Ballyfin Demesne, a five-star country house hotel that boasts a gourmet restaurant and large private estate, has been voted as the top resort in the UK and Ireland for 2024 by Travel + Leisure readers!
Every year, the publication surveys their readers, asking them to weigh in on travel experiences from around the globe. Over 186,000 people completed the 2024 survey, and a total of more than 700,000 votes were cast across over 8,700 properties.
Ireland took home four of the five spots in the UK and Ireland resort category, with Ballyfin taking the top spot at a whopping 96.22 score. The resort made headlines for hosting celebrities like Kanye West and Kim Kardashian, who honeymooned there back in 2014, and it seems that they have been upping their game ever since.
The grand Georgian manor is located in Ireland’s Slieve Bloom Mountains, and earned runner-up status on the travel magazine’s last two surveys, but has now finally made it to the top spot. One reader commented: “This was truly the most exceptional stay of my lifetime — this takes five stars to the next level.”
Spread across an incredible 614 acres, the hotel has just 20 bedrooms and one private one-bedroom cottage, offering privacy and deeply personalised service.
As well as a 14m heated indoor pool, overlooking a courtyard garden, and an impressive artwork collection, the venue offers a wide range of activities including horseback carriage rides, fishing, clay pigeon shooting, archery, and more.
Travel + Leisure Readers’ 5 Favorite Resorts in the U.K. and Ireland of 2024:
1. Ballyfin: County Laois, Ireland
Reader Score: 96.22
2. Ashford Castle: County Mayo, Ireland
Reader Score: 95.69
3. Adare Manor: County Limerick, Ireland
Reader Score: 95.45
4. The Lodge at Ashford Castle: County Mayo, Ireland
Reader Score: 95.20
5. Gleneagles: Auchterarder, Scotland
Reader Score: 93.56
You can see all the results of T+L’s World’s Best Awards 2024 here.
