A lovely old creeper-clad building on Castlecomer's handsome main street, the Avalon House Hotel lay empty for some years until the Comerford family brought it back to life and re-opened as a four-star hotel in spring 2019.
A lot of TLC has gone into the restoration, which is now a pleasing mix of old and new with an emphasis on genuine hospitality and comfort - and great pride in introducing visitors to the area and its attractions, notably the Castlecomer Discovery Park, which is just a short walk away.
Public areas are extremely pleasant - the main entrance hall has a comfortable relaxing area with a great selection of books to browse, for example, and the cosily atmospheric bar has a wood-burning stove and pictures relating to Castlecomer's coal mining history. LIkewise the 30 spacious bedrooms, which are air-conditioned, with all the expected amenities (flat-screen TV, free Wi-Fi, work desk) and Laura Ashley tiled bathrooms.
Good food - and, specifically, local food - is a key feature of the hotel and that includes a very good breakfast, which is served in the lovely first floor restaurant, Lil's, overlooking the main street where there's plenty of natural light and window tables have views across to woodland and mature trees. Fresh flowers provide a welcoming touch on the simply-set tables and smartly uniformed, well-trainedstaff are quick to offer coffee and menus that include all of the expected dishes (with name checked suppliers for many items) plus some less usual ones, such as homemade baked beans, a Mexican omelette (with avocado/jalapeno, scallions, chorizo and cheese), Eggs Royale (Eggs Benedict variation, with smoked salmon), blueberry pancakes with caramelised bananas and creme fraiche, and toasted banana bread.
All round, this lovingly restored hotel is a great asset to Castlecomer - and to County Kilkenny.
