is the 2010 Winner of Good Eating Guide ‘Best Restaurant in Connaught’ and offers superb dining and entertainment options for both formal and informal occasions. These include the River Room Restaurant overlooking the estate, the Pullman Restaurant on The Orient Express, the Oak Cellar Bar, and three elegant Receptions Rooms in the Main House which exude Old World Charm, where guests can enjoy a relaxing drink, afternoon tea, or take time out to relax and read the newspapers.

Some of the best fishing in Western Europe can be easily organised on-site. Other activities that can be organised near the property include horse riding, boating, water sports and tennis.