Cupid Castle Cures - Dromoland Castle in Ireland

Written by Kriss Hammond


Cupid Castle Cures – Dromoland Castle, Ireland Read Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com Read this entire feature FREE with photos at: http://www.jetsettersmagazine.com/archive/jetezine/hotels/ireland/dromoland/dromoland.html

When touring Ireland you can stay in a farmhouse, guesthouse, villa, secret hunting lodge, abbey, palace, or country manor house. But for romance you must stay in a traditional and authentic Celtic castle!

The first castles were built in England byrepparttar Normans, made of wood and earth and mostly on a motte and bailey plan, a central mound (motte), topped with a stronghold (the keep) and circled by a wall. The enclosed area was calledrepparttar 133715 Bailey. While touringrepparttar 133716 Irish countryside I notice a green ziggurat covered with grass as if pushed up fromrepparttar 133717 depths and intorepparttar 133718 sky. The first mottes were more defensive in nature.

Norman castles were royal military bastions. The Normans built Ireland ’s oldest castles. Superb Carrickfergus, begun in 1180, and still well preserved today, is probablyrepparttar 133719 first true castle in Ireland. A garrison town was usually built next to each castle, butrepparttar 133720 castle had to be self supporting in times of a siege. Castles usually included stables, workshops, gardens, storerooms, and a chapel. Castles wererepparttar 133721 economic and administrative and social centers forrepparttar 133722 feudal society.

The end of feudalism, and notrepparttar 133723 introduction of explosives, hastenedrepparttar 133724 use of castles. A few nobles still live in castles, surrounded by servants, or they are turned into luxury hotels or tourist attractions with Medieval banquets. Royalty still lives in castles in England, at Windsor.

The signature castle in Ireland is a Preferred Hotel — Dromoland, inrepparttar 133725 western side ofrepparttar 133726 country. You won’t find serfs hurling rocks or spears or shooting flaming arrows or boulders catapulted ontorepparttar 133727 castle grounds. The four-hundred-year-old castle is more of a Baronial home than a castle — and it never was used as a defensive castle. You don’t need a battering ram to get in to make a reservation.

Dromoland is not just a castle, it is a large sixteenth century Gothic revival castellated multi-towered aslar (hewn and dressed stone columns laid horizontally) monument. Dromoland wasrepparttar 133728 former home ofrepparttar 133729 O'Brien Family, one ofrepparttar 133730 great noble Irish clans, who ruled Southern Ireland. This stone splendor is set on 365 acres of its own estate in a natural amphitheatre scooped out in bygone days byrepparttar 133731 action of a glacier ice sheet and surrounded by a lake (louge) and woodlands filled with deer. The castle first opened as a hotel in 1963, and today, after many renovations, there are 75 rooms and 21 suites on four floors; function space and conference facilities can handle hundreds.

This isrepparttar 133732 most romantic place I have ever stayed in, and allrepparttar 133733 guests I talk to wish they could stay forever and role play as a baron or baroness. Because of its romantic appeal, Dromoland is a major draw as a wedding and honeymoon destination; set your Rolex to GMT so you won’t be late for your own special event!

Plush carpets regalerepparttar 133734 landed gentry’s museum quality ofrepparttar 133735 castle. Vibrant paintings arerepparttar 133736 stars on vivid velvet walls. Exquisite sculpture stands testament to fine living. Luxury service is expected and received on damask dinner tables. Jetetters Magazine readers have always givenrepparttar 133737 castle superior ratings.

Gourmet dining atrepparttar 133738 castle is a knightly pleasure, with many options and wonderful cuisine choices for various group sizes or for private romantic interludes.

The Castle's signature restaurant is The Earl of Thomond Restaurant, offering a relaxed but elegant dining experience. Located onrepparttar 133739 ground floor, dinner can be enjoyed in an ambience enhanced byrepparttar 133740 soft music ofrepparttar 133741 castle's resident harpist. Enjoy breakfast, light lunch, and dinner in this wonderful setting. The bill of fare includes a large à la carte menu, a daily table d'hôte menu, and a selection of gastronomic menus.

A Guide to Your Ideal Ski Resort and Vacation

Written by Larry Denton


Few things in life are better than an adventurous and exciting vacation. Especially a ski vacation. Whether it's a family outing, a romantic get-away with your special someone, or you are going solo in search of snow and fun inrepparttar sun, this site can assist you in determining which destination is right for you. First decision--a ski resort inrepparttar 133714 United States or a trip to a more exotic foreign destination--perhapsrepparttar 133715 majestic and scenic Alps? If you decide on an North American ski vacation, your next decision might be choosing which geographic region ofrepparttar 133716 United States most beckons you.

Thanks torepparttar 133717 presence ofrepparttar 133718 Rocky Mountains,repparttar 133719 Sierra Nevadas, andrepparttar 133720 Cascades,repparttar 133721 western portions ofrepparttar 133722 United States feature breathtaking scenery in addition to fantastic skiing conditions. With 12,000 foot peaks, azure blue skies and hundreds of inches of snow it doesn't get much better. Do you want to blast downrepparttar 133723 ruggedly beautiful mountains of Montana through waist-deep, dry powderrepparttar 133724 natives call "white smoke"?

Maybe skiing withrepparttar 133725 rich and famous is more your style--if so try Aspen, Colorado, known for its majestic four mountains. Mammoth Mountain, Vail, Jackson Hole, Steamboat Springs, Taos, Snowbird,repparttar 133726 hundreds of runs and resorts of Utah, Washington, California, and Idaho. Simply too many to list!

Just north ofrepparttar 133727 49th parallel (the Canadian border) lie some ofrepparttar 133728 world's best skiing options featuringrepparttar 133729 top ski resort destinations. Banff/Lake Louise in Alberta, Canada, located inrepparttar 133730 heart of Canada's Banff National Park, ranks as one ofrepparttar 133731 most scenic mountain resorts in North America, if notrepparttar 133732 entire world.

And Whistler/Blackcomb in British Columbia with 8,000 skiable acres and its 100+ bars and restaurants inrepparttar 133733 village is definitely a "must do" destination. These magnificent mountain peaks provide gorgeous scenery, abundant snowfall, pristine wildlife areas, andrepparttar 133734 steepest vertical drop in North America. The Japanese have repeatedly ranked it as their favorite international destination.

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