Travel: The Ice House Hotel, Co Mayo, is a very cool spot - here's why

The Ice House Hotel is perched above the Moy estuary, giving it a stunning perspective of the river and its environs. Walking into our room, the view from the floor-to-ceiling windows is, without exaggeration, spectacular. Blurring the boundary between outside and in is mesmeric and soul-soothing. Truly.

One’s breath is taken away by the display of nature’s splendour, the flowing river, fringed by trees of varying shades of green in the Belleek Woodlands; it’s an ever-changing picture that delights and calms.

Our very own ‘room with a view’ has a tranquil vibe, with a minimalist design aesthetic that doesn’t detract from the sensational scenery. But that doesn’t mean the room is stark or uninviting. Far from it. It’s a warm, cossetting cocoon, with everything you need for a blissful break. There’s a luxuriously soft fine wool throw, from the nearby Foxford Woollen Mills, for cosying up on a chair to gaze out at the river and its many visitors. Doing just that within minutes of arriving, I spot a veritable menagerie of wildlife, including a seal, which pops its head above the water, a long-legged heron, swans, swifts and various other birds. A little later a flotilla of paddleboarders goes past; and next morning an angler is thigh-deep in the salmon-rich waters.

The centrepiece of the room is a gorgeous king sized pillow-topped bed, with soft goose down duvet and pillows (hypoallergenic bedding is available on request). There’s no need for the flatscreen TV, as lying atop the bed looking directly out at the view is entertainment enough.

There’s mood lighting, polished stone bathroom sinks, Voya Organic Seaweed lotions and potions, gorgeous fluffy towels, wifi, and Nespresso machine.

The Ice House is a smart, small and delightfully welcoming boutique hotel, with an evocative history. It’s a member of Ireland’s Blue Book, the most prestigious association of country houses, individual hotels, and restaurants in Ireland – and it’s easy to see why.

We are staying in ‘Jade’. Instead of numbers, rooms are given nature-inspired names like lavender, rose, olive, clam and fern. A nice touch.

Dining takes place at 54° 9° – a contemporary restaurant with a Scandi-feel, lots of blonde wood, over-sized sculptural pendant lights and, once again, big, big windows looking out onto the river.

The menu specialises in locally caught seafood, foraged wild herbs, freshly grown and locally sourced seasonal produce and the finest Irish meats. There’s also a separate vegan and vegetarian menu.

We enjoyed a truly scrumptious dinner. The pan-fried seabass fillets with fondant potato, with broad bean cream and mango salsa, was exceptional, whilst the veggie burger evoked much praise from my vegetarian partner. There’s a mouth-watering array of deserts and a fantastic cocktail menu, with some very flamboyant and tasty concoctions.

Originally called the ‘Iceland Cottage’ the Ice House hotel is a building steeped in history. Strategically positioned on the Moy estuary, (which became the principal sea-port of Ireland) in the late 18th and early 19th century tons of wild salmon were preserved there under ice before being shipped to the markets of Dublin and Liverpool. The old stone ice storage areas remain largely intact – and filled with character.

Every inch of the place has been carefully designed to create the most calming and relaxing experience. Throughout, there’s an impressive array of original Irish art on the walls to admire.

A highlight and ‘must-do’ is the award-winning Chill Spa, with its indoor and outdoor thermal facilities. There’s experience showers and steam

room, great for relaxing stressed and tired muscles, an aromatherapy dry heat room, outdoor sauna and sunken river view hot tubs.

The spa offers a menu of pampering treatments, using VOYA Irish organic and Yon-Ka Paris spa treatments, from a ‘Warm Pebbles of Enniscrone’ hot stone massage, to facials, body wraps, scrubs, and much more.

The range of outdoor bathing therapies on offer includes a Himalayan salt bath, organic warmed spice mud bath and seaweed bath (all come with complimentary herbal tea and sorbet). We opted for the seaweed bath.

The bath is filled with warm water and organic, hand-harvested Atlantic seaweed, which removes unwanted toxins, alleviates aches and pains, moisturises the skin, increases circulation and promote healing. We lost ourselves in the beautiful vista whilst soaking up the iodine and essential minerals released by the seaweed. Bliss.

After your treatment the destressing continues in the beautiful relaxation rooms (I loved the heated, rocking wooden recliners and hanging chair) and once again divine floor-to-ceiling views. There’s also a dimly-lit snooze room, where it’s impossible not to nod off.

The hotel has blended the old and the new with aplomb. If you want to de-stress in stunning surroundings and enjoy a warm welcome, the Ice House is a very cool place to do so.

Factfile: . B&B Summer rates at The Ice House Hotel, start from €270. T: +353(0)9623500 E: [email protected]