
Dublin's longest-running family-owned hotel offers uniquely Irish experience in great location with fine food & gym
And that is what the Sandymount Hotel in
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5
The hotel boasts an excellent location
Credit: sandymounthotel
5
Outdoor dining is available on the terrace
Credit: sandymounthotel
The hotel celebrated 70 years of continuous family ownership in May 2025, longer than any other hotel property in the capital.
Proudly owned by the third generation of the Loughran
I had the pleasure of enjoying the hospitality at the Sandymount during a recent stay when I was in Dublin for
Coming from
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And with over 70 complimentary car parking spaces, I had no problem finding a spot for my overnight stay.
With the British Lions playing
On arrival, Anna on the reception desk ensured I was met with a warm and friendly welcome and could not have been more helpful.
I stayed in a deluxe super king room which had everything you need - comfortable bed, excellent bathroom with power shower, and amenities including a 42" Smart TV with
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Most read in the Irish Sun
Following the rugby theme, it was then to the hotel's Line Out Bar where I met a colleague for lunch.
Open from 12.30pm every day, it has a vast menu to choose from including steak, fish, pasta, burgers and salads.
GREAT GRUB
I opted for the Chicken and Chorizo Pasta while my friend Neil had the Grilled Chicken and Avocado Burger and we both had no complaints with the excellent
The next day I also enjoyed the buffet breakfast which is served in Whitty's down the stairs.
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And with the recent good weather, tables were available outside on the terrace to relax and enjoy a coffee while reading the morning newspaper.
For the more energetic, Sandymount also has a fitness room available for residents - you just need to get a different key from reception to access it.
PLEASANT LOCATION
The hotel has a great location too - it's only a five minute walk to both the Dart at Lansdowne Station and, of course, the Aviva Stadium.
And more importantly it was also very handy for me to get to our offices on Mayor Street Upper on the other side of the River Liffey, a stone's throw away from the
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GO: DUBLIN
STAY THERE: Stay in the Sandymount Hotel, located in one of Dublin's prestigious neighbourhoods, with great rooms, bar and restaurants. Visit
DO THIS: Visit the Aviva Stadium where some of the biggest sporting and music events are held throughout the year.
EAT THERE: Dine in the Line Out Bar in the Sandymount which has something for everyone.
I hopped on the Luas at Lansdowne and five minutes later got off at Pearse Street.
From there it was a pleasant 15 minute walk via the Samuel Beckett Bridge to work.
Next time you're staying in Dublin, I thoroughly recommend giving the Sandymount Hotel a 'try'.
5
There's a fitness room available for energetic guests
Credit: sandymounthotel
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5
The Sandymount Hotel is the longest running independent hotel in Dublin
Credit: sandymounthotel
5
I enjoyed a stay in the hotel's gorgeous king size bedroom
Credit: sandymounthotel

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Agriland
10-08-2025
- Agriland
Watch: Using local grain to produce quality whiskey
In 1979, Loughran's Stores Ltd was founded just outside of Dundalk, in Haggardstown, Co. Louth, but the Loughran family has been farming the land since 1908. The company's managing director, James Loughran, the third generation of his family to farm the land, explained to Agriland that originally, it was an "old Land Commission" farm - 40ac and a farmhouse. In the 1970s, the grain store was built, and trading began with farmers in the local area, a number of which Loughran's still trade with today. Loughran joined the business in 2002, with the goal of doing something "slightly different, but still within our skill set", especially with the company's wheat, oats, and barley. In the early 2010s, while on holiday in Canada, Loughran became interested in Vancouver's craft beer scene, and the city's intake of malt barley per year. Back home, he recognised that the Irish brewing and distilling industries were growing for smaller, independent businesses. However, Loughran felt that there was limited opportunities for Irish brewers to access local malt - crushed, in 25kg bags - simply because the facilities were not there. In 2014, the company started crushing a small amount of malt barley, and supplied it to breweries around Ireland. Crusher at Loughran's Storehouse, Co. Louth Over the years, the company has diversified what it distributes, to offer brewers a full range of base malt, specialty malts, and hops. The company continued to expand and followed a simple, but effective, business model - provide brewers and distillers with all the ingredients they need: a "one-stop shop", as Loughran himself puts it. The Old Carrick Mill Distillery is 30km away from Loughran's Storehouse, just across the county border, in Carrickmacross, Co. Monaghan. The distillery was founded by Steven Murphy, a Monaghan native, and is supplied by Loughran's. Murphy founded Old Carrick Mill 14 years ago, on the site of an old mill which leads back to the world-famous B&G vineyard in Bordeaux, France, and the Barton family. Having traced the mill's roots all the way south of France, B&G gifted Murphy 50 of its finest red wine barrels, which he filled them with whiskey. Despite its continental history, Old Carrick Distillery is rooted firmly in south Co. Monaghan. Throughout the premises, Murphy has links to the local area proudly on display. A local expression is proudly etched into the bottles of whiskey: "From Carrickmacross to Crossmaglen, there are more rogues than honest men." Whiskey produced at Old Carrick Mill Distillery However, gin was Old Carrick Mill Distillery's first product. Murphy explained that the only "law" in making gin is that the main botanical is juniper, and it has to be 40% alcohol. As a result, Murphy began growing junipers on site in Carrickmacross so that he could produce 100% Irish gin further down the line. He planted the trees "eight or nine" years ago, with mixed results. According to Murphy, junipers are a "lazy" tree, and it could be 10 years before they put out a berry. Once harvested, Murphy intends to use his junipers to make gin along with other Irish products, such as apples and blackberries. "Who is to say gin has to taste a certain way?" Murphy asked. "It has to have junipers in it, but everything else can be different."


