Chic boutique Limerick hotels for a stylish stay

Tucked away in Limerick’s historic Georgian Quarter, the boutique hotel at No 1 Pery Square houses an indulgent spa. Venture down to the Grade I listed building’s vaulted cellar to discover this subterranean escape. Here, treatments leave the skin with a nature-infused glow thanks to VOYA products, all of which are made from organic ingredients such as tropical fruit extracts and antioxidant algae.

Try a thermal session and flit from the Finnish sauna to the scented steam room and mist showers before finishing in the zen garden. Alternatively, the moisturising peat bath using hand-picked seaweed is a truly Irish experience; follow it with the spiced mud wrap or a body brushing as part of the dreamy Voyager Massage.

Dress for dinner and head downstairs to the hotel’s casual-chic restaurant. Sash – a reference to the windows found in Georgian townhouses – uses seasonal fruit and vegetables from its own kitchen garden. Meals have a no-nonsense, refined appeal: think updated classics such as lemon-infused roast chicken with bacon and pearl barley stuffing or porcini and thyme risotto.

The wine list incorporates old-world classics alongside harder-to-find tipples such as Laski (a rich Slovenian white) and the sweet Fuga Mundi, to pair with dessert. Pick up a bottle at the artisanal shop to savour the memory of your trip at home.

For after-dinner drinks, take a peek at The Park Room’s specialist gin menu, a nod to the region’s juniper-growing tradition. Dingle Gin, pot-stilled in nearby County Kerry, sits behind the bar with traditional English varieties such as Tanqueray and Hendrick’s.

The hotel’s 20 rooms offer delightfully idiosyncratic décor and cosy comfort. There are four heritage-inspired options, each named after an illustrious former resident of the building. Book the Vanderkiste and Lord Barrington rooms and you’ll be able to trace their footsteps up the original staircase before opening the door to admire hand-drawn Sanderson wallpaper and floral-painted dressing screens. In the Lady Barrington or Pery rooms, roll-top baths and gilt and brass beds await you; relax here and take in views of the lush garden and terrace.

The moment you step through the pillars of the Mustard Seed’s grand porch, you’ll notice that a country-chic aesthetic permeates throughout this converted 19th-century convent. In the Art Deco-style rooms, look out for retro touches in the floral wallpaper as well as vintage furnishings such as carved fireplaces, four-poster beds and mahogany writing desks.

Suites benefit from countryside panoramas, spacious private lounges with coal-effect fires and kitchenettes. Gilchrist & Soames toiletries are lined up in the bathroom and a session with a Thai masseuse can be booked to soothe your muscles.

With views of Knockfierna, the tallest peak in Ireland’s mid-west region, and a 10 minute drive from the thatched cottages of Adare Village (known for its quaint boutiques, art galleries and antique stores), this destination is the ideal spot for a peaceful weekend away.

There are ample opportunities to embrace the great outdoors, with fishing and horse-riding day trips arranged by the hotel. Walk along the River Maigue, passing the crumbling ruins of Desmond Castle, built in 1500, along the way; then drive further afield for the famous sights of Ireland’s southwest, such as the crag-lined Dingle Peninsula coastline and the lakes of Killarney. If you prefer to stay closer to home, a stroll across the Mustard Seed’s 7 acres of manicured lawns and wooded land provides enough exercise and fresh air to help you work up an appetite.

This hotel keeps its own kitchen garden where vegetables, herbs – and even eggs, courtesy of the hen house – are sourced for use in the restaurant. Having won numerous awards for its Irish-inspired cuisine and attentive service, this eatery is a must-visit during your stay.

If you’re travelling midweek, a Twilight Dinner of delights such as Ballinwillin rump lamb with green pickled tomatoes or free-range guinea fowl with foie gras mousse is held every evening from Sunday to Friday. For breakfast, the culinary pendulum swings from artistically plated dishes to hearty cooking. You’ll feast on freshly baked bread, slathered in jam made with home-grown fruit, preparing you for the full day of activities ahead.

The George’s central location on Limerick’s O’Connell Street, the city’s main thoroughfare, allows you to step out to see the sights – from the medieval St Mary’s Cathedral to the grandiose Georgian houses of St John’s Square – and return to rest in between.

As you’re relaxing, admire the décor – a fusion of neutral hues pepped up by striking golds and greens. Comfort is key, too, with blackout curtains installed for a longer lie-in and smooth cotton linens on the beds. Fluff your pillows and sit back on yours with one of the speciality teas provided in-room, or brew up a coffee in your French press while reading a complimentary newspaper of your choice.

The hotel’s Italian-run bar and restaurant, the Da Vincenzo Food and Wine Hall, is just the place to linger over a long lunch beneath its pyramidic glass ceiling outlined by a cartoon-inspired mural in striking black and white. Potted plants and pared-back furniture add a Scandi-style twist to the room, enlivened by stools in contrasting colours.

Dine on Mediterranean sharing platters of cured hams, Italian cheese and plump green olives accompanied by one of more than 200 wines available. All the restaurant’s ingredients can be purchased from its deli.

Stock up on artisan-made pasta, authentic Modena balsamic vinegar and buffalo mozzarella here to recreate its delectable dishes in your own kitchen. You may even be inspired to craft a culinary creation to rival the house signature – a Neapolitan pizza fresh from the stone oven.

There are also approximately 40 gins sourced from across the globe on the menu, which bartenders skillfully combine with blood oranges, lemons, limes and other citrus fruits, and even herbs like rosemary.

No matter what the occasion, be it a hen party, birthday or just a girly getaway, this gorgeous spa hotel situated by the Abbey River in Limerick’s medieval quarter never fails to deliver.

Situated on the site of an old Franciscan monastery, the hotel’s 99 individually designed bedrooms are decorated in a quirky, modern style. Go the extra (fashionable) mile and stay in The Chic Suites which come with a separate living area, two plasma TVs and your very own private balcony.

Make the most of al-fresco riverside dining on the hotel’s outdoor terrace. You’ll have your pick of craft beers and cocktails, including Prosecco Frizzante on tap, plus a generous selection of Irish gins (Drumshanbo Gunpowder, Dingle, Blackwater No.5 and Cork Dry Gin).

Planning to hit the town? Get the full make-over treatment at Vanilla Browns, the hotel’s spa, hair salon and beauty clinic. Relax with a facial or massage, or get all dolled up with some HD makeup.