This Co Antrim resort makes the most of its riverside surroundings

The location is not the most convenient for public transport (which would need around one hour more travel time from Belfast by bus, and a taxi for the last stretch), but it has a peaceful riverside setting on a 450-acre estate on the River Maine, with lots of trees. 

It’s around 40 minutes’ drive to the Giant’s Causeway and the Antrim coast.

6/10

Style and design

The main feature is the Thermal Spa Village, which is thoughtfully designed to blend with the surroundings, with plenty of tree-lined woodland paths between the hot tubs and pools. 

There’s also a café in the spa village with a lovely riverside setting. 

While some of the décor of the guest rooms in the hotel is slightly dated (for example, brown leather furniture), rooms are spacious and my large windows and Juliet balcony overlooked the grounds, the spa area and the trees.

7/10

Service

I arrived quite early so was not expecting the room to be ready, but was delighted to find out that guests can use the spa from noon on the day of arrival. 

I was brought to the spa area, where they stored my luggage and let me use the facilities and a locker for the day. 

When I did check in to the guest room, there were a couple of things not working and it took a few follow-ups to try to get the safe in the room fixed (to store a laptop). 

The service in the spa and restaurants was excellent.

7/10

Guest rooms

There are 125 guest rooms in the main hotel, plus 71 other lodgings including log cabins, cottages, shepherds’ huts, forest dens and other residences that are suitable for groups and families. 

My guest room was quiet, spacious, well-lit and extremely comfortable, with a king-size bed, small seating area, a Juliet balcony and a large bathroom with a separate bath and shower. 

There were robes, slippers and a hairdryer, plus toiletries.

8/10

In-room perks

Bottled water (in glass bottles), a Nespresso machine, crisps, biscuits and a fridge with a complimentary minibar (with a quarter bottle of white wine, a 330ml can of craft beer and soft drinks) were all on offer. 

Teabags are supplied but no kettle to boil water.

7/10

On the menu

A hot breakfast can either be ordered from a menu in the Conservatory, which also does afternoon tea from £43.50pp (€51.88) and lunch, or you can have a buffet breakfast in the Castle Kitchen restaurant. 

Both the food and the service for dinner at the Italian-themed restaurant Fratelli, which is set in a courtyard in the grounds, are excellent. 

The menu has a good selection of pasta and pizza dishes, plus steaks, chicken and fish and specials of the day. 

Dining here can be pricey — pizzas with toppings start at £22.50 (€26.86), while a steak with sauce and fries will set you back £46.50 (55.50). If you really want to blow the budget, there are a few bottles of Frescobaldi Masseto on the wine list for £2,400 (€2,862). 

For the rest of us, a glass of wine starts at £8 (around €9.50).

9/10

Activities and amenities

The Thermal Spa Village is the main activity for guests. There is a spa with a range of bookable treatments. 

For golfers, the estate has a par-72 championship parkland golf course, a six-hole par-three course, a putting green, range and golf academy. 

There’s a gym and you can walk or rent bikes to explore the estate and grounds. 

There are four restaurants and two bars. There is also plenty of car parking.

8/10

The bill

An overnight stay with breakfast and access to the thermal village, for two guests, starts from around €226 in the hotel and around €322 in the Forest Dens.

• Galgorm 
• BT42 1EA, Co Antrim, Northern Ireland
• galgorm.com
• Yvonne Gordon was a guest of Galgorm Resort