Mount Juliet Estate, Autograph Collection

If I could give more than five stars to this property I would. There is absolutely nothing about this estate that is not luxurious. The room was exceptional. The bed, probably the most comfortable luxurious bed I’ve ever slept in at a resort or hotel. The staff at every level were attentive, and strived for excellence, providing outstanding customer service. The grounds are beautiful, peaceful, and provides such a luxurious, relaxing escape from the hustle, and bustle of the city. We will definitely be returning to this property at some point in the future, and recommend everyone looking for relaxation do the same.

Location fantastic atmosphere lovely unfortunately the service at afternoon tea was very dissapointng staff very laid back not very helpful booked in.for 1pm had table until 3pm food came out at 2.10 no teas of coffees offered drinks orders wrong with rounds very dissapointed for such a beautiful venue staff seemed like they did not know who was doing what would not recommend to friends

We were part of a group of friends, staying for one night. We had the bed, breakfast and meal at the Hound restaurant package. The location is picturesque, with quiet woodland and riverside walks on the grounds. The service was excellent, with plenty of well-trained staff at the reception for checking in, as well as attentive waiters in the bar and restaurant. The pool/spa/hot tub area was very nice for hanging out in, clean and was not crowded. The food for dinner wasn't spectacular, and perhaps the real gourmands may prefer the Michelen starred restaurant. The breakfast was excellent. The room was spacious.

I must admit that I felt a bit like a peasant staying at Mount Juliet Estate. The lodging is absolutely top-tier, and a comfortable place for the highest echelon of society. That is a definition that my traveling daughter and I don't really fit, but we still enjoyed our stay here immensely; although it was only for one night. We arrived late coming from a River Dance show at The Gaiety Theatre in Dublin, and at that time of the night (darkness) it was very, very difficult to navigate this large property with many different buildings and sites for various services and activities. Make sure you have crystal clear instructions on how to arrive from the main roads; every turn and lane to take to get to the proper check-in location as there are more than one depending on which part of the property your lodging is located. Once you do find your way though you will be amazed at the beauty of the property itself; historic, grand, well-cared for. If only the buildings and grounds could talk...it would be fantastic to hear the stories from 250+ years of Irish high society. This place aint your grandpa's Super 8 Motel. For sure.

Dreadful customer service from the restaurant manager so disappointed had two sandwiches and coffee in the restaurant nobody else in the restaurant but us food was okay nothing special waiter’s were very nice but when we ordered single shot Americanos we first received espressos but it was no problem to get Americano the waiter was very nice and brought my friend a pot of hot water and apologized for the mix up it was no big deal the smoked salmon on brown bread was nice and my friends ham hock toastie was average but presented very nicely and delivery very nicely by the waiter the accompaniment of chips were lovely and fresh and not in any way greasy my disappointment and to be honest surprise was when mid conversation the manager put the bill in it’s little folder on the table and told us they needed to set the table for dinner and needed the table back it was 4.40 we were the only people there and seated at a table for 2 people.I know we only had a lunch but it was nearly 48 euro for said lunch so I would have thought the customer service would have reflected the price .I cannot fault the waiters they were lovely and very professional but the manager was a disgrace to a 5 star restaurant and has left a lasting impression on me of what to expect of mount Juliet yes the place is very beautiful and well kept but to be totally honest you will get much better customer service in Kilkenny in any other establishment and your customer service will be much more valued a very disappointing experience when your taking your friend out we will stick with the many fine local establishments in Kilkenny going forward that know the locals are their bread and butter all year round recommend this young man watches his waiting staff and learns how to read the room and loosens his stiff collar

Had a wonderful stay here shortly before Christmas. The staff were so polite and helpful, the room was beautiful and the food was to die for.
The grounds are spectacular. We had a lovely stay and would highly recommended it to everyone.
We’re actually going to book a night here as a gift for my dad’s 70th Birthday.

