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Culloden Estate and Spa Review

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Culloden Estate and Spa

Address: 8 km (5 mi) east of Belfast on A2, 142 Bangor Rd., Holywood, Co. Down, BT18 0EX
Phone: 028/9042-1066
www.hastingshotels.com

Price range: $$$$
Location: Belfast

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Fodor's Review:

Built in 1876 by the very rich William Robinson and christened in honor of his wife's famed family, 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 (today, the flagship of the luxe Hastings chain). 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. Even those tempted by a quick walk to the nearby Royal Belfast Golf Club may not be able to forgo another afternoon spent at the hotel's Spa, a glamorous Beverly Hills-type affair complete with chromatherapy steam room and needle shower. Pros: plush facilities in a building oozing character and personality; the service is top class. Cons: some visitors complain the suites are just big rooms and don't measure up; the restaurant can be stuffy; massages, manicures, and vintage champagne don't come cheap.

Hotel Details: 79 rooms, 16 suites
In-room: Wi-Fi.
In-hotel: 2 restaurants, tennis court, bar, pool, spa.
Rate includes: 2 meals, Full breakfast
Credit Cards: AE, DC, MC, V