ASHFORD CASTLE
Once home to the Guinness family, this 800-year-old castle stay in County Mayo is the essence of old Ireland. Its 83 rooms and suites are decked out with lavish touches, such as silk wallpaper and antique writing desks, while the 140-hectare estate is home to a falconry centre and archery range. Inside, you can opt to watch a movie in the cinema or just lounge in the spa, which is set within a striking bronze conservatory. Many of the staff have worked here for decades, though the most popular characters are the two resident Irish wolfhounds; there's always a gaggle of guests waiting to join them on their morning walk. Rooms from £462 per night, including breakfast; ashfordcastle.com
BALLYNAHINCH CASTLE
Sitting on the banks of the Owenmore River, this 18th-century castle is flanked by the peaks of the Twelve Bens, the jagged mountain range that snakes its way through Connemara in the west of Ireland. With antique furniture, grand drawing rooms
