Castle Leslie Lodge

Introduction
Monaghan Ireland

A secluded and private estate in Co. Monaghan, covering over 1,000 acres of undulating Irish countryside, dotted with ancient woodlands and glittering lakes.  This is the Castle Leslie Estate, one of only 30 great Irish castle estates still run by the original families. Since the 1660s, the distinguished and somewhat individual Leslie family have lived here, welcoming everyone from politicians to poets, ambassadors to ufologists.

Accomodation

Castle Leslie:

With its authentic interiors and old-style hospitality, The Castle exudes old world grandeur and offers complete respite from the world. It is a truly private retreat free from distractions and intrusions of the outside world. The Castle is not a typical hotel experience - you won't find televisions, radios, wifi or minibars in the Castle bedrooms. The unique and dramatically different bedrooms are tranquil and calm - havens for sleeping and dreaming. It’s entirely up to you whether you sleep until noon or rise at dawn to enjoy all the Estate has to offer.
There is no pressure at the Castle to do anything except relax and indulge yourself. Log fires crackle in the hearths and there are several elegant rooms in which you can relax in privacy or in the company of friends. Breakfast is served until eleven in the dining room. You can sneak off to a special screening in the private cinema or test your skills at the full-sized Snooker table. You may prefer to relax in the magnificent Drawing Room with its grand piano and famous De La Robbia fireplace.
Weather permitting, why not enjoy a picnic in the woodlands or a pre-dinner drink on the lawn. If you are staying in Castle Leslie Estate as part of a group, you may like to enjoy an informal BBQ on the terrace. Dine by candlelight in the Dining Room or Gallery or if you’re looking for something more intimate and romantic, dine privately in the hand-painted Blue Room.

The Bedrooms
Filled with beautiful furniture, antiques and heirlooms, the Castle has twenty original and uniquely decorated bedrooms and bathrooms. Each is full of character, furnished with authentic flair and dotted with family heirlooms.
From romantic boudoirs designed with relaxation and privacy in mind to more flamboyant bedrooms decorated with rich deep colors, there's a room and a view to suit every taste. Each bathroom is unique and features include the oldest plumbed bath in Ireland, a throne toilet and a complete bathroom hidden away in a doll’s house. Some baths are fabulously large, ideal for a romantic soak for two.

Hunting Lodge:

The Lodge at Castle Leslie Estate, with its 30 rooms and cut-stone stable courtyard, has been lovingly restored and imaginatively decorated retaining its period features and original character. It provides cozy and charming accommodation for those looking to explore the northeast of Ireland or partake in all that Castle Leslie Estate has to offer. With local knowledgeable staff to give you the inside track on anything in the locality, there are a plethora of things to enjoy both on and off the Estate.
Located at the entrance to the Estate, it is the bridge between the Estate and the village, bringing as it does, locals and guests together in an atmosphere of conviviality and comfort. It is the social hub of the Estate, the ideal spot to relax with family, friends or new acquaintances.
Buzzing with activity, there’s always something going on at the Lodge. It is adjacent to the Equestrian Centre and perfectly located for those who wish to explore the countryside and parkland on horseback. It also houses the organic Victorian Treatment Rooms – the perfect place to luxuriate in a relaxing massage following an activity-filled day. Wireless internet access is available in all public areas in the Lodge. And if you just want to escape with your newspaper or book or enjoy a game of scrabble with your partner, there is an abundance of nooks and crannies and common areas in which to do so.

The Bedrooms
Each bedroom has been decorated in keeping with the building's period features and designed with comfort in mind. Our superior bedrooms are particularly spacious and offer balconies overlooking the Equestrian Centre's courtyards or a comfortable sitting area where you can relax with your favourite book. Our classic bedrooms in the original building and stables are decorated in a cosy, traditional style while the ones in the newer wings are more contemporary in style. The spacious bathrooms include roll top baths and separate power showers and many rooms feature super king beds guaranteed to induce a wonderful night’s sleep.