Treated ourselves to a break in this wonderful hotel. It combines comfort and luxury with charm. While the place itself is beautiful, the staff were the highlight. A big thanks to the great guys who took our bags and parked the car in the torrential rain and kept us dry with numerous umbrellas… special brownie points to them.
The spacious room was in Hunter’s yard, very comfortable bed and handy to have tea making facilities.
The bar is cosy and quaint for a pre dinner drink and drinks were not overpriced.
We enjoyed a delicious dinner but the highlight was the breakfast. It was freshly made to order and again the staff were excellent.
The grounds are perfect for walking with trails marked out. The pool and gym were great. The staff there were so helpful and friendly.
Would recommend this hotel to anyone.

Wow! An amazing experience from start to finish we spent a weekend with our family to celebrate my husbands birthday, we stayed in the hunters yard as the Manor House was closed due to renovations but will be reopening soon. The room was excellent and clean. The hotel itself is just gorgeous. The staff go above and beyond for their guests. We stayed with our two children (6 and 8) there was plenty of activities for families to do from cycling, swimming and exploring the grounds but the highlight of our weekend was spending time with Tara and Conor in the equestrian centre, their kindness and patience with our girls was unforgettable. They really made our weekend (as well as the lovely horses especially Maggie, Mikey and robin) . We ate in the hound on the first night which was expensive and the food was just ok, I had the cod which was overcooked and disappointing, maybe it was once off it didn’t represent the rest of the hotel. I would probably try the clubhouse for dinner instead. However the restaurant really turned it around with their breakfast which was fantastic. Lunch in the clubhouse was perfect and cocktails and a good pint of Guinness in the saddle bar to finish off a fantastic weekend. We definitely will be back!

We celebrated Christmas at Mount Juliet and I can’t emphasise enough how amazing it was. The service , food , small touches , beautiful estate - words falls short. Special thanks to Jimmy the Manor House manager his attention to detail with the personal connection he made with us was amazing. The restaurant staff - Jonathan : what a fantastic sommelier, Ann Marie , Aga and rest, the check in staff - Saoirse and the Potters headed by John. Lastly special thanks to Connor for amazing riding experience. We would do the Christmas experience at Mount Juliet Everytime if we can!

We booked into the club house restaurant and on arrival we were told the reservation was for the hound restaurant which was unsuitable for our family.
It was suggested that we order from the children's menu as nothing was suitable from the adult menu, and we would be given an adult meal.
The hamburgers were rather cold and quite basic, not what we would expect from the standard at Mount Juliet. We were charged for 8 chidren' s meals to make 4 adult meals. Very disappointed with our visit this time, we were visiting from Scotland.

Myself and my husband returned to Mount Juliet this year for Christmas. My daughter, her husband and two kids also came this year. To say the entire experience was magical is actually an understatement. We had the most amazing time. From the moment we arrived on Christmas Eve everything was fabulous. The staff are absolutely brilliant. The food was amazing. The atmosphere was just brilliant. The kids had a ball and the facilities for them were great. The atmosphere on the bar at night was brilliant and we met such lovely people over the 3 days.

We chose Mt Juliet to celebrate our Anniversary.The hotel is magical at this time of year .Pre dinner drinks in The Manor House were served by Bruno ,a quick drive back to the Hunters yard with John at the wheel.Dinner in the Hound was excellent.Mt Juliet delivers with five stars and each and everyone of the staff are exceptional.Thank you Antonio,Karim,Frederick,
Caiegano and Bruno .Next trip being planned already .

It’s not often I write a review but I found the food in the Hound restaurant was excellent and we all had a great night. I would like to thank the staff and chef for making it a great evening. Thank you all

When it’s nice. you got to do it twice. We will be back for more! from playing golf to eating nice food and living in luxury, you just can’t beat that!

