Situated just off the main street of this attractive market town and only yards from the entrance to Castlewellan Forest Park, the delightful Hillyard House re-opened in 2020 following major investment by new owners Martin O'Higgins and Seamus Devlin of local company Forestpark Property Developments.
Regular visitors to this beautiful area will remember Hillyard House as a modest guesthouse and casual restaurant and, although now much bigger, the new development is respectful to the fine old building and there is a sense that a lot of TLC has gone into transforming it into a warmly welcoming boutique hotel.
Spacious guestrooms feature relaxingly low-key decor with local photography, very comfortable beds, smart bathrooms, air conditioning, TV and LOR coffee machines - a haven of tranquillity to return to after a day in the great outdoors.
Interesting locally-focused all-day food is a major USP at Hilyard House, beginning with an excellent breakfast (non-residents welcome) in the airy, high-celiinged restaurant, The Yard, and moving on through lunch and dinner menus that are also available in Mrs Coleman's Bar - which features local beers (Whitewater Brewery is just down the hill) and a happy hour for cocktails every day at 6pm.
All round it's a lovely spot with appeal to all ages - and it's equally attractive as a short break or dining destination, or just a handy place to pop into for a tasty bite when out and about exploring beautiful south County Down.
