HUNTER'S HOTEL
Quaint and charm-laden hideaway on a Wicklow riverside
IT'S EASY TO IMAGINE lovelorn poets scribbling sonnets and the odd
billet doux in the gardens of Hunter's Hotel, so inviting is the setting.
A 300-year-old former coaching inn on the banks of Ireland's River Varty,
Hunter's has old-time romance written all over it. This mellow stone-built inn, run by the Gelletlie family since 1825, resonates with simple country charm.
Brass glints by the fireside, old wood glows, clocks tick and turf bricks sizzle in the hearth. In short, it’s the kind of quaint romantic hideaway you’d like to hole up in for days. Cross the tiled entrance hall, with its creaky staircase and grandfather clock, take tea in the elegant drawing room or nurse a whiskey ensconced in an old-fashioned armchair in the bar.
Spruce bedrooms gleam with antiques and freshly-painted wood, while jugs of fresh flowers help make Hunters' pretty yellow dining room a treat. It's a place steeped in timewarp charm.
Hit the spot
Near Rathnew, an hour south of Dublin.
Bedtime
Top floor rooms above the gardens offer the max in seclusion and views.
Be savvy
Don't expect flash gadgetry and gimmicks – it's a place of simple charm.
Be smitten
An old Irish hideaway worth running away to.
Riverside meanders
The gardens at Hunter's Hotel –
a riot of rhododendrons, tulips, magnolias and the fronds of palm trees – are the cherry on the cake . Meander along the riverside walk, linger over a pre-dinner drink by the lawn or just soak up the scents of a myriad flowers. While the tide of new development gathers pace in Ireland, Hunter's remains a beacon of olde-worlde and quirky charm.
Hunter's Hotel was reviewed for Room for Romance by
Amanda Kingston
Click on any picture to enlarge it and move through the gallery.
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Dining in
Hunter’s serves great traditional Irish food and is not surprisingly a favourite with the locals. Weekly changing menus major on fresh-caught fish, Irish beef, home grown veggies and
mouth-watering home made ice creams and puddings. Garden-grown strawberries go into the jams accompanying your afternoon tea and scones.
Dining out
Redmond restaurant in Avoca village (film setting for
Ballykissangel) is candlelit and cosy, while the nearby café at Avoca Handweavers (often crowded) is great for lunch. Visit Wicklow’s oldest pub, the Bridge Tavern, for terrific home cooked lunches.
Where?
Hunter’s Hotel.
What’s cooking?
Traditional Irish cooking and olde-worlde afternoon teas with scrumptious scones and jam.
Dress the part
No need to glam up, think country casual.
Top table?
Alongside the window for full-on garden views.
See & Do
County Wicklow is the Garden of Ireland and there are plenty of grand estates around here to prove it. Nearby Mount Usher Gardens – a blaze of colour in late spring – are beautifully set off by the river Varty, while Powerscourt House has impressive mountain views and manicured lawns. Killruddery House (the film setting of Becoming Jane and My Left Foot) dates back to the 17th century, while Kilmacurragh Arboretum is famous for its conifers and exotic species.
Golfers should head to the magnificent 18-hole Druid’s Glen – just one of 15 18-hole courses in the vicinity. You can also ride and hill walk in the Wicklow Mountains. If you’re missing the bright lights, Dublin is just an hour’s drive away.
Shop
Head into Wicklow town for a browse in the Avoca Handweavers store. This is the place to pick up Irish woollens and tweeds, pottery, ceramics and edibles. You’ll also find plenty of little cafés for a coffee stop.
After dark
Enjoy the craic and plenty of the black stuff in nearby Wicklow town. There are some great pubs with live traditional music and plenty of atmosphere.
Dates
May
Poetry, theatre, comedy, music and dance are all on stage for the Wicklow Arts Festival.
May – mid August
Visit some of the grand Wicklow estates and gardens not usually open to the public at County Wicklow’s Garden Festival.
GETTING THERE
Location
Newrath Bridge, Rathnew, Co. Wicklow
Parking
There is free guest parking
Trains
Wicklow station – 5km
Taxis
No more than EUR 10 from Wicklow, where there are three taxi firms.
Airport
Dublin – 55km
Rooms and suites
16 rooms
Special features
Spruce and comfortable rooms have plenty of country charm. The best are on the top floor with flowery garden views.
Also…
Get lost in the two gorgeous acres of gardens or cosy up in the bar with a local Irish whiskey.
ESSENTIAL INFO
Rates guide
From EUR 190
Open/closed
Closed over Christmas
Check-in
Midday
Check-out
11am
Minimum night stay?
No
Breakfast
Full breakfast is served until 10am.
Room service
Available morning and evening.
Children
Welcome
Pets
No – you’ll have to leave your furry friends behind.
Air conditioning
No
Languages
English and French
Wedding license?
No
Your contact
Richard Gelletlie – general manager