Fodor's Expert Review Bellinter House

Surrounded by 12 acres on the banks of the Boyne, this splendid 1750 country house retains the glories of the original architecture while adding a few modern twists. Contemporary lighting, handmade ash-wood furniture, and futuristic art installations mix cleverly with the drawing room's 18th-century decorative plasterwork. Historically, this was once the home of the infamously wild, party-loving Briscoe clan (their hijinks included a crazy dig for the Ark of the Covenant on the Hill of Tara). Modern rooms have been constructed in the old pavilion wings and the stables have been turned into compact modern apartments, but the massive bedrooms in the main house are the real Georgian gems of Bellinter. Their huge windows allow light to play across the wood-panel walls and deep yellow rugs. The elegant Bathhouse spa ensures maximum luxury.