Killashee House Hotel

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Rooms at Killashee House

Accommodation at Killashee House Hotel & Villa Spa includes 141 opulent guest rooms.  Each luxuriously furnished en-suite bedroom offers a welcome retreat to relax in. Rooms are uniquely styled and all ooze old world charm.  All rooms are equipped with colour television, cable, radio, hairdryer, tea/coffee making facilities, direct dial telephone and room service.

Killashee House Hotel offers a wide range of room types to suit all requirements, from standard Deluxe Rooms to the Opulent Four Poster Rooms & Suites.

Deluxe Rooms at Killashee House Hotel offer the following amenities:

• 2 Five Foot Double Beds
• Ensuite Bathroom
• Personal Safe
• Tea & Coffee Facilities
• Iron & Ironing Board
• Hairdryer
• High Speed ISDN Lines
• Direct Dial Phone
• Voicemail
• TV

Classic Rooms at Killashee House Hotel offer the following:

• King Size Bed 
• Trouser Press
• DVD Player
• Separate Bath & Shower
• Hairdryer
• High Speed ISDN Line
• Personal Safe
• Tea & Coffee Making Facilities
• Direct Dial Phone
• Voicemail  
• TV

Dining at Killashee House

Turners Restaurant

This fully air conditioned dining room offers gracious surroundings in which to sample the mouth watering Irish and Mediterranean dishes, created by the award winning chefs using only the finest quality Irish produce. Guests can enjoy the company of the restaurants resident harpist on both Friday and Saturday evenings. Turner's Restaurant represents old world comfort at its most luxurious.  The restaurant is open for evening dinner Wednesday  to Saturday between 7:00 - 9:30pm (reservation required).

Nun's Kitchen

Step back in time in the charming Nuns Kitchen. Open daily, Nuns Kitchen is the perfect venue to relax with some great Irish Cuisine or, with 2 TV screens a great place to enjoy all of the live sporting action. Nuns Kitchen is open as follows:

12noon - 10.00pm Mon-Fri
12.30pm – 10.00pm Saturdays
12.30pm – 9.00pm Sundays
Sunday Lunch now being served in Nuns Kitchen.

Afternoon Tea in the Conservatory

Take a moment to spoil yourself with a sumptuous treat. Spoil yourself with afternoon tea served in the conservatory and savour the charm and atmosphere of the surroundings of Killashee House Hotel. The Conservatory, located on the ground floor is the ideal place to meet for cocktails and aperitifs or traditional Irish Afternoon Tea. Afternoon Tea served daily from 3.00pm to 6.00pm.

History of Killashee House

Killashee is steeped in history. From the introduction of Christianity to Ireland to the present day, Killashee has been home to many interesting events and people. One such event relates to the founding of the church at Killashee, located on adjoining land to the hotel, by St. Patrick in the fifth century. Indeed, Killashee (alias Killosy or Kilussy) derives its name from St Auxillius, an early missionary to Ireland and possibly a nephew of St Patrick, who completed and governed the church at Killashee until his death in 459.

Throughout the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, Killashee was home to the Belling and Graydon families. Alexander Graydon settled in Killashee in 1711, when he leased the lands from Sir Richard Belling. He was sovereign of Naas in 1730 and probably built the original Georgian house at Killashee. The Moore family, descendants of the earls of Drogheda, commissioned Thomas Turner to design a country house for them in 1861 and this is the building in which the hotel is situated. Killashee House Hotel was essentially a Victorian Jacobean hunting lodge and was originally set on four hundred acres of farmland.

The Moore family settled well into the life of country squires and although they felt the ill effects of the famine, such a sizable estate generated a lot of employment and prosperity. At the turn of the century the estate was thriving under the owner Judge Moore. The unfortunate judge found things too much and committed suicide. Lt. COL Moore inherited the estate and it continued to thrive. In 1921 Lt. COL Moore died his son of the same name inherited the estate.  The son who was still in the army decided to rent the house to Mr. Lockwood who was the master of the hounds for Killashee. After about two or three years a Captain Ainsworth rented it and it was while he was living there that disaster struck.  A fire, which engulfed the stables, was curtailed before it reached the main building. In 1927 Major Moore decided to sell the house and land to the Là Sainte Union Nuns, a French order, with many houses in England and one in Athlone.

When the estate was sold the major did not forget about the old estate workers and a sizeable house next to the main road was to be the stewards and another was given to the blacksmith. All the labours got a pension of IR1.00 per month and a ¼ ton of coal per month. The Là Sainte Nuns started a preparatory school for boys but the estate was very big, too big as far as the government was concerned and the land commission broke it up between 1930 and 1931 giving land to certain families. The convent was left with 85 acres, which was rented out to neighbouring farmers for cattle rearing. Since 1927 the school did well and it was open to day pupils and boarders both boys and girls and it attracted students from all over the world.

Great interest was shown when in 1961 it was offered for sale. The government offered to buy it for use as woman’s prison. However a group of concerned parents got together and bought it. It was bought with the proviso that it would continue to be run by the Là Sainte Nuns with the backing of the board of directors.  Killashee House was eventually sold in 1998 to its current owners.

