nugi

Hello everyone,

For a special Leap Year wedding anniversary, my husband and I want to treat ourselves to a sumptuous spa weekend, somewhere close to Dublin city centre but not necessarily right in it, with serious spa facilities, a good wine cellar and great food. Our aim is to spend most of our days touring the town, but the afternoons/early evening being pampered.

After much research, we've chosen the Dunboyne Castle Hotel & Spa.
Most reviews seem positive, and the Spa sounds divine.

However, as it's our first visit to Dublin, I would appreciate some advice from native Dubliners :

1) have we made the right choice in our accommodation(based on the criteria above)?

2) any guidance as to likely cost of taxis to/from city centre, and driving times (we have absolutely NO idea...

3) and any "don't leave Dublin without doing / eating this" tips
would be VERY much appreciated!

Many many thanks to you all
Nugi

IrishEyes

It is eleven miles from Dublin. If you can afford to stay there I am sure you can afford some hefty taxi fares to and from the city. Estimating around 50-60 euro one way. It is not a "real" castle.

nugi

Hi IrishEyes,

Thank you for your reply, you clearly have some interesting opinions, how generous of you to share them without being asked.

And yes, we are perfectly aware it is not a "real" castle, thank you.

Nugi

HappyTravelling

Hi Nugi

Am a big fan of the rustic french restaurant Le Geuleton in Dublin, its my favourite restaurant in the city. Trinity College and Kilmainham Gaol is a great tourist sights. Kehoes off Grafton Street for a good Irish pub if you're interested (very busy on Fri and Sat nights though).

I don't know the hotel personally. I'd say about a half hour drive from the city centre, but that depends on the traffic, which can be rotten. Carton House Hotel looks lovely too, have wanted to go there for a while myself!

Happy anniversary, have fun.

IrishEyes

Letter of Regret to Princess Nugi.

Your Royal Highness,

On your royal forum your loyal subjects are enthralled to answer your questions and give opinions when asked. My abject apology for inserting myself into your most private affairs, Ma'am. Little did I know that my humble answer would be of no value to your esteemed self. I will forthwith remove myself to my hovel after much groveling at your illustrious feet.

There are people much more knowledgeable and qualified than my humble self to address your concerns. On occasion you will get replies that bring a frown to your royal brow. Oh, the degradation of having to use a public forum! Perhaps assigning your servants to separate the bad replies from the good will be most efficacious to your exalted personage. One would hate to think of having to resort to Botox to soothe the royal wrinkles.

Ma'am, I most humbly beg you to please post your rules for answering your questions in advance so your lowly servants can comply. All suitably chastised Fodorites will be most honored to abide by your decrees.

I accept your polite reprimand with the full understanding that I am not fit to deign an answer to your lofty personage. Your polite civility in veiling your sarcasm, is so very much appreciated by one of the peasant class. I tug my forelock to you for your forbearance, Ma'am.

Your loyal and most obsequious servant,

IrishEyes, SOTLO (serf of the lowest order)

P.S. Ma'am, I am heartbroken that you have not been invited by the Queen to stay at her castle. I must admit my awe of the grand edifice as I was dusting the royal staircase and taking out the slops. Dunboyne Castle Hotel is much closer to Dublin than the Queen's castle. Your Rolls Royce chauffeur will have a shorter trip taking your to Dublin. Oops, I opined again. > Will I never learn to hold my roguish tongue? Ma'am, you have permission to flog me in the public square.

Padraig

See what you get in the spa: "Seoid uses Thalgo products and has exclusivity on Cellcosmet in Ireland. Cellcosmet is a Swiss cosmeceutical range based on cellular cosmetology. It is the first skincare range to contain stabilised bio-integral cells which helps the aging of the skin."

Don't we all need that! Much better than the non-stabilised bio-integral muck.

I like "cosmeceutical"; it seems so much more impressive than skin cream.

You can get a service bus from Dunboyne into the city centre.

IrishEyes

Padraig, After those treatments Princess Nugi will not have to resort to Botox to soothe her royal brow.

I am stunned you recommend a bus for the royal personage!!!

Mind your answers you rogue.

IrishEyes

"Cosmeceutical" is a royal term. We peasants call it skin cream.

grapes

Irisheyes and Padraig, Perhaps my mother is right, and there is a genetic link to the "Irish funny bone." LOL.

