Our Online Reviews

Magical, Intimate Stay We found ourselves ready to say “I do” for the second and last time. My desire was for our special day to be in a magical place that I had never visited before. It was kismet that we ended our search in Ireland. We traveled with only immediate family and closest friends to give our day the perfect, intimate feeling we desired. The Roundwood House was the perfect find. Hannah was so amazing from our first Zoom meeting. Since we were traveling from another country, I had many questions, and she was so patient with answering every one of them. Once we arrived, we were blown away by our experience! Since we rented the entire house, we had our pick of the many fabulous rooms in the main house and the yellow house. The food was amazing and truly Michelin star worthy. Meals require the perfect wine, and we were not disappointed with our extensive options. Each space, both inside and outside, had such character and we loved being able to explore it all. Several moments even made our stay more personalized, magical and special; the shared musical talents of Paddy and the family, and the special ringing of the bell! - 11/03/23 

Magical! Amazing! Anyone visiting Ireland should stay here! From the minute you arrive, you feel like part of the gorgeous family. Hannah and Paddy-with their 2 gorgeous daughters, Amelie and Lucie, plus a melange of gorgeous dogs, ducks, geese, chickens and Guinea fowl- are wonderful hosts, with Paddy’s culinary skills worthy of a Michelin Star, coupled with his excellent guitar playing and singing, accompanied by Amelie and Lucie. The breakfast was divine! The house is so cosy and the grounds are fab! The library in the barn is gorgeous and the log store has to be seen to be believed! Who would have thought of combining a log store with an art gallery!!! We stayed at Roundwood House to celebrate a wedding for 13 and it was truly perfect! The bride, groom and most guests travelled from the USA and they were absolutely thrilled with the decision they made to get married in this gem of a house. We can’t wait to return on our next trip to Ireland. Thank you so much! - 09/03/23 

Wonderful stay We stayed for one night after Christmas to get a night away to relax as a family. We had the nicest experience, beautiful house and very welcoming family. The surroundings were perfect and peaceful. Comfortable, cosy bedroom and very relaxing sitting room with open fire to relax in and plenty of books on the shelves to immerse yourself into. The food was fabulous both dinner and breakfast freshly cooked, a fine dining experience. We loved it and will definitely return. Thanks for a 5* stay. - 02/02/23 

5-star hospitality in lovingly maintained 300-year house Just home from a wonderful break in Roundwood House. Paddy and Hannah are fabulous, relaxed hosts and run their guest house with 5-star precision. The accommodation was immaculate and very comfortable in lovingly maintained, spacious bedrooms complete with stunning Georgian features. Drinks were served each night by a gorgeous open fire and the waiting staff were courteous, professional and friendly. Premium drinks and mixers were on offer and the wine list was varied and well-priced. Dinner was a culinary delight both evenings. Paddy is a talented and innovative chef. The 4-course meal each evening was perfectly executed and balanced and catered for all tastes. The homemade crackers with the cheese plate were divine! Breakfast was another treat and worth spending time over- largely homemade- as well as beautifully presented. Well done to both Paddy and Hannah- this is truly a 5-star experience with a very personal touch and we will be back. Thank you! - 29/01/23 

Amazing home Spent one night here and it was too short! Beautiful house, full of character and you could spend hours looking at all the pictures on the walls. Beds were so comfy, the rooms were lovely and toasty. Dinner and breakfast was just amazing. Some of the nicest food I’ve eaten in a very long time. Had a really enjoyable trip sitting by the fire, a glass of wine in hand, catching up with friends. I’d highly recommend a trip away here and make sure you book in for dinner! - 01/01/23 

A good break We had a nice time here but were disappointed with the food compared to on our first stay. A few of our group were disappointed to hear lamb on as main course on the first night. We were all disappointed on the second night to hear it was lamb again. - 01/11/22 

Beautiful and peaceful We loved every minute of our stay the house and grounds are stunning. Hannah and Paddy are amazing hosts and all the staff were so helpful and friendly. Dinner was amazing, best gazpacho ever!! Highly recommend. - 22/08/22 

Roundwood house the forge My little dog died but we came here anyway . How good for the soul . Rustic magnificence we could be in the Dordogne. Quirky,gorgeous just fantastic. Pleasant humans and amazed by the ducks,chickens etc all living the best life . I wouldn't change a thing - 22/08/22 

