In Ireland, you’re very welcome
Beyond the famous welcome lies a country that invites you to slow down, touch history, and rediscover yourself along the way
Ed. note: This trip was hosted by the properties mentioned below. As always, I only share experiences that I genuinely love, and all opinions and recommendations are entirely my own.
“You’re very welcome.”
When I first heard this expression after landing in Ireland, I mistook it for being an overly well-mannered response to thanks. And it certainly can be that, but the more I heard it, the more I realized it has a broader meaning, too.
When you arrive somewhere, the expression is more like an invitation. It’s a heartfelt greeting insisting to you, “we’ve been expecting you and we’re so happy you’ve made it.” And, contrary to many times you might hear a similar greeting in America, you really believe it when you hear it. It may seem silly, but coupled with how genuinely warm I found the Irish people I met to be, I found it profound in its sincerity and simplicity.
It stuck with me partly for that reason, but also because I’d never heard those familiar words arranged in quite that way. It was oddly charming: a language I speak, spoken in such a manner I’ve never encountered, but meant in a way I rarely ever felt. Which was especially fitting considering the purpose of my trip was to experience two hotels—one in the countryside, one in the city—so hospitality was always going to be central to the experience. I just didn’t expect this one small phrase to end up defining it so perfectly.
Read on for:
One of my favorite hotel stays of the year
The Michelin-starred dinner worth booking in advance
The Dublin hotel with one of the city’s best locations
Ireland’s quirks + the travel essentials you need for them
How to experience the Irish countryside and Dublin in one trip
Into the countryside
First of all: who knew Ireland was such an easy flight from New York? Apparently I’m the last to know. But despite my swift red-eye flight, sleep was not on the menu. It’s only six hours, which makes dozing off at all pretty difficult. But this particular flight wouldn’t have allowed it anyway: half the cabin was lit by seat-back screens aglow with the NBA Finals, erupting in claps and roaring whoops when the Knicks secured their historic win.
Fresh off the mid-flight excitement, a private town car whisked me away into the countryside, where, 90-minutes later, we arrived at a sight that genuinely left me awestruck. Obviously I always research the properties I’ll be staying at before I arrive; I’m nothing if not an obsessive pre-trip researcher. I’d stalked every inch of Mount Juliet online, but somehow none of it prepared me for the sight of the real-life Manor House in front of me—especially under a rare, cloudless blue sky on a day where Ireland completely defied its rainy reputation.
And the scale of the place was equally remarkable. The property spans 500 sprawling acres—to put that in perspective, that’s more than half the size of Central Park!—all set along the tranquil banks of the River Nore. You actually drive for five minutes past ancient trees and rolling pastures after entering the main gate before you even see the front door. With zero highway noise and miles of private trails, civilization all but completely disappears.
The property at a glance:
Location: Thomastown, County Kilkenny (about a 90-minute drive from Dublin Airport).
Best for: Romantic countryside trips, families, golfers, and travelers who want the hotel itself to be the destination.
The inventory: 124 rooms and suites split between two buildings; 31 individually designed rooms in the historic Manor House and 93 more contemporary rooms at Hunter’s Yard.
Amenities: Spa treatment suites, health club, large indoor pool, Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course, equestrian center, fishing, archery, falconry, cycling, walking trails, and a cinema.
The F&B scene: Michelin-starred Lady Helen in the Manor House; The Hound, the more relaxed restaurant at Hunter’s Yard; plus bars, afternoon tea, and room service. Lady Helen currently serves an eight-course tasting menu, while The Hound is the casual all-day option.
From the Window Seat: Stay in the Manor House for the most atmospheric, Window Seat-worthy experience. Dinner at Lady Helen is an absolute must and not to be missed (book early). Venture out into Kilkenny county for an evening and enjoy a beer and live music at Kyetlers.
Surrendering to stillness
I've lived in New York City for nine years now, so my relationship with nature has been limited to whatever park happens to be near my apartment—and only if the weather isn’t being oppressive, which feels increasingly rare these days. I’ve gotten used to concrete gray making up most of my life’s color palette. Truthfully, I hadn’t pined all that much for green.
But that started to change on this trip. At Mount Juliet, you’re really spoiled for choice when it comes to on-site activities. On our itinerary? Fly fishing and horseback riding, two things I wouldn’t sign myself up for under normal circumstances. But that’s the magic in trips like this: pushing outside your comfort zone to try new things that might just unlock new parts of yourself.
Horseback riding, although a little intimidating at first, turned out to be spectacular. You’re able to see parts of the estate that are otherwise inaccessible, revealing entirely new vantage points. At one point, looking out over the landscape, I genuinely felt like I had teleported straight into Breath of the Wild—the scenery was that unreal.
The real surprise, though, was fly fishing. If you’d asked me before the trip what I was most excited about, this would not have been my answer. Yet at our final dinner, as our group went around the table to share our favorite moment, I recalled standing in the middle of the stream—waders up to my hips—and the sense of serenity that came over me in the middle of all that nature. It’s not something that is available to me where I live, no matter how nice the weather or how big the park. As someone who normally thrives on the fast pace of a busy life, I was surprised how much I loved being still.
To me, this is the mark of a great hotel: giving you access to an experience like that. Something unexpected that can change your perspective, yes. But also something you might never have planned on your own, only to come away understanding why someone else might build an entire trip around it.