IrishEyes

My Dear Grapes,

I must agree with your esteemed mother. I am honored that you enjoyed my Irish sense of humor and that of Padraig's. We who are Irish or descended from that illustrious race love to indulge in wordplay. This is evidenced by the many acclaimed Irish poets, playwrights and writers. Another example is the celebrated Lord Blarney who crafted evasive replies to the reigning monarch of his time Elizabeth I, thus coining a new term for the English language and engendering an Irish tourist trap most famously called the Blarney Stone.

I entreat you to enjoy the weekend fun. Alas, I believe that when the editors return anon this post will get the axe. Just as did the heads of many Irishmen at the hands of foreign royalty. We much prefer a Guinness and a laugh rather than being scolded by condescending royalty. If you cannot laugh at yourself you may just be a Princess Royal.

I remain your lowly servant,

IrishEyes, SOTLO (serf of the lowest order)

SiobhanP

I heard good things about Dunboyne castle but with traffic in Dublin bus and taxi will be a nightmare and VEY expensive. There are places to stay closer to get spa treatments like the Radisson SAS in STillorgan, or even La stampa hotel vity centre that has a thai spa attached to it and is meant to be a good spa. http://www.lastampa.ie/mandala-spa Or splash out at the merrion hotel which also has a good spa.

I personally think Dun Boyne is miles outseide dublin (its co Meath not Co Dublin as well) 11 miles seems like nothing but the road out and volume of traffic is a killer. I used to leave in a nearby town and moved back to the city as I felt sick from the long bus rides.

cailin

I would agree with Siobhan - I think it is probably a bit too far out of the city if you are interested in doing some sight seeing. The Merrion has a fantastic spa but is very pricey (however do take into consideration the fact that you will have no taxi fares as it's right in the city centre). La Stampa also has a fantastic spa.

From Dunboyne Castle to the city centre it's about 20kms and would take anything from 30 minutes to 90 minutes to get into the city centre, depending on the day of the week and the time of day.

SiobhanP

Also there is no bus by the hotel. You would have to go to Dunboyne village, get the bus that goes through every housing estate and I am serious you will feel ill by the time you get off. Enjoy the city and stay in it with a spa. It will be far more relaxing and you will be near lots of good restauants and attractions

IrishEyes

Dear Dubliners,

Dunboyne Castle Hotel will be perfect for Princess Nugi. The city will be too loud and garish for Royals to spend the night in. They require quite refinement and "balneotherapy, dry floatation, hammam, Sabbia Med and algotherapy" treatments. A strange, exotic language that. Perchance Irish/Gaelic? Persian?

As the exclusive Dunboyne says "11 miles from Dublin City – light years from the hustle & bustle."

As for mode of transport, Royalty cannot soil their feet with buses, taxis or other plebian means of transportation. I myself must forthwith be severely reprimanded for suggesting a chauffeur-driven Rolls, don't you know.

In my humble serf-like opinion the best refined mode of travel for royalty is a helicopter when staying at Dunboyne. Ruminate on Cinderella being whisked away in her magical coach from the tawdry and lowly hurdy-gurdy of the city and removed to a place of Royal sanctuary.

Dunboyne Castle Hotel says: "As you drive through 21 acres of lush landscape or land directly on the helicopter pad you can immediately feel a sense of arrival."

When you "arrive" you feel a sense of arrival. How quaint. How royal. How poetic. Perfect for the upper classes.

Felicitations from a lowly commoner,

IrishEyes, SOTLO (serf of the lowest order)

P.S. You perchance may have noticed that I have learned my lesson and been most thoroughly and properly chastised? I have not addressed the Princess Royal again. This message is to others who may or may not be of the lowly serf class. If I have offended the Dubliners, I humbly tug my forelock to you.

nugi

Hi everyone,
Wow, what a lot of debating here!

Thanks to everyone - INCLUDING IrishEyes & Padraig - for your input. Despite some unfortunate miscommmunication, you've all helped us avoid a terrible start to our first ever trip to Dublin.

With thanks to SiobhanP and cailin, we've looked again at our options in Dublin centre, and booked something else that I'm sure will be equally lovely wth the added convenience of having the city right on the doorstep. Fab!

Thanks again
Nugi