Enjoy the ‘Keys to the Garden’ at the Luxe Mount Congreve Gardens

Friday, April 07, 2023.
Enjoy the ‘Keys to the Garden’ at the Luxe Mount Congreve Gardens Gate Lodge

Enjoy the ‘Keys to the Garden’ at the Luxe Mount Congreve Gardens Gate Lodge

Visitors to the stunning Mount Congreve Gardens in county Waterford can now linger a little longer as the Georgian Gate Lodge has been beautifully redeveloped to offer a two-bedroom sanctuary in the midst of the majestic 70 acres of gardens.

Inside the detached five-bay single-storey gate lodge that dates back to 1775, guests can enjoy a luxurious and stylish interior with plush velvets offering a warm luxe vibe and tones of green creating a seamless transition between its natural surroundings and its lavish new interior. The living space strikes the perfect chord between the old world and contemporary comfort featuring an antique bio-ethanol stove, an 18th-century French day-bed accompanied by classic wing-back velvet armchairs, a Frame Smart TV and even a Gin Bar for guests to enjoy the Mount Congreve Woodland Gin. In the two double bedrooms, the tone is serene and restful with original Louis XVI beds taking centre stage. A classic style galley kitchen with bespoke marble countertops and Smeg appliances also offers direct access to a private secluded garden and a patio featuring a Bushbuck stone barbeque along with relaxing garden furniture. 

A stay at the Mount Congreve Gate Lodge also offers guests ‘the keys to the gardens’ where they can explore, relax and enjoy the entirety of Mount Congreve Gardens all to themselves after hours, a pleasure which cannot be underestimated. Guests to the lodge can also take their four-legged friend to stay and they will also enjoy access to the new wetlands walk on their doorstep which is the dog-friendly route at Mount Congreve Gardens.

A welcome hamper will offer a warm welcome for each couple or group of four who arrive to stay, filled with local artisanal produce including Mount Congreve Estate honey, Flahavan’s oats, local organic eggs and more.

The luxury gate lodge is ideally positioned for guests to enjoy the convenience of visiting and dining at the new purpose-built visitor centre and Stable Café, which overlooks the magnolia treetops at the 18th-century manor house. A plot-to-plate menu at the Stables Café features an abundance of local produce along with flavours and vegetables fresh from the Mount Congreve Kitchen Gardens and is open for breakfast, lunch and a special Mount Congreve signature Afternoon Tea which is served in the ‘Old Tack Room’. 

Mount Congreve House which is now open to visitors for the first time in its history was the last house in Ireland to employ liveried servants. It was built by the renowned Waterford architect, John Roberts in 1760 and it is reported that this Gate Lodge – one of three, was built later in 1775. Typically Gate Lodges were designed to give an initial impression of the landowner’s wealth and taste, and it is certain that the Congreves had great taste. 

The spectacular Mount Congreve House and Gardens recently underwent a €7 million-euro redevelopment.  Visitors can now arrive through the main front doors of the house into the foyer to enjoy an immersive audio-visual exhibition of the garden and family history. From the foyer’s double doorways, visitors will be able to catch a glimpse into the large drawing room with its incredibly rare Chinese wallpaper,  which was painted by hand, in or near the Chinese port of Canton/Guangzhou, probably in the 1790s – cited as the only existing wallpaper of its kind in the world.  Mount Congreve has been lauded as a ‘great garden of the world’ and the title is certainly fitting to an incredible 70 acres of woodland gardens and 4 acres of walled gardens within a 140-acre estate located 10 minutes outside of Ireland’s oldest City of Waterford. As a destination visitors will not be short of things to see and do with the award-winning Waterford Treasures collection of museums available to explore along with Mount Congreve Gardens also offering direct access to the 45km Waterford Greenway. 

The Mount Congreve Gate Lodge is available for adult-only bookings from mid-April onwards and plans for the renovation of further estate cottages and apartments are also planned. The house and gardens are open year-round 7 days a week (4 days a week in low season). Full details can be found at www.mountcongreve.com   

Rates are from €195 per night with a minimum of a two-night stay. 

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