Beautiful new bell tents have been placed in the meadow at the gorgeous Mount Congreve Gardens, these are now available for stays and are the latest addition to the selection of quirky accommodation types under the title of Ireland’s ‘Forest Hotel’ at Mount Congreve Gardens in county Waterford.
The charming 100% cotton bell tents are set in a peaceful meadow with direct access to the Waterford Greenway and complimentary entry to Mount Congreve Gardens. Inside guests can enjoy a cosy double bed with Foxford throws and a wood-burning stove and they will wake up to birdsong. The off-grid retreat offers rechargeable lanterns, crank torches, and solar-powered lighting. A cooler is provided to keep food fresh, and a wood-burning stove for heating and cooking. There is no electricity or running water ensuring a truly unplugged experience.
Glamping at the Meadow is the latest accommodation to be added to the collection of different types of stays all set in the majestic gardens – under the woodland canopy and therefore known as the ‘Forest Hotel’.
There is in addition to glamping ‘The Courtyard Suite’ which is located in the West Wing of Mount Congreve House. Mount Congreve House is steeped in history and exudes old-world grandeur. The exquisite Courtyard Suite has a separate entrance through the shared house courtyard. It featured stunning original architectural features including vaulted ceilings and marble flooring. It has been tastefully decorated to a high standard with a unique style all of its own, while at the same time nodding to the era of the property. A cooked-to-order breakfast in the award-winning Stables Café by the Pantry at CLIFF is included for each stay, also included in each stay is access to the magnificent 70 acres of Mount Congreve Gardens which will undoubtedly be a highlight of each stay.
There is also a newly restored Gate Lodge added to the Mount Congreve accommodation list. A short drive from Mount Congreve Gardens, nestled in the picturesque Waterford countryside, lies Whitfield Court Gate Lodge which sits on the 18th-century Whitfield Court Estate. This luxurious self-catering accommodation option showcases the perfect blend of elegance and comfort. This is also in addition to the gorgeous Main Gate Lodge accommodation ‘Damson’ at Mount Congreve Gardens itself.
In early 2025 at Mount Congreve Gardens another new development will be officially opened with five brand new Forest Eco-Cabins which have been handcrafted to the highest quality, the shingled wood exterior ensures that these beautifully curved roof cabins will blend into their natural forest surroundings with ease. Plus three more gate lodges ‘Rowan’, ‘Oak’ and ‘Acorn’ will receive the same special conservation and restoration treatment as the Main Gate Lodge ‘Damson’ with the outcome expected to result in an ultra-luxe era perfect interior. The Gate Lodges offer adult-only accommodation however three of the new Forest Cabins will offer family-friendly stays.
The variety of new guest accommodations is opening in staged phases at the Condé Nast tipped Mount Congreve Gardens in Waterford from summer 2024 into early Spring 2025.
The estate’s main Gate Lodge, Damson was renovated and opened to visitors in early 2023 and has been hugely popular with guests and the prestigious international travel magazine Condé Nast Traveller describes it as a ‘fairytale gate lodge’.
All of the visitor accommodation (excluding Whitfield Court Lodge) sits inside the majestic 70 acres of gardens at Mount Congreve. A stay at the Mount Congreve Gate Lodge and Cabins also offers guests ‘the keys to the gardens’ where they can explore, relax and enjoy the entirety of Mount Congreve Gardens all to themselves after hours, a pleasure which cannot be underestimated. Guests can also take their four-legged friend to stay in Damson and Rowan and they will also enjoy access to the new wetlands walk on their doorstep which is the dog-friendly route at Mount Congreve Gardens.
A welcome hamper will offer a warm welcome for each couple or group of four who arrive to stay, filled with locally artisanal produce including Mount Congreve Estate honey, Flahavan’s oats, local organic eggs and more.
The luxury accommodations are ideally positioned for guests to enjoy the convenience of visiting and dining at the new purpose-built visitor centre and Stables Café, which overlooks the magnolia treetops at the 18th-century manor house. A plot-to-plate menu at the Stables Café features an abundance of local produce along with flavours and vegetables fresh from the Mount Congreve Kitchen Gardens and is open for breakfast, lunch and a special Mount Congreve signature Afternoon Tea which is served in the ‘Old Tack Room’.
Mount Congreve House is open to visitors for the first time in its history. The house and gardens are open year-round 7 days a week (4 days a week in the Autumn / Winter season). Mount Congreve Gardens was recently tipped by Conde Nast Traveller in their ‘Best Place To Go’ 2024 plus the New York Times includes Mount Congreve Gardens in their ‘52 Places to Go for 2024’, plus the Irish Indpendent’s ‘FAB50 Places to Stay’ and recently awarded the ‘Best Newcomer’ at the Irish Independent Reader Travel Awards.
Full details can be found along with the opportunity to book a stay at one of the new accommodations in 2024 at https://mountcongreve.com/irelands-forest-hotel/
RATES:
Couples Cabins – Bramble and Hawthorn from €175.00 – €325.00 per night for two people sharing
Family Cabins – Maple, Fern and Beech from €229.00 – €379.00 per night for two adults and two children sharing
Two Bedroom Lodge – Damson from €269.00 – €429.00 per night for up to two people sharing and a charge of €25.00 per additional guest per night.
One Bedroom Lodge – Oak, Acorn and Rowan from €269.00 – €429.00 per night for two adults sharing
Bell-Tent – from €135 per night for two adults sharing.
There is a possibility to book Oak and Acorn as one unit with interconnecting doors.