By Keith Nicol
Built for a Bishop – Fit for a King
Standing high on the slopes of the Holywood Hills, overlooking Belfast Lough and the County Antrim Coastline, is the magnificent Culloden Estate and Spa, the most prestigious luxury five-star hotel in Northern Ireland. Originally built as an official palace for the Bishops of Down, the Culloden stands in 12 acres of beautiful secluded gardens and woodland. Palatial surroundings, exquisite decor, fine antiques and exceptional service combine to give the Culloden Estate and Spa a unique air of elegance.
When it comes to finding a Northern Irish hotel with the ‘wow factor, one needs to look no further than the magnificent Culloden Estate and Spa. Located in Cultra, on the outskirts of Belfast, this fabulous building was originally built in 1876 as a Palace for the Lord Bishop of Down. It became a modest eleven-room hotel in 1963 followed by the late hotelier Sir William Hastings, CBE, purchasing the premises in 1967. More than fifty years later, and still, as part of the Hastings Group, the Culloden’s name is synonymous with luxury and it is without any doubt, one of Northern Ireland’s most famous, prestigious and prominent hotels.
Over the last 55-years, the Hastings Group have continued to improve and upgrade the five-star Culloden Hotel and Spa. The Estate now offers 98-individually styled and decorated bedrooms and suites. If you are seeking a romantic getaway, or just to be surrounded in luxury, the suites are all furnished with a “King Koil ‘Cloud Bed’, luxurious bed-linen, your own Hastings hotel ‘duck’, a Nespresso machine, Smart TV plus lined curtains to keep out the early morning light and noise from outside, all helping to ensure a peaceful night’s sleep.
A mouth-watering selection of A-list celebrities has stayed at the Hotel. Many of them have autographed their feature ‘rubber-ducks’ that can be found in every hotel room bathroom, many of which can be found in special display cases throughout the hotel. Some of the former guests include Tony Blair, Tom Jones, Dolly Parton, Sir Cliff Richard, Lenny Henry, John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg, Pat Cash, Sir James Galway, Sir Richard Attenborough, Shirley McClaine, Christopher Plummer, Bono from U2, Westlife, Ronan Keating, Robbie Williams, Ainsley Harriot, Michael Ball, Chris Rea, Kenneth Brannagh, Alan Whicker, John Major, Lionel Ritchie, The Corrs, Lloyd Grossman, Ben Elton, Howard Keel, International sports teams, Paddy Hopkirk, John Watson, Sir Stirling Moss, Sir Henry Cooper, Sir Cliff Morgan and famous couples such as Victoria ‘Posh Spice’ and David Beckham, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas.
Why all the name dropping and mentioning of celebrities? Well, after a short stay at the hotel, I left feeling like I too was a celebrity. I’d not only rubbed shoulders with one of Northern Ireland’s most famous musicians over breakfast but, from the moment I arrived, I was treated like a celebrity and enjoyed their first-class service. This started with checking in at reception, to being thoroughly spoilt rotten with a ‘his and her spa treatment’ followed by a refreshing dip in the indoor pool, afternoon tea, a long and luxurious bath and a divine dinner followed by cocktails and a fabulous night’s sleep.
While one might associate such a beautiful looking hotel as somewhere only for the rich and famous, over the last decade the Culloden has been attracting younger visitors and pre-covid organised more than 90-wedding receptions a year. When it comes to love and romance, in 2020, the Culloden Estate and Spa won the major accolade of Best Hotel for Romance by Luxury Lifestyle Magazine. More than 20,000-readers voted on the romantic destination of their choice from a global shortlist that consisted of some of the world’s most show-stopping destinations, hotels, cruise lines and tour operators. The winner: the Culloden Estate and Spa.
And it’s easy to see why. Prior to Covid, more than £750,000 was invested in the renovation of the spa and wellness facilities. This included a new couples’ treatment room, offering a range of luxurious treatments and giving guests the opportunity to enjoy more quality time together.
The Culloden Estate is located in palatial wooded grounds of more than 12-acres and includes two locations for your dining pleasure, the Cultra Inn and in the Hotel, you have the option of Vespers, their signature, fine-dinning, restaurant. The Cultra Inn offers a fresh and young menu while the Hotel has a grand dining room and an excellent choice of meals to choose from along with a superb selection of wines, champagnes, sparkling wines, liquors and drinks, from all over the world.
The spa includes a brand-new linear vitality pool, a Tylarium (a combination of sauna and steam bath), and additional treatment rooms. Don’t worry about the light Irish drizzle or any inclement weather, as they have installed heated massage tables to ensure maximum comfort during your treatment.
Such is a great location of the Culloden that within 15 minutes drive, or by jumping on the local train at the bottom of the estate, you are faced with many visitor options such as Titanic Belfast and just five minutes away from the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum. Or, go on a Game of Thrones tour, enjoy the many excellent golf courses nearby and for shopping; you have Belfast, Holywood and Bangor, within easy reach.
If you want to feel like a celebrity and enjoy one of the most romantic hotels in the world, make sure to add the Culloden Estate and Spa to your bucket list and enjoy all that they have to offer.
For further information, or to book a romantic overnight stay at the Culloden Estate & Spa go to www.hastingshotels.com or call +44 (0) 28 9042 1066.
