Luxury Kilkenny Tour: Mount Juliet Estate and the Best of Kilkenny
If you are planning a luxury tour of Ireland, Kilkenny is an excellent destination to include in your itinerary.
Recently, Ireland & Scotland Luxury Tours arranged a stay at Mount Juliet Estate near Kilkenny for clients looking for a genuinely high-end Irish experience.
Our clients wanted more than simply an excellent hotel. One wanted to play a round of golf, while another was interested in spending time enjoying an equestrian experience. Mount Juliet proved to be an ideal choice.
A Luxury Stay at Mount Juliet Estate
Located in the beautiful County Kilkenny countryside,
Mount Juliet Estate
offers the combination of luxury accommodation, excellent service, fine dining and a wide range of activities that we look for when planning private tours of Ireland.
The estate offers a choice of accommodation, including the elegant Manor House and the more contemporary Hunter’s Yard. With extensive grounds, high-quality dining and plenty to do without ever leaving the estate, it works particularly well for clients who want to slow down and enjoy their surroundings.
This is exactly the type of hotel we like to include on a private luxury tour of Ireland: somewhere that becomes part of the experience rather than simply somewhere to sleep.
Golf at Mount Juliet
For golfers, Mount Juliet is particularly appealing.
The estate’s Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course is set amongst rolling Irish countryside and provides an excellent opportunity to add a memorable round of golf to a wider Ireland itinerary.
One of the advantages of arranging a bespoke private tour is that different interests can be incorporated into the same journey. A round of golf does not need to mean turning the entire holiday into a golf trip.
You can find out more about the estate and its golf facilities on the
Mount Juliet Estate website.
Equestrian Experiences at Mount Juliet
Mount Juliet is equally impressive for guests interested in horses and riding.
The estate has a long equestrian heritage and offers riding experiences for both experienced riders and complete beginners. Guests can explore the estate on horseback with expert instructors or enjoy time at the equestrian centre.
For our clients, this gave us the opportunity to arrange different experiences while still keeping everyone based at the same luxury property.
More information is available from
Mount Juliet’s Equestrian Centre.
Excellent Food and a Relaxed Estate Experience
Good accommodation is only part of what makes a luxury tour work. Service, food and the overall atmosphere are equally important.
Mount Juliet delivered across all of these areas. The estate offers several dining options, including the renowned Lady Helen Restaurant, alongside more relaxed options for guests who do not want formal dining every evening.
For travellers spending several weeks exploring Ireland, having the flexibility to enjoy a quiet evening within the hotel can make a significant difference to the overall pace of the trip.
Why Stay Near Kilkenny?
Another major reason we chose Mount Juliet was its proximity to Kilkenny City.
Kilkenny is one of Ireland’s most enjoyable historic cities. It is compact enough to explore comfortably while offering excellent local pubs, restaurants, independent shops and historic attractions.
It fits particularly well into a private Ireland itinerary because visitors can experience the city’s history during the day before returning to the peace and luxury of the countryside.
Visit Kilkenny Castle
No visit to Kilkenny would be complete without seeing
Kilkenny Castle.
Originally built in the 12th century, the castle became the principal seat of the powerful Butler family for almost 600 years. Today, visitors can explore its beautifully restored interiors, including the Picture Gallery, drawing room and library.
The extensive parkland surrounding the castle is also well worth taking the time to explore. Rather than simply photographing the castle and moving on, we recommend allowing enough time to walk through the grounds and enjoy the setting.
St Canice’s Cathedral and Round Tower
Another highlight of Kilkenny is
St Canice’s Cathedral and Round Tower.
The site has been associated with Christian worship since the 6th century and is one of Kilkenny’s most important historic landmarks.
The medieval cathedral is impressive in its own right, but the adjoining round tower makes the visit particularly memorable.
At approximately 30 metres high, St Canice’s Round Tower is one of only a small number of Irish round towers that visitors can still climb. Those willing to make the climb are rewarded with panoramic views across Kilkenny and the surrounding countryside.
Take Time to Explore Kilkenny
One of the advantages of a private tour is having enough time to enjoy places like Kilkenny rather than simply treating them as another stop on a long itinerary.
Spend some time wandering through the historic streets, visit local independent shops and enjoy one of the city’s traditional pubs or restaurants.
Kilkenny forms part of Ireland’s historic east and works particularly well when travelling between Dublin and the south or southwest of Ireland.
Include Kilkenny in Your Private Luxury Tour of Ireland
For us, the combination of Mount Juliet Estate and Kilkenny works extremely well.
You have luxury accommodation in the countryside, championship golf, equestrian experiences, excellent food and one of Ireland’s most historic cities only a short journey away.
At Ireland & Scotland Luxury Tours, we specialise in creating private, bespoke journeys around Ireland and Scotland. Every itinerary is planned around the interests, preferred pace and priorities of our clients.
Whether you want to include golf, horse riding, historic sites, exceptional hotels, local food or simply more time to explore, we can build those experiences into your journey.
Start Planning Your Luxury Tour of Ireland
Contact Ireland & Scotland Luxury Tours to include Kilkenny and Mount Juliet Estate in your own private luxury tour of Ireland.
