Regarded as one of the finest hotels in the world

Ashford Castle dates back to the 13th century when it was the principal residence of the Anglo-Norman De Burgo family. It remained in their possession until 1589 and over the next few hundred years it passed through ownership to the Binghams, the Brownes of Galway, and then in 1852 to Benjamin Lee Guinness. Benjamin was the grandson of the famous Arthur and with the help of the famous architect, Joseph Fuller transformed Ashford into one of the grandest private houses in Ireland. It pass to the Iveagh Trust in 1915 and then to Noel Hubbard who turned it into a renowned country hotel in 1939. Cong and the castle were used in many scenes of what would become the 1951 movie classic, The Quiet Man, starring John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara. In 2103, Ashford was purchased by the Red Carnation Hotel Collection and is now regarded as one of the best 5-star luxury hotels in the World. Notable guests over the years have included King George V, John Lennon, Oscar Wilde, Ronald Reagan, Ted Kennedy, Brad Pitt, Prince Rainier of Monaco, and Princess Grace.

Thanks to the BBC and Life beyond the Lobby for this great video