Conor's Bar at the Hunting Lodge
Unwind over a drink in this snug cellar bar with its roaring fire, cosy corners, great music and lots of craic. It's the perfect place to relax with a pint, or enjoy our traditional country home cooking in a more casual setting.

Snaffels Brasserie at the Hunting Lodge
Enjoy delicious meals with a wonderful view of ancient woodland. Set on a mezzanine floor, the open-plan brasserie is light and spacious with its dramatic hand-carved ceiling and robust oak beams blending effortlessly with a striking wall of contemporary glass.
The delicious menu uses the highest quality local ingredients without compromising on taste and choice. Offering a fresh approach to Mediterranean cuisine, food is cooked in the state-of-the-art wood-burning stone oven. This healthy style of cuisine complements the wellness concepts of our Organic Victorian spa.

Organic Victorian Spa at the Hunting Lodge   (extra charge)
Welcome to Ireland's first truly organic Victorian Spa. Located on the Castle Leslie Estate in County Monaghan, it's destined to become one of the most popular luxury spa hotels in Ireland.
It's the ultimate spa destination where you can spend the whole day indulging in our comprehensive range of treatments and therapies.
Based in The Hunting Lodge, the Victorian Spa boasts seven treatment rooms, two Victorian steam boxes, a hydrotherapy bath, relaxation area and hot tubs overlooking the stables. You'll leave feeling refreshed and revilatilised after pampering by our highly-trained therapists who'll use your choice of treatments from the exceptional Eminence Organic range.
Eminence 100% Organic Skin Care reflects the uniqueness of Castle Leslie with its unspoilt natural surroundings, rich in wild plants and mineral springs deep within its lakes.

Treatments
We aim to make your visit to the Victorian Spa an unforgettable experience for all the right reasons.
After consultation with our highly-trained therapists, they will tailor each treatment exclusively to your needs. This encompasses treating mind, body and spirit to leave you relieved, indulged, relaxed and at peace with yourself.
Using different combinations of our hand-picked organic products, body and face treatments can be relaxing and soothing, revitalising and energising, detoxifying and cleansing, or stimulating deep tissue massages.

Treatment list:
Stimulating Deep Tissue Massages
Relaxation and Soothing Treatments
Revitalising, Energising, Detoxifying and Cleansing Treatments
Facials
Men-only Treatments
Massage Treatments
Finishing Touches
Alternative Treatments
Various Treatments Available on Request
Day Experiences
Hot Tub & Steam Boxes

Meals:

No matter where you eat on the Estate, you will enjoy the best of classic Irish cooking.  We source regional and artisan foods locally and prepare and present them with imagination and flair.  Freshness is our by-word.  Our daily-baked breads and scones and homemade preserves are enough to tempt any guest.

Andrew Bradley, the Executive Chef at Castle Leslie Estate, combines years of Michelin experience and personal passion with some tried and tested delicious recipes of the past.  Cleverly re-inventing the Castle Leslie Estate Cook Book – a compilation of dog-eared family recipes dating back for centuries – Andrew has cleverly stamped a whole new meaning on the expression ‘old meets new’.  He and his team cater for all guests’ needs with style and a smile!

At Castle Leslie Estate, it’s all about choice.  We cater for those looking for casual dining as well as those seeking a more formal, elegant and romantic experience.  Guests can look forward to lazy breakfasts, light lunches or picnic lunches in the woodlands, Irish country cooking in the bar or brasserie and candlelit dinners and formal afternoon tea in the Castle.  So there’s little chance of anyone going hungry. 

This trip includes and can accommodate special dietary requests.

Riding

Horses:
The horses range from the 'Baby-sitters' & 'Flying Armchairs' for the more novice or nervous rider, to typical spirited Irish hunters who provide more of a challenge for the experienced rider.

