Late lie-ins, fireside drinks and spa packages: in Ireland, your hotel is more than just a place to sleep. It’s somewhere to savour. Bed down in Dublin, at sumptuous The Westbury hotel, where you’ll sip drinks in its 1930s-inspired bar, The Sidecar, and pamper yourself with Malin + Goetz toiletries.

While The Westbury’s very own WILDE restaurant is well worth a visit for its Irish produce and alfresco-inspired decoration, we love a walk south, to Richmond Restaurant in Dublin’s Portobello area. Awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand, this tiny, low-key spot serves a limited but absolutely delicious menu for brunch, early evening and dinner.

Friends of The Bicester Collection and founders of the Take My Heart Everywhere travel platform, couple Francesca and Tommaso loved the cultural highlights around Dublin. “Dublin is such a beautiful city,” they said of their trip. “If we had to choose one favourite, it would be Trinity College, with its beautiful park, the Book of Kells and the stunning library, the incredible Long Room and more.”

After you’ve soaked up the city sights, drive south-west into Ireland’s green heart and to Ballyfin Demesne – a five-star country house style hotel in Ballyfin. The most luxurious home away from home, this vast manor houses a heated pool, sauna and spa, and offers its residents music recitals, art and architectural tours and more – you’ll never want to leave.

Running along the border of County Laois is the Slieve Bloom Mountain range – a majestic national park that’s dotted with villages and castles. It’s even said that you can see half the counties in Ireland from the top. Providing a much-needed blast of fresh winter air, a long walk up and down the hills is a must. The hotel butlers can even recommend suitable walks and print maps to help you on your way.