Carton House, A Fairmont Managed Hotel

Peaceful, elegant, and truly well cared for We had a fantastic stay at Carton House. From the moment we arrived, the service stood out — during check-in, we were even offered a cool towel to freshen up from the heat, which was a lovely and thoughtful touch. The entire property is absolutely beautiful — the grounds and interiors are immaculately maintained, creating a perfect blend of luxury and serenity. The staff were consistently professional, warm, and helpful throughout our stay. The pool and wellness area was especially relaxing, a real highlight for unwinding in peace. We also really enjoyed the breakfast buffet — it was varied, fresh, and of great quality. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a relaxing and high-end getaway in Ireland. We would love to return!

Stayed for one night for my birthday. It was the perfect one night break for myself & my boyfriend. We checked in, used the pool and chilled and then had such a great meal at Kathleen's Kitchen. The food was really, really good. Everything we ate was delicious and the service matched how good the food was. We had after dinner drinks in the Courtyard Bar and sitting there for the evening was the perfect end to the day. Both the espresso martini and margarita were perfectly made cocktails. The room was comfortable and quiet with everything you could need. Breakfast the next morning in the Carriage House was busy but again, faultless service and food.

We had an absolutely wonderful experience. When we arrived the staff made us feel incredibly welcome. Every interaction was warm, professional, and genuine — nothing ever felt like too much trouble. The food was another highlight of our stay. Whether it was breakfast, dinner, or just a coffee in one of the lounges, everything was top-quality. As for the facilities, the hotel has everything you'd expect from a luxury resort — and then some. The spa and leisure centre were pristine and relaxing, and the grounds are simply stunning. Would highly recommend, 10/10

The hotel is beautiful, with stunning grounds that create a great first impression. The staff were polite throughout our stay. However, the overall experience felt disorganized, which was disappointing given the hotel’s high standard and price point. Before our arrival, there was an error with our booking made by the hotel. Unfortunately, this was not acknowledged at check-in, and no apology or gesture was offered to make up for the inconvenience - something we would have expected from a hotel of this caliber. Our room was a good size, with a very comfortable bed. However, the shower gel had not been refilled prior to check-in and was empty. We raised the issue with reception, but even after the room was serviced, it still hadn’t been restocked, requiring a second trip to reception. Another inconvenience was that both of our key cards stopped working during the stay - on the morning of a wedding we were attending, no less, which added unnecessary stress. Again, there was no explanation provided. There were also several small details that, while seemingly minor, added up. The green light on the thermostat was quite bright and disrupted our sleep. Additionally, the complimentary water tank in reception was often empty, which gave the impression of poor upkeep. Overall, the initial mishap with our booking unfortunately set the tone for a disappointing stay. While the hotel has great potential, more attention to detail and guest experience would go a long way.

The grounds and hotel are absolutely stunning, so much that we’ve visiting from western Canada 3 years in a row. That being said, the service staff and front desk are in desperate need of some leadership. The restaurant workers are running around like chickens, so bad that at breakfast I would order 2 coffees at once cause if I ordered it after my meal I’d wait 20+ minutes. A skilled food and beverage manager would have them organized in no time. The front desk staff seam to have never worked at a 5 star hotel before, the service and communication was def not what I’d receive at any of my many fairmont stays this year. Honestly, kinda seams like a summer camp for college kids…. Maybe that’s all the workers are available. Now, I will say, Sean the golf pro is great as well as all the chefs. The food, omg is unbelievable. I hope this doesn’t seam to harsh, this is just an honestly opinion and something I heard from many other guest and locals that i chatted with. We will 100% be back….. maybe even for Christmas. If you would like any other information please let me know..

The only thing that really reminded of Fairmont at this hotel was the Le Labo toiletries. The estate itself is pretty, there’s an old house with some stories behind it. The lobby looks good at first glance, but I didn’t see a single doorman during our stay. No one to greet you in that classic Fairmont style. They charge for the room upfront and also take a €100 deposit for extras. There are a few suites in the old building, but most of the rooms are in a grey building connected by a long hallway. Any hint of a five-star feel disappears as you walk down that corridor. Our room door had multiple scratches. The room was clean, but very basic. I’ve stayed in B&Bs with more character. There was no welcome note, and although it was a family room, it was only set up for two people. No activities or amenities for kids. No pillow menu, and the pillows were really low quality. Restaurants, bar, and breakfast were nothing amazing, but okay. Finding the spa was a challenge. But the pool looked pretty nice and good enough for a few laps actually. The gym was also well equipped. It was disappointing that there is no feel of a Fairmont. More like a local wedding venue or a golf resort without the style or luxury you expect from the brand.

