Ashford Castle Hotel is located in Mayo County, in the village of Cong, Ireland. The 800-year-old medieval castle served as the principal stronghold for Anglo-Norman de Burgo. The castle has a long history and changed hands many times. In 1715, the Browne family added a French chateau-design to the castle. In 1852, under the ownership of the famous Guinness brewery family, the lands were extended to 26,000 acres, two Victorian extensions were created, and the buildings were renovated in the neo-gothic style. The Lodge at Ashford Castle was added in 1865, and in 1868, Ashford’s son Sir Benjamin rebuilt the west wing. When Arthur Guinness died in 1915, the castle went to the Iveagh Trust. In 1939, Noel Huggard purchased Ashford Castle and transformed it into a luxury hotel. In 1985, a group of Irish American investors purchased the castle hotel. In 2013, Red Carnation Hotels purchased the estate and refurbished the hotel. The five-star castle hotel sits on a 350-acre estate with boutiques, a wellness and spa center, a salon, six restaurants, a bar, wine tasting tunnels, a billiards room, a cigar terrace, a cinema, and much more. The hotel offers many activities including, tennis, fishing, horseback riding, clay shooting, archery, falconry, an off-roading course, a nine-hole golf course, and more. Ashford Castle Hotel has 83 bedrooms and suites and a hideaway cottage located on the shores of Lake Corrib. The castle hotel serves as a venue for wedding and corporate events.
