Staycation on Ireland’s East Coast

#TheGreatEscape 2021.

With travel restrictions are still in place, Irish Staycations continue to be big business…

We know that many of you are mourning a trip to the airport and the excitement of heading off to your favourite destination in Spain, Italy, or any place where the sun shines all day and you don’t have to dress for all 4 seasons. But that will be back on the agenda again soon.

In the meantime, we want to take this opportunity to remind you about the many great places and fabulous hotels we have right here at home. As part of The Great Escape campaign here at Wasted.ie, we are having a look at what is on offer to visitors in the East of the country. We have so many wonderful coastlines and cities right across Ireland, but the variety of destinations found on the East coast is hard to beat (and I am from the West coast :))

So let’s get started. Here is a small collection of hotels that we feel are well worth a visit this summer. We have chosen them not only for their great facilities, but for their commitment to sustainable practices throughout the property and their focus on sourcing local products.

Kilashee House Hotel, Naas, Co. Kildare

This great, old world hotel is only 30KMs from Ireland’s Capital with acres of splendid gardens and gloriously wild woodland and trails. The hotel has a gym and pool as well as an award winning spa on site. This is a great hotel to escape to the country, without spending too long in the car. They are offering a flexible cancellation policy right now, in case your plans change. We love the butterfly garden that they have here for many years (ahead of their time) to support biodiversity in the gardens. The hotel also has outdoor three prong plugs access for hybrid cars and electronic cars to charge onsite and the hotel has an impressive policy to reduce and recycle waste and cut back on single use products. Find them here: Kilashee House Hotel

Trinity City Hotel, Pearse St, Dublin 2

If you are looking for a weekend break (or even a one night stay) in the heart of Dublin City Centre, then the location of this hotel should be one of the first places you consider. It’s right in the centre of Dublin, but it is somehow just enough away to avoid any real city noise. The hotel is right beside Trinity College, as you may have guessed, giving you the opportunity to stroll through Trinity’s impressive gardens. For any eager shoppers, you are a few minutes walk from both Grafton St and Henry St (so you can comfortably spend time in both!). If you visit with the family, there is an abundance of activities and places to visit nearby – the EPIC Museum, National Gallery, Guinness Storehouse, Dublin Castle…and tons more places to explore.

But what really puts this place on the map for us, is the great outdoor space they have. The envy of many city centre locations, they have two fabulous large terraces serving great food and cocktails. It really is worth have a look on line, as the photos speak for themselves. Trinity City Hotel are currently offering a 20% discount on their best available rate. Check out Trinity City hotel

Powerscourt Hotel, Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow

This is probably one of Ireland’s most luxury destinations and located just 30 mins from Dublin. Set in the scenic & historic Powerscourt Estate and Gardens in Co. Wicklow, the hotel itself is situated right at the foot of the Sugar Loaf Mountain. Suffice to say that it would be hard to find a hotel with more spectacular views. With afternoon tea, great cocktails, a 2-championship golf course and an Irish Pub on site, we think it would be very difficult to leave this place.

But one of the more exciting things (for us), is the hotels Cool Planet Experience which was established in 2018 within the Powerscourt estate. It is the first climate action visitor experience in the world offering a unique interactive tour, a curriculum linked education programme, corporate training  and team building events. The Cool Planet Experience was set up with the aim of educating audiences about their carbon footprint and ways to reduce it. It’s mission is to engage, educate and INSPIRE climate action. Check out the hotel here: Powerscourt Hotel and Gardens

Marlfield House, Gorey, Co. Wexford

Set in 36 acres of woodland, Marlfield House is as tranquil a spot as you will find anywhere. With their Pond Suites and a two bedroomed cottage on offer as part of your accommodation choices, your neighbours will include peacocks, hens, dogs and ponies waiting to greet you on your garden walk.

The hotel has always grown their own produce in their kitchen garden and they source all fish and meat products locally. They pride themselves on keeping waste to a minimum and have a commitment to operating the hotel as a sustainable business. Recently, Marfield house have implemented an environmental sustainability programme with a vision to minimise their environmental footprint and maximise support for the local economy. With all that in mind, we know that the food served in all of their three restaurants is top class and many travel to the hotel just for lunch and dinner. Visit Marlfield House

The Iveagh Garden Hotel, Harcourt St, Dublin

Set on Dublin’s Harcourt St and right next door to the lovely Iveagh Gardens, this has been a favourite hotel of the Wasted.ie Team since it opened only a few short years ago. Mostly, because it is Europe’s first sustainable Hotel. The owners (The McGill family) felt strongly that the property should deliver an exceptional guest experience, while limiting the hotel’s carbon footprint and when they opened the doors in February 2018, they set out to achieve exactly that. It has the lowest carbon footprints of any Irish Hotel and is Europe’s first fully sustainable hotel.

But apart from all that wonderful stuff, this really is a fabulous space. From the minute you enter the lobby, right through the restaurant and out to the great terrace at the back, you will feel like you have been transported back to a more elegant time in history! The food is great, the opportunities for Insta stories are everywhere and the bathrooms are what every bathroom should look like. We think this should be on your list to visit this summer. They have a range of special offers on their site. Visit Iveagh Garden Hotel

The Limehouse Eco Guesthouse, Slane, Co. Meath

We had to tell you about this place set on a working organic farm just under an hour from Dublin in the heart of the Boyne Valley. This destination started out as old farm known locally as the Rock, across the river from Slane Castle. The family embraced the opportunity to delve into organic farming and today they depend on the help and advice from good friends, neighbours and other organic farmers from around the country.

This Eco Guesthouse is made up of a number of self catering facilities, where you can enjoy all the creature comforts of home with spacious communal dining, including a wood-burning stove for cool evenings. If you don’t fancy doing a grocery shop before you arrive, you can order a breakfast pack for two nights, priced at €10 for adults and €6 for kids. The pack is made up of a selection of the farm’s own produce (sausages, bacon and pudding, fresh bread, milk, cereals, tea/coffee and juices) and they offer options for vegetarians too. They also offer fantastic boxes for your own BBQ on site for €15 pp, or they will send someone to cook it for you (and they will bring salads too) for €25pp. And if BBQ is not your scene, they also provide Pizza Packs for €12 pp with all the ingredients for you to cook on their own clay pizza oven! We are there! Check them out here Rock Farm Slane

The Morgan Hotel, Temple Bar, Dublin

Now that our hospitality sector is open again, there is a buzz around Dublin City Centre that would put a smile on anyone’s face. If it’s drinks and atmosphere you crave, then take yourself right into the heart of one of the oldest parts of Dublin just off Temple Bar. The recently refurbished Morgan Hotel sits right on the cobbled streets and laneways that are lined with boutiques, galleries, restaurants and bars. Grafton St is around the corner if you fancy some shopping, but we think that you will find it hard to tear yourself away from this area.

And, get a load of this. The Morgan Hotel have announced that they are now welcoming your pet pooch to come and stay with you. Oh, we know lots of people who delighted to hear this. So, this summer, you don’t need to look for a dog-sitter as you head away for the weekend. Dog friendly rooms in The Morgan Hotel include welcome treats, a food & water bowl, a floor mat and a dog bed fit for a King or Queen. They also have doggy dining! :). Note: your doggy must weigh a max of 20kg (or be less than 15 inches in height) and you must book them in before arrival. Check out The Morgan Hotel

That’s our lot for now, but remember, there are so many great places to visit on Ireland’s beautiful and diverse east coast!

Follow us on Instagram for more great properties we find as we go.

Header Image courtesy of Engin Akyurt / Pexels