Nestled beneath the stunning Cooley Mountains and offering panoramic views of Carlingford Lough, the Four Seasons Carlingford is the perfect venue for conferences, meetings and corporate events. It’s also a fabulous wedding venue setting, as its recent success at the (Weddingsuppliers.ie) National Wedding Industry Awards suggests, so Hotel & Tourism caught up with its Head of Sales and Marketing Natalie Haake to find out more.
With 58 elegant bedrooms, the Four Seasons Carlingford is a hidden gem which is situated in one of Ireland’s most magical towns.
A small town with a big charm, Carlingford, Co Louth is renowned for its vibrant atmosphere with the Cooley Mountains as a backdrop and Carlingford Castle sitting on the beautiful shores of Carlingford Lough.
Its four-star hotel based in the Liberties of Carlingford on the Greenore Road prides itself on offering its guests a warm, friendly welcome and exceptional cuisine, as well as a top-tier service.
Established in 1997, the Four Seasons Carlingford currently employs a team of 100 staff and has two different room types; executive bedrooms and signature rooms plus a bridal suite to go along with its 58 bedrooms.
Natalie Haake is an integral part of the team as the hotel’s Head of Sales and Marketing and spoke to Hotel & Tourism about her own background, the hotel’s award success in February and what sees its guests choosing it first ahead of the competition.
“I’m working here two-and-a-half years now, I’m originally from Liverpool and, back in the UK, I used to do a lot of work for football clubs,” she outlined.
“So, I did work for Chelsea Football Club very much looking after the sales events side of the business and then I was also involved with Watford FC and Tottenham FC as well and my roles there were heading up the Sales and Marketing team, so I was a Regional Manager for them.
“Then I made the move over to Ireland about five years ago, just before Covid, and the Four Seasons was the first hospitality hotel within Ireland that I’ve worked in.”
She added: “The experience so far has been brilliant. Everyone’s very welcoming. There’s a lot of Irish culture, lots of craic and actually.”
The Four Seasons Hotel Carlingford celebrated its 20th Birthday in April this year and, in that time, it has grown an excellent reputation for its hospitality and excellent service amongst its guests.
It has undergone several renovations over the years and now boasts upgraded guest accommodation, Thermal & Wellness suite (containing a Himalayan Salt Cave, Infrared Sauna, side by side Hot Tubs, a leisure club; 18m swimming pool, jacuzzi and steam room, gym facilities: Experience Showers plus Ireland’s first sun meadows: Vitamin D Therapy and Collagen Light Therapy).
The most recent works at the Four Seasons Carlingford have taken place over these last 18 months following a flood in October 2023 which saw the hotel unfortunately having to close its doors.
It’d be the following March before those doors re-opened to customers again and, with 12 months having passed since then, Natalie is glad to report that things are back to normal again with business very much thriving at the moment.
“Yeah, that (the flood) had a huge impact on our business, but things are good now. We’re on target with our weddings and have just launched our winter weddings package. So business is promising for us,” she said.
An essential part to that business is the newly renovated Lough Lounge Bar & Restaurant which specialises in providing premium quality modern Irish cuisine with an emphasis on fresh, seasonal and local produce.
Known as one of the finest restaurants in Carlingford, it has a mesmerising outdoor deck with views of the private gardens, the Cooley Mountains and Carlingford Lough and provides customers with a wide variety of fantastic menu options.
A range of food options are provided throughout the day which will delight your palate and introduce you to a variety of cuisines that have been compiled for affordable glamour.
‘Lough Lounge’ is another string in this fabulous hotel’s bow, but perhaps the venue itself for couples looking to celebrate their big day is what separates it from the competition most.
This year is set to see the Four Seasons Carlingford hosting 110 wedding receptions, with previous years having seen the hotel stage anywhere between 90 to 160 receptions at its exceptional venue in a 12-month period.
In February, the National Wedding Industry Awards recognised the idyllic wedding venue that this hotel truly is by naming it as Leinster’s ‘Hotel Wedding Venue of the Year’ at its 2025 award ceremony in Johnstown House Estate.
Speaking on the award success, the Four Seasons Carlingford’s Head of Sales and Marketing said that it was one in which the team were immensely proud of.
“It’s an incredible honour and a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team,” Natalie beamed.
“It rewards the fact that people choose us for the most important day of their life and, obviously, recognises the level of service and attention to detail. So, to be recognised on such a prestigious platform as well, it really motivates us to continue raising the bar and offering the service for future weddings.”
So, all of that considered, the burning question is what is it about the Four Seasons Carlingford that sees its guests choosing it first ahead of other hotels?
For Natalie, she sees the excellent service combined with the stunning surroundings as a major selling point.
“With our location here we’re in such a hidden gem in the north east of Ireland,” she said.
“We have the Cooley Mountains just behind and overlook the Carlingford Lough. We’re also one of the only venues as well that our function space is on the second floor with a private balcony, so the actual wedding couple can go up on the private balcony, take a minute to themselves and take in the view. So, the location is great, especially for the photographers and as a memory for the couple.”
As they approach what is set to be another busy summer at the Four Seasons, the hopes are to continue providing guests with an unforgettable stay at Carlingford’s finest hotel.
“We’re just looking forward to welcoming our guests. Obviously, last year was a tough year for us with the flood.
“We’re looking forward to the months ahead. We’re renowned for a summer venue and have just launched a new winter wedding package to try and fill the quieter months.
“While it’s beautiful here in the summer, the winter is magical as well so we’re just trying to promote our venue for the months of January, February and March as well,” the hotel’s Head of Sales and Marketing concluded.
Four Seasons Hotel Carlingford
Liberties of Carlingford,
Greenore Road,
Carlingford,
Co Louth (A91 W685)
Tel: +353 (0)42 93 73530
Email: [email protected]
This article was published in Hotel & Tourism Magazine, Summer 2025, Vol 1 No 1
featured, Four Seasons Hotel Carlingford