Qualified instructors up to B.H.S.I.I. lead the cross-country rides and also teach all levels and will make sure that everyone can make the most of their holiday with sympathetic instruction or just the right amount of encouragement for the rider who does not want 'formal tuition'. There are extensive trails on the Castle Leslie Estate with natural and man-made obstacles spread over a wide area, also riding on adjacent farmland and a competition course is available with a large number of fences to suit all levels. We will organize a range of demos and clinics with Equestrian luminaries such as Anne-Marie Taylor, Ian Stark, Pippa Funnell, Lucinda Green and many more! We continue to have Jeremy Spring BHSI here for clinics on a monthly basis. 

Facilities Include:

• 1000 acres of private estate land to explore
• 21 miles of bridleways to trek and absorb the beautiful scenery
• Mile long all-weather gallop to thunder along
• 300 new cross country jumps from the knee-high to the knee-tremblers!!!!(Built by Willis Bros. of Badminton Horse Trials fame)
• The Virtual Horse - Ireland's first fully sized simulated horse
• Side-saddle lessons
• Carriage driving on the Estate
• 50 x 30 meter indoor arena with tiered seating for 200 people
• 20 x 40 meter outdoor arena

Itinerary

Your riding package includes daily riding of approx 3 hours - the packages available include improving your riding on the extensive cross country course with moderate jumping and exploreing the extensive country estate on the most relaxing of trail rides. Less experienced riders can also take advantage of riding instructions or training on the "mechanical" horse (by arrangement).
Stays are usually 3 to 6 nights with 3 to 6 riding days (3 hrs each).

Sample TIMETABLE

Day 1 - Arrive on Sunday in time for dinner at 7.30p.m. (rooms are generally available from 6 p.m., although we will accommodate people arriving earlier if possible).

During your stay - Guests will chat over breakfast (with their instructor about their riding ability, aims etc. first day)
Morning rides commence at 10:30 AM  and afternoon rides at 2:30 PM
An initial assessment of riders takes place in the indoor or outdoor schooling area on the first riding day.
Lunch is available at 1:00 p.m.
Dinner is served at 7:30 p.m.

Last day - departure after breakfast

The riding program can be customized to suit all levels of riders. 

The Equestrian Center is located around five new courtyards and tucked behind the Hunting Lodge. It offers all these amenities:

• 1,000 acres of private estate
• 300 new cross-country jumps from "knee high" to "knee tremblers" built by Willis Bros. of Badminton Horse Trials fame
• 21 miles of bridleways for meandering along
• Mile-long all-weather gallop
• 56 stables
• A Virtual Horse for beginners
• 50 x 30 meter indoor arena with indoor cross-country fences
• Tiered seating for 200 plus private dining/viewing room
• Catering for all levels from 7 yrs upwards

The center provides a wide variety of programs to non-riders who can enjoy excellent fishing, golf, walking or cycling in the surrounding countryside. There are numerous places of interest to visit within easy driving distance. 

Rates and Dates for Castle Leslie Lodge

Dates Note: Available any time throughout the year from Monday to Friday. Weekends have a surcharge and sell out early !

Other Info
Meeting: Glaslough
Airport: Dublin /Belfast
Transfer: Dublin/Belfast

Climate:

The dominant influence on Ireland's climate is the Atlantic Ocean. Consequently, Ireland does not suffer from the extremes of temperature experienced by many other countries at similar latitude.
Average annual temperature is about 9 °C. In the middle and east of the country temperatures tend to be somewhat more extreme than in other parts of the country. For example, summer mean daily maximum is about 19 °C and winter mean daily minimum is about 2.5 °C in these areas.
Mean annual wind-speed varies between about 4 m/sec in the east midlands and 7 m/sec in the northwest. Strong winds tend to be more frequent in winter than in summer. Sunshine duration is highest in the southeast of the country. Average rainfall varies between about 800 and 2,800mm.
With southwesterly winds from the Atlantic dominating, rainfall figures are highest in the northwest, west and southwest of the country, especially over the higher ground. Rainfall accumulation tends to be highest in winter and lowest in early summer.

Full service laundry is available at the Hunting Lodge for cost.