An atmospheric, avant-garde escape from city life only minutes away from Galway town centre, Galway’s G Hotel, which opened in 2006, has rapidly carved out a niche as Ireland’s foremost destination hotel. Designed by the county’s own Philip Treacy, the G is renowned for its colourful take on five-star luxury, and ranks among the top three hotels in the world on the international Condé Nast Gold List.
This plush, decadent wonderland of designer interiors puts the glamour into Galway; while the hotel is a perfect getaway for romantic breaks or trips with the family, we can’t recommend this place enough for a girly weekend away.
For style-setters, the G is the holy grail, combining high fashion with a welcoming hospitality and a unique sense of fun. It’s the details that count: quirky artwork features on every wall, and a cupcake is left to greet every guest upon arrival. Chic and deliciously sweet, this is what a stay at the G is all about. The neon-lit pink bar (the most flamboyant of three luxurious suites) is ideal for people-watching. Dress to impress and sip on a signature Glamour Martini or the creamy, home-grown Galway Bay.
The fashion pack caught on to the G long ago, as signalled by the fact that their award-winning spa is frequently booked out in advance. The hotel’s two topmost floors are given over to this haven of calm and rejuvenation, a not-so-well-kept secret featuring a rain shower, a rock sauna, a glass-pavilioned relaxation room, a crystal steam room and an ice fountain.
The G’s spa excels at East-meets-West Ayurvedic rituals, which leave skin glowing and the mind calmed and refreshed. The Shirodhara Third Eye Massage sees a stream of warm, scented oil poured repeatedly over the middle of the forehead, a mystical experience said to induce a trance-like, blissful state. The Purva Karma Four Hand Massage is yet more indulgent; two therapists work on pressure points on the face, body and scalp, massaging in harmony to gently roll away tension.
You can also take your pick from Swedish or Balinese massage techniques, hot stone treatments designed to clear energy channels and dissolve muscular tension, or you can spoil your skin with an ESPA custom massage, tailored exactly to your needs (you choose the lighting and ambiance of the room, as well as selecting from a treatment menu including the Jet-lag Eliminator, the intensive Body Toner or the calming Tension Reliever massage). Packages offer something for every taste; the Experience ESPA includes a stop at the thermal suite, before an indulgent massage, pedicure and boutique facial, and ending with a deliciously healthy lunch overlooking the Zen rooftop garden.
If you’re visiting in a group, the Here Come the Girls day is a hard one to resist; time in the thermal suite, followed by a salt and oil scrub and full body massage, and rounded off with a decadent signature G cocktail at the bar.
The G Hotel offers a magical experience comprised of many contradictions; offering the best of Irish design, cuisine and hospitality, it leads the way but is built on tradition. It offers a designer experience with an unrivalled sense of fun, minutes from the heart of Galway yet overlooking the tranquil Lough Atalia. It is an internationally acclaimed, yet uniquely local experience, ideal for visitors looking to have their bodies relaxed and their imagination fired.
Visit www.theghotel.ie/spa for more information.