Culloden Estate and Spa

Culloden Estate and Spa Review

Built in 1876, this imposingly grand vision in Belfast stone presides over the forested slopes of the Holywood hills and the busy waters of Belfast Lough—topped off with a storybook turret and crenellated tower, the Scottish Baronial mansion was greatly enlarged in the early 20th century when it was given as a residence to the Bishops of Down, then transformed in the 1960s into a hotel. Inside, Neoclassical salons warmed by lime-green walls, gilded coffered ceilings, 19th-century paintings, stained-glass accents, and overstuffed Louis XV-style chairs make you feel like you're a member of the Robinson family. Antiques and silk-and-velvet fabrics grace guest rooms both in the original section and in a newer wing; all rooms have fine views. At mealtime choose from the posh Mitre restaurant and the Cultra Inn, which serves snacks and full meals. The hotel is close to both the village of Holywood (temptingly filled with boutiques) and the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum. Or spend the afternoon at the hotel's Spa, a glamorous Beverly Hills-type affair.