Our favorite place in Ireland This is a gem! Hanna and her crew are kind and the experience wonderful. The old house shows it’s age, but is so quiet and peaceful. The history of the place is very interesting. The hospitality and food were lovely. The grounds well kept and pleasant to explore, We can’t recommend it enough. - 30/06/22 

Cass Roche Excellent hotel expence with great attention to detail, personal comfort and visitor experience. We enjoyed every minute of our all to brief minute of our stay.
Wishing you and your staff all the best for the future. - 12/06/22 

Our favorite place in Ireland This is a gem! Hanna and her crew are kind and the experience wonderful. The old house shows it’s age, but is so quiet and peaceful. The history of the place is very interesting. The hospitality and food were lovely. The grounds well kept and pleasant to explore, We can’t recommend it enough. - 01/06/22 

Cass Roche Excellent hotel expence with great attention to detail, personal comfort and visitor experience. We enjoyed every minute of our all to brief minute of our stay. Wishing you and your staff all the best for the future. - 01/06/22 

Magical hidden home in County Laois. Had a wonderful afternoon, evening and following morning stay in this lovely relaxed country home. Wonderful hosts and excellent pleasant Staff. Beautiful gardens, great perimeter walk around the land and terrific Library to sit and lose yourself in. The evening dinner cooked by the owner Paddy was unusual and quite delicious — great tastes and sensations to tempt the palate. A very tasty Full Irish breakfast was cooked to order and served with a good selection of breads. Hannah the lady of the house was so calm and serene and found time to chat to all her Guests as well as seeing to all their needs. I will certainly return to Roundwood House, Mountrath, but next time it will be a longer stay. Thank you to all who made our visit such a super experience. More - 31/05/22 

Magical hidden home in County Laois. Had a wonderful afternoon, evening and following morning stay in this lovely relaxed country home. Wonderful hosts and excellent pleasant Staff. Beautiful gardens, great perimeter walk around the land and terrific Library to sit and lose yourself in. The evening dinner cooked by the owner Paddy was unusual and quite delicious — great tastes and sensations to tempt the palate. A very tasty Full Irish breakfast was cooked to order and served with a good selection of breads. Hannah the lady of the house was so calm and serene and found time to chat to all her Guests as well as seeing to all their needs. I will certainly return to Roundwood House, Mountrath, but next time it will be a longer stay. Thank you to all who made our visit such a super experience. - 01/05/22 

A fantastic mid-week retreat. I stayed in the Writer's Cottage; the smaller of the two self-catering cottage options onsite at Roundwood House last week. I can genuinely say I had one of the best and most relaxing holidays I've ever been on! Hannah, Paddy and all at Roundwood have done a stellar job of creating a great, warm and relaxing atmosphere at Roundwood. The cottage itself was very cosy with lovely views of the neighbouring fields and grounds and had all the utilities one would expect in self-catering accommodation. I was lucky enough to get a tour of the house also which was fantastic to see and fascinating to hear about it's rich history. As there were no guests staying at the time (the house was briefly closed after a very busy St Patrick's Day weekend) I was able to see the house accommodation also and would definitely recommend a stay in any of the rooms too - all were beautifully decorated, spacious and en-suite. Roundwood is a fantastic base for anyone visiting the midlands with a wide variety of activities possible - I mostly spent the time hiking some of the Sliabh Bloom trails which i found truly a hidden gem. Roundwood is also no distance from a wealth of architectural sites such as Birr Demense and Emo Court. Lastly, on my last evening at Roundwood I had dinner, cooked by Paddy, in the main house Drawing Room which was absolutely fantastic. I had high hopes based on previous trip advisor reviews and can genuinely say the food was terrific. Great value for money overall too - I definitely hope to go back sooner rather than later! - 01/03/22 

Family re-union This place is really special. The house is in a beautiful setting, off the beaten track. It’s really relaxed and homely. It’s also full of history. The dinner was 5 star standard, well done everyone! And a lot of the food is sourced locally. The bedroom we had - the blue room - is just gorgeous in a very natural way. Then you wake up to the sounds of the birds .. We loved it. Thanks! - 01/03/22 

