“We’re not allowed to take guests into the resort by this entrance,” said the driver of my airport transfer as he approached my destination. “We need to go in by the main gate so you have the full impact of entering the hotel.”

Such are the details that are imbedded into the meticulous practices at Carton House, managed by Fairmont. It didn’t matter that my entrance was also accompanied by dripping rain that is typical of an Irish fall, nor was the occasion dampened by it in any way. Carton House is arguably one of the most highly regarded golf resorts in Ireland, and certainly a unique place just outside Dublin.

The history here is considerable and stretches back to the 12th century. Owned by the Fitzgerald family from 1176 as part of the Maynooth estate (the town nearby is called Maynooth) the 1,100-acre walled estate stretches two counties, Kildare and Meath. The name ‘Carton’ is derived from the old Irish name ‘Baile an Cairthe’ or Land of the Pillar Stone.

One of the more interesting activities guests can indulge in is a history tour of the property where you have the chance to see the room that Queen Victoria stayed in during her visits. The room is otherwise closed to public access. “Carton House, a Fairmont Managed Hotel is arguably the finest Palladian Mansion in the country set on the largest completely walled estate,” says Martin Mangan, General Manager.

“The history dates back to the 12th Century and the current house was built in 1739. Carton House, a Fairmont Managed Hotel was a family home until 1977 when the then owners Lord Brocket (2nd Baron Brocket) of Brocket Hall’s Son sold the property. The history and grandeur is unmatched anywhere else in Ireland.

“The house has been used as a film set on many occasions. Two of the films made here were Stanley Kubrick’s Barry Lyndon in 1975 and The Big Red One in 1980. Movie stars like Julie Andrews, Peter Sellers, Marianne Faithfull, Rock Hudson and many more at one point in time lived in Carton House and called it home, some while on locations and others to avoid the world.”

Who can blame them? The sense of seclusion is sublime at Carton House, and walking through the hallways, let alone the sprawling grounds, I hardly feel that there are other guests despite the place running near full capacity.

Part of the reason for the high occupancy is the revival of luxury travel in Ireland.

“Luxury travel is definitely on the rise,” Mangan attests. “There is however constrained capacity as the cost of development is very high along with suitable assets and available sites. Luxury hotels are however seeing strong growth in both transient and group demand as more and more travellers are looking for unique experiences, but yet want to feel pampered.

Carton House, a Fairmont Managed Hotel is uniquely positioned for this demand. This is a one of a kind resort with 1,100 acres and a 18th century palladian mansion as its centrepiece. It was originally developed by the Marquess of Kildare, the Duke of Leinster, to showcase his wealth and position in society. It has welcomed Queen Victoria and now welcomes the most discerning luxury traveller.”

While I hardly qualify as a “luxury traveller”, I did feel a strong sense of imposter syndrome spending the few days at the resort. Staff treat you as if there is a “Lord” or “Earl” in front of your name, and the omnipresence of civility is most enduring. It’s certainly something that one can get accustomed to rather easily. “For every guest who stays with us their experience is personal and unique, depending on the nature of their stay,” explains Mangan. “Anecdotally when I speak to our guests and when I read what they say about Carton House, a Fairmont Managed Hotel over and over they talk about our team, the people they interact with like Brian our Head Concierge who carries out our daily history tours, which is a highlight for many guests.

Our grounds, walks, gardens and the landscape which are protected and have to be experienced. The warmth of welcome and the storytelling, which we continue to work on. Our guests are curious and want to know the story behind the names of each suite or reception rooms.”

The two names behind the golf courses at Carton House don’t require any introduction. Mark O’Meara and Colin Montgomerie have put their monikers on the pair of challenging 18-hole golf courses here, both of which I had the privilege of teeing up at. The weather was brisk and bracing, and the October winds showed their teeth the two days that I played. The O’Meara Course, designed by the major winning American Mark O’Meara makes use of natural terrain in a parkland setting.

At a beefy 7,185 yards from the blue championship tees, the par-73 course meanders through ancient woodlands and skirts the banks of the river Rye, with the water beckoning somewhat magically for my errant golf balls. The course plays host to over 30,000 golfers each year, and every one of them are likely to have posed at the 18th with a historic Palladian Manor House-backdrop that just asks to be in an Instagram post.

