If you’re on the hunt for a family-friendly hotel for a little getaway, without the kids clubs, leisure centres and all that, well, noise, we’ve unearthed this little gem in the West of Ireland. And it might just be the coolest little staycation you’ve never thought of.
WHAT Glenlo Abbey Hotel, a recently refurbished five-star hotel with an old-worldy feel, set in stunning grounds overlooking Lough Corrib and the hotel’s golf course.
WHERE It couldn’t be more ideally situated, just minutes from Galway city, and a brilliant base for exploring the county or just doing some day-trippin’ around the city.
THE BUZZ It’s hard to sum up why this is such a great spot to bring kids, after all, it’s usually Kids’ Clubs and swimming pools that people plump for when they’re heading away with little ones, but Glenlo has something that no hotel with any amount of Kids’ Clubs has: two carriages from an original Orient Express train that houses the restaurant. Now, I am no train connoisseur, and neither are my kids, but Oh. My. God. were we ALL excited by this novelty experience. Dining on outrageously good food with five-star service in a luxe train carriage while subtle clickety-clack sounds play through speakers – it was like being transported back in time. Until my four-year-old asked impatiently, “when are were going to start moving…!”
FOR KIDS Glenlo does a nifty Family Adventure package, which means we got to feel like we got a break, and the kids too – win-win. We got all the benefits of a retreat away – a luxurious room overlooking Lough Corrib, in an awesome four-poster bed, while the kids enjoyed their own utopia next door in an interlinking room complete with the coolest teepee – cue picnics by torchlight, adventure book-reading, and lots of giggling. But the fun didn’t end there: for added kicks, there was milk and cookies served fireside in the Ffrench Room before a children’s movie screening in the mini cinema room. Their day was made. 
HOW MUCH? Two-night package includes bed and breakfast, tepee tent, adventure pack, dinner on one evening, and a family ticket to a local activity (swimming, the National Aquarium of Ireland, Kylemore Abbey, with woodland walks and children play trail or the Loughwell Pet Farm) from €275 per person sharing during May and June, and from €355 per person sharing throughout July and August. Check out Glenlo Abbey Hotel for more.
THUMBS UP? This spot ticks the boxes on so many levels – as a parent going on holidays, you always have that tug-of-war feeling between wanting to please the kids, but get some sort of “break” yourselves. This place did exactly that – it’s all sorts of perfect in my book. And the afternoon tea (that lasted precisely 10 minutes) was just the icing on the cake!
Okay, go on so! #afternoontea @glenlo_abbey #spoiled #cakeforgirls #bankholiday #lovecake #macaronslover #nodiettoday A photo posted by Sive O’Brien (@siveob) on