The Irish Sun
25-07-2025
- The Irish Sun
Dublin's longest-running family-owned hotel offers uniquely Irish experience in great location with fine food & gym
IN an era of corporate ownership, it's wonderful in this day and age to see an independent business still thriving. And that is what the Sandymount Hotel in Advertisement 5 The hotel boasts an excellent location Credit: sandymounthotel 5 Outdoor dining is available on the terrace Credit: sandymounthotel The hotel celebrated 70 years of continuous family ownership in May 2025, longer than any other hotel property in the capital. Proudly owned by the third generation of the Loughran I had the pleasure of enjoying the hospitality at the Sandymount during a recent stay when I was in Dublin for Coming from Advertisement READ MORE IN TRAVEL And with over 70 complimentary car parking spaces, I had no problem finding a spot for my overnight stay. With the British Lions playing On arrival, Anna on the reception desk ensured I was met with a warm and friendly welcome and could not have been more helpful. I stayed in a deluxe super king room which had everything you need - comfortable bed, excellent bathroom with power shower, and amenities including a 42" Smart TV with Advertisement Most read in the Irish Sun Following the rugby theme, it was then to the hotel's Line Out Bar where I met a colleague for lunch. Open from 12.30pm every day, it has a vast menu to choose from including steak, fish, pasta, burgers and salads. GREAT GRUB I opted for the Chicken and Chorizo Pasta while my friend Neil had the Grilled Chicken and Avocado Burger and we both had no complaints with the excellent The next day I also enjoyed the buffet breakfast which is served in Whitty's down the stairs. Advertisement And with the recent good weather, tables were available outside on the terrace to relax and enjoy a coffee while reading the morning newspaper. For the more energetic, Sandymount also has a fitness room available for residents - you just need to get a different key from reception to access it. PLEASANT LOCATION The hotel has a great location too - it's only a five minute walk to both the Dart at Lansdowne Station and, of course, the Aviva Stadium. And more importantly it was also very handy for me to get to our offices on Mayor Street Upper on the other side of the River Liffey, a stone's throw away from the Advertisement GO: DUBLIN STAY THERE: Stay in the Sandymount Hotel, located in one of Dublin's prestigious neighbourhoods, with great rooms, bar and restaurants. Visit DO THIS: Visit the Aviva Stadium where some of the biggest sporting and music events are held throughout the year. EAT THERE: Dine in the Line Out Bar in the Sandymount which has something for everyone. I hopped on the Luas at Lansdowne and five minutes later got off at Pearse Street. From there it was a pleasant 15 minute walk via the Samuel Beckett Bridge to work. Next time you're staying in Dublin, I thoroughly recommend giving the Sandymount Hotel a 'try'. 5 There's a fitness room available for energetic guests Credit: sandymounthotel Advertisement 5 The Sandymount Hotel is the longest running independent hotel in Dublin Credit: sandymounthotel 5 I enjoyed a stay in the hotel's gorgeous king size bedroom Credit: sandymounthotel


Sunday World
22-07-2025
- Sunday World
Goat feeding, olive oil tasting, wine tasting and gong bathing...Greek isle has it all
Anna O'Keeffe discovered that a TUI all-inclusive holiday is anything but boring But when the offer of a trip to 5-star TUI BLUE Sensatori Atlantica Caldera Palace Hotel on the beautiful Greek island of Crete came along, I decided to see what all the fuss was about and to find out if an all-inclusive trip really was as unadventurous as I thought. First impressions have always been important to me, and I was bowled over by the incredible opulence of the three-storey grand foyer. Every guest was greeted with drinks and chilled towels to cool off after the short 20-min journey from the airport. Anna chilling at the pool The view from the reception's bar looks out over the 411 room hotel and the six swimming pools. One of the things that attracted me to this resort was the fact that it has a good mix of family space and adult-only areas. Plus, if you don't want to swim in any of the pools, there is direct access from the property to a quiet beach with complimentary loungers and parasols. Then there is the food. Just so much food. The resort has six bars and six restaurants to choose from, plus there is a gorgeous cafe. I wish I had time to sample them all, but over the four days I ate in the Oregano Greek Tavern, Tex Mex and Mediterraneo Restaurant, each one as good as the last. While the facilities were fantastic, I'm a girl who likes to keep busy and wanted to do some activities during my stay. Guests can download the TUI BLUE app to view a full schedule of extra activities that can be enjoyed during their visit. These are all free of charge and the schedule can be found under the 'daily programme' section of the app. The activities include archery, aqua aerobics, water polo, dance classes for families, football games, Pilates, sunset yoga, barbell workouts, HIIT classes and many more. Anna enjoying a wine tasting Scrolling through the app, I stumbled upon something called 'gong bathing' so