Brilliantly located near Queen’s University, the Botanic Gardens and the Ulster Museum, Melanie Harrison’s haven for culturally curious travellers brought something different and a touch of quirky grandeur to Belfast stays when it opened in ... more...
During the three centuries that this extraordinary place has been in the Leslie family it has changed remarkably little - and its fascinating history intrigues guests as much as the unique features of Castle Leslie as they find it today.
Guests can ... more...
Deservedly lauded as a 'great garden of the world' and now becomingone of the South-East’s (and Ireland’s) most exceptional visitor attractions following a €7m redevelopment, Mount Congreve’s beautiful 70-acre woodland gardens an ... more...
This fascinating and beautifully located property opened for guests as a boutique B&B in 2016, offering a unique opportunity to stay in one of Ireland's most interesting historic houses.
Better still, following the opening of the café, you ... more...
In a stunning shoreside location on Barrow Harbour, this beautifully renovated property dates back to 1723 and was once home to the Knight of Kerry.
It was acquired in 2016 by an enthusiastic young owner, Daragh McDonogh, who returned from London to b ... more...
In parkland and mature woods on the shores of Lough Conn, Enniscoe can sometimes seem stern and gaunt, as Georgian mansions in the north-west of Ireland tend to be but, with family portraits, crackling log fires, warm hospitality and good home cooking, ... more...
Standing on the land that has been the home of the O’Conors, Kings of Connacht, for 1,500 years, this 45-room Victorian Italianate mansion on the edge of Castlerea town may seem a little daunting on arrival, but it’s magic - and the warmly ... more...
This fine Georgian residence overlooking the beautiful River Suck was built in the enclosure of a medieval castle between 1690 and 1720, and is of considerable historic interest - not least as the birthplace of the Gunning sisters, who became the Duche ... more...
The long, curving driveway to this new hotel takes you through open meadows surrounded by mature trees, all part of the 530-acre Balyna Estate and a great mental divider, as you leave behind the busy road (and life) and look forward to the relaxation a ... more...
Country House / Historic House / Restaurant / Wine Bar
Whether for a short break, a special occasion, a good meal or just a light bite and a browse around the gardens, this lovely period property near Slane is well worth a special visit.
Arriving at dusk with the courtyard fountain, walled garden and swe ... more...
It used to be all about St Valentine's Day but now it's February the Month of Love, which makes a lot more sense - and why not extend that to Spring of Love…There’s great value to be found early season if you navigate around Easter and other public holidays, especially if you can take a midweek break. From pubs with rooms to five-star hotels, this micro-collection highlights just a few of the most desirable destinations around Ireland for twosomes (among others) and it includes ...
Give yourself a break and take off for a few days this winter - there are cosy and relaxing places all over Ireland to tempt you, and some fantastic value to be enjoyed off-season too. And with Valentine's coming up, maybe one of these would be perfect for that romantic treat...So browse through this gloriously diverse collection and take your pick...
Whether for Christmas, New Year or that lovely Twixmas gap between them, this can be the perfect time for a short break with - or as a respite from - family and friends. That in-between time often offers great value for a refreshing post-Christmas recovery break and some hotels have interesting pre-Christmas packages on offer too. Many venues are offering surprisingly competitive prices given the current economic circumstances, and some have retained (or even reduced) their prices from last ...
Autumn is perhaps the loveliest time of the year to enjoy gentle outdoor pursuits like woodland walks and foraging, and there are plenty of tempting places to stay that are surrounded by wonderful forested grounds or with parkland or gardens and beaches to visit nearby - and, perhaps, more challenging routes for dedicated walkers. Here are just ten of our favourites to think about…
What better way to spend a few days away in some of Irelands most stunning landscapes than a short break at one of our famous fishing hotels? And, by a happy chance, they are all lovely places for non-fishing partners to visit too….
A short break can do us all a power of good, and picking a destination that's only an hour or 90 minutes from home means less stress, more chilling time - and better value all round. So, especially if you're based in Dublin, why not try one of our picks for a quick break within easy striking distance of home?
With lengthening days and spring in the air, a short break away from cities can lift the spirits without breaking the bank. A hotel is a good bet early in the year, offering plenty of comfort and facilities if the weather is disappointing. To get the best rates, travel midweek if possible, give the special offers pages on hotel websites a good browse - and book direct. Here are some of our favourites to try.
