Premier Hospitality

Hunter’s Yard

Hunter’s Yard
Written by Roma Publications

Hunter’s Yard : An Ideal Escape this Summer

The relaxed, luxurious, beautiful, Mount Juliet is a magnificent, sprawling 500-acre country estate – one of Europe’s finest – with a gorgeous Georgian house set at its heart. Take a break from the everyday this summer with an escape to Mount Juliet Estate and the luxurious new hotel, Hunter’s Yard, at this polished and cosy country hideaway just outside Kilkenny city.

In a bygone era when Mount Juliet Estate was a working farm of several thousand acres, many people were employed and lived there. Back then, Hunter’s Yard would have had working horses and hay lofts, as well as lodgings for the grooms, coachmen and stable boys. Today, this elegantly transformed courtyard, just five minutes’ walk from the Manor House, is home to the bright and inviting rooms of the newly extended hotel at Mount Juliet Estate, Hunter’s Yard, and also the magnificent but relaxed dining experience of The Hound, under the helm of Michelin Star chef Ken Harker.

The interior design concept at Hunter’s Yard was undertaken by MCA Architects, one of Ireland’s award winning architectural firms. Speaking to Premier Hospitality magazine, Jean Feeney, Senior Interior Designer at MCA Architects said: “Tetrarch Capital are an established client of ours and they approached us to undertake the development of Hunters Yard on the back of refurbishing The Manor and building the new Golf Club on the estate. We have already completed the Citywest Hotel extensive refurbishment with Tetrarch and have other hotel developments on the go for them.

“Hunter’s Yard was a 16 room hotel which has had an 80 bedroom extension subtly added to it due to demand for hotel beds in that area. Before we started, we undertook to research what was working in the UK market, taking a trip to the UK and visiting places like Limewood House and The Pig Hotel which offer luxury breaks from city life.

“The interior promises laid back luxury with a twist. It connects deeply to the building’s history and culture as an old stable yard but now with a refined and relaxed atmosphere. The refurbishment was also sympathetic to the estate’s history of hunting and fishing through its use of leather, wool and rich grained timbers alongside with some beautiful natural stone. Saddle stitching was used on club chairs and layers of interest were created with modern patterns and textures, brass details and creative use of colour, in keeping with new aesthetic trends. A substantial amount of the furniture were period pieces bought at auction and refurbished, helping preserve the integrity of each piece, tying in with  the overall conservation approach to the project. All the Benjamin Moore paint products are cradle to cradle certified.”

Hunter’s Yard

The fresh new restaurant The Hound at Hunter’s Yard, is a warm and inviting place to eat, comfortably seating up to 140 guests, with a cosy bar, bright airy conservatory and luxurious private dining options for celebratory parties or meetings for up to 40 people. With design inspiration taken from the honourable tradition of country pursuits but brought right up to date with some contemporary twists, traditional herringbone tweeds, deep buttoned leather and beautiful floral patterns are used in a very modern and playful way here, set beside stylish accent details.  The Hound at Hunter’s Yard is a fresh new take on Mount Juliet’s rich heritage of hospitality.

Jean added: “We brought the tapestry of the interior into the 21st century. Bar locations were moved to improve the overall layout and allow for increased visitor numbers, also increasing the number of tables in The Hound restaurant without losing the intimate ambience. The fabric of the old stables buildings was stripped back and then carefully rebuilt, keeping the charm and character woven into the new materials and finishes used.”

Open for Lunch from 12.30pm – 4pm and Dinner from 5.30pm and 9pm, The Hound serves a creative menu which includes soups, sharing platters, salads and an extensive selection of main courses to suit all tastes. A casual alternative to the ultimate Michelin Star fine dining experience found in the Lady Helen up at The Manor but under the same expert hand of Ken Harker and his team.

