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Bucolic by both name and nature, the four star Fitzgerald Woodlands House Hotel & Spa, is nestled on the site of the family’s original farm on the outskirts of the postcard village of Adare.
That means guests are a short skip to one of Ireland’s prettiest streetscapes with its thatched cottages, boutiques, restaurants and castle.
Adare Manor and its estate also flank the Woodlands property should you fancy a cocktail in the neighbourhood.
Originally opened as a B&B in 1983 to supplement the Fitzgerald’s family farming income, Woodlands has seen its original bungalow foundations evolve into an expansive, 89-room parklands hotel.
The property is located up a picket-fenced deciduous-lined driveway and the hotel’s smart, one-story facade, featuring a set-down portico area laden with pumpkins, gives the air of a country club.
Inside is traditional, polished affair; there’s a pleasant lobby in rich earthy tones with a fireplace, baby grand piano and multiple seating areas to curl up with an afternoon tea.
Service is warm and attentive throughout the property from check-in at reception to the restaurant teams on duty at dinner and breakfast.
Now into its second generation of management, the hotel remains very much a family affair and I encounter siblings Elaina Fitzgerald and her brother David on the floor mingling with guests — always a good sign of a property.
Woodlands offers myriad activities on site which court a guest profile that includes families, business travellers, and 55-plus getaways.
There’s a pool and leisure centre open to all guests, while the gym, like many which offer public membership, is very well kitted out.
The hotel’s Revas Spa offers a considerable menu from hair styling to massage treatments, use of its indoor-outdoor thermal suite costs €50.
The hotel grounds are a great asset and with organic kitchen gardens, pastures, and walled grounds, you actually feel like you’re on a country house estate.
Younger guests can enjoy a pet farm, fairy trail, playground, football pitch, and kids club as well as a number of events throughout the year including the upcoming Supper with Santa.
It’s worth noting that the property is a popular wedding venue too.
Hotel rooms include entry level deluxe doubles, family interconnecting rooms and suites.
Rooms are spacious and feature their own lounge area and while I notice they lack some of the colourful soft furnishings which appear on the website images, they are particularly comfortable not least thanks to goose down duvets and pillows.
En suites are also spacious and higher category rooms and suites offer whirlpool baths.
Rooms offer tea and (instant) coffee making facilities and products by Gilchrist & Soames while suites also offer products by Voya.
Dining is the stand-out star at Woodlands. Their restaurant, Timmy Macs is a vibrant, contemporary bistro with an open kitchen, ambient lighting, and a convivial atmosphere.
The menu, which focusses heavily on produce from their family’s organic farm and gardens, features lovely seasonal dishes which include chicken wings with hot sauce and Cashel Blue dressing, 16-hour cooked featherblade of beef served with mash, black garlic purée and a rich bourguignon sauce, or dessert specials like individual baked Alaska served on a gluten-free sponge.
Dishes are beautifully flavoured, garnished, and presented and with three very fine courses teetering around €40pp, it represents seriously top drawer value for the market nowadays. Little wonder Timmy Macs is a popular destination restaurant too.
Breakfast in the same setting offers a fresh buffet of continental items as well as hot to order items like garden fresh omelettes served with organic rocket.
The hotel also features The Treehouse — almost like a miniature food market of stalls — offering everything from artisanal açai bowls to local ice-cream… guests can eat their food in a selection of novelty huts with wood-burning stoves.
It’s a great asset to the hotel and makes it a popular draw for guests as well as day visitors to the (no admission) pet farm.
Replacing generic wall art in guest rooms with photography from the grounds of Irish flora prints could add more character to rooms and bring those lovely outdoors indoors a little more.
Accessible rooms available.
Yes.
Hugely.
No overnight stays but The Treehouse is dog friendly.
Midweek B&B from €125 but can bump to double that and beyond at weekends.
- Fitzgeralds Woodlands House Hotel
- Adare, Co Limerick
- woodlands-hotel.ie
- Jillian Bolger was a guest of Fitzgeralds Woodlands House Hotel