I swiped right to get my name down. With absolutely no preconceptions about what it was, I soon discovered it was essentially a sound bath meditation session where we lay on floating aqua boards, while the instructor guided us through a meditation session and then began making soft noises and vibrations with a large, flat, metal percussion instrument known as a gong (below). To be honest, I felt quite awkward at first but the lulling of the vibrations surprised me and I felt peaceful and relaxed once I got into it. Feeling rejuvenated and in full holiday mode, it was time to enjoy some wine so I took part in a wine tasting session hosted by the hotel that focussed on local wines. The ladies who hosted this were so knowledgeable and had some great stories about how each of the wines are made, giving me a whole new appreciation for every glass. Filled with liquid courage, I then opted for a Greek dance lesson to try to emulate scenes from movies like My Big Fat Greek Wedding. We started with some basic steps accompanied by some traditional Greek music that got faster and faster. It got a bit chaotic but by the end we were able to pull off a full dance routine. A gong bathing session Having built up an appetite after all that dancing, it was time to drop into a Greek cooking class that was being hosted in the main restaurant of the hotel. The chef showed us how to make a number of different Greek dishes and salads using fresh, local ingredients. We made tzatziki from scratch and served it on some fresh bread. It was so tasty I went back for second and third helpings. Not only was I able to do all these amazing activities within the hotel, but the hotel has partnered with National Geographic to give guests the opportunity to head out on some day tours around the island. The first was to spend the day at Kamihis Farm Experience (€120 per adult and €80 per child including guide, transfers and all food and drink), a traditional Cretan farm located up in the mountains and owned by husband and wife Valina and Michalis. Here we learned how to make some traditional bread from scratch in a 'scafi'. Anna baking bread As we waited for the dough to rise we were invited to join in a number of other farm activities, and we milked goats, fed pigs, fed some chickens and collected freshly laid eggs. It's one thing to sit in a restaurant and order Cretan food but to actually go out to a real Cretan farm and make your own with some locals was a special experience. Magical. The second excursion I took was The Millenary History of Olive Oil (€110 for adults including guide, transfers and all food and drink) to see how olive oil is produced. This trip began with a walking tour through a beautiful olive grove, where our guide, Nikos explained how important olives are in Cretan culture. We sat under the trees and tasted some of the olives before heading off to the second part of the tour, which was in an olive oil factory. There we got to witness the intricate production process when the olives arrive from the groves. Anna learning about olive oil Nikos poured different olive oils into shot glasses and taught us how to tell a good olive oil from a not so good one — by checking if the smell was fruity, taste was bitter and how spicy the oil felt in the throat. Since coming home, I've been showing off my olive oil tasting techniques to anyone that will humour me. After the full day excursion it was so nice to return to the hotel for some down time. I visited the Aegeo Spa where I tried out the sauna, steam room and a heated indoor pool. The TUI Blue Sensatori Atlantica Caldera Palace in Crete has something for everyone whether you want to relax or keep busy On the spa menu, I saw an offering for a 70-min full body Cretan massage which looked too good to miss, so booked myself in. The entire experience flew by and I left the spa with my muscles feeling relaxed and all my stresses melted away. Access to the spa area, spa facilities and massages are an additional cost, but well worth the money. The sprawling pools at the hotel So… my first all-inclusive holiday couldn't have gone better. Hand on heart… did I have gong bathing and goat feeding on my Cretan holiday bingo card? Absolutely not. But isn't that the great thing about being on holidays and trying new things? I did have 'eat, drink, relax and enjoy'… and the above extras created the kind of memories that will last a lifetime. There was such a variety of things to see and do at the TUI BLUE Sensatori Atlantica Caldera Palace Hotel, so much so that I wished I could have stayed for an extra few days. It is the ideal sanctuary for anyone needing a stress-free, high-quality holiday, with the chance to avail of a wide range of activities and dining experiences. Both the resort itself and the staff working at the hotel made this an unforgettable getaway. ■ Anna was a guest of TUI and stayed at the Sensatori by TUI BLUE concept hotel operated by Atlantica Hotels & Resorts. There is still some availability this season (ends in October). ■ Everything on the programme, including the BLUEfit activities, wellness classes, wine tasting and cooking demonstration is free of charge and everything can be booked a day in advance on the TUI BLUE app. ■ Use of the spa facilities is €30, but included in any treatments booked.