Pampering at Killashee House Hotel

An oasis of calm the Villa Spa at Killashee House Hotel will plunge you in to a state of deep relaxation.  With its 18 treatment rooms, this unique Roman Spa with Moorish traditions of the Hamman and Rasul offers a global culture of massage combined with the science of modern skin care therapies.  The therapy rooms are as follows:

• Rasul Chamber
• Hammam Suite
• 2 Balneotherapy Baths
• 2 Dry Floatation Suites  
• Nail Bar
• Pedicure Suite
• Relaxation Room
  

Rasul
Indulge in the decadence of the Rasul Mud Chamber for a minimum of two people & a maximum of four you can share with a friend or a partner. Enter The Rasul Chamber where a mud ceremony is enacted using up to six different therapeutic muds. Relax in your heated seat whilst the chamber fills with steam and eastern sounds whilst five hundred stars twinkle in the sky. When the steam phase ends enjoy the hot tropical rain shower which rains down upon you. Probably the most “fun treatment” you will ever enjoy & it will leave you glowing skin and soaring spirits.

Hammam
The Hammam, which its origin in Turkey is one of the many ancient therapies that is enjoying a revival. Traditionally a Marble Slab within a steam chamber the modern table is heated & ergonomically designed for comfort but retains the magnificent oriental tiling on the base & has an integrated shower. Here one can experience a traditional Turkish Scrub – Soap Brush ar any of our exfoliating treatments.

Balneotherapy
Relax in a reviving hot bath while 252 jets massage the body from the top of your head to the tips of your toes. Choose to bathe in aromatherapy, seaweed or scented bath pebbles.

Pool
You deserve a refreshing session in the heated Pool! Invigorate the muscles of the body with the power of water.  Enjoy a cold and warm shower in between the private steam room. Finish with relaxation in the loungers in the tranquil setting.

Hydrojet Massage Bed
The hands off approach! Precision jets massage the body with water yet you remain dry to the bone. Choose various programs to aid your tension areas.

Dry Floatation
Feeling tired? One session on the Dry Floatation (25 minutes) is equivalent to 3 hours deep sleep!

The following locations are in close poximity to Killashee House Hotel

Powerscourt House & Gardens (1 hour)

Powerscourt is one of Europe’s great treasures and Ireland’s most famous House & Gardens. Gracing the Wicklow mountains, 20km from Dublin city centre, Powerscourt is a heritage property with a surprising difference. Even the avenue leading to the Palladian house echoes the magnificence of the whole estate, being a mile long and lined by over 2,000 beech trees. In addition the 47 acres of gardens are remarkable for their grandeur of scale, at the same time combining great delicacy and refinement of detail.

The house was gutted by fire in 1974 but recently has been reborn as an exceptional tourist destination. An exhibition brings to life the rich history of the estate, while the double height Georgian ballroom has been restored and hosts weddings and corporate events. The house is now home to the best of Irish design in gifts, clothes, and furniture in the Avoca Stores and the Interiors Gallery. You can also treat yourself to a dish from the Avoca Cookbook in the Terrace Cafe.

The exhibition and story of Powerscourt House and Estate

In the 13th century Powerscourt was a significant castle and garrison for the Anglo-Normans, a far cry from its 20th century reincarnation as a peaceful and elegant Palladian mansion, host to an extraordinary array of people, from royalty and film stars to great musicians and artists. The exhibition and audio visual presentation tells the wonderful story of this transformation, showing how the German architect, Richard Castle, incorporated the old castle structure in the house as it stands today. It also details how the magnificent aristocratic gardens were slowly created out of the original rugged setting, and then how tragedy struck on November 4th, 1974, when fire destroyed the glorious interior with its precious treasures, leaving behind only the exterior walls of the house. Today visitors can see stonework dating back to the 16th century and once again climb the main staircase to the magnificently restored ballroom and the garden rooms. The elevated views of the sublime formal gardens and Sugarloaf mountain are among the most famous views in the whole of Ireland.   (Ballroom & Garden Rooms open Sundays 9:30 - 1:30 All Year, Mondays 9:30 - 1:30 May to Sept). Today the public continue to enjoy the gardens which first began to take shape over two and a half centuries ago. The charming walled garden, the striking terraces, fine statuary and varied trees are linked by carefully designed walks and set in the magnificent surroundings of the Wicklow mountains.

Wicklow (1 hour 20 mins)

Known as “the Garden of Ireland”, Wicklow has wonderful scenery, with mountains, wooded valleys and lakes. It is fringed on the east by golden sandy beaches. Major routes to the east and west go through two of the highest passes in the country – Sally Gap and Wicklow Gap. Among its spectacular valleys are Glenmalure, Glencree, Glenmacnass, the Glen of Immal, and the most famous of all – Glendalough, the home of one of the country’s most famous early Christian sites. The county is very popular with outdoor enthusiasts for the range of activities it offers – walking, cycling, shore, coarse and game angling, golf, riding, watersports. There are also a number of historic gardens and houses to visit, Powerscourt House being the most famous and impressive.  Because of its wonderful scenery, the county has been used as a location for many films over the years, including Excalibur, Braveheart, Far and Away and Michael Collins. The very successful Irish television series Ballykissangel was made in the pretty village of Avoca.

Dublin City (45 mins)

Dublin is a city brimming with culture. The 8th century illuminated manuscript, the Book of Kells, must be viewed. It is on display at the impressive Trinity College, Ireland's first university (founded 1592) in the heart of Dublin. For the rest of the day, it is up to you how much you want to pack in. Phoenix Park, twice the size of New York City's Central Park, Georgian Dublin around Steven's Green, the Nation Botanical Gardens, and the Hugh Lane Municipal Art Gallery are all highly recommended stops on your tour. Be sure to pay a visit to Dublin's Temple Bar area to experience the lively Dublin pub culture.