Fabulous trip away for the four of us (two humans, two dogs). We’ve already booked another stay. We (me, my girlfriend, and our two dogs) are just back from a fabulous four days in Roundwood House. The only thing more charming than the house and grounds are the staff, who made are stay in The Forge (one of the self catering cottages on the grounds) an utter delight.
When we arrived, Hannah (who owns Roundwood with her husband, Paddy) had a fire lit and was on hand to answer our (many) questions. We then took the dogs on the stunning 20 minute walk through the native Irish woodland around the perimeter of the grounds. The dogs were in heaven (and on leads, Hannah and Paddy keep a flock of ducks, hens, and geese around).
Over the four days we explored the estate, ate the most delicious dinner (cooked by Paddy) in the house, got drinks in the study with the other guests, and hiked in the Slieve Bloom Mountains. It was a perfect relaxing reset. Before we even left, we booked another four days there in May.
We can’t recommend Roundwood House highly enough. It’s close to Dublin, so we were able to make the most of our travel days. It’s incredible value, so we were able to get four days away with two dogs including food and drinks for less than €600. And it’s just a stunning location. We expect May won’t be our only trip back! More - 23/02/22 

Fabulous trip away for the four of us (two humans, two dogs). We’ve already booked another stay. We (me, my girlfriend, and our two dogs) are just back from a fabulous four days in Roundwood House. The only thing more charming than the house and grounds are the staff, who made are stay in The Forge (one of the self catering cottages on the grounds) an utter delight. When we arrived, Hannah (who owns Roundwood with her husband, Paddy) had a fire lit and was on hand to answer our (many) questions. We then took the dogs on the stunning 20 minute walk through the native Irish woodland around the perimeter of the grounds. The dogs were in heaven (and on leads, Hannah and Paddy keep a flock of ducks, hens, and geese around). Over the four days we explored the estate, ate the most delicious dinner (cooked by Paddy) in the house, got drinks in the study with the other guests, and hiked in the Slieve Bloom Mountains. It was a perfect relaxing reset. Before we even left, we booked another four days there in May. We can’t recommend Roundwood House highly enough. It’s close to Dublin, so we were able to make the most of our travel days. It’s incredible value, so we were able to get four days away with two dogs including food and drinks for less than €600. And it’s just a stunning location. We expect May won’t be our only trip back! - 01/02/22 

This is an idyllic getaway, a gem of a find. - 06/02/24 

I don't often write reviews, but felt compelled on this occasion.Before we even arrived, I had e-mailed Hannah and felt very welcome at Roundwood House. On arrival, the house looked absolutely stunning, and Hannah and Paddy were both lovely, warm people.The food was incredible. We had the 4-course menu on Saturday night, which didn't shy away from our vegetarian request and could have easily been served in a high-end restaurant. On Friday night, we were delayed and arrived late at 9pm, a little hungry, and were welcomed with soup, homemade bread, cheeses with homemade crackers and chutney, and a mouthwatering dessert by the fire. The rooms were large and luxurious - we were three people, 1 couple and 1 single, so the room with a double and single bed suited perfectly. On walking into the room, Hannah kindly asked if we "wanted a third bed" which was just about the nicest thing to offer. We declined, but I am still curious as to what she would have done if we said yes. Massive original fireplaces dotted the building and were perfect to cosy up beside and read a book, or sit beside in the evening with some local liquers and a game of cards.Only an hour drive from Dublin, but down the back roads of Laois, which felt very rural. Close to Slieve Bloom mountains, where we went for a lovely 2-3 hour walk. Hannah and Paddy also directed us to Cathole waterfall (10 min drive) for an icy Winter dip, which we loved. Small villages nearby with cute pubs (Hogan's in Coolrain - small, thatched roof, lovely staff), and very close to Portlaoise nearby for additional food options if you need.Overall an excellent value stay in an 18th century home. Definitely recommend for a peaceful, relaxing weekend. - 29/01/24 

Our stay at Roundwood House was perfect! Hannah and Paddy are lovely hosts and have wonderful staff and family to make guests feel at home. Very special to celebrate the start of the New Year there with delicious food and great craic! We look forward to visiting again and taking longer walks. - 10/01/24 

