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The day started with a fairly straightforward bus trip to Connolly Station. My boyfriend and I were on our way to the Johnstown Estate in Co. Meath for a weekend of pure relaxation. Having left the house without breakfast (rookie mistake), we decided to make a quick stop off at Pret before boarding the train to Enfield. Sambos and cups of tea in hand, we felt very smug about arriving early enough to pick up snacks. That smugness was short-lived, however, and things took a turn for the chaotic when we got on carriage F.
Settling into our seats, we soon realised that this would not be the quiet journey we’d anticipated. Voices cawed from all angles, boiled sweets were passed around, personal space was invaded. The culprits? A rather large (and boisterous) group of OAPs on a day out to Sligo… the very last stop on that particular train route. A woman strode purposefully up and down the aisles asking to see people’s tickets – not because she had any authority to do so, but rather, to ascertain whether they were sitting in seats she could reasonably claim for her and her group. “I don’t know most of the people here,” another commented, which made me titter.
I caught eyes with the woman across from me who shrugged her shoulders and smiled. Nokia ringtones tolled in the background as calls for Mary and Betty echoed around the coach. Two latecomers donning pearls hurried to join the gaggle, slipping through the automatic doors just before they shut for the last time. As I said, the whole thing was chaotic, though admittedly, very funny too.
An hour and a bit later, we alighted in Enfield. The quiet was a little unnerving at first—we had just descended from a cacophonous steel box after all—but not unwelcome. Opting for a four-minute taxi over a 25-minute walk (this trip was about relaxation, not exertion), it wasn’t long before we found ourselves in the cosy reception area of the Johnstown Estate. A blazing fire welcomed us in from the cold, accompanied by a delicious cinnamon-y smell (their new festive scent, apparently).
Dinner was a three-course meal and bottle of red at Fire & Salt, one of two onsite restaurants. Ravenous from our day of doing absolutely nothing, we worked our way through goat’s cheese and cured salmon starters, before tucking into mains – cod for me, steak for him. By the time dessert came around, our plans to order two different things and share, no longer seemed viable (our eyes were bigger than our stomachs) so we agreed on the chocolate fondant and asked for two spoons. The highlight for me was getting back to our room at the very humble hour of 8:30pm. Younger me would have thought that extremely boring, but growing up does things to a person; hangovers are more brutal, you’re genuinely thrilled by Tesco Clubcard offers and everything revolves around how much sleep you can get (approximately nine hours and 23 minutes if you’re wondering).
The next morning started much better than the last with a packed buffet of breakfast options and copious amounts of tea. Well-rested and extremely well-fed, we both worked from our room, then scuttled home at lunchtime. Word to the wise though: pre-book your taxi at reception if you’re relying on public transport. Thankfully our train was delayed so we made it to the station in time on foot but FreeNow isn’t quite as reliable down the country as it is in Dublin (who knew!?).
My second time at Johnstown Estate, this was my first time staying overnight and I will most definitely be back. The rooms are basic enough but the entire experience was rejuvenating, to say the least. The past few months have been quite tough – I won’t bore you with the specifics but believe me when I say that this trip couldn’t have come at a better time and I left, not fully healed, but at least better able to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
The Johnstown Estate’s Black Friday Spa Experience costs €99 for two and is available from Sunday to Thursday until December 2025. This includes 90 minutes in the hotel’s thermal suites along with a two-course lunch at The Spa Café. The Johnstown Estate has also created a bespoke overnight escape, the Black Friday Package, which costs €185 per couple. Pre-book your stay or purchase a voucher for the experience during the Black Friday promotion and enjoy overnight accommodation, a full Irish breakfast and a bottle of wine on arrival. Bookings are available for midweek stays from Sunday – Thursday subject to availability until 31 March 2025 (excluding bank holidays).