ASHDOWN PARK HOTEL

GOREY,
CO WEXFORD
Ashdown Park Hotel enquiries
www.ashdownparkhotel.com

• Exceptionally friendly and attentive service.
• Excellent dining experience.
• Charming ambiance.

We recently visited the Ashdown Park Hotel in Gorey, and were surprised to learn that it was only about six years old. The atmosphere is that of a well established classically elegant hotel with finely tuned service. First impressions were good – free parking a short distance from the entrance, a bright yet warm reception area with an impressive sweeping staircase, and very pleasant and professional check-in. The Leisure Club next door looked very tempting, but as it turned out I did not get to visit it for a swim, but will certainly do that next visit. I got so comfortable in my lovely room that I did not venture out until it was time for dinner!

ACCOMMODATION AT ASHDOWN PARK HOTEL

The bedroom had everything we look for in a good hotel – very comfortable beds and top quality linen, toiletries and robes. We had a large flat screen television, a desk working area, a table with fruit and bottled water, tea-making facilities and cookies and even a full sized iron and ironing board! When my friend arrived a while later we spent a while getting ready for dinner and beginning to catch up on our respective news!

DINING AT ASHDOWN PARK HOTEL

The Rowan Tree Restaurant offers an exceptionally good Table D’Hote menu. After a pre-dinner drink in the Ivy Bar, we settled into the beautifully appointed dining room and studied the many choices. With eight starters, main courses and desserts to choose from, there was plenty on offer. We were treated to an amuse-bouche of warm duck salad before my friend opted for the confit leg of duck while I had the Parma ham and caramelised plum salad. Both were delicious. For mains we opted for beef and salmon respectively from choices that included wild lamb shank, whole sea trout, seabass, fillet of pork as well as vegetarian options. The salmon came with green spinach and confit of fennel and the flavours blended perfectly. The chargrilled beef came with celeriac gratin and slow roasted plum jus – both plates were cleared and surprisingly we still found room for desserts and Irish coffees afterwards. The wine list is quite short, but contains some excellent house-wine choices from the New World, and our Pinotage from Kamsberg was a beautifully rounded wine which complemented our food perfectly. Service was quietly attentive and perfectly timed. We had much news to catch up on, and our leisurely gourmet experience provided the perfect setting!
Breakfast the next morning was also in the Rowan Tree, which was just across the way from our room, and once again the food was excellent. It is unfussy yet classic fare, and with imaginative and sensitively crafted menus, the Rowan Tree stands out as an exceptional hotel restaurant.
I did not leave the hotel until after mid-day, and soaked up the atmosphere of pleasantly chatting guests, a corporate group having a meeting, a couple planning their wedding and friends meeting for morning coffee. It seems The Ashdown Park is popular with many local people across all ages and lifestyles. What impressed us most of all was the calm efficiency and friendly manner of all the staff we met throughout our stay. It is a gem of a hotel, and one that would happily return to.