The origins of Straffan House go back a long way - the history is known as far back as 550 AD - but it was the arrival of the Barton wine family in 1831 that established the tone of today’s magnificent building, by giving it a distinctively French elegance.
It is set in lush countryside and, overlooking formal gardens and its own pair of championship golf courses, the estate boasts unrivalled opulence. Originally opened as an hotel by the Smurfit Group in 1991, the property was acquired by Dublin-based businessman, Michael Fetherston, in 2020
All suites and guest rooms are individually designed in the grand style, with sumptuous bathrooms, superb amenities and great attention to detail. Ahead of the 2006 Ryder Cup, major developments were undertaken, including a new bedroom wing, an extension to the Barton Restaurant, and a spa. Since then the expansion has continued and there are plans for further development under the new ownership.
Although most famous for its golf, the K Club also offers many other estate activities including river fishing for salmon and trout and coarse fishing with a choice of five stocked lakes (equipment bait and tackle provided; tuition available). Other on-site amenities include a swimming pool; spa; tennis; walking; cycling; equestrian, archery, falconry kayaking snooker and pool. For guests interested in horticulture there is a mapped garden walk, with planting details, and there are weekend tours of the wine cellar, led by the hotel’s highly-respected sommelier, Lisa O’Doherty.
The hotel and two clubhouses offer a range of dining experiences: the K Club’s premier restaurant, The Barton Restaurant (see below) offers fine dining based on local and estate-grown seasonal produce, and a signature list of 250 wines; Legends Restaurant (Arnold Palmer clubhouse) offers relaxed classic cuisine; while K Thai (Smurfit Clubhouse) broadens the appeal with Asian flavours. Afternoon Tea is served in The Chinese Drawing Room and it is very popular (reservations required).
The Barton Restaurant
This is the K Club’s premier restaurant and, beside it, a pleasantly clubby bar opens onto an elegant terrace with a distinctly French tone - here, on fine summer evenings, guests can consider menus over an aperitif and admire the golf course across the river before heading in to the restaurant, where tall, dramatically draped windows, marble columns, paintings of racehorses, tables laden with crested china, monogrammed white linen, gleaming crystal and silver are all designed to impress.
Leading chef Philip Brazil took over as Executive Chef in late 2020 and he continues a longstanding commitment to using the best of local and estate-grown produce, and all the little touches - a complimentary amuse-bouche, home-made petits fours with the coffee - that make a special dining experience memorable may be expected.
Service is professional and friendly - and, given the intertwined history of Straffan House and the Barton family, it is appropriate that the Bordeaux Reserve from Barton and Guestier should be the label chosen for the hotel’s house wine, heading up a signature list of 250 wines.
