Q:The Johnstown House certainly doesn’t look like a typical
Marriott! Tell us something about its history.
A:This building dates back to the 1700s. It is a preserved
historical site, listed with the Meath County Council. It was
originally a Georgian country home. Marriott took over two years
ago.
Q:How has the house changed throughout the centuries?
A:The former owners pop by every once and again. They tell me
the library was a breakfast room, and our upstairs meeting rooms
were the residents’ bedrooms. Our restaurant is in the space that
was used for servants’ quarters. The old stable is now our Coach
House Bar. We kept the ornate doors, rococo ceilings, original
fireplaces and pine staircases. The idea is to preserve the feeling
of Old World charm from the moment you walk in but to also offer
modern conveniences, such as really comfortable beds, new bathrooms
and Internet access.
Q:What’s the biggest change?
A:Our spa opened last October.
Its impact has been remarkable. And we just opened an on-site
activity center for corporate events and incentive trips. Guests
will be able to drive real military tanks and amphibious vehicles
or go off-road riding in Land Rovers.
Q:Your location in the countryside seems a little off the beaten
track. Is that a problem for attracting guests?
A:People come here for couples’ getaways and weddings. We’ve
always been popular with business conferences. We’re noticing
increasing numbers of Americans, too. People like this area because
it’s less than an hour’s drive from Dublin. There are so many
historical sites castles and the Hill of Tara, for example.
Newgrange, Europe’s oldest burial site, is also nearby. The tombs
there predate the Egyptian pyramids.
Q:Which begs the question is Johnstown House haunted?
A:Well, we might have a friendly ghost but there have been no
recent sightings.
