A country estate serves as the model for the deluxe modern resort amid 155 acres on the banks of the River Roe. The place is relatively large and impersonal, although the lobby is a feast of welcoming ruby-hued carpets and gilt lanterns. Regular guest rooms have simple, clean-line beds in woods and rich earth tones. Suite furnishings move a bit up the ornate scale with canopy beds and velvet armchairs. Green's restaurant is formal and international; the Coach House brasserie is a relaxed place where golfers congregate; and O'Cahan's bar takes its name from a local chieftain besieged on a riverside promontory, whose Irish wolfhound leaped an impossible chasm to bring relief—doubtless an inspiration to golfers flagging at the ninth. For those who need pointers, there's an on-site golfing academy. Pros: the hotel is an ideal location for pampering and relaxation; lively bars good for post-golf analysis and comparison of strokes. Cons: noisy when evening wedding parties; older rooms have a somewhat tired appearance.
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