We had the most amazing experience at Carton for our wedding! From start to finish, the service was exceptional. The wedding team went above and beyond to help us. On the morning of the wedding, we didn’t have to lift a finger. Everything was set up perfectly, just as we had envisioned. Our guests haven’t stopped talking about how incredible the food and service were. The whole day ran so smoothly, and that’s thanks to the incredible staff and attention to detail. A special mention to Orla, who was absolutely fantastic throughout the entire planning process. She was in constant contact over the year, always helpful, patient, and reassuring. Her professionalism and warmth made the experience stress free and enjoyable. We honestly couldn’t recommend Carton House highly enough. If you’re considering them for your wedding, go for it. You’ll be in excellent hands.

Absolutely loved this hotel. We only spent one night but we were tempted to return after check-out for a second night after a trip down to Kildare Village. No complaints - staff were super friendly, food was great, the grounds were lovely. We will definitely be back for another visit in the future.

For a five star hotel, the Carton House was a real disappointment. The outside and grounds are impressive, to be sure. Two full golf courses tells you who the target audience is. This is a conference center/golfing destination that is geared toward larger groups. I was supposed to share a room with a friend, and we were told there was a water issue so we were upgraded to each have a room. Awesome, right?The room was a nice size, and the bed was very comfortable. But the air conditioning wasn't working in either -- or in the hallway. When we told reception about this, we were told, "Maybe you're not used to the air conditioning in Ireland -- it's not as strong as in the States." We'd already been in Ireland for two weeks, and in every other hotel that had air conditioning, the AC worked perfectly. They said they'd send someone up to look at it; when we returned from dinner, nothing had been done and there was a small fan in the room that did nothing. I tried opening the window but had to close it quickly because it was so buggy. The next day, I called someone else at the front desk, and they said, "Yes, yes, we know about this, we will look into it." The staff feel like they're made up of people who are there to be trained; a real mish-mash of folks who didn't seem to particularly enjoy their work. Unlike every other hotel we stayed in throughout Ireland, where people told us proudly how long they'd worked in a particular place, stories about the area, and just about themselves, the people working at Carton House barely made eye contact (with a few exceptions). Understaffed bar and restaurant.

Excellent. Just excellent. We stayed here for a night over the Christmas period 2022. To be honest, I was completely blown away by the entire experience. I have stayed in Carton House about 4 years ago. Since then, the place has been taken over and is now a Fairmont managed hotel. Under this new management I noticed the attention to detail had significantly improved. Upon check in, we sat at the reception desk and were greeted by an extremely friendly staff member. She started the check in process which was really straight forward. While there, another member of staff came over and offered us mince pies and chocolate marshmallows. Both of which were delicious. They also had mulled wine available, which we enjoyed. Our room was extremely comfortable and they had the cribs we requested set up. While staying at Carton we dined at the Carriage House and Kathleen's kitchen. The dining experience in both places was excellent. The renovations in the Carriage House are spectacular, offering a modern take on classic styling. The food was delicious. We started out by sharing the wings which I followed with the fish and chips while my other half ordered the burger. We also enjoyed a couple of drinks. I had some Prosecco while my other half had a gin fizz (which he still talks about). Our dining experience in Kathleen's Kitchen was also excellent. We split the lobster and had a portion of chips. The lobster pasta was unreal. The garlic scrumps were such a tasty addition to the meal. The chips were the star of the show for me. I have never had chips this tasty in my life. For dessert we had the chocolate mousse and the blackberry chiboust. Both of which were delicious. I thoroughly enjoyed my stay at Carton House this past Christmas. The estate is beautiful, and the grounds make for an excellent place to escape. The staff were excellent and made the experience more memorable. The food was top notch and those added details, such as mince pies and mulled wine made this festive get away very special for my family. We will be booking in again next Christmas.

A spectacular venue, but average overall rooms and service for the price - with one exception.... the bar and its staff are world class best!

One of my favorite places to stay traveling through Europe. Beautiful castle, incredible golf (I don't golf). Amazing running trails through the forest. The service, the rooms, the location, and the pure beauty of this place is amazing.

My family celebrated my cousin's wedding at this beautiful property last month! This was also my first time visiting Ireland and I could not have been more impressed with our stay at the Carton House. As a hospitality profession, this was one of the nicest staffs I have ever encountered and best stays I have experienced. The staff was extremely professional and cared deeply about our experience while we were there. A huge shoutout to Brian, Kody, Jonny and the PM Front Office Manager who helped me the night of my cousin's wedding carry stuff back to her room for being top notch and making our stay extra special. I could have not imagined spending my first time in Ireland anywhere else, and I am so excited to return! The staff became our family and part of my cousin's special day. Thank you for everything, Carton House!

