The Old Inn branches out with new luxury outdoor Treetop Spa offering as part of £2.5 million revamp

28th September 2022

Historic Crawfordsburn hotel acquired by Galgorm Collection last year confirms 1 December opening date for new luxury outdoor spa offering exclusively for residents

Luxury historic hotel The Old Inn, Crawfordsburn, has confirmed it will open a new outdoor spa offering exclusively for residents from 1 December following a £2.5 million investment to bring Galgorm’s renowned world-class hospitality and spa offering to the historic property.

Perched above Crawfordsburn Country Park, the new Treetop Spa at The Old Inn offers guests unrivalled forest views stretching out to the North Down coastline and will see the addition of a range of new experiences including a hydrotherapy pool, steam room, sauna, hot tubs and relax space set within its tranquil grounds, offering residents an enhanced hospitality experience.

Occupying a prominent 1.5-acre site in the heart of Crawfordsburn village - just 20 minutes from Belfast – the iconic thatched-roof property is one of the UK and Ireland’s top hotels. With a rich history dating back to 1614 The Old Inn is primed for a new chapter of growth with Galgorm Collection at its helm.

Since acquiring the property in April last year, Galgorm Collection, which owns the world-renowned Galgorm and a number of other properties across Belfast and Antrim, has already invested more than £1 million in refurbishing the property to its exacting, first-class standards. 

This has included revamping its cosy 1614 bar and refurbishing its 120-seater Old Inn 
restaurant which offers diners a brand new menu that marries homely classics with modern dining, featuring French-inspired dishes, seafood and salads. 

Galgorm Collection is also upgrading all 32 guestrooms as part of plans to revitalise and upgrade the historic destination, in line with other Collection properties.
Individually styled and luxuriously appointed, The Old Inn offers five room types - petite, carriage, highway, junior suite and suite – with some of its premier room offerings already refreshed. 

The Old Inn Suite now boasts its own private balcony complete with outdoor hot tub overlooking the Treetop Spa whilst the first of its Junior Suites also completed a makeover to include bespoke finishing touches including a free-standing copper bath to complement the chic French-inspired furniture. 

The property’s premier cottage accommodation set within the hotel’s grounds – and famed for being the honeymoon spot of world-famous local author C.S. Lewis – now comes complete with its own secluded outdoor hot tub for the ultimate tranquil forest bathing experience.Plans to reimagine the hotel’s private dining space are also in progress, with refurbishment expected to be complete by early 2023.

Colin Johnston, Galgorm Collection Managing Director, said: “The Old Inn is one of Northern Ireland’s most historic hotels and we have carefully considered our refurbishment works to ensure we remain sympathetic to the property’s history and retain its much-loved charm whilst also giving it the ‘Galgorm’ treatment, bringing this in line with our other award-winning properties. 

After centuries of providing warm hospitality to guests and travellers, the time is right to further invest in this iconic property to expand its offering and widen its appeal to attract more local, national and international visitors. 

Galgorm Collection is focused on investing in the region to support tourism, jobs and the wider economy. We’re confident that The Old Inn’s new-look offering will deliver a new chapter ofgrowth for us and for Northern Ireland.”

Since opening its doors last year under the guardianship of Galgorm Collection, The Old Inn has already received accreditations for excellence and was ranked #11 in the prestigious Irish Independent’s ‘Fab 50 Best Places to Stay’ in the island of Ireland.

Charlotte McClean, Manager at The Old Inn, commented:“As we continue to progress our planned redevelopment works, I’m delighted to confirm that the new Treetop Spa will open to residents from 1 December. This has been a long-awaited project and we’re already experiencing strong demand for bookings with guests eager to enjoy an 
exciting new outdoor spa offering within a stunning landscape.

Located next to a breathtaking country park and picturesque coastline, The Old Inn is the perfect rural retreat for guests keen to relax and connect with nature. We’re also excited to welcome our wonderful neighbours, who are the lifeblood of the property, to enjoy a new-look offering, with new seasonal menus available in our restaurant and our cosy 1614 bar undergoing a refresh to also welcome dogs for the first time. 

It’s an exciting time for The Old Inn and we’re committed to providing a premier hospitality experience for all of our guests joining us from near and far.”

Galgorm is renowned for creating world-class hospitality experiences throughout its award-winning properties in Northern Ireland. Previously crowned Global Luxury Spa Hotel of the Year, Galgorm was most recently awarded Best Luxury Golf Resort and Best Luxury Golf Resort Spa in Europe and Best Head Chef in the Region by the World Luxury Spa Awards 2021. The Resort also picked up Best Spa Experience within the UK and Ireland at the Condé Nast Johansens UK, Ireland, Europe & the Mediterranean, Awards for Excellence 2021 and was crowned Resort Spa of the Year at the World Spa & Wellness Awards 2020.

Most recently, Galgorm was named Ireland’s Best 4* Spa Experience at the Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Awards 2022 in recognition for its excellence inmhospitality and also picked up a silver award for Ireland’s Best Four-Star Resort. The property also picked up two gongs for its hospitality offering at the 2022 Bar of the Year Awards.

For more information, or to be among the first to experience the new Treetop Spa at The Old Inn, please visit theoldinn.com.