Capella Castlemarytr
In the countryside setting in East Cork, a magical luxury resort has recently opened. Capella Castlemartyr is a distinctive new five star hotel and golf resort, with destination spa. The setting is magical: on the grounds of an estate of a 13th century castle, built around a 17th century manor home. Capella Castlemartyr was built with careful attention to preserving the properties original character. Gracious and comfortable throughout, Castlemartyr as they say helps define a new standard of luxury in Ireland.
Capella Castlemartyr has a total of 109 guest rooms, configured in a mind numbing variety-- Standard, Deluxe, Capella Rooms, Royal Suites, Grand Suites and a Presidential Suite-- providing, as you would expect, steps up the luxury (and price) ladder. Eleven guest rooms and suites are located in the Manor House. Across all classes, guests enjoy luxury, comfort and spaciousness. Room sizes are immense, ranging from 500 sq ft to a massive 3000 sq ft in the Presidential Suite. Most all the rooms feature lots of splashy mod cons like a computer next to your king size bed (in the suites) controlling all the rooms functions. And there’s rain forest showers, LCD televisions, wireless Internet access, refreshment centre and double vanities.
As with everything else about the place, dining at Capella is upscale and exquisite. Breakfast and afternoon tea is served in the Garden Room. Knights Bar, with its carefully restored ornate Rococo ceiling, is a stunning space. A famous English travel writer once described it as "the best room in Ireland,” so sit back and enjoy sampling from Capella’s collection of premier whiskeys. And no one would think the less of you if you ordered a fine stout.
Capella Castlemartyr storied history provides a strong incentive to experience the place. The estate contains the ruins of the original castle, from which the village takes its name. Built in 1210 under the leadership of Richard Earl de Clare, more commonly known as Strongbow, the original castle and its lands belonged to the Knights Templar, formed by Maurice Fitzgerald, the Earl of Desmond, a lineage that is portrayed in the resort's coat of arms, featuring a templar cross. The lands were later forfeited to the crown. At one stage Sir Walter Raleigh owned Castlemartyr, before being sold to Richard Boyle, the first Earl of Cork. Castlemartyr. The Boyles owned the land for 300 years and commissioned the magnificent manor house.
Like so many hotels of its kind, Capella Castlemartyr features a destination spa. Auriga Spa sets a high standard of excellence, with 10 treatment rooms, Spa & Pool Café and 24-hour fitness centre. Also a 65 ft / 20 m Ozone treated indoor swimming pool, vitality pools, saunas, couples and VIP suites, even an Organic Pharmacy.
Not everyone who comes to Castlemartyr is there to luxuriate and be pampered. For Capella also features an 18 hole inland links style parkland course, designed by Ron Kirby. From all accounts the course provides superb challenge, equaling the high standards Kirby set in designing the Old Head in Kinsale.
Capella Castlemartyr provides a magical escape, yet its extremely convenient to Cork City, just 20 minutes away, and is surrounded by numerous attractions. Midleton and Youghal are both close by, as is Ballycotton, with its beach and fishing harbour, and Garryvoe Beach.
