Ballyfin Demesne.

Set at the foot of the Slieve Bloom Mountains, Ballyfin Demesne is less a standard hotel and more an immersive restoration of 19th-century Regency life. After a decade-long renovation, the 614-acre estate reopened with just 20 rooms, each decorated with period antiques and original Irish art that mirror the house’s neoclassical roots. Beyond the grand four-poster beds, the house is full of eccentricities, such as a secret door hidden in the library’s bookshelves that leads to a glass conservatory. Outside, the massive grounds feature a 28-acre lake, a medieval-style tower, and walled gardens that provide the produce for the kitchen. Guests navigate the property via horse-drawn carriage or golf cart, with activities ranging from falconry to swimming in the sunlit indoor pool.