Martinstown is a charming Strawberry Hill gothic style cottage ornée, just south east of the Curragh in County Kildare, the centre of Ireland’s bloodstock industry and home to the country’s premier race courses.  The house was built in the 1830s as a shooting and hunting lodge by the Borrowes family and, along with the lodges to Dublin’s Phoenix Park, is the only known Irish oeuvre of the distinguished English architect, Decimus Burton.

Martinstown House is situated in its own miniature park, with many fine old trees enclosed by stone walls giving a sense of privacy and exclusivity to your stay. The rooms all have views over the park and farm lands, and have private bathrooms. The whole house is beautifully decorated with an informal elegance which gives it a particularly welcoming atmosphere. Outside there is a well-maintained walled garden, a croquet lawn and an icehouse, and there are cattle, sheep, a donkey (called Clancy), and a flock of extremely free-range hens.

The owners, the Booth family, are accomplished hosts who insist on the highest standards for their home. This is amply evident from the decoration and maintenance of both house and garden, and in the way in which meals are chosen, prepared and served.

In addition to The Curragh, the capital of Irish flat racing, nearby race courses include Naas and Punchestown, and there are several challenging golf courses within easy reach, including the K Club, venue for the recent Ryder Cup. Kildare Cathedral and Round Tower, the National Stud and the Japanese Gardens are just 4 miles away; Russborough House and the Wicklow Mountains are within easy reach, and both Dublin and Dublin airport are both within an hour’s drive from Martinstown House.

Directions:

From Dublin take the M7 south, then the M9 to the Kilcullen exit. Turn right onto the N78 (towards Athy) for 1 mile until you reach a crossroads with a sign-post for Martinstown to the right. Then follow the signs. Find us on Google Maps

Sat Nav

N 53°10757 or N 53°06.460
W 68°2204 or W 6°49.327