Home & Away with Robert Walshe
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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 £10m new bedroom & leisure
n Thermal Village from Balcony.
wing, adding on 45 Deluxe Guestrooms & 3 Signature Suites with floor-to-ceiling 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
(074) 9131018 spring/summer. Slemish Mountain, the legendary first known Irish home of Saint Patrick, is located nearby in Ballymena. The mountain rises 1500 feet above the surrounding plain, and its central core is an extinct volcano. According to legend, following his capture and being brought as a slave to Ireland, Patrick worked as a shepherd on the mountain for six n Room Fine Dini years. It was durng at Galgorm Resort. ing this time that he turned to frequent prayer as a consolation to his loneliness. In a vision he was encouraged to escape The main city attraction is and return home to become “Titanic” featuring numerous a priest. Slemish Mountain interactive galleries across is open all year-round, and 12,000 square metres of floor on Saint Patrick’s Day large space telling the story of the crowds hike to the top. www. construction and doomed causewaycoastandglens.com maiden voyage of the TiThe Junction One Retail and tanic. The interpretation also Leisure Park is on the edge of explores the history of ship Antrim town and just off the making at Harland & Wolff. M2 Motorway featuring over www.titanicbelfast.com A 70 retailers including high two night spring retreat packend designers www.junc- age at Galgorm includes overtionone.co.uk Belfast is also night in a superior guestroom, only a short hop away from seasonal afternoon tea, three Galgorm. course meal any of the resort
www.keeshotel.ie
restaurants , bed and breakfast the both morning’s and use of the thermal spa village throughout your stay. Prices from £175.00 per person (2 people sharing) Sunday to Thursday. 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