I recently had the good fortune of being gifted a one night stay in the four-star Avalon House Hotel, located in the heritage town of Castlecomer in Co Kilkenny.
I had recently been ziplining in Castlecomer Discovery Park as part of a hen party and was totally enamoured with the town, which had a beautiful river, forest walks and ivy-covered buildings. I was very fortunate to be able to come back so quickly!
We arrived at Avalon House Hotel and were greeted by two very friendly women at the reception desk. They told us our room wasn’t ready yet, but they could take our bags. We had arrived very early to make the most of our stay, so that was fine for us!
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The hotel is a Georgian House and the interiors were so authentic - the furniture matched the time period but still felt modern. There were some beautiful trinkets and antique wooden furniture on display - there was even an old gramophone upstairs.
We had a super food salad in Lark’s Bar, which was beautifully presented and very fresh.
We drove to Kilkenny then, which is a short 20 minute drive down the road. Kilkenny was absolutely bustling - I visited the lovely Cafe La Coco which had some really unique sweet treats, I had an Oreo, peanut butter and banana cupcake! It was a gorgeous sunny day so we strolled around the grounds of Kilkenny Castle and visited the Kilkenny Design Centre. They have gorgeous Irish crafts and art on sale here so don’t miss it.
Kilkenny was extremely packed, so we were glad to return to Castlecomer for some peace and quiet.
We checked into our room and I was greeted with one of the best brownies I’ve ever had - it was so light yet rich. I admit I scoffed some of this before my dinner but it was too good to save!
The room was very tastefully decorated, I should have asked what wallpaper they used as it was a gorgeous green colour, stately but not too showy. The beds were super comfy and the entire room was spotless. There was also air con, should you need it.
We then headed to Lil’s restaurant upstairs. It was safe to say I had some of the best hotel food I ever had - I don’t say that lightly. I had the duck salad to start which had a beautiful orange sauce with figs, and enjoyed the risotto for my main. Risotto is rarely done right, it can usually be sticky and sickly, but this was exquisite - rich but not overwhelming. I had one glass of the sauvignon blanc white wine, which was very good value and not at all sharp.
That evening I enjoyed some soft drinks in lark’s bar, and there was live music out in Little Jim’s, an outdoor bar area which also serves stone-baked sourdough pizzas.
You could tell that Avalon was a real local’s spot, which is always a good sign in my opinion!
After a good night’s sleep, it was back down to Lil’s for breakfast. The place was packed with people heading off to see Kilkenny play in Croke Park . Breakfast was made to order, which isn’t standard in most four star hotels. I had the Eggs Benedict which were very tasty. There was also fruit, cereal and toast available on a buffet.
After we checked out, we walked around the quaint town and visited Castlecomer Discovery Park. Here, they have forest walks, skywalking, orienteering, paddle boarding and ziplining. It’s a not-for-profit social enterprise, with all money reinvested back into the park to provide local employment. We paddled a peddle boat on the lake which was great fun.
After that, it was time to return home! I can’t wait to go back - the staff were so friendly and the atmosphere was super relaxing.
A one-night stay in Avalon House Hotel for two people sharing is available from €124 per person and for a 2-night stay with breakfast each morning and dinner one evening is available from €122 per person per night.
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