More about Radisson Blu Farnham Estate Hotel, Cavan
Excellent Spa Retreat!
by A TripAdvisor Member
We stayed in the Farnham Estate Spa on the Sat and Sun nights over Valentines weekend, which coincided with our 1st wed anniv. Booked it through Active Hotels.com. I had booked a Spa treatment and the restaurant a few weeks in advance….good job too, as when we checked in the receptionist informed me that both were fully booked! The bedrooms were spacious with a modern contemporary décor. LCD TV, safe, mini bar, champagne glasses, ice bucket, massive bed etc (see photos). (there’s an ice machine on each floor down by the main lifts). Full length picture windows that gave you a lovely view of mature trees and forestry with the lake in the background! The room we had 328 had a slide away panel over the bath that you could open to the bedroom. Different! Bathroom had separate bath and shower, very nicely decorated with mosaic tiling and modern sink/unit.
The Spa, excellent facilities! We found the Saturday to be very busy, while the Sunday was quieter. Most people wear the robe and slippers provided in your room over their swimming gear, so don’t feel conscious about walking around in them! My husband found this a bit weird at first, but he soon got into it when he seen everyone dressed the same and found it so relaxing! I had the Armo full body massage, lovely! What was even nicer was the relaxation room the therapist took me to afterwards so I could lie and snooze or read my book. It was fitted out with low loungers, duvets and pillows, I could have hid away here quite happily! The infinity pool was an experience, swimming outside in the dark in warm water, lovely! There were several saunas and steam rooms as well to choose from, also wooden loungers around the pool and other areas to relax on with plenty of towels etc. They have a room on the upper floor were you can sit, relax, drink herbal tea etc and read, very pleasant!
Take suitable walking shoes as there are some lovely walks down by the lake and it’s a bit muddy if there’s any rain, but worth the walk all the same! Most people wore tracksuits to breakfast, very relaxed. Good choice of food at breakfast. The same restaurant is used at night for dinner, not a great choice of food! I have never looked at a menu and thought that I didn’t really like the choice, suppose there is a first for everything! I think it was the sauces/accompanying bits that put me off…like they didn’t go together. I took the venison and it was on a bed of beetroot/pickled cabbage, not sure which! Thought the deserts weren’t very interesting and €7.75 for 3 scoops of ice cream was a bit of a rip off! So you have been warned, have a look at the menu prior to booking! On our second night I got the very helpful receptionist to recommend a restaurant. We ate in Cavan town only 5 min drive away and went to the “Big Apple” restaurant, excellent food and choice, def recommend it!
The car park is a bit away from the hotel, but it’s a nice walk and the hotel courtesy driver isn’t ever far away! In the original building of the hotel, you can find quiet rooms to relax in with the morning papers. One of them is really different with a modern circular red couch and the most unusual light feature I have ever seen…see pics! Overall I would recommend this hotel, if you are staying 2 nights try the restaurant the 1st night just to make up your own mind, but unless they change the menu try elsewhere! The Spa is worth a visit and the main reason I chose this hotel! 5/5 for the staff..they were all very friendly and efficient! I am already thinking about booking another weekend!
Very relaxing
by TripAdvisor Member lucanIreland
Xmas present 4 my wife w/end 2 nights 1 dinner the hotel is lovely they have incorporated the old house very well check out the rooms after b/fast with a complementary paper. Bedroom was faultless loved the bed. The restaurant is the weak point dinner was bog standard hotel fare b/fast was s/service very nice but a bit chaotic short staffed and badly organized. Was advised on Trip to check out The old Post restaurant 20 mins away Spot on. The spa is the business has ruined going to Hotel/Leisure Centre for a w/end ever again. I was extremely happy coming away after the break. Front of house staff could not of been more helpful we had a ball.
First impressions will not last
by TripAdvisor Member GerryMandering
Our first impressions of this hotel, with it's unfinished grounds and distant car park, were far from positive. Despite the best intentions of the signs asking visitors to "pardon our appearance", we couldn't help but wonder if we were entering a building site or a health spa. Waiting around for the shuttle bus from the car park to reception proved too much, so we made the short journey on foot.
Upon checking in, any fear of hard-hats or scaffolding soon abated as the hotel is completely finished. It has modern, minimalist Scandinavian theme running throughout with plenty of retro-chic furniture to give the hotel a pleasantly unique look.
One piece of advice is to book a table in the restaurant a couple of days before you arrive. We arrived at 5:00pm and the only table they had free was 6:30pm, meaning we didn't have time to avail of the pool or Spa facilities before dinner.
The restaurant itself is bright, spacious and modern. We were somewhat apprehensive after reading the reviews here, but found the staff to be pleasant and courteous and the food top class. A meal for two, complete with a bottle of wine on the higher end of the scale came to a very respectable €130.
The Wine Goose cellar bar is nothing short of amazing. The front of the bar gives the impression of a modern, trendy wine bar, and further on into it are a series of alcoves, shaped out of the old cellar. In these alcoves are several couches with large, cushions and the occasional small table for two. The piped music is a suitably low level to facilitate general chat and the waiter service is generally prompt and friendly. As demonstrated by the fact that we were last to leave this bar on the night we stayed, we utterly loved it.
Overall, we would highly recommend this hotel. While we didn't get a chance to check out the pool or spa facilities, we will be back again in the not too distant future and will probably give them a go then.
This is one situation where we were glad first impressions didn't last.
