For me, a luxury hotel stay these days is not complete without enjoying all the relaxing benefits of a spa facility. Several of our leading hotels in Northern Ireland have added or upgraded their spa facilities over recent years, with the Dunadry Hotel and Gardens, just outside Antrim, the latest to join the spa party.
I was invited to try out the Dunadry’s brand-new Spa Garden during a recent overnight stay and I couldn't wait to see how it compared to other hotels.
The good news is that this is a spa offering with a difference, as was apparent the moment we checked into our room just after 3pm on a cold, grey Saturday afternoon.
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Our double doors opened out into the Spa Garden itself, with one of three alluring hot tubs a matter of a few feet away and directly in our line of sight. The Spa Garden was once the hotel’s courtyard, but has now been impressively transformed into a secluded retreat that includes the hot tubs, a sauna, a plunge pool (more on that later), a glass house and other lounging areas where you can make the most of precious child-free hours.
Only 10 rooms enjoy access to the Spa Garden, or 20 guests in total, so while the facilities were busy, there was plenty of room for everyone and it has an exclusive feel. As good as other spa facilities are at other hotels in Northern Ireland, it's hard to think of one that offers such easy access as those in these 10 rooms enjoy.
We joined two other couples in the nearest hot tub. A stint in the hot tub on a Saturday afternoon isn't complete without a drink and importantly you don’t have to go back and forth to the hotel bar, not an inconsiderable walk from the spa. You can scan a QR code on your phone and order drinks, including cocktails, from there.
The process wasn’t completely perfect - it took over 20 minutes for two glasses of prosecco to arrive - but that’s certainly much preferable to drying off and then having to walk to the bar in your robes.
But the Dunadry stay isn't just about pure relaxation. We were booked into one of the whiskey tasting experiences offered by the hotel, and I'll freely admit we were out of our comfort zone. Three others joined us in the Cellar, which is located in the original working cellar of the hotel, and a couple of them were seasoned whiskey drinkers, which I am certainly not!
We were given three different premium Irish whiskies to sample, both with and without water, and it was an experience that I can imagine would be perfect for whiskey lovers. I struggled to finish each of my glasses, as the incriminating pictures show, but that didn’t detract from an enjoyable 40 minutes.
Dinner was in the Mill Race Restaurant - three courses, including scampi for my main course, and a good vegetarian option for my wife - and there was live music in the bar before bedtime.
The next morning after a superb cooked breakfast in the Mill Race Restaurant, this time in daylight with stunning views over the Six Mile Water river, it was a race against time to get back to the spa garden before an 11am checkout.
On a cold March morning, I did manage to try the plunge pool, but my sorry attempt lasted little more than 20 or 30 seconds before I scampered quickly back into the comfort of the hot tub.
Like so many overnight stays, it was all over much too quickly, but that didn’t detract from a blissful experience. The Dunadry has certainly muscled its way into the spa getaway experience, and it won’t be short of couples who, like us, crave a few hours away from the madness of parenting.
Belfast Live is able to offer a 15% discount code to share with our readers so they can enjoy the serene experience at the Spa Garden. The code is BL15 which is only valid for bookings for the Dunadry Spa Garden. Reservations must be made before April 1, 2025 to redeem this offer.
Dunadry Hotel and Gardens is located at 2 Islandreagh Drive, Dunadry, Antrim, BT41 2HA. To book go to https://www.dunadry.com/dunadry-spa-garden/
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