Carton House, A Fairmont Managed Hotel

Id never review a hotel negativity unless it truly deserved it. And this place certainly does. A Shambolic ran Hotel to say the least!!! We had 4 nights booked after Christmas and over the new year with my Partner and 3 young kids. We had this Booked for months in advance. With young kids i made sure and called twice leading up to arrival to ensure we had 2 connecting rooms esp for kids with there sleeping patterns etc and low and behold drove 3+ hours to check in only to be told there was no connecting room available that night. We had to then to tell 3 young kids that were excited about this trip for months that we couldnt stay and had to go into Dublin and find alternative accommodation for the night. We got to stay the next night as they had rooms available, when we checked in we ate lunch and paid by card while our room was being prepared. We were in our room when the woman serving us rang our room asking had we paid which we had even told her check the merchant log. But upon check out someone had forged my signature for food and alcohol i wouldn't drink and charged them to our room. I could go on and on here. The price you pay to stay in a place like this you really expect to be looked after far different. I wouldn't recommend this place until they get there act together.

Carton House is a visually stunning property with exceptional food in The Morrison Room, but aspects of the service and breakfast experience did not meet five-star expectations during this stay. My partner and I stayed at Carton House to mark a personal milestone: one year to our wedding. The estate and historic house initially felt like the perfect setting for a special celebration, combining a grand country-house atmosphere with the standards expected of a luxury, five-star resort. Before arrival, my partner had informed the hotel that we were celebrating this occasion, so we expected a small acknowledgment during the stay. One attempt was made by a staff member to deliver something to the room, but this happened while I was in the shower and my partner was at the gym, and nothing further followed. When I phoned reception, I was reassured that the staff member would return, yet over the next two days no one did, and no one proactively explained the situation when I spoke to reception again. In the end, my partner had to piece together what had probably happened, which left me feeling that the hotel was not fully attentive to the significance of our visit, particularly for a property positioning itself as a five-star resort that hosts special life events and celebrations. Dining: The Morrison Room and breakfast We booked the tasting menu in The Morrison Room, which was the highlight of the entire stay. The room itself is an impressive, historically styled dining space, and the multi-course menu was technically flawless, beautifully presented and felt like a genuine “experience of a lifetime” that I would readily recommend to others. In contrast, breakfast felt more functional than luxurious: largely self-service, with a busy and somewhat cramped room that lacked the sense of calm and personal attention often associated with five-star hotels, especially considering the premium pricing at Carton House and the way breakfast is presented as part of the overall resort offering. The hotel itself is undeniably beautiful, with interiors that are well maintained and decorated in a way that reflects the history and character of the original house, set within expansive parkland that underpins its reputation as a destination resort. However, during this stay there was a sense that some staff were leaning on the reputation of the property’s name, architecture and grounds rather than consistently delivering the attentive, genuinely five-star level of service that the branding and pricing suggest. Because of that gap between technically excellent food and mixed service, many elements of the stay felt slightly overpriced, not in terms of the quality on the plate in The Morrison Room, but in how the overall guest experience aligned with expectations for a luxury celebration. Carton House is definitely a striking and memorable setting, and the tasting menu at The Morrison Room alone would make it worth a visit for those seeking a special culinary experience. However, for a stay built around a personal milestone, the lack of follow-through on acknowledging our celebration and the underwhelming breakfast service meant that the experience did not fully match the five-star standard suggested by the hotel’s reputation and marketing.

We had a fantastic time at Carton House. The surroundings, the decor, cleanliness and the service we received were above expectation by a long way. When there were a few errors with dinner on our first night at the hotel, the staff could not have been more pleasant and helpful is rectifying the situations. Our daughters particularly loved the activities that were laid on for them, and we only wish we had tried out more of them. We had such a great time that we’ve already booked for September for my wife’s birthday.

We have been regular visitors to Carton House for the last 4 years. We got engaged and had our wedding dinner there and have returned multiple times throughout the year to celebrate special occasions. We have noticed standards have slipped over the last year but our most recent visit was by far the worst. We checked in for 2 nights - we waited 30 mins to check in. Granted it was very busy, there were only 1-2 on reception to accommodate this. We were there to celebrate my husbands 40th birthday. Carton were aware of this - and due to a tough year foe our family I wanted this stay to be special. We got to our room and discovered there was a blow heater on full blast to heat the room as there seemed to be a problem with the heating. Not ideal and a bit of an eyesore. A card was left for my husband along with 3 oranges. We had a few drinks at the bar where staff were disinterested and unenthusiastic. I asked for a gin & slimline tonic and was given a regular tonic water and when I corrected the bartender he told me they had none 🤷‍♀️ . Dinner in the carriage house can only be discribed as mediocre- the bar staff were arguing with each other in full view of everyone. One bar tender was rude and continued to dry glasses in front of us while my husband had an empty glass of Guinness. He attempted to order another drink but was ignored twice. We are no strangers to the food in The Carriage House so weren’t expecting amazing food but really the prices are nowhere near the quality of food served. €15 for a dessert is sinful. Breakfast is now served in The Carriage House which is another disappointment- from having it in the Morrison room and now in the carriage house is such a downgrade and an insult at that. I ordered an espresso at breakfast and was politely told it is now an extra charge - isn’t this meant to be a 5 star hotel? I don’t know how this can be justified? My neighbour at another table ordered a green tea and was told the same. Disgraceful. The buffet style food was cold, and all over the place. I had to keep asking for coffee top Ups. The swimming pool and spa area was covered in yellow wet floor signs - the floor was flooded due to the jacuzzi which seems to be an ongoing issue. It was so bad we didn’t bother swimming and used the gym instead. The whole vibe of the place just was so bad- it’s lost its wow factor. It’s such a shame. This was our special place and we always looked forward to returning. We ended up checking out after one night because of how upset and disappointing the experience was. We had planned to return with our children in April but will try another hotel now and hopefully move on to somewhere where loyal customers are appreciated.

Stayed 2 nights this week and was so beautiful. Konstantina helped us check and she was absolutely amazing! All the staff there are so nice going above and beyond. Our room was extremely clean and beds comfortable with nespresso machines for early morning coffee. The buffet breakfast at carriage house had great variety and was delicious. You can also order hot breakfast from the menu. We used the pool, hot tub and sauna and steam rooms all made for a relaxing afternoon. The hotel booked us horseback riding experience about 15 min away which was great, so much fun. We walked into Maynooth (about 15-20min) along beautiful trail. I hope I get a chance to come back again sometime!!! Highly, highly recommend this hotel. Beautiful location and beautiful people made our stay 10 out of 10!

In Carton House beauty is everywhere. The golden room, the drawing room, the Morrison room, the carriage house etc. are enchanting. The food served was excellent even for me that I’ m gluten free. We had a dinner and a lunch at the Carriage House and a dinner in Kathleen kitchen, both places have also great service. In particular I would like to thank Kostantina for the smooth checking and Brian for the informative and engaging historic tour of the house.

I visited Cartons House last week with my Wife and four daughters. I must say the experience was stupendous and the rooms were up to standard. The highlight has to have been the service we received at breakfast. Ella, one of the waitresses was very kind and gave fantastic service! I will absolutely be recommending the spot to family and friends! - David Vaughan

What a stunning hotel! 5 star for decor and staff friendliness. Unfortunately we were the only table taken in Kathleen restaurant on Friday lunchtime. And the place was freezing 🥶 the lovely server tried bringing in a heater but there were no suitable sockets to plug it in. Our food was very nice, but small portions and 5 star prices. We took coffee in the bar to defrost.

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(