High-end luxury, exquisite interiors and superb personalised service define Ashford Castle, once home to the Guinness family. Old-world elegance is everywhere, from the vaulted wine cellars and refined billiard room to the state-of-the-art spa. The 140-hectare estate is home to horse riding, fishing, falconry and golf, and eating options range from fine dining to afternoon tea.
Ashford Castle
County Mayo
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
7.97 MILES
The 'Fighting O'Flahertys' were based at this superbly preserved 16th-century fortress 4km east of Oughterard. The clan controlled the region for hundreds…
27.21 MILES
Immediately southeast of Letterfrack, Connemara National Park spans 2000 dramatic hectares of bog, mountains, heath and woodlands.
20.66 MILES
Exhibits at this modern, three-floor museum engagingly convey the city's archaeological, political, cultural and social history. Look out for an iconic…
15.42 MILES
Imposing Ballintubber Abbey is the only church in Ireland founded by an Irish king that remains in use. It's reputed to have been established in 1216 next…
24.97 MILES
Photogenically perched on the shores of Pollacapall Lough, 4km east of Letterfrack, Kylemore is a crenellated 19th-century neo-Gothic fantasy. It was…
29.89 MILES
Book ahead to watch chocolate being made in small batches using rare Trinitario cacao beans and raw sugar on a 45-minute tour of this heavenly smelling…
National Museum of Country Life
24.41 MILES
The extensive and engrossing displays of this riverside museum delve into Ireland's fascinating rural traditions and skills. It's set in a modern,…
12.6 MILES
With towering walls engulfed in ivy and empty windows, Moore Hall is an astonishing and atmospheric ruin. Set beside Lough Carra, it was built in the…
Nearby County Mayo attractions
0.3 MILES
Just beyond Cong Abbey, the village abruptly ends and the woodlands surrounding Ashford Castle begin. First built in 1228 as the seat of the de Burgo…
0.4 MILES
This small and roofless 16th-century monk's fishing house juts out into the River Cong just south of the bridge, designed so monks could haul their catch…
0.41 MILES
The evocatively weathered shell of Cong's 12th-century Augustinian abbey is scored by a cross-hatch of lines from centuries of exposure to the elements…
0.46 MILES
Modelled on Sean Thornton's White O' Morn' Cottage from The Quiet Man film, the museum offers a location tour – good for film fanatics and those with a…
0.92 MILES
Just west of the village is the water-filled Captain Webb's Hole. Two centuries ago, a local villain, nicknamed Captain Webb for the deformity of his…
1.08 MILES
This cave, in a pine forest about 1.5km west of Cong, can be reached via a signposted walking loop from the abbey. Steep, slippery stone steps lead down…
3.49 MILES
The largest island on Lough Corrib, Inchagoill lies about 5km offshore from the lake's edge, some 8km north of Oughterard. The island is a lonely place…
7.97 MILES
The 'Fighting O'Flahertys' were based at this superbly preserved 16th-century fortress 4km east of Oughterard. The clan controlled the region for hundreds…