Sarah LesslerA Galway Estate with an Orient Express Twist
Ireland’s equestrian travelers will find a rare blend of horseback adventure and Michelin-starred indulgence at Glenlo Abbey, a historic country estate on the shores of Lough Corrib just outside Galway.
Just outside Galway City, on a 138-acre estate sloping down toward the shores of Lough Corrib, Glenlo Abbey is one of Ireland’s most quietly distinguished country-house hotels. Built in 1740 as the ancestral home of the Ffrench family, the manor house combines Georgian grandeur with a five-star ease that locals will tell you took generations to perfect. Open fires, gilt mirrors, and centuries-old plasterwork set the tone the moment you walk in.
The rooms and suites are dressed in soft tweeds, warm woods, and Irish linens. Many overlook the rolling estate, a championship 9-hole golf course, and the silvery sweep of Lough Corrib beyond. The hotel’s most-talked-about feature isn’t a room at all. It’s The Pullman, Ireland’s most unique Michelin-starred restaurant set inside two beautifully restored Orient Express carriages parked permanently in the grounds. Tasting menus draw from the estate, the surrounding farms, and the rich Atlantic coast, all served at white-linen tables that once rolled through Istanbul and Monte Carlo.
Activities lean naturally toward the land. Guided horseback treks can be arranged to take you along the shoreline of Lough Corrib through woodland and along ancient drovers’ paths, while falconry, fly-fishing for wild brown trout, and golf are arranged on the estate. Wellness is anchored by the Glo Spa, with treatments drawing on ELEMIS and Irish seaweed-based therapies.
Add a soft Galway evening, a pint of something local, and a fire that never quite goes out, and you have the makings of a stay that will earn its way onto next year’s itinerary too.
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