Review of Faithlegg House Hotel

Faithlegg House Hotel


Scenic setting with spa treatments and tasty fare in Co. Waterford

I’ve learned that for the popular spa hotels you need to book months in advance for a weekend slot. We wanted somewhere that we didn’t have to travel too far to. The brother-in-law’s contact suggested Faithlegg House Hotel, just outside Waterford city. It’s marketed primarily as a golfing destination, but does have a short menu of health and beauty treatments. So we booked a couple of treatments for the Saturday afternoon (the only time available given the three weeks notice).

First impressions of the hotel were of a solid, traditional country house. The rooms weren’t large but were comfortable and anyway we spent little time in them.

On Friday evening we ate in the bar which had a limited menu. The food was only OK, we horsed it down anyway being the refined laydees that we are. The bar staff were lovely, helpful and smiley.

On Saturday afternoon we had a quick dip in the large jacuzzi before our treatments were scheduled, which got us in the relaxation mode. I’d an Indian Head massage which was terrific, especially since I’d had a migraine the day before. After the session I just wanted to nod off I was sooo relaxed, instead I went for a Black Mud Treatment which involved a body exfoliation and mud mask, followed by a gentle massage, lovely! We all agreed that our therapists had been friendly, personable, only chatted as much as you wanted, and did a great job. Unusually, they were all local women.

On the Saturday night we ate in the main restaurant, the Roseville Rooms, great atmosphere, the place was busy and buzzin’ with golfers and small family groups. For starters: the two sisters had a fresh green apple, asparagus, avocado salad, with sun blushed tomato which they found different and delicious. I had seafood chowder which had large chunks of salmon, and a few mussels, in a creamy rich soup. It was a little too much for me as a starter. For mains: three of us had the pan-fried hake on white cabbage and a selection of veg, the hake was firm and flavoursome, and our plates were cleared. Fillet of beef was had by sister number three and it was cooked exactly as ordered and duly polished off. Desserts weren’t overly memorable but tasty nevertheless, ice cream, mango bavarois, and chocolate parfait.

Unfortunately on both Friday and Saturday evenings the cappuccinos and my espresso, which I think came from the bar, arrived lukewarm at best.

Service in the restaurant was exceptional, the front of house manager kept a sharp eye on all activities throughout the restaurant. Cleared plates weren’t allowed to stay on table for long, wine and water were regularly topped up, and as each course was delivered to the table she was unobtrusively in the background waiting for our reaction to the first mouthfuls, only then moving on. Worth her weight in gold I’d say.

Overall, we had a relaxing weekend with lots of laughs, helped by the friendly, efficient service we received and the plentiful and tasty food.

Rated 4/5 on Oct 22 2007 by famron

Review Tags: hotel, pamper, spa, waterford

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Moving Azara microphylla ‘Variegata’

Moving plants from the old garden to the new has been a mixed blessing. On the positive side I can start afresh and select plants that have worked well for me in the old garden. On the other side, some plants that I’ve grown from seed or seen grow into attractive mature specimens have had to be left behind because they’re not suitable for moving. For example, the Cornus controversa variegata is a fantastic tree now after a slow start, its canopy must be 10 or 12 ft in diameter, but I’d need a truck to accommodate it for the 25 mile move (if it survived being dug up)! And I’ve a couple of wonderful Euphorbia mellifera, grown from seed, that are painful to have to leave but I don’t think they’d survive unless I dug up a huge area around them.
I decided to chance moving the Azara microphylla ‘Variegata’, it had never had an opportunity to shine, and was lost among other shrubs. And I realized it had grown to about 10 feet in 5 years without me noticing. Digging it out two weeks ago wasn’t too difficult; there were only a few thick roots anchoring it; more important are the thin ones for taking up nutrients and water.
In the new garden I’ve supported it with 3 tree stakes, but it’s still leaning a bit, so need to get another one and a tree tie. I’m monitoring the tree daily. Some of the leaves have blackened, which is to be expected given the trauma of the move. I just have to hope that it’ll recover and settle into its new home.

UPDATE: It didn't survive! See this.

Description: Azara microphylla 'Variegata' (Variegated Boxleaf Azara) - A dainty small upright large bush or small tree to 15-25 feet tall with a fountain-like shape and arching branches of tiny 1/2" long leaves edged with a creamy white variegation. In late spring into early spring the tiny petal-less flowers exude a fragrance that smells of chocolate to some or vanilla to others. Responds well to pruning and can be shaped to fit most any garden's needs. Origin Chile.