Fiona McCannvisits Bellinter House in Navan, Co Meath
CRUISING UP a sweeping, tree-lined driveway towards the delightful Palladian facade of Bellinter House is one of the most effective ways to rid yourself of any vestiges of 21st-century city angst. Not that, despite the Georgian elegance of the grey-stoned exterior, this boutique hotel is lacking in modern touches. Bellinter House is brimming with design-forward features that bestow plenty of urban cool on this rural retreat.
Up the stone steps, the bright airy reception, with its marble fireplace and ornate plasterwork, opens into a comfortable drawing room, where vintage armchairs are scattered around chrome-and- glass tables under funky wall fixtures.
We were shown to our room in the Stables, reached in a quick trot over the gravel, one of five duplex apartments, with a large living area downstairs and, upstairs, wooden-beamed bedrooms that are more than ample for two city dwellers accustomed to something closer to shoebox proportions.
Alas, for our delightfully appointed lodgings, some sanitary mishap had led to an undesirable odour just below the bedroom, which soon permeated our sleeping quarters. While staff were on the case we were less than inclined to linger as the smell of post-prandial emissions robbed our appetite. One small word to the receptionist and we were immediately relocated, our bill was discounted and effusive apologies were proffered, which more than made up for the inconvenience.
With our bags in transit to our new home it was an opportunity to explore the house, which dates from 1750 and was designed by the same gentleman - Richard Cassels - who was behind Leinster House. It was only when Jay Bourke and John Reynolds, entrepreneurs from Ireland's entertainment industry, got their hands on it that it went from rambling country house to chic boutique hotel, finally opening in December 2006 to provide those who've moved on from Rí-Rá with a new relaxation destination.
Set in Co Meath parklands on the banks of the Boyne, the hotel has a back garden that sweeps down to the river. Any stroll in its direction will take you into some less-than- landscaped territory; wellies in various sizes are thoughtfully lined up in the library for guests to use. Once you've tramped through enough sodden fields for the country- squire act to lose its lustre, a light lunch is the perfect way to punctuate the day, although fishing aficionados might prefer to take theirs picnic- style on the riverbank as they wait for brown trout to bite.
We opted for the former, appreciating the river from the fireside through the drawing room's floor-to- ceiling windows. It's a room that could swallow up an entire afternoon of cocktails and coffee, but, if you can summon the energy, there's a games room, with pool table and plasma screen, just through the bar, as well as a library, with a lived-in feel that invites bookworms to crawl out of the woodwork and curl up before the fire.
Replete with soup and smokies - creamy smoked-fish delights that are one of the kitchen's specialities - we went to find our new bedroom, a little more modest than our previous lodgings but within staggering distance of Eden, Bellinter House's basement restaurant, which is sister to the Temple Bar restaurant of the same name.
Dinner in its softly lit, cavernous interior was an excellent blend of Irish ingredients and internationally inspired applications thereof, with an exquisite Pouilly-Fuissé topping off the palate-pleasing decadence of it all.
Thankfully, we were not so sated by our banquet as to forgo breakfast - home-made porridge and a full Irish - the following morning.
Less than an hour's journey from central Dublin, Bellinter House is at once hip and sophisticated enough to attract both rock stars and wannabe Rockefellers. It's impossible not to relax here, though an Indian head massage, seaweed bath or hot-oil elixir infusion should help those with any difficulties in that department.
Though Bellinter House is not cheap, for a little decadence before returning to the cramped confines of your city pad, this easily accessible dollop of luxury is hard to beat.
Where
Bellinter House, Navan, Co Meath, 046-9030900,
www.bellinterhouse.com.
Ambience
Classic luxury with funky furnishings giving a
21st-century stamp.
Rooms
34 en-suite rooms, five duplex apartments and
another six in the Ruin.
Best rate
Midweek spa break from €280 per person sharing
for two nights' B&B, one dinner and one spa treatment. Rates
for B&B and one dinner from €140.
Amenities
Seaweed baths, facials, manicures and a range of
treatments. Bellinter House also has an infinity pool with views of
the rolling countryside, sauna and steam room.
Child-friendliness
Children run amok in Bellinter house, with a games
room provided for their entertainment.
Food and Drink
Eden serves hot and cold breakfasts. Dinners are a
splendid affair. The small bar serves sumptuous cocktails, as well
as snacks and lunches during the day.
Access
Two of the hotel rooms and the restaurant are
wheelchair accessible.