Slieve Russell Hotel Golf & Country Club

Ballyconnell
Co Cavan
The Slieve Russell Hotel enquiries
The Slieve Russell Hotel

• Fabulous Ciuin Spa & great golf.
• Family Friendly and beautiful grounds.
• Very popular Cavan Hotel.

When looking for a great hotel in Cavan, we were very pleased with the Slieve Russell. We loved the extensive gardens, the friendly service, the fabulous spa and our very comfortable bedroom. While we did not play golf during our visit, we did enjoy some excellent treatments in the spa, and would recommend the hotel for a good spa break, a family friendly holiday, and it is certainly very popular for weddings.

CIUIN SPA AT SLIEVE RUSSELL HOTEL

The standard of spas in Ireland has been getting better and better over the past few years. Some hotel spas are particularly good and while it can be difficult to incorporate a proper Wellness Centre into a busy hotel, the Slieve Russell Hotel has managed to do just that with Ciuin Spa. They carry a full range of Elemis treatments and products – www.elemis.com – and also a number of other beauty treatments. I had opted for the Ciuin Signature Body Treatment, and my friend chose a Reflexology session. My treatment consisted of a massage using hot stones and also Lomi Lomi massage technique which originates from Hawaii. It was a deeply relaxing treatment and the use of the hot stones achieves greater release in the muscles without having to use deep tissue pressure. A wonderful head massage formed part of the treatment, and this always nearly sends me to sleep! My therapist was called Louis and while he came from Spain he has worked all over the world, including luxury cruise ships. We had an interesting discussion regarding the reluctance of some Irish people to have a male therapist, although I am sure this is beginning to change. My theory is that the Spa is such a female domain, that it is often unusual to find male therapists, and often the only men seeking treatments are part of a couple. However, all that is changing as a fully professional therapist is all that is required. And indeed Louis was an excellent therapist and I felt the benefits of that massage for weeks afterwards. Meanwhile my friend, who is a real reflexology fan, was thrilled with her treatment and said it was certainly one of the best she has ever had.
The spa area includes a Hammam, Herb Sauna, a Salt Grotto, Hydrotherapy Spa and Health Showers. The relaxation area of the spa was particularly comfortable and calm with a range of fruits and drinks and nibbles to enjoy. The Ciuin Spa is one of the best we have come across, and we would highly recommend it.

ACCOMMODATION AT SLIEVE RUSSELL HOTEL

We did like our bedroom very much. We had lots of space, a huge comfortable four poster bed, a large bathroom with a Jacuzzi bath and good sized power shower. We also had internet access at a working desk area, a separate living room space with its own flat-screen television. There are smaller rooms of course, but it is worth choosing a larger room if you want to settle in for a few days. We find that with a large hotel it is always best to go for the extra space in your bedroom. Our bed was particularly comfortable and it was the kind of bedroom with all the extras that you want in a good Irish hotel.

DINING AT SLIEVE RUSSELL HOTEL

The hotel offers a choice, and we opted for the formal dining restaurant called The Conall Cearnach Restaurant. We could have chosen the Setanta Restaurant, which offers a type of modern European cuisine, but we were delighted with the Conall Cearnach. Both restaurants were busy, plenty of families and couples and small groups, but we had a table beside the window which was cosy. It is interesting that there were two weddings going on in the hotel on the night we stayed, so it is obviously a very busy kitchen, yet the food and service were very good. Starter choices included a Smoked Salmon Salad, Duck Won Tons, Foie Gras, and various salads with Prawns, Melon or Mozzarella. We opted for a Roast Quail warm salad and a Goat’s Cheese Bruchetta. Soups or Sorbet followed and then we had a large choice of mains. Seabass, Salmon, Scallops, Fillet Steak, Marinated Pork Fillet, Sirloin Steak and Cheese and Tarragon stuffed Chicken Fillet, Rack of Lamb, Duck and two vegetarian choices. Multiple choice continued with the dessert menu with seven different offerings to choose from. The wine list particularly impressed us for its good range and excellent value. We had a 2004 Louis Jadot Pinot Noir which was well priced at €28.00

Next morning’s breakfast was very good, in spite of the fact that the hotel was very busy. The staff was on top of things throughout, and we enjoyed a lovely table by the window, very good service and some great food! There was a Vegetarian Mixed Grill which came with Soya Sausages, and the fish dish was Sea bass. I think it was a first for me having sea bass for breakfast, but it was delicious with some brown bread and tomato and a pot of Green Tea.

The Slieve Russell is a popular hotel, there were two weddings happening on the night we stayed, but it proved to us that it is possible to consistently deliver excellent customer service. Highly recommended, particularly as a very family friendly hotel.