Beautiful location with amazing scenery, 5 star dining experience, incredible rooms. I didn’t want to leave and will definitely be back

After visiting this lovely hotel, my overall experience has unfortunately been dampened by the behaviour of the front-of-house manager. When my partner and I arrived at 11am, we were met with a rather unfriendly greeting and were immediately told it was “ too early for check-in.” We tried to explain that we weren’t looking to check in just yet and that we had a spa appointment booked for 11:30, but instead of listening, the manager insisted we complete the check-in paperwork, which caused us to be late for our spa treatment.
What made the situation worse was witnessing the manager speak sharply to two young porters in front of guests. It felt very uncomfortable and unprofessional. I also couldn’t help but notice that older guests were treated with noticeably more respect and warmth than we were — as a younger couple (both 24), this was disappointing and not something we’ve ever experienced in any other five-star hotel.
That being said, the rest of our stay was wonderful. The musician in the evening was fantastic and created such a lovely atmosphere. The food was outstanding — beautifully presented and full of flavour — and the leisure centre was clean, relaxing, and very well-equipped.
It’s a real shame that our impression was clouded by the front-of-house experience, as the rest of the hotel and its staff clearly take great pride in what they do. With more attention to professionalism and consistency in how all guests are treated, this could easily be a five-star experience in every sense

We'd been looking forward to our trip to Mt. Juliet for months - a next-to-final stop in Ireland after a busy week of travel and events across three countries.

We were delighted with our second-floor courtyard view room in Hunter's Yard. The bedding was so comfortable, and wandering the magnificent grounds or simply sitting by the window as dusk fell and crows swooped overhead helped lower our blood pressure after so many hectic days.

Unfortunately, there was a technical issue with our room - one outside the hotel's control - that disrupted our stay on the first of our two nights. The team at Mt. Juliet, including the manager at Hunters Yard that evening (Mr. Lynch, I think?) and Jimmy at the Manor House, did everything possible to make up for the issue and ensure that we still had a wonderful stay. Emelie at the reception desk (at Hunters Yard one day, and the Manor House the next) was also phenomenal in her spot-on recommendations, warmth, and joy she brought to our day. She's a star!

We switched to a river view room at Manor House our second night, where the views - and service - were simply exceptional. We left wishing we'd had a week to truly unwind there.

We had one breakfast each at Hunters Yard and the Manor House and greatly enjoyed them both...not sure how anyone could possibly complain about either in other reviews here! Food and service were fantastic at both, with Hunters Yard more of a buffet (with the option to order off the menu as well) and Manor House menu/table service, with magnificent views at both locations.

Dinner at the Hound was terrific, with a solid wine list and excellent tomahawk steak (which we enjoyed with the cheesy mashed potatoes and carrots, both a can't-miss). Our server (we sadly didn't catch her name, but she was relatively new and from Sweden) was another staff standout - the perfect blend of warmth, engagement, and professionalism that marked our encounters with most staff at Mt. Juliet. We hope we'll be back, and for a longer stay next time.

Tip: Definitely check out the 1757 Bar in the Manor House! And don't miss the opportunity to stroll the grounds.

My wife and I stayed in Mount Juliet for the very first time last night and it was amazing from start to finish.
I received an email from Moya in concierge during the week, prior our stay asking if we needed anything and I knew straight away our stay would be great just from the initial email alone.
We stayed in the Courtyard section and we were warmly greeted by Kareem at reception. He was very helpful and the check in was smooth sailing from the start.
Our room was earlier than expected and it was beautiful.
We then had lunch in the Manor House and Jonathan looked after us very well.
The only thing I’d say was that the air conditioning was very tricky to use and there was a regular, strange noise that was coming from the pipes in the bathroom that did disrupt our sleep throughout the night, but still, it did not deter us from our wonderful experience in this beautiful place.
Staff were exceptional, food was delicious and atmosphere was fantastic.
Thank you to all the staff and we will definitely be back again in the near future for sure.

