Hodson Bay Hotel
Athlone
Westmeath
www.hodsonbayhotel.com
www.hodsonbayspa.com

• Super sophistication in Ireland’s own Lake District
• New Spa offers some fantastic unique treatments
• Exceptional food makes it a gastronomic haven

It is very rare to find a hotel that can offer both a blissful retreat for stressed-out adults, and a holiday heaven for kiddies. Are both things not mutually exclusive?
Not so at Hodson Bay Hotel, we discovered.

ACCOMMODATION AT HODSON BAY

We were interested in the new Hodson Retreat, a very plush and contemporary purpose-built wing which adjoins the main hotel and is home to a fabulous new spa. We had booked the “Double Decadence” treatment, and were looking forward to real indulgence and the chance to catch up on each other’s news. We met at the hotel, travelling from Dublin and Kerry respectively and immediately marvelled at how this centre of Ireland is a real unspoilt beauty spot. The sun shimmered on Lough Ree, ducks waddled on the grass by water’s edge, and people sat in the afternoon’s sunshine enjoying a lovely Irish summer Saturday.

We were warmly welcomed and shown to a large twin room. Everything was in place for our girlie get-away; fluffy robes, big bathroom, quality toiletries, wide-screen plasma television and really comfortable beds. All the rooms also offer free broadband connection.

THE SPA AT HODSON BAY

Off to the Spa. I had to try out the Watsu treatment, something that is unique in Ireland at Hodson Bay. It is rather similar to Shiatsu, but done under water.
Spa Director Yvonne Ons – from the famous Sandy Lane Resort in Barbados - held me in her arms as she glided around the large water pool and I felt like a feather in a light breeze. Using pressure points and clever dance movements, the resultant feeling is as womb-like as you could imagine. From there I floated off for our footsie dip, followed by champagne and chocolate dipped strawberries in the outdoor hot tub. We then each had a deeply relaxing massage with hot stones.
So mellow was the mood at this stage, that we enjoyed some more champagne while we chatted and got ready for dinner.

DINING AT HODSON BAY

There are two restaurants at Hodson Bay Hotel and under the culinary expertise of executive chef Kevin Ward they offer some of the finest food you will find in any hotel in the country. We were impressed! Succulent steaks, juicy scallops, delicate sea bass and plenty of chocolate choices – this was exactly the prescription for our chilled-out break.

While Hodson Retreat is an adults-only facility, the Hodson Bay hotel itself – where the restaurants and bars are located - is totally family-friendly. This works amazingly well due to the clever Kids Activity Camp which is organized by the hotel.
We noted that families from all over the country seemed to be availing of this best-of-both-worlds facility. There was also a wedding reception going on quietly in one part of the hotel, and it is quite amazing that nothing infringed on the enjoyment of anything else that was happening at the hotel.
Next morning we had a great breakfast and enjoyed a stroll in the sunshine before getting into our cars and heading back to our respectively busy lives. We agreed that this was one of the finer hotel break experiences we had enjoyed, and would certainly be back. You could bring your mother, your lover, your best-friend, your granny. You could go alone and indulge in peace and serenity. You could bring the whole family or the company for a corporate break – conference facilities available.
One other thing about Hodson Bay. All the staff are really friendly people.
Yes, we will be back.
There are a lot of reasons to return!