Recently renovated and brilliantly transformed, Northern Ireland’s most iconic hotel is once again ready for its close-up
For the better part of the last century, the Championship Links at Royal County Down has enchanted all those who have had the good fortune of playing it. For just as long, the grand Victorian hotel next door has stood watch. It wasn’t until a recent change of ownership, however, that the 180-room establishment, with its redbrick façade, was elevated to the same level as its neighbor. Today, the Slieve Donard, a Marine & Lawn hotel, is just as much a jewel as the Harry Colt-designed masterpiece that carves its way through gorse-covered dunes.
Built by the Belfast and County Down Railway in 1898, the hotel was conceived as a holiday destination for affluent travelers and has served as the pinnacle of Northern Ireland’s hospitality, welcoming monarchs, movie stars, and professional athletes. “When you walk through those doors, you can almost picture yourself being in a period drama,” said Michael Weston, then the hotel’s general manager, when the Slieve reopened in late 2023 after Marine & Lawn’s six-month renovation. “It is almost as if you’re transported back in time, but with a modern twist.”
1. Dog Days of Summer
Like all Marine & Lawn properties, the Slieve Donard is a dog-friendly hotel, which means you’re all but guaranteed to get a little pup time in, even if you left your own pooch at home.
2. The Power of Pastry
A sublime sticky toffee pudding will change your life. Don’t believe us? Just order Slieve Donard’s version of this classic British dessert and you’ll see what we mean: Incredibly moist date-infused sponge cake. A generous dose of butterscotch sauce. The perfect balance of cake to vanilla ice cream. The dish checks all the boxes.
3. The Pour House
Make sure you request a dram of Born Irish while you’re staying at the hotel. Served at both The Wolf Bar and The Percy French, this Irish whiskey is finished in stout casks but also infused with roasted and chocolate malted barley, which gives it a rich, sweet flavor. It drinks like a boozy café mocha—essentially dessert in a glass—but you won’t find bottles of it anywhere else in town. (Trust us, we spent an entire afternoon looking.)
4. Keeping Scores
A visit to The Percy French, the hotel’s gastropub, is a must. Saddle up at the bar and there’s a good chance you’ll end up rubbing elbows with a local resident or two. And bring a signed scorecard from one of your past rounds played anywhere in the world: It’s tradition for golfing guests to tack up a card on one of the pub’s many crossbeams.
5. Serenity Now
Although the hotel’s spa offers almost two dozen different revitalizing and relaxing treatments, you don’t need to book one to take advantage of the thermal suite—a communal wellness area with a vitality pool, steam rooms, and saunas. Insider tip: Bring a sports watch. There are no clocks visible in or around these facilities, which will only make it difficult to fully relax if you’re worried about missing a massage appointment.
