THE RITZ-CARLTON POWERSCOURT RESORT
Imperial Indulgence You Won’t Want to Miss
Babbie De
Derian, travel, food & spa editor
You may not be to the
manor born,
But you can check into a 5
star manor
that treats its guests
like royalty
The Ritz-Carlton Powerscourt
in county Wicklow, Ireland, is
a 200 room
Georgian Style manor house built on the grounds of the historical
1,000 acre Powerscourt Estate
near
Dublin. This luxurious sanctuary for the senses, has oversized rooms, lavish
suites, a 36-hole championship golf course, 33,000 square foot ESPA, a Gordon Ramsay signature restaurant, and a staff of “ladies and
gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen".
Powerscourt Estate
My personal journey
The Ritz-Carlton sends a car and
driver to
Even a step for them to reach the counter
The Ritz-Carlton Powerscourt, with its neo-classic Palladian
exterior and Georgian inspired interior, has the right to boast about having
some of the largest hotel rooms in
There’s
even a television screen in the middle of my bathroom mirror (I watch the news
while brushing my teeth.) and one mirrored square set into the tiles of my
oversized shower ( great for shaving or washing off
eye- makeup, missed the night before.
View from my room
I begin my
days at the bountiful Irish Breakfast
buffet, a celebration of local products nature generously provides. The
sun is warm and undaunted by the gray clouds that float by. I carry my plate,
filled with smoked salmon, fruits, fresh baked breads, eggs, grilled mushrooms
and tomatoes out to the restaurant terrace. I savor my food and the moment; it
is a glorious day, and I feel blessed to be here.
Breakfast buffet
The Irish are big on mushrooms, tomatoes and piping hot scones
The view of Sugar Loaf Mountain from Restaurant Terrace
Time for a game
of lawn chess
A special
card opens the gate that leads to the
River Walk, a path of dense vegetation that runs east and west along the
river banks. The autumn winds rustle the leaves of trees centuries old. I stroll down the lane, past the east and
west golf courses. Two friendly horses grazing in a field trot over. I leave the gates and continue down to the
small quaint
Tuesday, morning
The first frost
nips the crisp autumn air; it lifts my spirits and my energy soars as I jog
down the road to feed the horses apples
and sugar cubes. They have come to know me and trot up to be fed and
stroked.
Feeding the horses
My new friend
Afternoon tea in the Sugarloaf Lounge, served indoors or al fresco on the terrace, is a stately affair that draws on the traditions of high tea at the manor. Executive Pastry chef Ludovic Lantier prepares a medley of sweet treats, and then wows me with his outrageously delicious bacon and tomato bread, baked with a parmesan crust.
Pastry chef shows off batch of home made chocolate
Just baked bacon and tomato bread
Babbie and chefs in Sugar Loaf restaurant kitchen
Tuesday night,
Its Fish and
Chips in the hotel’s McGill’s Pub
where I settle in at the bar. Manager Roisin O’Connell has recently returned
from
The spa’s menu of cutting edge beauty
and wellness treatments is impressive
I arrive two hours before my Signature Peat Ritual in order to enjoy the crystal steam rooms, oversized rainfall showers, saunas, and vitality pools. I swim laps in the Swarovski crystal –lit pool and doze in the Serenity Room. The spa is a nurturing escape, a destination in its self, an extra sensory experience with soft music, mood enhancing fiber optics, and the gentle aroma of essential oils that are infused into the air.
The serene view from the Serenity room
Wednesday evening
Sinead Cox, the
Public Relations Director invites me to dinner in the hotel’s Gordon Ramsay Restaurant to experience his
five course tasting menu that is paired with delicate white and robust red
wines. Massimiliano Zanardi, the hotel’s
General Manager, joins us, and to quote Max: “it was an evening filled with mystic moments”. Before the evening
is over, Max graciously announces he will cook a farewell dinner for me in his
cottage.
Dessert is a sweet treat
Thursday
The Irish have an amusing way with words; my wake-up
call tells me
today’s weather will be
“cold with sunny spells”.
Pauline Martin, a knowledgeable historian takes me on a
delightful tour of the magnificent world
famous 40 acre Powerscourt Gardens, one of
Powerscourt Gardens
Max,
Sinead, her darling husband Shane and Jill O’Hare, the hotel’s sales director
and I drive to Max’s cottage. The
evening is a delicious celebration of the pleasures of life, Max’s hospitality
and passion for food, and the joy of sharing my last evening in
Let the party begin
Something to nibble on while we’re cooking
Is the lamb ready to serve?
Racks of lamb cooked to medium rare perfection
A feast fit for lords and ladies of the manor
An evening to be remembered
Max relaxes after his great hospitality
A car is
waiting to take me to the airport for my flight back to reality. The hotel has thoughtfully
packed breakfast. Brilliant is a word often used in
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