Stunning, amazing, unforgettable. Such a beautiful place with an amazing staff. My only complaint is that I don't have all the money and time of the world for living there. I highly recommend this place for the wonderful hotel and dining experiences and incredible grounds to explore and can't wait until the next time I get to visit!

Great stay. Courteous staff, beautiful grounds, close walk to train station and Maynooth town, hot sauna, lap pool, and good food.

When your guest room problems reveal themselves there are no hospitality professionals to interact with. Disappointing to say the least!

The hotel is good, very classic, bright and modern at the same time. Good service. Standard rooms are ok, nothing with wow factor. But what actually had a a wow factor is their restaurant - 4* regional and seasonal kitchen. We decided for fish all the way through - crab cake and cured sea trout for starters and then a bouillabaisse and poached haddock - everything was amazing, fresh ingredients and beautiful flavours. The pictures don't justify the taste, it was hundred times better. Go and try it out, they do a few deals for overnight stays with 3 course meal and spa treatment too.

Super impressive hotel. I was here for a work event for a couple of days and I couldn't fault the service at all, considering there were hundreds of us. Food came out for the whole table at the same time and service came with a smile. The grounds are seriously stunning and the hotel is equally so, somehow managing to combine both traditional and modern aspects without ruining the feel of the original building. I didn't get chance to use the pool which was a shame as from the photos it looks amazing. I can't believe this is only a 4 star hotel!

Beautiful relaxing break just 40 minutes from Dublin City Centre. This beautiful estate boasts 2 well maintained golf courses as well as top of the line catering. I came here for a private function and had a really lovely time. This review doesn't get the full whack of 5 stars for me however due to: -think bedroom walls, we heard room service being delivered regularly - breakfast buffet was delicious, but didn't seem to have enough to serve the crowds, ran out of sausages at 10, when breakfast was meant to still be going for a further hour The staff are so friendly and genuinely happy to help you with any queries you may have. They also made an extra effort with the gluten free section at breakfast having gluten free cereals, muffins and granola bars. Top hotel!

I arrived happy, stayed for one night and left happy. In contrast to some of the other reviews, I am happy about my happy stay. Here for a very respectable hen celebration, eleven of us checked in. We started off with a very nice and reasonable lunch in the Kitchen Bar. Portion sizes were good. With a mixture of sandwiches, wraps and soups ordered, everyone enjoyed their lunch and left full. 5/5 for our server, she fed and watered us brilliantly. I then went for a fabulous back treatment in their spa. Top marks to Aine who did my treatment, I was in a bit of a sleep walk afterwards it was so relaxing. The mango sorbet at the end was a lovely touch also. That night we had a three course meal in The Linden Tree restaurant and it was divine. I had the fish cake to start, delicious and fresh. Then the pork loin, so good. Then the white chocolate cheesecake for dessert, which was very tasty. I had a sample of someones praline chocolate dessert and that was amazing. The Farnese Pinot Grigeo was very nice also. The post dinner cocktails from the Kitchen Bar were a little disappointing. 12 EUR for a mediocre Cosmopolitan and 13.50 EUR for a Caipirinha that was a little too strong. I suggest you stick to a simpler spirit and mixer, save some money. Breakfast was excellent also. The fresh fruit with granola and yoghurt was just lovely. I had a little from the hot food too, to get my moneys worth ;) The room was really nice and very comfortable, posh bathroom and all. Very swish altogether. The WiFi reached our room too and it is free WiFi - hurrah! I didn't get to walk around the grounds as our time was limited, but we did manage a look around main house for a few minutes. I recommend everyone take a look around inside if you are there. The library is pretty awesome to see. I found all the staff here were lovely to deal with. All very pleasant and greeted anyone they passed. I like that. I am not 100% sure what my stay cost exactly, as it was divided among the ten of us to cover the eleventh person (the bride-to-be of course) and not everyone had a spa treatment. But for a one night bed & breakfast including the three course dinner, it was 150 EUR. Then another 70 EUR on top of that for the peeps have the spa goodness. The alcohol and sides with dinner was extra. I would be very tempted to go back indeed, their site has plenty of specials to pick from. UPDATE: I also gave feedback to hotel that is more or less this review. I got a really good response, which I am glad they took the time too do. I am also glad they took my gripe about the cocktails on board.

