New era for Fairmont Carton House
The Palladian façade of Fairmont Carton House; photo courtesy of Accor.
The ambitious multi-million Euro refurbishment and rebranding of Irish landmark estate Carton House is now complete with the hotel and golf course reopening in June of this year.
French hospitality giant Accor is behind the refurbishment, with the hotel now rebranded as Fairmont Carton House — the first property in Ireland to be managed under Accor’s Fairmont brand.
The Carton estate dates back to 1176 when it was part of the Maynooth estate, owned by the FitzGerald family, one of Irish history’s most influential families. The Palladian-style house itself was built in 1739, making it the oldest Fairmont property in a global collection known for focusing on grand dame hotels (like the The Savoy in London, Fairmont St Andrews in Scotland and the recently launched Fairmont Windsor Park).
The fascinating history of the grand rooms of The House is beautifully restored; photo courtesy of Accor.
Marc Dardenne, COO, Luxury Brands, Accor Europe, said that the Fairmont brand, established over 100 years ago, has played an important role in cementing its hotel locations as key destinations for visitors.
“Luxury travel experiences should focus on delivering fantastic, second-to-none service which embodies the heart of the destination, so visitors feel they are staying somewhere unique. Fairmont Carton House will do just that, whether guests are visiting for the golf resort, spa or hotel,” he added.
Ownership of the hotel by the Belmullet Hospitality Group, controlled by Irish American businessman John Mullen, is unchanged under the deal. John Mullen said: “Carton House is one of Ireland’s most significant landmarks and we are excited to have Fairmont, one of the most prestigious hotel brands, to work with us to elevate the hotel to its rightful place in Irish hospitality.”
An expansive estate, Fairmont Carton House offers 170 bedrooms and suites, two 18-hole championship golf courses, wellness facilities and 1,000 sq m of conference and events space. Food and beverage offerings feature a lobby bar and three restaurants, including The Morrison Room, The Carriage House golf club restaurant and a specialty restaurant within the Manor House.
The Boat House perches on the edge of the River Rye; photo courtesy of Accor.
The suites and state rooms of The House have been beautifully renewed and refurbished as part of the overall resort renovation. Interiors have been dramatically re-imagined, while the history and the state rooms of the property have been carefully preserved.
Newly redecorated Garden Wing bedrooms are home to eclectic interior details, from cushions embroidered with wildlife motifs from the estate's grounds to Chinese-inspired lamps — a nod to the Chinese Boudoir built for Queen Victoria's visits to the property in 1849 and 1897.
Dublin-based firm McCauley Daye O’Connell Architects oversaw the interior design and architecture strategy, working in collaboration with Accor’s luxury Design and Technical Services team.
Located just 20 minutes from Dublin in Maynooth, County Kildare, Fairmont Carton House is now open to both domestic and international visitors. General Manager Martin Mangan said: “The entire estate could not look more wonderful and it’s a credit to the owners and to the teams of craftspeople and specialists who have been working to such a high standard for almost two years to bring this important country house back to its original glory.
"Myself and all the team at Carton House are thrilled to be opening the doors to our international guests, inviting travellers to experience this historic property as it was meant to be experienced. It truly is an extraordinary house to call home this year.”