While many are open all year, this is perhaps the perfect time for garden visits - and some of Ireland's loveliest gardens offer accommodation too, so why not try one (or more) of these gorgeous garden getaways this year...
Thinking of a family get-together in Ireland, or want to meet up somewhere interesting with old friends? Destinations that can cater separately for families and other groups often offer a particularly relaxing stay. Here are just a few of our favourites to tempt you…
10 of the very best places to eat, drink & stay throughout Ireland. We are blessed with some outstanding places to eat and stay in Ireland and these are unquestionably some of the very best – and they’re all beautifully located too.
Sweep your loved one off their feet and reconnect with nature with a celebration that’s full of luxury and romance at five-star Glenlo Abbey Hotel and its 138-acre estate.
This warmly welcoming family-run seaview hotel offers very comfortable accommodation and lovely food, especially seafood, while Casey's pub, which dates back to the 1800s, has a cosy old-world atmosphere (complete with live traditional music).
Escape to Ardtara Country House, a charming Victorian property set in beautiful rolling countryside in the heart of Northern Ireland and near the Causeway Coast.
This February, guests are invited to experience a romantic escape with a memorable fine dining experience from award-winning Executive Chef Meeran Manzoor's Tasting Menu at Rare at the delightful Blue Haven Hotel in picturesque Kinsale.
This lovely old-world Blue Book property is very busy in summer but it’s a really lovely place to stay in winter, when it is delightfully cosy – and their tempting off-peak offers in December and January are especially appealing.
Denotes genuine Irish food culture, ie special Irish food products/companies/producers, and highlights the best places to shop for regional and artisan ...
With a rich historical and maritime legacy, East Cork has a truly unique variety of attractions to offer the visitor.
It is a haven for family holidays with a huge range of activities and attractions to keep the whole family entertained for hours.
In this extensive county, the towns and villages have their own distinctive character. In West Cork, their spirit is preserved in the vigour of the landscape with the handsome coastline where the light of the famous Fastnet Rock swings across tumbling ocean and spray-tossed headland. The county is a repository of the good things of life, a treasure chest of the finest farm produce, and the very best of seafood, brought to market by skilled specialists.
The town of Killarney is where the Ring of Kerry begins and ends for many, among the lakes and mountains where they are re-establishing the enormous white-tailed sea eagle, has long been a magnet for visitors. Across the purple mountains from Killarney, the lovely little town of Kenmare in South Kerry is both a gourmet focus, and another excellent touring centre. As one of the prettiest places in Ireland, Kenmare puts the emphasis on civic pride.
That Galway Bay coastline in Co. Clare is where The Burren, the fantastical North Clare moonscape of limestone which is home to so much unexpectedly exotic flora, comes plunging spectacularly towards the sea around the attractive village of Ballyvaughan.
Connemara, the Land of the Sea, where earth, rock and ocean intermix in one of Ireland's most extraordinary landscapes, and is now as ever a place of angling renown - you're very quickly into the high ground and moorland which sweep up to the Twelve Bens and other splendid peaks, wonderful mountains which enthusiasts would claim as the most beautiful in all Ireland. Beyond, to the south, the Aran Islands are a place apart.
Rivers often divide one county from another, but Fermanagh is divided - or linked if you prefer - throughout its length by the handsome waters of the River Erne, both river and lake. Southeast of the historic county town of Enniskillen, Upper Lough Erne is a maze of small waterways meandering their way into Fermanagh from the Erne'e source in County Cavan.
Co Cavan shares the 667 m peak of Cuilcagh with neighbouring Fermanagh. No ordinary mountain, this - it has underground streams which eventually become the headwaters of the lordly River Shannon, Ireland's longest river that passes south through many counties before exiting at the mighty estuary in Limerick. A magnet for tourism now with boating, fishing, cycling and walking-a-plenty.
Between the sheltered bays at the foot of the Glens of Antrim, the sea cliffs of the headlands soar with remarkable rock formations which, on the North Coast, provide the setting for the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge and the Giant's Causeway.
A selective companion guide to our famous broad-based online collection, the ‘glovebox bible’ includes a uniquely diverse range of Ireland's greatest places to ...