Come here for the experience. The house is ancient and magnificent, set in handsome parkland with views to the hills. It’s on the edge of town but you wouldn’t know it. Slightly daunted by the scale of it all, you meet Simon and Nicole and the daunting stops. They’re so relaxed it’s impossible to imagine them disapproving of anything; you have the run of the place. You enter via the splendid three-sided courtyard flanked with stables. A grand Gothic staircase leads to the guest lounge and first floor bedrooms, sumptuous with linen. The suite has its own kitchen, the double a four poster and vast views of Ballyhoura Mountain, and the Gothic room (twin) has a tremendous ceiling. Wander to the vast drawing room with original frieze and woodpanelling, large open fireplace and window overlooking rolling lawns. Breakfasts are glorious and served at any time; you can request lobster for dinner in the drawing room or with the family. More restoration is planned, including hand-loomed silk Gainsborough curtains for that lovely drawing room. You’ll have a grand time here.
We have stayed in many places and we never enjoyed any as much as our stay with Simon and Nicole Johnson in Ash Hill at Kilmallock. Simon and Nicole are wonderful people that made us feel very welcome. From real Irish breakfasts to engaging conversations by a fireplace with a glass of wine, we had an enchanting stay at Ash Hill that we will never forget. We feel that the Johnsons are more than hosts to us, but rather friends that we will cherish. We give our strongest positive recommendation to stay at Ash Hill. On a scale of 1 to 10 we would rate it as a 20!