Unparalleled History
There’s history everywhere you look when you're at Ashford, from the paintings on the walls to the long, circuitous hallways. It’s easy for a first-timer to get lost here (or maybe bump into a ghost along the way), but that's all part of the fun. The castle itself was built in stages, with the oldest parts dating back to the the 13th century. After successive expansions in the 16th and 18th centuries, the property really achieved icon status when it was acquired by the Guinness family in the 19th century. History credits the Guinnesses with turning Ashford into a fashionable place to visit, and during their time many celebrities and royals visited the estate. But don’t fret—Ashford is set apart from other historic properties around the world because it's anything but drafty and dusty. After Red Carnation Hotels acquired the property in 2013, it underwent an extraordinary studs-to-ceilings $75 million renovation.