23 June 2022
By Elaine Murphy
elaine@TheCork.ie
Ballymaloe House in East Cork has just completed a major investment by upgrading many of their guestrooms. The hotel, which is famous for having the original ‘farm to fork’ dining experience, is encouraging guests to disconnect from the world this Autumn/Winter. They have just completed a series of room upgrades which have transformed many of their guest bedrooms and suites.
One of the rooms which has undergone a transformation is “The Green Drawing Room” which was formerly Myrtle Allen’s office, and which is strategically positioned with an ideal view of the front door. In the room, the antique green flock wallpaper, which dates circa 1960 has been lovingly restored by inhouse fine artist Gentian Lulani.
Ballymaloe House
Photo Joleen Cronin
The Mallard, which is a Classic Garden Room and Kingfisher, Heritage Room category, are also two new rooms at the top of the house created from the development of The Allen Flat – where Myrtle and Ivan Allen used to live. These rooms can be individually booked but also make a fabulous family suit including a common area housing Myrtle’s impressive bookcase of cookbooks dating back to the 1940s.
Superior rooms downstairs in the house have their own patio doors and for summer 2022 there will be a basket with rug, lantern, and wine and cheese menu in each of these five rooms for summer evening to be enjoyed privately looking over the back garden and Ballymaloe pond.
The hotel just launched its ‘Disconnect to Reconnect’; packages. They also recently introduced their Conservatory Lunches which are light lunches available to residents and non-residents alike in their beautiful conservatory from 1pm to 3pm daily.
General Manager at Ballymaloe House, Laura Behan said: “Ballymaloe House is known internationally as the birthplace of modern Irish Cuisine due to our famous visionary founder Myrtle Allen. Myrtle’s inspiring ethos for serving seasonal, homegrown and locally sourced produce since opening her restaurant in 1964, earned her global recognition and credit for a philosophy that has since been widely adopted by modern chefs. It also earned her Ireland’s first female chef’s Michelin star, in 1975.”
Ballymaloe House is in East Cork on 300 acres of farmland and country house gardens. It is still owned by the Allen family and Myrtle’s daughter offers residents complimentary house and family history tours. Ballymaloe House continues to offer the very best of Irish hospitality and seasonal locally sourced food and retains its reputation as an original Irish country house experience.
Ballymaloe House is conveniently located only 35 minutes from Cork city and only 2.5 hours from Dublin. They also have an outdoor heated swimming pool, sandpit by the front terrace, slide, tarmac tennis court, working farm to visit, TV room and Children’s treasure hunt around the gardens and farm.
