Relaxation at its finest.

Have you had a mental few weeks? Me too... so when I received an email inviting me down to Ballygarry House Hotel and Spa I literally jumped at the chance. Nestled in the outskirts of Tralee, the hotel is a tranquil getaway with breathtaking views as well as comfy nooks and crannies. I brought my BFF, Claire, for a girly weekend and I have to say when the trip was over, we didn't want to leave. On the way up there, my phone battery decided to die, my car phone charger decided to stop working and the weather decided to spit out lots rain. Not ideal. After winging it with directions (it's surprisingly easy to find), we arrived and were ready to relax. We were greeted by a lovely receptionist called Leona who gave us all the information we needed for our time in the hotel. Claire and I dropped off our bags and headed to the spa. Finally.

The Spa

After a full tour of the Nádúr Spa (it is glorious), we headed to the outside Jacuzzi. The sun came out and we were served glasses of champagne. A lovely added extra to make us feel glam AF. The next day we went back to the spa for massages before our drive home. I went for the Lava Sea Shell massage and couldn't recommend it enough. The tiger clam shells are used to give such a relaxing massage, full of heat, which really relieves any built up tension. The polished shells are heated from the inside using a mixture of lava dust, sea kelp, sea salt and purified water. It was pure relaxation.

The Restaurant

After getting ourselves ready in the room, we headed to Restaurant 58. We were sat right by the window which overlooks the stunning views of the hotel grounds and mountains behind. For starter I went for the 12 hour braised pork belly which came with a poached egg, crispy rashers on top and a side of rocket. My friend opted for the Annascaul pudding parcel with red onion marmalade and bramley apple veloute. Both starters were delicious, and the plating was also excellent. Happy out with our starters, we both went for the fillet steak for our main course (we had to). It was cooked just the way we liked it (medium-rare, if you must know) and came with the most scrumptious sides of roasted veg and garlic butter. We were FULL after those two courses. SO full. But, we had dessert. We went for the cappuccino creme bruleé and it was the perfect ending to the meal. The next morning, we both went for full Irish breakfasts. There is so much to choose from on the breakfast menu and there's also a self catering section, but I always feel the need to get a full Irish when I'm staying away from home. The wait staff in the restaurant were next to none. They were so attentive and kind, and made the whole experience extra special.

The hotel

After our huge feed on the evening of our arrival, I desperately needed to walk it off so we went for a stroll around the grounds of the hotel. Around the back of Restaurant 58 is a beautiful water fountain which is lit up with lanterns and has an abundance of hidden gems dotted beside it. We happily took in the sights, while of course taking a few pictures, and settled ourselves down on a picnic bench to take it all in. The room we stayed in was called the The Aoise Suite which was above and beyond glamorous (we felt like we were in an episode of Dynasty). It comes with a spacious lounge area and a big bathroom which features a Jacuzzi bath, power shower, heated towel rails and a double vanity unit. It also has an iDock station so you can play some tunes while getting ready (we did, of course), as well as a TV, a Nespresso coffee maker and an iPad - so we were absolutely spoiled. From the serene views, to the delicious food and stunning hotel suite, Ballygarry House Hotel and Spa is the perfect place to get away from the busy world and focus on being relaxed, full and happy.