Last weekend I crossed off a HUGE ticket on my Irish bucket list - visiting the beautiful Ballyfin Demense. 

Condé Nast and Travel & Leisure have named this bad boy the 'Best Hotel in the World' on numerous occasions, which blew my mind considering it's roughly 90 minutes from my apartment. It's the hotel where Kim Kardashian and Kanye West went on their honeymoon so you knowww it's gotta be good.  

I LOVE ridiculously fancy hotels so I've been dying to pay it a visit for years. The only reason I hadn't previously is because as you can imagine, the 'World's Best Hotel' comes with quite the price point. After living in Ireland this past year and experiencing one of the world's longest, strictest lockdowns I said fuck it - I DESERVE the world's best hotel. So, the minute lockdown ended, I booked a night for my BFF Lucy and I to indulge in some post-quarantine best life vibes. 



Pulling up to the hotel, you know you're in for something special. You're greeted with by a valet, a porter, and a host who pours you a glass of champagne. There was no check in process - once I introduced myself they immediately knew what room we were in and lucky for us, it was ready upon arrival. 


I'm sorry but like, can you deal!? I had seen photos of our room online but that didn't stop me from losing my SHIT once I saw it in person. It is my bougie hotel room of dreams, and yes, that bed is as heavenly as it looks. 

After quickly freshening up, we went back downstairs for afternoon tea in the 'Gold Room'. 




The Gold Room is one of the many areas of Ballyfinn designed for lounging. Every one of their spaces is perfectly decorated to be opulent yet shockingly cozy. The couches and chairs were all so plush, the carpets were thick and soft and the color palettes warm and welcoming. 

My favorite room of them all was The Library, which was overflowing with books, magazines, and board games, with beautiful big windows that look out onto the gardens. 




They also have the most amazing glass conservatory, where you can enjoy lunch while looking out at their incredible Grecian-style fountain. 




After we were full of tea we decided to explore the grounds (Ballyfinn owns over 600 acres!) and the easiest way to do that was to hop into one of their golf carts and dawdle around. They have a beautiful lake, gardens, and incredible lush forest to explore - but my favorite aspect was definitely their tower. Truthfully we didn't learn much of the history of the tower, but it's proper Rapunzel-style and offers an incredible view of the Slieve Bloom mountains. 




Once we had had our fill of the grounds, we popped over to the spa to for a dip in the pool and hot tub before sprucing up and heading down to dinner, which was quite the occasion. We dressed to impress, as did all of the other guests - not something I'm used to but so fun nonetheless. 

You're told to arrive in the lounge ahead of your meal for champagne and canapes while you browse their menu and choose between the eight-course tasting menu or the 3 course á la carte. We chose the latter, and sat in complete bliss while we devoured it all in front of a beautiful view of their garden. 


Pictured above is my delicious pistachio soufflé dessert, complete with cardamom ice cream and a glass of champagne. Ballyfinn harvests most of their own ingredients within the estate (including the pistachios for my soufflé) and it made the meal truly next-level. 

After dinner we were treated to petit fours in the Library, followed by lattes and a game of scrabble. 



Once it got late, we head up to our Stateroom where I indulged in a nice long bath using Ballyfin's signature bath bomb (yes, they have an effing bath bomb) before dozing off in the Princess bed of dreams. 



The next morning we awoke well-rested and ready for breakfast, which included eggs benedict, pancakes, bacon, smoked salmon, toast, freshly squeezed juice and coffee. Check out isn't until noon (I SO wish this was standard in every hotel) and you weren't required to leave the grounds until 3pm, so after breakfast we took the golf cart around for one last spin, followed by a quick game of tennis before biding Ballyfin adieu. 




I'm not going to lie to you, this was easily the most expensive hotel I have ever stayed at, but it was SO worth it - I would go again in a heartbeat! Ballyfin only has twenty guest rooms, which makes the experience much more Covid-friendly but also allows for a feeling of peace and intimacy. Easily the best service I have ever received at a hotel, with the friendliest staff. Despite the luxury and the gilded walls, the energy is not pretentious in any way. Would recommend to anyone looking for something extra special and luxurious, even for just a night!