Carton House, A Fairmont Managed Hotel

What a wonderful hotel. Not sure how to express just how good it was. We stayed in the Manor House the room was amazing. All staff were wonderful from check in to check out. My car was so close but the lovely valet guy would not let me bring our cases to the car insisted on doing it for me what a gentleman a true lovely Dublin man!! The grounds are fabulous as is the food. Just an aside if you need your hair done you can book online for OB1 the best salon I have been in for a long time. We will definitely be back just love this place and being so close to my home county of Meath was wonderful.

The property is beautiful and extremely well furnished and updated. The staff are very nice; I was late for laundry but they took it. They held up the tour for us by 15 minutes. The highlight was the Head Concierge who gave us the historical tour of the property which was fantastic. However, the service is slow and somewhat confused. The laundry was pressed well or as directed. We were supposed to get the breakfast in the palatial room adjacent to Morrison restaurant which we were told was closed, but then it was opened because we were misinformed. On the second day it was closed. Our room in the manor wing was freezing and way too sparsely furnished. The very necessary extra heater in the room was not working. At midnight on the first night we asked for an extra heater and duvet which took at least 30 -40 minutes to get because they had to get from the other wing. All in all a good stay but needs to be more efficient.

Beautiful grounds and interior. Food was very nice and the service was prompt. At times there was inconsistencies in service. Such as what currency I should have paid in, or how to control the heat which was unbearable in the rooms,eventually I placed it on low and left the AC on, having emailed to request help with no reply,we did not sleep the first night and there were no windows as we had a door to the balcony,which was of no use due to the weather. We stayed in the frost so the activities where limited if you want to get the most out of the hotel. I.e the bikes for children. There were areas you would expect guests could avail off for example fires to be lit and whisky bar to be open which was a little disappointing. The final morning I completed 6500 steps in only one hour doing to and form the room to the pool area ,reception and carriage house When in the pool we were told we had to walk around past our room with the balcony and around to the front of the hotel up through a wet bank and old stone steps with a barricade, I knocked on the spa several times and could not get back in whilst my daughter and I tried though the bank and grass having giving tennis a try which was nice vene in the mizzel. But I was exhausted afterwards, so the layout is not central if you are going from place to place. I was advised breakfast was included however unaware it was €25 plus €10 tray charge plus 10% service charge when ordered in room - pricy at best when items were missing and the food was cold. Front desk took the charge due to the hasel that morning ,but a €37 euro charge still stood. The first night I was told the carriage house had no availability even when I advised we only required a table for 1hour,another manager kindly got us a seat and it was open to us for 2 hours. The restaurant was still not at full capacity as we left. I had to quickly run up change for the booking and to turn have the key not working as you ran upstairs through the vast corridors was another exhausting experience,to then be told we had ample time. The building is an old building so it is cosy to parted but naturally cold to others,but only if you are seated outside the main areas ,this is part of the charm. Some treats for children on arrival or in room would be a nice touch which you find in many hotels and room for a small play area in such vast space. When checking out due to all the running around and sitting a error with charges I asked the office manager was there any teddies due my daughter as she was waiting with me the whole time instead of enjoying her stay ,she advised there was none in the shop,when I went to the shop there was over ten teddies sitting there also which was disappointing to say the least.

Really exceptional from start to finish, lovely room, the food in the Morrison was Devine, the walk to the room was long but beautiful with glass either side, the bar man didn’t know how to make an old fashioned which was v unusual. Lovely breakfast , the fry was unusually cooked. Sausages seemed under and the bacon was over- but overall nice. Staff we’re great. Loved Bryan’s tour of the old castle house. He’s a gent. We spent a small fortune but Will be back.

I’m so sad to have to write this review because I have loved Carton House so much for 15 years , stayed here numerous times in the best suites /rooms, had a christening and an anniversary celebration in the Gold Salon and had plans for further stays and celebrations in the future. We visited on the 22nd of December for a drink to celebrate our daughters birthday. We drove an hour to get her favorite cocktail in her favorite hotel. We were greeted at the door by your lovely welcoming doorman and proceeded to the bar area . We sat at a table and a girl came over said hello , cleaned the table and gave us menus . She came back and took our order. A few minutes later another waitress arrived over and asked where we residents . We said no . She then said that as we had ordered our drinks , we could drink them but then would have leave because it was busy and they like to keep tables for residents . We were so taken aback by this and made feel embarrassed and it was obvious to the table beside us that something had been said to us. We have often gone over for drinks and food and this was never said before. My husband called over a young man in a suit and explained what had happened. He again said that they had this policy to warn people that if a resident needed the table they would ask you to leave . This is crazy! If you are busy you should say this at the door on arrival or have someone at the entrance to the bar saying that because you are busy , the hotel is open to residents only. I have absolutely no problem with that . We have supported your hotel more than any other hotel in Ireland . We are always popping over for a drinks and meals in The Carriage house . The young man did come back to us after awhile and apologized and offered us our drinks on the house but unfortunately the damage was done. We drank our drinks and left the money on the table and left feeling small and embarrassed. We feel we can’t return . I had a gift voucher which I was going to use in January to put towards a stay but I won’t be using it now. The crazy thing was is that the bar cleared out quite quickly and there was lots of tables , so no need to be insulting customers that support you all year long .