Home & Away with Robert Walshe
Weekend Hotspot – Galgorm Resort & Thermal Spa Village Co Antrim Galgorm Resort & Spa outside Ballymena in Co Antrim continues to pull in the crowds, whether to celebrate a wedding, hold a business conference or luxuriate in its internationally acclaimed spa. Over £13m has been spent in recent years, transforming this former gentleman’s residence into an opulent 74 bedroom Resort & Spa complex. August 2015 saw the completion of a
Santa at Galgorm Resort
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£10m new bedroom & leisure wing, adding on 45 Deluxe Guestrooms & 3 Signature Suites with floor-toceiling windows, panoramic views and terraces. The Signature Suite is the ultimate resort guestroom in terms of space and in-room facilities. Boasting 122m² of pure luxury with show stopping feature terrace complete with outdoor soft seating area and a private hot tub overlooking the River Maine. A separate living and dining area with folding patio doors opening onto the terrace creates a fabulous indoor/ outdoor space, allowing for private in-room dining for six guests. This
stunning new facility includes the creation of the unique Thermal Spa Village offering 75,000 square feet of Spa experiences, the first of its kind in the UK & Ireland, use of which is complimentary to all guests staying within the hotel. Set in picturesque woodland, with rolling, lush green lawns and dramatic views of the River Maine, Galgorm boasts a truly idyllic setting. The actual hotel is a fine blend of traditional and modern. Some of the décor is inspired. The rooms are comfortable, spacious, modern and quiet. As a wedding location, Galgorm ticks every box and the new Four Seasons suite is New York chic! The “River Room” restaurant has built up a reputation for delivering outstanding, high end, locally sourced dishes. It has also been catapulted into the spotlight by stints on the BBC’s Great British Menu. The River Room is fast becoming a destination restaurant for foodies and the offering here ranks as one of my favourite Northern Ireland dining experiences to date. With Live music, Gillies bar comes alive at weekends opening up its trendy beer garden for BBQs and outdoor dining in spring/summer. Slemish Mountain, the legendary first known Irish home of Saint Patrick, is located nearby in Ballymena. Slemish Mountain is open all year-round, and on Saint Patrick’s
Galgorm Resort at Christmas
Day large crowds hike to the top. www.causewaycoastandglens.com The Junction One Retail and Leisure Park is on the edge of Antrim town and just off the M2 Motorway featuring over 70 retailers including high end designer’s perfect for your Christmas shopping. www.junctionone.co.uk Belfast is also only a short hop away from Galgorm. The City Hall provides a wonderful backdrop for the annual Christmas Market, situated right in the heart of the city centre and its wider retail shopping areas. The market is situated directly alongside the central Bus link and taxi station so transport and travel are never far away. The main city attraction is “Titanic” featuring numerous interactive galleries across 12,000 square metres of floor space telling the story of the construction and doomed maiden voyage of the Titanic. The inter-
pretation also explores the history of ship making at Harland & Wolff. www.titanicbelfast.com The festive season is a truly magical time at the Galgorm resort. Enjoy a two night retreat package including overnight in a superior guestroom with hot chocolate and mince pies at turndown on your first evening, seasonal afternoon tea, three course meal in any of the resort restaurants , bed and breakfast on both morning’s and use of the thermal spa village throughout your stay. Prices from £169.00 per person (2 people sharing) Sunday to Thursday during December. www.galgorm.com Robert Walshe is a travel broadcaster with Q Radio Network and Travel Editor for River Media newspaper titles across the island of Ireland. www.robertwalshe.com