Oriel House Hotel

Ballincollig,
Cork
Oriel House Hotel enquiries
www.orielhousehotel.ie

• Luxury hotel built around 19th century Georgian House.
• Excellent Spa with prestigious Babor skincare products.
• Prime location for visiting the south-west of Ireland.

The deluxe spa fits snugly into the hotel-
building which in turn is incorporated seamlessly into the historic Georgian house. The design is clever and tasteful at this hotel, and we were impressed as soon as we arrived. We appreciated the secure underground parking, the spacious lobby, the friendly reception, our very comfortable bedroom and the super spa.

We had driven over from Cork city, and while it took us merely fifteen minutes to get there, we felt relieved to be away from the traffic and bustle of the city. We had stayed the previous night at a cheap and not so cheerful hotel in the centre, and were ready for some comfort. We found it in spades at Oriel House!

ACCOMMODATION AT ORIEL HOUSE HOTEL

Ours was one of 78 delux bedrooms in the new building which all have complementary internet access, very comfortable beds and luxury linen, big bathroom with separate shower, plasma TV, mini-bar and plenty of space. We enjoyed lots of little extras, which were appreciated – complementary water at turn-down service, chocolates, cookies and fresh fruit. The toiletries in the bathroom were that bit extra special too. We had everything we needed to settle in comfortably whatever the weather was doing outside.

The hotel caters for both corporate and leisure guests, with state-of-the-art conference facilities, a full leisure club and child-friendly facilities. The original Oriel House has a very interesting history as part of the Administration Offices for the Ballincollig Gunowder Mills. It later became home to Sir Charles Henry Leslie, the originator of the first two incorporating mills of the Royal Gunpowder Mill. The name “Oriel” comes from the round tower attached to the building which Sir Charles added to bring brightness into the upper room where his wife would paint.

Now it is a very bright contemporary hotel which I am sure is a very welcome addition to the growing town of Ballincollig. We were able to go out the main door and take a stroll around the town, taking in all the shops and restaurants within a stone’s throw of the hotel.

THE SPA AT THE ORIEL HOTEL

I was booked in for an Oriel Spa Prescriptive Facial at 12 noon, so that gave me plenty of time for a leisurely breakfast and even an opportunity for a spell on the laptop before heading to the spa. Wrapped neatly around the original building, access to the spa area is either through the lobby, directly from the elevator, or indeed from car park for day visitors. The treatment menu is very comprehensive, and my facial was heavenly. A short spell in the relaxation room followed, and I certainly felt like returning. Other treatments worth trying out include Ayurvedic Massage, Hamam Treatments, and the wonderfully tempting Vitamin Body Cocoon! There are plenty of treatments for men too, so the pampering can be shared!

DINING AT ORIEL HOUSE HOTEL

The Orgialla restaurant is beautifully appointed and we had one of the lovely window-side tables. Menu choices were varied and included 11 starters, 11 main courses and 11 desserts! After much deliberation we decided on smoked chicken and vegetable samosas with sweet chilli dip as one starter, and warm asparagus with potato and apple salad, Dijon truffle and pimento dressing. They were unusual starters, nicely portioned and set us up for our mains. We could have had rack of lamb, free range chicken, crispy pork belly and several other very tempting options, but decided on some lovely fish dishes instead, char grilled loin of sword fish and pan-fried fillet of cod respectively. Of the many dessert choices we went for cheeses and ice creams.

We were back in the Orgialla the next morning for a super breakfast, again enjoyed the bright window views and we had a perfect start to the day with exceptionally friendly service.

The Oriel House Hotel Leisure Club & Spa has a lot to offer their guests. We are very happy to number it among one of the best hotels in the south-west.
For the best rates check out www.orielhousehotel.ie