MOUNT CONGREVE GARDENS

Waterford, Ireland 

THE PERSONALITIES

Garden dreamers. History lovers. Botanical obsessives. Writers. Architects. Heritage travelers. Those who find quiet in nature and poetry in design.

MOMENTS

Waking to birdsong and mist over the River Suir. Walking through magnolia-lined paths in bloom. Reading under a 200-year-old oak. Cycling through tunnels on the Greenway. The scent of camellias after rain. Fireside dinners in a restored gate lodge. Finding peace where the wild meets the refined. A garden that feels like a world of its own.

BEST VISITING MONTHS

Spring (February – May)
Spring transforms Mount Congreve into one of Ireland’s most extraordinary garden displays. Magnolias, rhododendrons, azaleas, and camellias burst into vibrant color across the woodland gardens. The iconic Herman Dool Magnolia Walk reaches its peak, offering breathtaking views of creamy whites, soft pinks, and fiery reds beneath ancient trees. The air is filled with fragrance and birdsong. It’s a season that feels alive with possibility — ideal for slow walks and photography.

Summer (June – August)
Summer brings full, layered abundance. The walled garden explodes with herbaceous borders, climbing roses, and flowering perennials in every shade. Long daylight hours invite you to explore the estate’s 16 kilometers of trails — meandering from quiet woodlands to sweeping views over the River Suir. The gardens feel at their most alive, perfect for picnics beneath the trees or slow breakfasts at The Stables Café. Summer is a season to wander, linger, and lose track of time.

Autumn (September – November)
As temperatures cool, Mount Congreve shifts into a painter’s palette of rich autumn tones. Maples, oaks, and ancient trees ignite in shades of crimson, gold, and amber. Crisp air and soft light make this a peaceful, contemplative season for guests who enjoy quieter paths and reflective moments. It’s also an ideal time to explore nearby Waterford, take leisurely rides on the Greenway, or enjoy local harvest flavors throughout the region’s restaurants and cafés.

Winter (December – January)
Even in its quietest season, Mount Congreve holds its charm. The Fragrant Walk offers surprising bursts of scent from winter-flowering shrubs, while bare branches reveal the sculptural beauty of ancient trees and architectural follies. The landscape feels calm, meditative, and still — perfect for restorative getaways, winter walks, and evenings spent fireside. With fewer visitors, winter offers a deeply personal connection to the estate’s natural rhythms.

Why Stay

Mount Congreve Gardens is more than a hotel — it is a living estate where Irish history and horticultural mastery quietly coexist. Set on a private 70-acre property minutes from Waterford City, this is where 18th-century Georgian elegance meets regenerative design and soul-soothing nature.

At its heart stands Mount Congreve House, a perfectly proportioned Georgian home by architect John Roberts, whose work shaped much of Waterford’s skyline. While the interiors remain private, the surrounding estate tells its own story, from the stately symmetry of the main house to the ancient woodlands, walled gardens, and whimsical follies that dot the grounds.

Guests stay in one of several intimate accommodations designed with understated luxury: the restored Gate Lodges or the Courtyard Suite tucked into the estate’s former working core. Inside, original heritage details blend with modern comforts — Irish linens, antique accents, local craftsmanship, sustainable materials, private courtyards, and calming garden views.

Stay and explore one of the largest private plant collections in the world — a vibrant, living archive of over 3,000 species, lovingly tended across seasons. Here, daily rhythms are slow and sensory. Sip morning coffee as mist rises off the River Suir. Wander through walled gardens where chefs harvest today’s lunch. Set out on 16 kilometers of private walking and cycling trails. Guests enjoy after-hours access to the entire estate — meaning sunrise walks and moonlit strolls where the gardens are yours alone. And with each stay, you’re gifted a Freedom Pass to Waterford’s cultural museums, connecting your experience to the city’s rich Viking, medieval, and Georgian layers.

WHY WANDER

Your stay at Mount Congreve places you at the gateway to one of Ireland’s most diverse and immersive regions, where lush countryside, ancient cities, wild coastline, and quiet mountain trails all converge.