Nice but...
by TripAdvisor Member Oak1
My husband and I stayed at this hotel recently, I have to say the grounds are fab but the car park is quite a way away from the entrance to the hotel and we saw no evidence of a courtesy car to help us bring our luggage up to the hotel!
The staff are very friendly and the Spa was superb but I have to say the restaurant was such a let down...the room itself is cold (as was the food) and the staff are not very well trained. A restaurant in town called "The Oak Room" was recommended to us and I have to say it was fantastic if you are looking for somewhere with good service and great food then this is the place to go. We had been looking forward to having a few drinks in the Radisson's Cellar bar but it is closed from Sunday to Wednesday!! Why would you close such a nice bar on a Sunday evening?? The only other bar in the hotel is actually in the lobby and has no atmoshpere what so ever.
For us the saving grace for this hotel is it's Spa.
Excellent hotel and excellent staff
by TripAdvisor Member Co.DownBill
We stayed at the hotel for a week end break at the beginning of March 07.
The staff were excellent and could not do enough for you, especially in the restaurant.
Rooms were neat clean and had a continental feel.
Not much space for cloths.
Food at breakfast was excellent, dinner is a little limited but the best of ingredients appeared to be used.
Over all a fine time was had.
We would recommend it. Remember you need a car as the estate is a long way from Cavan.
2nd time dissappointed
by TripAdvisor Member Honestguest-7
This was my second visit stayed in dec 2006 also. Beautiful hotel but no heating.......our complaints fell on deaf ears. Went back in February 2007 (assuming that the heat issue was a one off problem) to use Spa facility which was great, lovely well equipped bedrooms but no heat when we complained they provided us with a mobile radiator, but it was a very cold night so didn't really help.
Had meal in restaurant ...... very poor food......service provided by very inexperienced staff. Such a lovely venue pity they can't get the basics right. we wont be back
nice spot
by TripAdvisor Member niadan
Stayed for a weekend in the Radisson. It was only newly opened and was still undergoing building work. The first impressions of the place were not great. We actually turned around and drove out as we thought we had entered the wrong place. The room however, was a nice size and decorated in modern decor. The bed was very comfortable. The view from the full length window was breathtaking. Room service breakfast was excellant. The lobby bar is a bit lacking in atmosphere and the bar menu is very poor with only basic sandwiches. The food in the restaurant was excellant, however the restaurant was very busy and noisy and there was no quiet areas to have a cosy meal for two. The cellar bar is really cosy and exceptional in style as are the three relaxing rooms of the original house. We did have a major hitch in the fact that we were phoned by the staff the week before we went and told that the spa would not be open but they would accomodate our prebooked massages. However, when we arrived we were devastated to discover that the spa was indeed open, if only just. We did not have any swim wear with us and promptly complained. The staff offered to go to town to purchase us swim wear which we declined. We were given a free bottle of wine with our dinner to compensate. It did help however, we were very disappointed that we did not get to relax in the pool and spa. The said massages were indeed fabulous and the spa looked really relaxing. All the staff were very friendly, professional and chatty. We were there on a very busy weekend with a lot of parties and two weddings so the residents bar was very busy but a good laugh. I hope that the slight teething problems were just down to the fact that the hotel was new. I would return here maybe mid week when it is a bit quieter.
Great hotel shame about the resturant
by TripAdvisor Member JasmineWhite
Just back from a weekend at Farnham House. The hotel was great, the room, The Farnham Suite, was beautiful (except for two strange grey wardrobes!). The front of house staff were great and couldn't have done enough for you. We didn't get to use the Spa but the pool was great. Lovely walks in the grounds.
The real let down was the food. We ate in the resturant on the Friday night and it was bad, really bad. The service was haphazard, very inexperienced and nervous waiting staff. The food was a real let down, the menu was quite ambitious but really didn't deliver. There was not one redeeming feature from the whole meal. We would recommend doing the trip to The Old Post Inn - Excellent!
A few people have mentioned the car park being an inconvenience, it really isn't a problem. It is nice to look out the window of your hotel room and not look onto a car park.
We would definetly recommend this hotel and we will definetly return but will give the resturant a WIDE berth!!
Farnham Hotel Co Cavan. As relaxing as is possible.
by TripAdvisor Member MandyDublin
We stayed her for 2 nights B&B and 1 Dinner.
Lovely hotel.Car park a bit away from hotel but it's nice to look out your bedroom window and not see a car park.
There is a buzzer in car park to contact reception.This we only noticed on our departure.If a large notice was erected to highlight this fact it would be helpfull.On arrival we rang recepton on our mobile phone from the car park an were collected promptly.
I liked the idea of seperate check in desks.The bars were excellent and very relaxing.The price of everything was reasonable.I am comparing to Dublin prices.
We had booked dinner on our 1st Night and were delighted.
The breakfast is buffet and was just what we needed. It sets one up for the day.
The spa is really relaxing and we found the staff helpfull and sincere.
We both had a massage and would recommend it.
There is a beautifull walk in the grounds.Bring good boots for walking as it can be quite mucky.
This hotel is really a place one would not really go outside the door.It's just so lovely.
We would advise you stay there soon as the cost will surely be much more when the golf course is up and running
The only negative is that the mobile phone does not work inside the hotel.This is no fault of the hotel but bear this in mind if advising people of your contactability.
Overall 10out of 10.
Mandy.
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