Attended a family party in The Linden Tree restaurant, very poor. Service was overworked, and the food was poor quality. It was a fixed menu for the party, and everything was below standard. The children's choice were nuggets, cod gougons , pizza or pasta bolognese. My son said the pasta was not good, and that the pizza was a cheap mass produced base with the bolognese on it. One of my daughters said the cod gougons were dry and tasteless. I had the mackerel to start which was fine, but just fine. I then had the fillet of beef which was not fillet. Also the meat was very young with little or no flavour. The side dishes were of the type served in a country hotel thirty years ago, even the fries had been cooked in oil that was not hot enough, so they were soggy and flaccid. The three vegetarians in the party were served a artichoke risotto that was in edible. The dinner ruined the celebration. I had eaten in the restaurant a few months before and had a fine meal, but the standard last night was very poor, the Hotel should be very worried.

Carton House is impressive. So impressive It has me wanting to put on some checked trousers and take up golf. Ok maybe not but I can see the attraction if you got to play here every week. The 1000+ acre grounds are amazing. The winding road up to the hotel has the most beautiful approach and if you are a lover of old buildings the huge hotel in the distance will wow you. Once inside though it has a very modern interior, think glass and sculptures. We were there this time for afternoon tea and the place was packed with people doing the same. Despite the waitress being rushed off her feet we were looked after well and our sandwich and mini cake combo was pretty and tasty and exactly what you would expect from afternoon tea from a smart hotel. There are many different parts to this hotel, from afternoon tea, to the chalet style clubhouse bar, to the evening restaurant, to hotel rooms and golfing, so reviews and experiences can vary. It's a thumbs up from me anyway. I had better start saving for a golf cart.

What a treat, Spent three nights and four days of splendid golf in early July, 2018. Impressive well maintained historical property, Wonderful service in the restaurants and bars. Felt so welcome in the golf clubhouse. We decided to have all our meals at Carton House. Super food in the Linden restaurant, much better than some of the dinning spots in Maynooth. The staff said the new owner was planning to spend serious money to upgrade some parts of the hotel. I hope they keep the charm of this treasure. The golf courses ( two ) are world class. They will have the World Amateur championships there and The Irish Open once again. Challenging but not ridiculous greens and fairways, I shall return.

I was here for a conference today. The location is great-only 30 mins from Dublin by car and signposted once you come off the M4. I used my sat nav...it wasn't in there as a point of interest but they are thoughtful enough to give the coordinates for it on the hotel website! The grounds are stunning. Huge, apparently excellent, golf course. Today was sunny and it was lovely to be out of the city and driving into such an impressive estate. The old house part of the hotel is beautiful too-lots of (presumably) original stone work and features. The lobby is comfortable and the reception staff were incredibly helpful and friendly. I didn't decide to stay but the rooms were reported to be top notch! We had lunch in the Kitchen Bar. Staff again lovely. I chose the homemade soup and freshly baked bread. The soup was mushroom and average. Pretty much like Marks and Spencers. The bread may have been freshly baked at some point, but that was days ago. And it was most certainly baked by McCambridges (the brown bread you get in plastic packs in EVERY shop). It was stale and I could only eat half a slice, despite loving bread in general. I also got coffee which was good and came with a biscuit. Exciting. The total was €10.20. It was NOT worth it. I wouldn't bother the next time. I walked into Maynooth later and got an infinitely more satisfying ice cream cone from Centra. There are plenty of decent looking coffee shops, pubs and restaurants in the village which would be far cheaper. It's a pleasant stroll from the hotel through the beautiful grounds (complete with river and swans) and then along a tree-lined avenue. Stretch your legs, not your budget! The conference centre is impressive. Spotlessly clean, good audiovisual set-up. We had tea and coffee for registration which was served in nice silver jugs. Unfortunately they weren't labelled so it was more like "surprise!". The riskiest time was if you went back to freshen your cup...high risk of ending up with half tea, half coffee. Shudder. And no biscuits-not sure whether our function organisers were being mean or the hotel are too stingy to provide a few to nibble on. All in all, beautiful place and the staff were exemplary but the lunch really let it down. Very low standard for the price and the location.

Good friendly service. The food is of very high quality and very tasty at a good price for a 5 star hotel. Perfect place to go for a Sunday lunch with that little bit of class. Delicious signature cocktails are always a treat.

I have only been in for a wander around the grounds and a coffee so this is by no means a full and informed review... review in any sense of the word might be a stretch.... but then in fairness, a lot of my Yelp scribbling are rants at best... so here it goes... bloody good coffee, incredible surroundings, a lovely mix of the very old and very modern. if there a chance (even a small one) that you can be there on a winters morning, when it is very cold and frosty. grab a camera and make your way down to the lake, grab a position opposite the boathouse, and take the pictures of a lifetime. sadly I didn't have a camera but it is a sight worth seeing. within the hotel there is an odd, unkempt feel about once you look a little closely, a lot of the furniture could do with replacing. According to friends who have stayed, the rooms are very comfortable and breakfast is good.