“The interior refurbishment has been very well received overall,” said Jean. “And it is a major improvement to what was already there. As a collective, the estate which includes The Manor and Mount Juliet Golf Club provides a repertoire of business and leisure experiences, thoughtfully adaptive to a wide ranging audience. Tetrarch Capital are a great client to work with and there was a very symbiotic team experience throughout the whole project. The estate itself is very beautiful and it is not often that you get to work on a project of such magnitude and in such an amazing setting.”

A tranquil hideaway adjacent to the Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course and only a few paces from the treatment rooms of Mount Juliet Spa and the swimming pool, a one-night stay in Hunter’s Yard during this summer including breakfast served in The Hound at Hunter’s Yard, complimentary car parking and complimentary Wi-Fi throughout, starts from €155 per room per night.

Specially designed as a more casual space, The Laid-Back Luxury package at Hunter’s Yard is a fresh take on Mount Juliet’s rich heritage and a natural extension of the estates genuine and memorable hospitality.

 

Kathryn Callaghan Fine Art

Artwork for the Hunter’s Yard project was supplied by Kathryn Callaghan Fine Art. Kathryn’s work is very distinctive and brings a contemporary feel to traditional wildlife art.  It is created in a most unusual way… She free-pours homemade inky mixes from mid-air, much like drizzling honey onto toast. The results are beautiful and are a perfect fit for the relaxed feel of the hotel.

“One of the main reasons that people enjoy my work is because it evokes memories and speaks to their hearts and minds. People often contact me to tell me that the artwork makes them happy, stops them in their tracks, reminds them of an experience and gives them a moment to stop and think. I love getting that feedback and that is something I am very proud of,” said Kathryn.

Kathryn works with a variety of private collectors, art galleries, interior designers and other trade sectors catering for both residential and commercial projects. She recently worked on the Hunter’s Yard project in Mount Juliet, Ireland where she provided a selection of various wildlife imagery and giclee prints to be hung in the hotels bedrooms, en suites and the restaurant.

Kathryn said: “I loved working on the Hunter’s Yard project. It is so nice to have my work hung up in hotel rooms and spaces that have been created and fitted out by interior designers and a professional team. It is really nice to see the end product all together.  I’ve had a lot of feedback from hotel guests, who have connected with the artwork.”

As well as working on the Hunter’s Yard development, Kathryn has provided artwork for numerous hospitality projects including Druid’s Glen in Wicklow where she provided original artwork and prints for the bedrooms, The Bushmills Hotel where she supplied a variety of work for their public spaces and The Parsons Nose restaurant in Hillsborough, Northern Ireland where she commissioned 10 original pieces of artwork related to the produce that they use, following the refurbishment of the restaurant.

 

Hicken Lighting & Interiors

Hicken Lighting & Interiors is a lighting specialist, working closely with contractors, architects, interior designers and private clients to provide the best in lighting solutions. The company’s extensive lighting range can be viewed at Hicken’s showrooms in Dublin, where a huge range of traditional, contemporary and modern light fittings, as well as mirrors & occasional furniture, is all on display.

Since 1939, Hicken Lighting & Interiors has built up a reputation for excellence, developing a strong portfolio in the process. Past projects include Temple Bar Hotel, The Haddinton Hotel, Las Tapas de Lola, Asador, The Wilder and the Iconic Offices South Point project.

Most recently, Hicken Lighting & Interiors has been involved with MCA Architects on the Hunter’s Yard project. For this scheme Hicken Lighting & Interiors supplied decorative lighting for all common areas.

Leah Baker, Hicken Lighting & Interiors, said:

“MCA are valued clients and we were delighted to collaborate on this project.”

Leah added:

“At Hicken Lighting & Interiors we specialise in bespoke lampshade & lighting design, for contract and residential projects. We manufacture over-sized lampshades and have an extensive variety of in-house bespoke designs, which is unique to Hicken Lighting.

“We have been in business since 1939, so we bring a huge level of expertise & knowledge so we can assist clients in all stages, from conception, to design and completion of innovative lighting schemes for both commercial and domestic lighting projects.”

 

 

 

 

 

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Roma Publications