Ashford Castle

Ashford's oldest stones date to the thirteenth century, but the castle owes its present silhouette to the Guinness family, who extended it into a Victorian fantasy of turrets and battlements. A long restoration completed in the mid-2010s brought the interiors back to full splendour without stripping out the woodwork and tapestries that give the place its character.

The estate covers some 350 acres between the village of Cong and the water of Lough Corrib. Ireland's School of Falconry, the oldest in the country, is based here, and guests walk the woods with a Harris hawk on the glove. There is also a nine-hole golf course, a boat for lake trips, clay shooting and a small cinema.

Bedrooms vary from panelled state rooms to quieter garden-facing accommodations. The George V Dining Room is the formal choice; Cullen's at the Cottage on the estate is the low-key one.