The Johnstown Estate

The little smoothies and overnight chia oat puddings at breakfast are fab, easily my favourite part of the hotel. We stayed three nights, and this was our second visit. Dinner in the hotel bar on our first night was lovely, and the bed was comfy. Our ground-floor room was pretty quiet, with no noise from outside. Can't wait to come back with our family of three 😊

Alanah at the spa reception was especially kind and professional. She welcomed us, helped us find our way around the facilities and explained everything clearly. Both therapists did a great job with our couple's back massage. Rasa treated me and Saoirse treated my wife, and they were attentive, professional and gave us relaxing, high-quality massages. We had a wonderful time with the thermal and treatment package and would happily recommend the spa.

The room was the worst part of the night: it was far too hot, and the pillows felt good until I tried to sleep on them. They were so hard they left my neck aching. The hotel itself is spotless and well kept, and the staff, especially the younger ones, were its best feature. We arrived at 14:30 on Friday, Feb 6th, and our room was ready. Lunch at the Brasserie, which I've reviewed separately, was poor. Dinner in Fire and Salt was forgettable, though the wine list was good value. We were charged a supplement for the cheeseboard, but the dinner menu only mentioned a supplement for steak. The leisure centre thermal suite was fine, but busy. I understand The Spa thermal suite costs around €70 per person, which seems ludicrous when we'd already paid €360+ for the night. Another €140 felt excessive; for that money I'd rather choose Monart, or perhaps Bellinter, where guests can use the new outdoor spa area for €25 per person. We had drinks at the bar after dinner, and I noticed the first round was overpriced. I asked for a receipt on our next bar visit and was overcharged again compared with the menu price list. The barman apologised and said prices had gone up but the menu hadn't been updated. The same thing had happened with lunch items in the bar earlier that day. Breakfast was okay. All in all, I wouldn't be rushing back.

The room was spotless, comfortable and well looked after, and the cleaning staff were friendly whenever we saw them in the hallways. Alex and Keri at reception were fantastic, warm and welcoming, and very helpful over email before we arrived. The pool reception team were inviting and friendly too. We had a wonderful stay at The Johnstown Estate Hotel and will definitely return.