I found the Montgomerie Course a little more suited to my lacking game. The inland links design of 7,301 yards allowed a little more leeway for my inconsistent drives, but still offered interest in the options available for at an inland links-style course.

I played a little better here, but I mostly attributed it to nicer weather, which is a major factor that affects your game every time you tee it up in Ireland. There are other ways to break into a sweat at Carton House apart from golf.

And weather doesn’t necessarily have to be a deterrent to enjoy these diversions. “Wellness is definitely changing and one thing Covid taught us was to embrace the outdoors even in a climate like Ireland, which is not just a cultural destination, but people are now visiting Ireland for our mild climate, the lack of temperature extremes, amazing air quality, long evenings and cool summers,” adds Mangan.

“We encourage our guests to embrace  the outdoors and offer Yoga retreats with our wellness ambassador Sinead Moon of Moons Yoga, we offer hiking, foraging, running, biking, walking trails and nature walks. The Royal Canal passes by our front entrance and the river Rye runs through our estate, which is a protected habitat and designated by the EU as a special area of conservation.

“Wildlife is everywhere – we have, herrings, buzzards, hawks, swans, beavers to name a few of what you can see most days and we have our own herd of wild deer on the estate. We also have our Fairmont Fit Program where we provide workout apparel and shoes upon request as well as hiking boots and suitable outer weather gear from Dubarry, a great Irish brand and a perfect partner for Carton House, A Fairmont Managed Hotel.” These are just a sprinkling of what the resort has to offer. The energetically inclined can also engage in activities like fishing, tennis, kayaking, cycling, falconry, archery and air rifle shooting, or simply take a boat trip on the Rye with an entertaining boatman who will regale you with anecdotes and nuggets of local information.

Naturally, if doing nothing is preferred, then the Carton House Spa & Wellness is the place you want to be. This wellness centre is located at the 18th century mill building, and offers every therapy you’d expect from a premier spa.

Not only does the seven treatment rooms provide luxurious settings for facials, massages and body treatments, but the 18m swimming pool, fitness room, steam and sauna lets you relax and rejuvenate on your own accord (or with a fitness instructor if you like).

In the three days I spent at Carton House, I never felt the inkling, or necessity, to leave the property for anything. Least among this was to look for food and drinks. Eating well is one of the defining elements of the Fairmont property, and they’ve gone the distance to curate distinctive restaurants here.

From the fine dining Morrison Room to the rustic Kathleen’s Kitchen, to the quaint Carriage House, and the comforts of the Courtyard Bar, Carton House offers a bit of everything, and much of it sourced within the walls of the estate. I particularly enjoyed high tea in the Gold Salon overlooking the garden. The selection of meticulously prepared sandwiches, scones and pastries, served under the grand auspices of the house’s original drawing room coving is something special.

“Because our guests are staying with us longer it’s important we continue to develop our food and beverage experience to ensure our guests don’t suffer from food fatigue,” Mangan expounds on Carton House’s culinary offerings. “In total, we have eight experiences where our guests can enjoy everything from a fine dining Michelin recommended restaurant to our polished casual gastro restaurant and bar.

We also offer some very unique experiences like our whiskey tasting located in our whiskey library and wine tasting in our working wine room, the former game room for the estate the Dukes Rest. The aristocrats of yesteryear knew how to entertain and dine and we remain very true to this.”

The marketing powerhouse behind Fairmont launched a campaign called “Just Imagine” not too long ago. It’s not difficult to understand what this means after my brief but comprehensive stay at Carton House, a Fairmont Managed Hotel. The storybook setting with modern day luxuries let my imagination venture to far-away places that border fantasy. A Singaporean Teochew-Peranakan boy living out a few days like the lord of a manor is exactly what this Fairmont initiative hopes to achieve.

“I cannot take credit for this as it was handled by our marketing and PR department, but the essence of it is to picture yourself in Carton House, a Fairmont Managed Hotel or just imagine yourself enjoying different aspects of our wonderful estate,” reveals Mangan.

“While plans to launch a campaign focused on the hotel reopening were being discussed, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic could not be overlooked. Potential guests needed to be reassured that Carton House, a Fairmont Managed Hotel is a safe space for friends, loved ones, and family. It also helped connect the resort to nature. The fact that you are talking about it four years after it was launched is testament to its success.”