Pure magic. Off the beaten path and grateful for that. Flirt with historic Ireland, appreciate lively music and divine 4 course dinners, delightful guests and the most gracious hosts. It was like a dream. - 04/12/23 

A group of us visited last weekend and we all had such a lovely time. I was first to arrive and spent some time in the beautiful drawing room chatting with Hannah, figuring out our Galway connections!Every room has such character. The bedrooms are fabulous, the service is fantastic, and we thoroughly enjoyed our dinner and breakfast. Everything was top notch, would love to return on a family gathering at some stage.Thanks Hannah and Paddy! - 30/11/23 

Had a beautiful restful night's 😴 sleep in a restored Georgian Farmhouse at the foot Hills of the Sliabh Bloom with wonderful food served at dinner and breakfast my Halloween experience completed by a walk to their Library and a visit to the old Flax Mill ....History in the making ...much appreciated - 04/11/23 

Fantastic Georgian family house. Hannah and Paddy are phenomenal host, welcoming warm and knowledgeable of the area.Paddy certainly knows his way around a kitchen serving a meal that would not be amiss in any top restaurant.Would highly recommend and will definitely be back. - 15/10/23 

I can't say enough good things about Roundwood House! The hospitality & service were wonderful - Hannah & family really make you feel like you're visiting old friends 🙂 The grounds are beautiful with lots of lovely areas to explore from the historic barn/wood storage to the perimeter path (bring boots as the ground is likely to be wet) and even dogs, chickens, geese, etc. The house itself is gorgeous with so many historical details intact and is positively bursting with charm, books and art. We loved relaxing in the drawing room while reading books about Irish Manor houses (many of which feature Roundwood House), sipping tea, and eating delicious flapjacks. If you're looking for thoroughly modern accommodations, this is not the place for you, but if a 300 year old manor with all the ensuing quirks & charm sounds delightful, then don't hesitate to book your stay. And make sure to get dinner at least one night here, it's high-end restaurant quality for sure!! - 11/10/23 

Roundwood is a beautiful place and don’t miss the chickens, ducks, or, my favorite, the goose. Our room, the Green Room, was wonderful and the bathroom has been upgraded. The hot water did take some time, but it’s an old (large) house, so be patient. The weather we had was lovely, but it looks like they have bed heaters and space heaters in the rooms for cooler weather if you find yourself there in the winter. We didn’t see much of the grounds, a lot of flies out and my husband was having none of it, but we did see the library and the courtyard. The library was very nicely done, although my librarian urges wanted to organize everything(!) I was impressed by how clean and well cared for it was. Truly a loved space.We had dinner there for one of our nights. The dinner was very nice, although I think my actual favorite was the drinks before the fire with a book before dinner. They have a very nice drink menu available in the sitting room, so don’t miss it! It was so cozy and relaxing that I was fading before we even got to dinner.Breakfast was also nice. The granola and the hot smoked trout scrambled eggs shouldn’t be missed!If you’re at Roundwood because of an interest in Quaker history in Ireland, there is a tiny Quaker museum housed with the public library in Ballitore that is just delightful. - 22/07/23 

This B&B has a very unique experience. My son and I felt like we were transported back in time where people gathered in a drawing room before dinner to converse and have tea or a beverage by a cozy fire. All the makings of a slower more present life. Hannah and Paddy the hosts prepared and served a most elegant and delicious four course meal for us and another family from Texas and three other travelers from New York, Ireland and England. The meal was unforgettable and the conversations with these other people was enlightening and entertaining. The grounds and the home itself is maintained with great love and attention. We will absolutely return!Thank you Hannah and Paddy for a wonderful experience July 13-14 2023Joy & John Gray - 21/07/23 

Such a nice stay with Paddy and Hannah and folks at Roundwood. Really lovely house — with a cool dash of colourful history. Food and drinks were fab. Loved exploring the grounds — and also walking in the nearby Slieve Bloom mountains. Looking forward to our next time there! - 19/07/23 

A warm welcome and an individual approach to each visitor makes it an unforgettable experience. chef and service at the highest level. Food is just poetry on a plate. This is how I can briefly describe the entire Roundwood House team for whom guest service is not a job but a passion. Thanks for a wonderful day. - 29/05/23