Gorgeous grounds and a great setting for a weekend away. Our massages were great and the raspberry sorbet afterwards was a really nice touch. The only criticism of the spa is the pool area. It would have been nice if there was a separate pool area for hotel guests and those accessing it from the spa - just to set the relaxing mood of the spa a bit more. The food in the restaurant and at the breakfast was delicious and of a very high standard. The restaurant was just a bit stiff though. My partner and I felt as though we had to whisper so as not to draw attention to ourselves - a bit of music wouldn't go astray. The rooms are a great size and are very nice.

Have stayed in Carton numerous times both personal visits and work gigs. Love how it has the right balance of luxury without being stuffy. Stayed in a suite in the old house which was amazing, loved the mood lighting and free standing bath. Ate the bar food and restaurant and both were faultless. Never made it to the spa but have heard good reports. The grounds are fab, 2 golf courses and walking trails which are lovely to take a stroll through on a nice day.

Beautiful location, that regularly hosts the Irish rugby team. What's not to like! Over the years Ive come to Carton for many functions and occasions. It has everything to get a 5 star review, except the staff. There just doesn't seem to be enough. I was there recently for afternoon tea and it was delicious, but the staff seemed distracted. It was the day after Mother's Day so the staff were busy, and there really just seemed to not be enough staff on for the busy time. The plus side to this is that even in a time of trouble for the service industry, Carton is very reasonably priced and not pretentious about it's food. You get great wholesome food in good portions and all for a more than fair price.

Had a walk around the grounds recently and stopped in the bar for lunch. After being very impressed with the hotel grounds I was very let down with the food and service. I ordered a sandwich on brown bread which was mediocre and certainly not worth over €7 for. An Americano was nearly €4........seriously! The waitress kept forgetting anytime we placed an order for more drinks etc. and we had to chase her a number of times for the bill, finally we gave up and went to the bar to pay. I was very unimpressed with the overpriced food and poor service. However the day wasn't ruined as the grounds are stunning and made for a beautiful walk.

Went here for a light Sunday evening bite with friends recently. I had to laugh at the irony of the sign over the counter which went something like "bread- ones of life's simple pleasures", when they actually had no bread to serve- oh I lie, except for the sliced pan variety or the plastic stuff on show. Pathetic. My friends had a salad which were both fine. Menu supposedly caters for dairy an wheat intolerances, probably just for show. That to me defines the carton house dining experience. In fairness it should get the run-of-the-mill standard stuff right first, like bread. The clubhouse itself looks like a doctor's waiting room, no atmosphere and sparsely decorated with cheap looking (probably wasn't) furniture. Such a shame as its a beautiful hotel and grounds but the clubhouse food issue needs to be addressed I think. Won't be going back.

I had to live in Carton House for a week when I had trouble with my home heating system. Lets just say I would have been better off staying at home cold- at least I would have had better meals. Room service: €8.50 seafood chowder and €16.50 burger. I sent both back. Chowder was more like Irish Spud Stew, burger was chargrilled within an inch if its life, and chips were soggy and cool! The other room service items were not much better so I went to the restaurant one evening. Mediocre and for €40 I expected more. I live nearby and was in an "emergency" situation- they wouldn't even give a corporate discount rate for the week and it was off season. Glad I discovered the Avenue in Maynooth-- miles better food and service!

I would not come back and if you do come here beware this is not a five star hotel. We checked in at 3 pm. 2 of 4 rooms ready. We went to spa and no room available. Never had that happen at a 5 star hotel. Tried to use pool, it was closed because not clean. Tried to get dinner reservations at main restaurant, none available. Went to Carriage house (by golf course on site) to have a drink before eating there. Ordered a Martini and they didn't have any olives. Sat to eat and our appetizers were delivered literally 3 minutes before our main course. My daughters medium steak was well done/burnt. And after eating we sat for 30+ minutes with empty drinks and no service. If I weren't in Such a remote location I would have gone next door to someplace else. But you are sort of stuck once you get here. So no "off hotel" options. The facilities have potential to be five star but the service is really terrible. Only saving grace is the manager at Carriage recognized they dropped ball and gave us 20% off our bill/tab.

Went to wedding here last month in the old house. Possibly the best weeding I was ever at. Food and service was unbeatable. Visit this hotel if you have a chance. Beds are like sleeping on clouds and worth every penny.

very disappointing, lovely surroundings, shame about the food, coffeee like dish water served in cantine style cups and had a beef and onion marmalade (Relish) sandwich which was tasteless... :o(