Start right outside your door on the Waterford Greenway, a 46-kilometer walking and cycling path that traces an old railway line from the estate gates to the coastal town of Dungarvan. Cycle through hand-carved railway tunnels, over viaducts, and alongside rivers, woodlands, and sea. The pace is slow, the scenery cinematic.

Across from the Greenway, board the Waterford Suir Valley Railway for a narrow-gauge ride through the Suir Valley’s pastoral beauty — a favorite for families and photographers alike.

Just ten minutes away lies Waterford City, Ireland’s oldest living museum of Viking, medieval, and Georgian history. Step into the interactive King of the Vikings VR experience, visit the Medieval Museum, the Bishop’s Palace, and the Irish Wake Museum — all part of Waterford Treasures. The city hums with artisan shops, design galleries, and a growing food scene worth exploring.

When you’re ready to trade city streets for open skies, head 30-40 minutes west to hike Mahon Falls or the rugged Comeragh Mountains, or breathe in the salt air along the golden beaches of Tramore and Clonea Strand. Coastal drives, sea swims, mountain picnics are all within easy reach.

INDULGE IN

At The Stables Café, dining flows with the rhythm of the garden itself. Under the guidance of a French-trained, zero-waste chef, seasonal produce becomes simple, beautiful meals: warm scones, slow-simmered soups, vibrant salads.

Beyond the estate, Waterford’s food scene quietly excels. From Everett’s fine Irish cooking in a medieval wine vault, to Tramore’s cult-favorite Mezze and Seagull Bakery, to Michelin-starred Cliff House just under an hour away. Even the casual finds feel special here: picnic boxes, creative food trucks, and fireside snacks that turn simple meals into memorable moments.

GETTING THERE

Mount Congreve is 10 minutes from Waterford City, with easy access by car, rail, Greenway trail, or nearby airports in Dublin, Cork, and Rosslare.

WILD INITIATIVES

Rewilding the Estate
Large areas of Mount Congreve have been set aside for natural rewilding, allowing native wildflowers, grasses, and pollinators to reclaim their space. These biodiverse pockets create vital habitats for birds, small mammals, and insects, while naturally rebuilding the estate’s soil health.

Wetlands as Living Systems
The estate’s wetlands are ecological powerhouses, home to over 20,000 plant species. These thriving wetlands do more than provide beauty — they actively filter water, store carbon, and support a complex web of wildlife, from migratory birds to amphibians. Their quiet, mirror-like surfaces disguise some of the estate’s most important regenerative work.

Chemical-Free Horticulture
In the gardens, everything grows according to nature’s calendar. No pesticides, no synthetic fertilizers — only composting, mulching, and companion planting guide the seasons here. This organic approach safeguards fragile pollinator populations, strengthens long-term soil fertility, and keeps the gardens vibrantly healthy year after year.

Protecting Native Irish Habitats
From old-growth woodlands to centuries-old hedgerows, Mount Congreve is a living library of Irish ecosystems. These wild corridors are carefully stewarded, providing essential food, shelter, and nesting grounds for species ranging from barn owls to rare butterflies. Every path you walk is also a carefully protected habitat.

Zero-Waste Culinary Philosophy
The estate’s on-site café and kitchens are led by a zero-waste, French-trained chef whose menus revolve around seasonality and minimal waste. Many ingredients travel only steps from the walled garden to your plate. Leftovers return to the compost, closing a regenerative loop that keeps food miles near zero.

Sustainable Stays
Even the accommodations tread lightly. Restored Gate Lodges and Courtyard Suites are built with energy-efficient systems, stocked with eco-conscious amenities, and designed to blend into the landscape with minimal footprint. Water-saving showers, low-impact duvets, bamboo-blend robes, and responsibly sourced linens create a guest experience that’s both luxurious and deeply responsible.

Cliff House Hotel

Ardmore, County Waterford, Ireland

THE PERSONALITIES

Coastal wanderers. Storm chasers. Sea-foragers and soul-seekers. Artists of quiet. Travelers who find peace in weather and poetry in the tide.

MOMENTS

Salt on your skin before breakfast. Watching waves hammer the cliffs from your soaking tub. Oysters by firelight. Sea mist curling through your terrace door. A sunrise swim followed by seaweed therapy. Nights wrapped in Irish linen and the sound of the sea.

