2024 Award Winners SMALL STAY AWARDS 2024 - B&B

Barnahown, Mitchelstown, Co Cork

You don't have to be seeking an active holiday to love Barnahown, but it must help - with wonderful mountain treks and bike trails nearby, you won't find a better base for exploring the beautiful - and easily accessed - yet lesser-known Munster Vales region, home to Ireland's highest inland mountains, the Galtees. And guests are introduced to much else besides, including the outstanding food and drink of north Co Cork and surrounding areas... The brainchild of local woman Ciara O’Brien, who reinvented her life after 20 years in the corporate world, Barnahown B&B is a traditional farmhouse, now transformed to become 'a luxurious low-impact destination’. Francis and John Brennan’s ‘At Your Service’ (RTE) featured the development of the property recently and it made very interesting viewing - not least because, as John commented, it is unusual to see new B&Bs opening at the moment. And this one is a stunner. It is rare indeed for a hospitality destination to be so mindfully created and carefully thought through, to provide everything that the guest will need for a comfortable and rewarding stay (and nothing that is unnecessary), and to embrace the local community and culture so warmly. The care taken with the restoration and eco-credentials - including PV (photovoltaic) panels and fast EV chargers - is obvious to arriving guests, who are delighted to find that the traditional materials used by local craftspeople blend perfectly with the home comforts that Ciara has built into every aspect of a stay at this delightful (and dog-friendly) home from home. Barnahown B&B has only been in the making since 2023, but it is already a little gem and - as Ciara wanted it to be - it is a true Irish B&B, where you’ll get a warm reception from the owner on arrival along with tips to make the most of your stay.