Built in the 1820s and located about an hour outside Dublin, Ballyfin earns the top spot here for the second year in a row, as well as No. 2 in the world. Its 20 spacious rooms are elegantly outfitted with crystal chandeliers, canopied beds, Georgian-era portraits, and marble fireplaces — all befitting the hotel’s former life as a grand country estate owned by a series of wealthy families. In the entrance hall, you’ll see the original mosaic floor, imported from Italy; the Gold Drawing Room has an immaculate stucco ceiling. Within the walled grounds, which span 614 acres, guests can participate in fishing the stocked lake, horseback riding, archery, falconry, and skeet shooting. Wrote one reader, “Hands down the most spectacular hotel I’ve ever stayed in.”
For a country so small it can be navigated from coast to coast by car in several hours, Ireland does itself proud, with its resorts landing six of the top 10 spots including the No. 1 spot in this year’s T+L World’s Best Awards. That will come as little surprise to visitors who have enjoyed the country’s winning hospitality, whether in its pubs or grand hotels — and of course, its breathtaking scenery.
