Rialto
Portlaoise

Ballyfin Demesne

A Relais And Chateaux hotel. Rialto is a Virtuoso agency and can provide VIP access and offers.

With a glorious history that includes a painstaking, nine-year restoration, Ballyfin regains its throne as one of Ireland’s most lavish country retreats. Reigning over a sprawling 614-acre estate dotted with follies and grottoes, this 20-bedroom Regency manor house has been authentically refurbished, from the Chippendale mirrors right down to the antique mosaic floors. The estate also has a newly renovated one-bedroom Gardener's Cottage. Michelin Star Food is sourced from the garden and local farms. Activities range from falconry, and fishing the tranquil lake to enjoying costume experience and whiskey tastings in the cellar.

Ballyfin, 00000 Portlaoise, Ireland
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About Ballyfin Demesne

Insider tip

A Horse & Carriage tour of the estate or Picnic House Experience with wood stove overlooking the Irish Countryside Guests can enjoy a complimentary Daily House and History Tour

In the hotel’s own words

Ballyfin Demesne has long been admired as one of Ireland's Greatest Country Houses, a regency period mansion located on 614 acres, it is a place of history and romance, of tranquillity and great natural beauty. Located one hour from Dublin and 70 minutes from Shannon Airport it is a true destination in the heart of Ireland.

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With only twenty rooms plus A One Bedroom Cottage, this 5 star luxury property is like nothing else. Ballyfin combines magnificence and intimacy in its State Rooms. The decoration of these interiors has long been acclaimed as among the finest of the Neoclassical and Empire periods in Ireland. Each guestroom and suite is individually named and styled.

From the enormous Saloon at the heart of the house, to the eighty-foot Library which runs the length of its south façade, the State Rooms make for a glorious backdrop to a stay in the house. The Library is perfect for whiling away a few hours with plenty of quiet corners for conversation. Alternatively guests may enjoy the elegance of the Drawing Room, with its French inspired decoration and beautiful ceiling of rich stucco work, the grandeur of the Saloon, or the informality of the sun-filled Conservatory, reached through a secret door hidden in a bookshelf of the Library.

The estate is fabled for its natural and man-made beauties and, as the house is open to residents only, Ballyfin offers a perfect opportunity for rest, tranquillity and outdoor activities.

Dining Ballyfin can be centred around truly outstanding gastronomic experiences with our Michelin Starred dining. Our menus are curated and designed from what we grow in our 8 acre walled gardens on the estate. From Full Irish Breakfast to a delicious three course lunch of your choice and onwards into the evening with our Michelin Starred Dining. Lunch in the summer months is served in our Richard Turner Conservatory featuring over 4000 panes of glass overlooking the waterfall. Our Cellar Bar offers a more casual experience to enjoy the house.

Activities & Experiences

Ballyfin Demesne offers a full range of experiences and outdoor pursuits including clay pigeon shooting, private garden tour, falconry, picnic house experience, costume experience, horse riding, horse & carriage experience, wine tasting and whiskey tasting experience, paddleboard, kayaking, hiking, nature walks, spa treatments, mountain biking, swimming pool, gym, vitality pool, spa treatments, Gaelic games and many more.

Key highlights: Complimentary Daily History Tour, Flambeed Irish Coffee, Picnic House Experience and our Signature Costume Experience

Recent accolades include; Three Michelin Keys 2024, One Star Michelin 2025, Best Resort UK&Ireland Travel & Leisure 2024

We welcome child 9 years +

We welcome Exclusive buyouts (no age restriction)

VIP Hotel Program · Invitation-only

Virtuoso benefits, included

All 976 Virtuoso hotels →

Virtuoso is an invitation-only network of luxury travel agencies. VIP rates generally meet or beat the hotel's website rates and include this hotel's own Virtuoso amenities below.

  • Room upgrade on arrival, based on availability
  • Daily breakfast for two per bedroom
  • $100 hotel credit per stay
  • Additional $200 credit on stays of 7+ nights
  • Early check-in and late check-out, based on availability

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Rooms and suites

5 room types, as described by the hotel.
Rooms
1Single
Every room and each suite in the house offers an impressive array of amenities, specially chosen to give our guests a sense of Irish tradition and hospitality.
2Deluxe
3State
4Junior Suite
Beautiful Junior Suites with views across the lake. One Junior suite has a private balcony overlooking the courtyard. Every room in the house offers an impressive array of amenities, specially chosen to give our guests a sense of Irish tradition and hospitality.
Suites
5Suite

Frequently Asked Questions

Does booking through Rialto cost more than booking with the hotel?

No - VIP rates under Virtuoso always meet or beat hotel's public, flexible rate, and provide valuable amenities and possible upgrades. Rialto also provides the hotel's non-VIP and corporate rates, so you can compare with full transparency.

What is the value of the VIP benefits?

Daily breakfast for two plus the $100 hotel credit come with every stay at this hotel - adding $100-200/day in value. A room upgrade could also be worth a substantial amount, in addition to early check-in / late check-out benefits when available.

How does this compare to other programs, like through AMEX Fine Hotels & Resorts, or Chase Edit?

Using a hotel's own VIP program may provide higher upgrade priority, additional VIP benefits and promotional rate offers, and a direct relationship with the hotel for special requests. Rialto offers more VIP hotels than any credit card program. In addition, Chase Edit rates can be substantially more expensive as they rarely run promotions whereas AMEX rates are often comparable but do not offer programs such as Upgrade at Booking.

Can my AI assistant book this hotel?

Yes. Connect Rialto to Claude or ChatGPT and ask for rates. You finish the booking on a secure Rialto page. Card details are not sent through the AI chat, so either you would approve the final checkout step and reconfirm all the information, or if you authorize your agent with Computer-Use permissions, it can fill out the checkout form as well.

Rates are shown to members

Rialto is invitation-only. Apply for access and hear back within 24 hours.

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