Arrived in Mount Juliet Friday 31st Nov. A friendly greeting from the manager at the car park, offering to park the hire car and take my bag, was encouraging. A pleasant walk through Hunters Yard to reception, where the welcome was efficient and informative. The room was well appointed on the 2nd floor and all seemed ok. Despite the natural beauty all round the Estate, (a place I enjoyed as a boy as friends of the McCalmont family, who owned the Estate years ago), the hotel disappointed in so many ways. On entering the clubhouse bar, I was confronted by an aggressive, unshaven manager who demanded 'what are you here for?' He then wanted to know if I was staying in the hotel. I demurred slightly and enquired would that make a difference to which he replied yes, that non residents would receive less priority. Strange. When I asked for a corner table overlooking the grounds, he declined and stuck me in the corner of the room, saying that table was booked. Needless to say, the table remained empty for the duration of my stay in the bar. Dinner in the Hound restaurant promised much and delivered little. Following the arrival of a Ballygowan still water at €7, the soup was 4 soup spoons worth and sat cold in a half filled bowl. The 'fillet' stake weighed in at €52 plus a vegetable side at €6. The fillet was not a fillet but 2 overcooked tiny medallions of beef. When I asked my waiter, whonwas an Adian gentleman, he simply smiled and took the plate away. I don't think he understood what I was saying. Whilst I have no issue with overseas staff working hotels in Ireland, this particular restaurant was staffed almost exclusively by one ethnicity, save for a young F&B manager, who looked well out of his depth. ( I overheard the diners next to me complaining about the poor quality of meat for which they were offered a 20% discount). Whilst the ambience was reasonable, the overall quality of food was very poor and massively overpriced. I repaired to the saddle bar, without doubt, the most soulless place of its type I have seen in Ireland. Again manned by 2 asian gents, there was supposed to be 'live music' which, to put it politely, would have belonged more in a funeral parlour than a hotel bar. I left after a few minutes. Back in my room the lights were faulty with no individual switch for the bathroom..a minor problem I am sure can be easily fixed.
The golf course was closed, perhaps down to lots of rain. Despite lots of golfers I spoke to bemoaning the situation, having prepaid €300 to play, the other biproduct of so much rain appeared to cause the drains to back up, with the consequence of a nasty aroma of sewage all round the place.
As I write, I am still staying in the hotel. The prospect of breakfast awaits. I shan't hold my breath. In summary, this beautiful place and part of my wonderful childhood in Ireland, has been emaciated by an American hotel chain. All the wonderful charm of the old place has been displaced by American cliches, standard retorts by staff imbued from a faceless brand standard hospitality manual, delivered in a glib and empty way. Certainly not in the time-honoured Irish custom. Yes, the hotel is still pretty and the estate as alluring as ever, especially the old McCalmont family home, which still stands impressively amonsgt the lovely rolling countryside of Co. Kilkenny. But overall the place has most much of its magic. One final mention: at dusk last night, a huge flock of crows circled above the hotel. Literally thousands of them, swirling and swooping, then settled ad stark silouettes, perched ominously in the many trees around the car park and hotel. A slightly eerie yet exhilirating sight, reminiscient of Alfred Hitckcock's The Birds movie from the 1960s. When I enquired within whether this was a regular occurence, the member of staff I addressed seems oblivious to it all..My final comments to the hotel would be to lose its anonymity within Marriott and get back to basics. Restore some of that old Irish magic, which you can only do with more of the indigenous population and concentrate on personal interaction rather than imported US-led soundbites, governed by spreadsheets, profit motives and high pricing. Profits will always come from client satisfaction, which surely remains the only true yardstick by which a hotel can be valued. Embrace your location, your history and humanity, change some of your imported ethics and who knows, you may still restore the magic of Mount Juliet. Disappointing.

This is a beautiful property with very well maintained rooms. Marriott BONVOY members should be warned however, that this property does not follow the Marriott room upgrade policy. As a Titanium member there were several basic suite rooms available (I confirmed on the app) for the duration my stay (just 1 night). However these were not offered to me. Even when I challenged this with the staff upon check-in, I was met with indifference. Instead, my "upgrade" was another (identical) standard room with a different view.