DELRAY BEACH, FL, Jan. 16, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- An extensive restoration and enhancement
program is underway at Ashford Castle in County Mayo
to return this stunning, historic building to its former glory.
Having acquired the castle in June 2013, Red Carnation Hotels, a
family-owned collection of 16 luxury award-winning
hotels, is meticulously working to preserve Ashford's
history and charm while enhancing its guest facilities and
levels of luxury and comfort.
The program takes a three-phased approach and the
first magnificent, all-new eight guestrooms have
been completed and can now be revealed.
These eight rooms, in the Victorian and East Wings, include the
grandest suites in the castle. The rooms have been lovingly
furnished by a dynamic design team headed by Mrs.
Beatrice Tollman, Founder and President of The Red Carnation Hotel
Collection, and her daughter Toni Tollman. Each room is
individually decorated and designed, featuring a luxurious mix of
furnishings and original artwork, fit for any King or Queen. With
carefully sourced antique furniture, exquisite fabrics, bespoke
carpets and marble bathrooms, the luxurious rooms have been
sensitively conceived to complement the ambiance and
tradition of this iconic property.
The second stage of the refurbishment is now
underway and the castle is closed until mid-March
2014, to allow for the significant phase two plans to be
implemented. This stage will focus on the hotel's existing public
areas and 30 further guestrooms. In true Red Carnation style, no
detail will be missed and meticulous attention is being brought to
this important project.
Parts of Ashford Castle date back as early as
1228, so the current restoration work includes an
intricate overhaul of the building's infrastructure, including
stonework, windows and roofs, to ensure the castle's long-term
future. The finest and latest modern amenities will
complement the restoration, with the castle to now be
fully air conditioned, WiFi enabled throughout and with flat screen
television sets and a variety of connection points installed in
each guestroom for the best connectivity. All enhancements will be
sympathetically designed to blend seamlessly with
the castle's original features.
Also, a stunning dual-aspect new library will be
created in the vaulted area near the entrance hall. With
walls of books and cozy window seats, The Library will be a
peaceful space in which guests can relax or enjoy afternoon
tea.
By the end of the second phase of the refurbishment, the existing
public areas and more than 30 guestrooms will be complete. Many of
the rooms and suites will be named to honor the famous
guests that have stayed at Ashford over its illustrious
history.
Behind the scenes, the castle's kitchens will be
moved and completely rebuilt on a different level closer to the
dining room, facilitating a more efficient and timely
service for future diners.
The already stunning 350-acre sprawling estate
will also receive tender love and care as
required, from the walled and herb gardens, to the tennis
courts, falconry center and stunning nine-hole golf course, the
drainage of which will be completely overhauled to
ensure that guests can enjoy it all year round.
The "Cullen's at the Cottage" pub and nearby
buildings will be renovated and the surrounding area re-landscaped.
There are even plans to restore the old boathouse on the
shores of Lake Corrib. The building has already been
fortified and re-tiled to prepare it for future guest use, as
a secluded and private honeymoon suite.
The third and final phase of the renovation will
take place from October 2014 - March 2015, during
which the remaining guestrooms will be completed. Subject to
planning permission approvals which are still pending, the
subsequent renovation plans for phase three also
include the installation of a 32-seat indoor cinema, a billiard
room and a cigar terrace, as well as a children's game room,
further increasing the hotel's appeal for all ages and
seasons. These new facilities will help to ensure that the
castle, with its array of enhanced outdoor
activities including falconry, horse-riding, water sports,
clay pigeon shooting, catch-and-release fishing, hiking, golf and
tennis, is also a haven of indoor enjoyment and decadence
for all ages.
The hope is, also subject to appropriate planning permission, that
a magnificent, full service spa and large indoor heated
pool will be part of the ambitious enhancement of the
castle and will reinforce Ashford Castle as the most
luxurious destination hotel in all of Ireland.
To support the enhanced offerings at the hotel, the staff
levels will be significantly increased, boosting
employment within the local area. All new and existing staff will
undertake Red Carnation's award-winning training and
development programs to ensure that the service delivery
across the hotel is second to none. In addition, local
artisans and suppliers have been identified, to help
ensure we support them and to give back to
our local communities, as The Red Carnation Hotel
Collection is always committed to doing. For example, the in-room
amenities will be by organic skincare range VOYA from nearby County
Sligo, to reflect the hotel's unique environment.
Remaining a constant throughout the entire
refurbishment program will be Ashford's award-winning
General Manager Niall Rochford and his
fantastic team. Mr. Rochford has presided at
Ashford Castle for nearly 12 years and was recently awarded the
prestigious "Hotel Manager of the Year
2013" by the Irish Hospitality Institute Founders.
Jonathan Raggett, Managing Director of The
Red Carnation Hotel Collection, noted:
At Red Carnation Hotels, our guest service proposition is 'No request too large, no detail too small' and actually this philosophy can be applied to everything we do, with the restoration of Ashford Castle being a prime example. Mrs. Tollman and her wonderful team have looked at the needs of Ashford Castle from top to bottom, inside and out and have put together a refurbishment program that is truly out of this world. It will take Ashford Castle to another level, beyond its already world-class standards. I've been part of Red Carnation for more than 15 years and have genuinely never been more excited and more proud of what we're going to achieve there.
Ashford Castle celebrates its 75th anniversary as a hotel
in 2014, so it is timely that a significant part of the
comprehensive restoration program will be complete for this
auspicious landmark. The renovation will protect and enhance this
iconic property for the next 75 years, and beyond.
About The Red Carnation Hotel Collection
The Red Carnation Hotel Collection is an award-winning collection of five-
and four-star family-run boutique hotels in London, Dorset,
Guernsey, Geneva, Palm Beach, South Africa and Ireland. Each
property has its own individual character and unique location that
reflects the local environment, culture and cuisine. They all share
the qualities central to The Red Carnation's ethos that win them so
many prestigious awards -
splendid luxury, generous hospitality, inventive and traditional
cuisine, private art collections, passionate service and loyal
staff committed to creating richly rewarding experiences for all
their guests.
For more information about The Red Carnation Hotel Collection, please call toll free from the USA/Canada 1.877.955.1515 or from Europe, Australia and New Zealand at + 800.1698.8740. Visit us at www.redcarnationhotels.com">www.redcarnationhotels.com or email book@rchmail.com.
Image Download:
For up-to-date, high resolution images,
please visit The Red Carnation Image Library at
media.redcarnationhotels.com.
About The TreadRight Foundation
The Red Carnation Hotel
Collection is a part of a joint initiative with The TreadRight
Foundation, a not-for-profit foundation established by The Travel Corporation to encourage
sustainable tourism within our own family of brands and in the
places we visit. To date, TreadRight has donated more than US $2
million to sustainable tourism projects around the world. To find
out more about our work with TreadRight visit: www.TreadRight.org">www.TreadRight.org.
Red Carnation Hotels - Because We Care