IN the depths of Ireland is a beautiful village estate with a hotel and restaurant – and very unusual former owner.
Before , Ryanair was actually owned by Tony Ryan, who co-founded the airline back in 1984.
Cliff at Lyons is the hotel on the estate – and it has five self-catered cottages
Outside are landscaped gardens and courtyardsCredit: Matteo Tuniz/MediaPro for Lisney Sotheby’s International Realty
And the ex-boss of the budget airline actually bought the Village at Lyons , tucked away in County Kildare, in the 1990s.
The fully restored heritage village – which he owned until his death in 2007 – is around a 30-minute drive from and includes 47 bedrooms ranging from cottages to apartments.
The recently restored Cliff at Lyons is the country estate’s five-star hotel which has 32 individual rooms and five self-catering two-bedroom stone cottages.
It has a Victorian-inspired glass orangery, an award-winning spa with Finnish barrel saunas and hot tubs, and a lakeside chapel.
A one-night stay in one of the Estate Rooms in April starts from €224 (£194.97).
The hotel has great reviews on with an average of 4.4 out of 5.
One guest said: “The setting is stunning—peaceful, beautifully maintained, and full of charm.”
Another called it a “magical escape haven”.
The estate has several , including the Shackleton Mill Restaurant which is inside a restored flourmill.
The Pantry is a canal-side cafe in the main Dove Square which is stocked with baked goods like muffins and scones, perfect for a break.
When it comes to a drink, head to The Lyons Den, which is the pub – here you can grab a pint, and some light bites to eat.
Want the 20-acre village to yourself? It is currently up for sale for a cool €20million (£17.5million), along with the wider Lyons Demesne estate,
The Village at Lyons is being sold by Sotheby’s International Realty .
For more on staycations - here are some of our favourite UK hotels...
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Margate House, Kent
This stylish boutique hotel is in a seaside townhouse, a short walk from Margate’s coolest bars and restaurants. Decked out with plush velvet sofas, candles flickering and striking independent art, inside feels like a warm welcome home. Rooms are stunning, especially the ones that give you a glimpse of the sea.
The Alan, Manchester
The Alan looks extremely grand, being built into a beautiful Grade II listed building. Spread across six floors, with 137 rooms, each one looks like a fancy design magazine. From the concrete coffee tables to the pink plastered walls, the industrial-inspired designs perfectly replicate the history of the city.
The Queen at Chester Hotel
This historic hotel has welcomed the likes of Charles Dickens and Lillie Langtry through its doors. Rooms have richly-patterned carpets with super soft bed linen and premium toiletries in the bathroom. Go for a superior room for extra goodies including bathrobes and snack boxes.
The University Arms Hotel, Cambridge
This Cambridge hotel is in the ideal spot, within walking distance to bars, shops and hotspots like the university colleges and Parker’s Piece. The inside couldn’t be prettier, with huge stained glass windows, grand chandeliers, and rooms with enormous clawfoot bath tubs.
Rooms are light and airy with views of the gardensCredit: Cliff At Lyons
Tony Ryan’s family still currently own an estate house in the village, which is not included in the sale.
About the estate, he previously said: “Places like this have roots that run deep, not only into the cultural strata that informed their design and creation over the centuries, but also into the life of the community that continues to enjoy its landscape.”
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Cliff At Lyons was formerly owned by Ryanair co-founder Tony RyanCredit: Cliff At Lyons
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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