Contact Modify Booking
BOOK
Skip to main content
      • 800 years of hospitality
      • Reasons to love Ashford Castle
      • The Ashford Castle community
      • Our partners & suppliers
      • Live webcam
      • Image gallery
      • Sustainability
      • The Red Carnation Hotel Collection
      • Awards & accolades
      • Location & directions
      • Families
      • Pets
      • Meet our team
      • Covid-19 update
      • Accessibility
      • FAQs
      • Rooms
      • Suites
      • Hideaway Cottage
      • Offers
      • Gifts
      • Discover all activities
      • Falconry
      • Traditional boat trips
      • Lake cruising
      • Walking & hiking
      • Estate gardens
      • Family activities
      • Fishing
      • Equestrian
      • Tennis
      • Golf
      • Clay shooting & archery
      • Zip-lining & tree climbing
      • Cycling & kayaking
      • Stand up paddle boarding
      • Cultural experiences
      • The Cinema
      • Meet the makers
      • A taste of the West of Ireland
      • Ireland's ancient music & story
      • The real Connemara
      • Dining & drinks
      • What's on
      • Breakfast
      • Afternoon Tea
      • Private dining
      • Midleton Whiskey
      • Our partners & suppliers
      • George V Dining Room
      • The Dungeon
      • Cullen's at the Cottage
      • The Drawing Room
      • Stanley's
      • The Connaught Room
      • The Prince of Wales Bar
      • The Billiards Room & Cigar Terrace
      • Wine tasting
      • Wellness & Spa
      • Spa facilities
      • The Salon
      • Spa brands
      • Spa etiquette
      • FAQs
      • Spa enquiry
      • Weddings
      • Conferences & meetings
      • Shopping at Ashford Castle
      • Mrs Tea's Boutique and Bakery
      • The Boutique at Ashford Castle
      • The gift shop
      • Gift vouchers
  • Discover
Loading...
    Select Date

    THE OLD GOVERNMENT HOUSE HOTEL & SPA

    Sitting proudly just up the hill from the main shopping street and a five-minute walk from the picturesque St Peter Port quayside, The Old Government House Hotel & Spa offers the perfect welcome in this beautiful, balmy corner of the British Isles.

    Meet the flagbearers of traditional Irish culture

    Enquire now
    Ashford castle Spa background pattern

    Discover the mountains & valleys: Itinerary 1

    Man weaving a basket

    The basket maker

    Meet the most accomplished custodian of Ireland’s oldest craft. Over time his skills have evolved to make both traditional baskets and contemporary art pieces. Learn the skills and patience required as you help to weave a basket under the weaver’s personal tutelage.

    View of a road track winding up a mountain

    The historian

    Walk the lonely glens and mountains of the west of Ireland with one of its most accomplished archaeologists. Take a journey through the annals of time, visiting ancient and sacred sites where our historian will bring the lives of the people who lived here to life.

    mand playing on a flute

    The musician

    Complete your afternoon at a music-filled session in an Irish family pub. Meet the various musicians and hear how they interpret the rich Irish musical tradition. Pull your own pint of Guinness and while away the afternoon to lively jigs and reels.

    Discover the coast: Itinerary 2

    Boat Sailing on the sea

    The boat & crew

    Join the crew of a traditional Galway hooker sailing boat for a magical sailing experience in the sheltered bays of south Connemara. Hoist the sail of this beautiful piece of maritime history and discover intimate island bays and beaches.

    Ruins of a castle in Connamera

    The historian

    Uncover the tangled history of some of the uninhabited islands in this remote corner of Ireland. Our passionate historian will bring you on a journey of battles, pilgrimages and famine. You will leave with a richer understanding of life in this beautiful part of the west coast.

    Man holding an Irish Flute

    The musician

    Meet an accomplished traditional Irish musician and instrument maker. Listen to the haunting airs and lively jigs at the island source of his ancestors, with only the Atlantic breeze and the sounds of seabirds as a distraction.

    Stay in touch

    Sign-up to our newsletter

    Subscribe to receive the latest news, announcements, and special offers

    We are proud to be part of a number of select and exclusive collections and memberships that share our values of outstanding service, exceptional guest experiences and generous hospitality.

    Forbes Five-Star Award
    • Careers
    • Legal
    • Contact us
    • Covid-19 update
    • Media
    • Covid privacy notice

    London

    • Hotel 41
    • The Milestone Hotel & Residences
    • The Rubens at the Palace
    • The Egerton House Hotel
    • The Chesterfield Mayfair
    • The Montague on the Gardens

    Dorset

    • Summer Lodge Country House Hotel & Restaurant
    • The Acorn inn

    Ireland

    • Ashford Castle
    • The Lodge at Ashford Castle
    • Hatch Hall

    Edinburgh

    • 100 Princes Street

    Guernsey

    • The Old Government House Hotel & Spa
    • The Duke of Richmond Hotel

    South Africa

    • Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve & Wellness Retreat
    • The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa
    • The Oyster Box

    Botswana

    • Xigera Safari Lodge

    Geneva

    • Hotel d'Angleterre

    Florida

    • The Chesterfield Palm Beach

    By using this site you are accepting our use of cookies to help provide the best possible service & experience.
    Please refer to our privacy and cookie policy to read more about the cookies we use and how to change your settings.