Best Visiting Months

March through October. Spring arrives with wildflowers on the cliffs and coastal hikes full of fresh air. Summer brings long golden evenings and Atlantic swims. Autumn is dramatic and quiet - the perfect season for bath rituals, fireplace conversations, and storm-watching with a glass in hand.

Cost

Why stay

Cliff House Hotel is one of those rare retreats where luxury feels earned. Built directly into the cliffside above Ardmore Bay, each of its six terraced floors spills down toward the sea, creating a seamless connection between architecture and ocean. No matter where you sleep - whether in one of the 39 sea-facing rooms or suites - the view is uninterrupted: navy blue waters stretching endlessly toward the horizon, framed by private balconies and warmed by Irish light.

The interiors are a gentle nod to nature, with a palette of moss green, marine blue, limestone, and oak. It’s five-star luxury, but with the grounding charm of a place that knows its roots. Ardmore Bay itself is steeped in history, once an ancient fishing village and now known as Ireland’s "gourmet heartland." And while the Cliff House dates back to the 1930s, its modern incarnation feels like a perfect fusion of past and present, where warm hospitality, sea air, and deep sleep all seem to go hand in hand.

Why wander

From this perch on the southeastern coast of Ireland, the world feels open, untamed, and full of story. Ardmore Bay is a dream for walkers and wanderers: from windswept cliff trails and golden beaches to old churches and thatched-roof cottages. The Ardmore Cliff Walk is a must—offering sweeping views of the sea and relics from the past, including a 12th-century round tower and early Christian ruins. From November to February, the coastline becomes a front-row seat for humpback whale sightings. Just inland, you’ll find the Blackwater River, a haven for quiet fishing, and further afield, the cultural trail of southern Ireland unfurls: browse the seaside market at Dungarvan, explore the grandeur of Lismore Castle, or follow the Waterford Garden Trail through 15 lush and storied gardens. End the day with a whiskey at Henry Downes Bar—bottling its own since 1759 and one of the few of its kind left in Ireland. Here, every path leads to a place worth pausing, and every pause feels like part of the story.

INDULGE IN

Michelin-starred tasting menus built around local seafood, herbs, and wild Atlantic flavors. Fresh crab and warm brown bread after a swim. Irish whiskey by the fire.

GETTING THERE

Cliff House Hotel is located in Ardmore, County Waterford - about a 1.5-hour drive from Cork or 2.5 hours from Dublin. The final stretch hugs the coastline, winding through lush green hills and fishing towns before the sea opens up at your feet.

WILD INITIATIVES

Cliff House honors the land and sea it sits on—sourcing ingredients from local farmers and fishers, supporting native biodiversity through sustainable landscaping, and reducing impact through efficient energy and water systems. The spa integrates traditional Irish elements—like wild seaweed, salt, and herbs—into its treatments, grounding every ritual in nature. It’s a place where luxury means living well with the land, not in spite of it.

* Images property of Cliff House Hotel, Ireland Top Images

Parknasilla Resort & Spa

ireland

THE PERSONALITIES

Families looking for a nature escape.

MOMENTS

Old world charm. Coastal hiking trails. Magical scenery. 

BEST VISITING MONTHS

May to September is the most pleasant.

COST

WHY STAY

Parknasilla Resort & Spa is a historic family-friendly hotel in Kerry, Ireland. Located on Kenmore Bay and surrounded by Kerry Mountains with blues and greens melting into the horizon - the hotel is a perfect destination to reconnect with nature. 

Couples will love the suites, while the self catering lodges are perfect for families. Enjoy the antique charm and the panoramic views of the Atlantic ocean. 

WHY WANDER

Hike across the property. Take a leisurely bike ride or have a refreshing swim in the sea. Take advantage of the tennis courts, the archery and the kayaks available for your use. Golf. End the day at the spa with the floor to ceiling views of the bay.

INDULGE IN

Try the lamb shanks. Relax with a whisky by the fire in the Doolittle Bar.

GETTING THERE

Fly into Kerry Airport and rent a car for a scenic drive. 

* Images property of Parknasilla Resort