Bellinter House Full Review
Posted: 07 May 2008 by Catherine Mack
This recently restored early 18th century Palladian mansion is a conservation coup -- in terms of sustainability and design. The previous owners of Bellinter House were nuns and there's still a hint of modest, sparse aesthetic. But with features like a giant Bacchae mask carved into the entrance hall's plasterwork, original wooden panelling in the bedrooms and a vast fireplace donated by Jonathan Swift, you don't need to add much.
For owner Jay Bourke, it's all about conservation and restoration -- with flair. There are flashes of lime green sixties cushions, seventies orange chairs and a pink feathered wreath from the noughties to keep you from taking yourself too seriously.
The main house has six large bedrooms, with high ceilings and enough room to swing a cow in. It actually looks like someone did, with huge cow hide rugs on the floors -- cows from County Meath, said Bourke, who likes to take local sourcing to a new level. He sought out local artisans to do restoration works such as the plastering, skilled carpentry and bespoke furniture-making.
Bourke and co even dug down one metre into the nuns' rockery and flowerbed to reveal the stones from a ruined dairy house, and built it up again, stone by stone, to create The Bath House. This is the only hotel in Ireland where you can have genuine seaweed baths, with sustainably harvested Sligo seaweed.
On the green side of things, the indoor and outdoor infinity pools are heated geothermally, the house has strict recycling policies and is totally committed to sourcing food locally -- although the menu's pricey, the chef prepares a wide variety of seasonal, organic and locally sourced food. Already a fan of its sister restaurant in Dublin, award-winning Eden, we can safely say that the menu at Bellinter is definitely on a par. Also, all water is sourced from Bellinter House's own wells and the hotel has its own waste-water treatment plant, plus cleaning staff use environmentally friendly cleaning products.
Our glamorous and spacious family hideout in the stables was also rebuilt from ruins. We particularly loved the giant bean bags and separate entertainment room. But most of the state-of-the-art electrical gadgets were on standby and heating is from a gas boiler, so it's not eco perfect.
In true Irish tradition, all are welcome at Bellinter House. Our children asked if they could eat their lunch in the games room. "Eat wherever you like," Bourke laughed. So the boys played pool in between bites of club sandwich, while we feasted on a splendid array of charcuterie and homemade bread by the huge fire in the drawing room. It was so laid back that we didn't want to move. Maybe that's why the service was slow -- but we were so relaxed, we really didn't care.
Essentials: One night's accommodation in a double room in the main house goes from €300 (£237). A family room in the stables goes from €250 (£197). Children over three years are €30 (£24) per night, and under-threes are free. There is a bus from Dublin to Navan on Bus Eireann, and hotel staff pick you up at the station. Bellinter House, Navan, County Meath, Ireland.
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