A quick travel packing note: Electrical laws in Ireland (much like the UK) strictly forbid standard wall outlets inside bathrooms. Some hotels will have dedicated vanity tables for ease of doing hair and makeup; some won’t. Pack a voltage converter/adapter, an extension cord, and a light-up travel mirror to be prepared for any scenario.
Into the city center
After a few blissful days at Mount Juliet, I found myself leaving with a newfound appreciation for stillness and the sense that, somehow, my vision was able to register so many new shades of green.
Arriving in the heart of Dublin, that tranquil countryside hush quickly gave way to cobblestone clatter, the hum of city chatter, and the vibrant tempo of a capital in full swing. But pulling up to The Shelbourne, the shift doesn’t feel jarring. It felt like—at least for me—coming home.
If Mount Juliet is about surrendering yourself to nature, The Shelbourne is about stepping straight into Dublin’s living history. Standing proudly directly across from the lush canopy of St. Stephen’s Green, the 200-year-old hotel has an undeniable air of grand authority. (And actual, incredible history: the original Irish Constitution was literally drafted inside Room 112 back in 1922!) Yet for all its high-society history and imposing façade, the immediate warmth when you step through the doors is what I learned is classic Ireland: a grand, warm welcome delivered with a smile.
The location alone is second to none. Step out onto the street, and you’re a short, ten-minute stroll from any number of landmarks: Trinity College, the National Gallery, the National Museum of Ireland, Dublin Castle, and the Book of Kells.
The property at a glance:
Location: Directly across from St. Stephen’s Green in central Dublin, beside the Grafton Street shopping district.
Best for: A first trip to Dublin, travelers who want to explore mostly on foot, and anyone who prefers a grand, historic city hotel.
The inventory: 265 rooms, including 19 suites.
Amenities: Fitness center, in-house florist, barber shop, private car service, 24-hour room service, and event spaces. The spa and swimming pool are currently closed, and guest-room renovations are scheduled to continue through May 2027.
The F&B scene: The Saddle Room for breakfast, lunch, and dinner; No. 27 Bar & Lounge; afternoon tea in the Lord Mayor’s Lounge; the Horseshoe Bar; the guests-only 1824 Bar; and The Terrace, which is currently closed during renovations.
From the Window Seat: You absolutely cannot beat this location! And don’t miss High Tea at Lord Mayor’s Lounge—I loved the strawberries & cream tea.
Stepping into living history
I’ll admit, I’m not a huge history buff. My interaction with it has usually been pretty passive—something I look at for a moment from behind glass. I might admire it briefly from afar, but maybe this is because rarely do I ever feel like I’m actually inside of it.
The best museums accomplish this, of course. I’ve felt it touring well-preserved history like The Concorde at the Intrepid, or at the TWA Hotel. But staying at The Shelbourne was a different kind of immersive: it hands you history of monumental scale, and then lets you reach out and touch it.
I realized this during my property tour when we stepped into Room 112. At first glance, it seems like any other. But back in 1922, a group of men spent weeks in that very spot drafting the original Irish Constitution. The exact table and chairs they used are still there. Many hotels might anchor themselves in place through design or menus, but none quite like this. The Shelbourne is woven into the literal fabric of modern Ireland, and the exact place where history happened isn’t preserved beyond a velvet rope—it’s just furniture on the floor plan.
That tactile connection to the past carries downstairs, straight into Afternoon Tea at the Lord Mayor’s Lounge. During the 1916 Easter Rising, stray bullets actually flew through the windows, prompting the staff to simply move afternoon tea deeper into the hotel for safety. More than a century later, that same unflappable spirit still defines the room. With glittering chandeliers looming over pressed white linens, the whole scene could very easily become a stiff high society performance. But instead, the energy is warm and convivial. The crowd ranges from international tourists to multi-generational Dublin families celebrating milestones to businesspeople talking shop. Everyone is far too focused on buttering warm scones and choosing exotic teas from a very, very long list to worry about pretense.
Under any other circumstances, staying at a property with two centuries of history like this might feel a bit precious, like a glass relic you’re afraid to fingerprint. But here, you can stand at the head of the original antique table where the Irish Free State was born, palms flat against the wood, and let the history leave a mark on you instead.
Dublin Hit List:
The Big Romance: Audiophile lounge with craft beer and low-intervention wines.
Loose Canon: A cozy, standing-room-only wine bar serving natural vintages and artisan Irish cheeses.
Elliot’s: A neighborhood micro-bakery worth waiting in line for, famous for its cult-favorite Basque cheesecake.
Volume[s]: A light-filled, Nordic-inspired café serving coffees and house-baked bites.
Gloria Osteria: 1970s Milanese glamour inside a historic bank serving decadent Italian classics.
The invites
We know that in Ireland, hearing "You're very welcome" is like an open invitation. At Mount Juliet, it was an invitation welcoming me into the green, unhurried stillness of nature, pushing me to try new pursuits and simply sit with the quiet. At The Shelbourne, it was an invitation welcoming me into the living weight of history, letting me stand in the very room where a nation was drafted and physically touch the past. I didn't come home a totally changed person, and I wasn’t trying to be. But in embracing those welcomes, I uncovered a few truths about myself and left with something that stays long after the bags are unpacked.
Tori Simokov is a Travel Writer and Graphic Designer/Strategist based in New York. To get in touch, email tori@v1projects.com. Want more? Check out Instagram, TikTok, or shop her curated favorites.