Set in impressive gardens and woodland just outside Naas, this appealing hotel is approached along a promising driveway, with striking entrance and lobby areas, and a fine inner courtyard planted attractively with Virginia creeper.
A rather grand stai ... more...
Beautifully situated in a courtyard just off the narrow, bustling streets of the city centre, with only the River Nore separating it from Kilkenny Castle, this fine hotel enjoys the city’s premier location, and has a lovely big riverside terrace ... more...
NOT OPENING IN 2022
As neat as a new pin, Kevin and Ber O’Donnell’s delightfully situated farmhouse is on a former dairy farm, surrounded by three mountain ranges - the Comeraghs, the Knockmealdowns and the Galtees - and close t ... more...
Opened with aplomb in 2005, this large luxury hotel is set in the Laois countryside, just off the main Dublin-Cork road (M7).
In 2014 it was purchased by the current owner, the American software developer, Adrian Carmack; the adjacent golf complex was ... more...
Built around an 18th-century Merchant Prince’s residence, The Montenotte Hotel sits high over the city in a fashionable residential area and, with an eclectic vibe and a sense of fun, this modern 4-star offers a pleasing alternative to city centr ... more...
A very different kind of Irish holiday is offered by Ruari and Olivia Gibbons on their luxury barge, the Shannon Princess. They're Blue Book members and what they offer is like a mini version of a cruise ship holiday - ideal for groups, but also a nic ... more...
NEW OWNERS JANUARY 2024
Blackwell House is set in lovely rolling drumlin country on the Armagh-Down border, and - although its main USP is as a quiet destination for a restful rural retreat - it makes a great base for exploring a wide area, including ... more...
You can't beat the Sunny South East for a traditional family break and this sister property to the more businesslike Ashdown Park Hotel (see entry), on the other side of Gorey town, is one of the most focused hotels in Ireland when it comes to thinking ... more...
You'll spot the sign for Wildwood on your way into Carlingford village and it's one worth noting. Paul and Marie Woods have run the aptly named Viewpoint B&B here for many years and now their daughter and son-in-law, Johanna Woods and Shane Lennon, ... more...
In north County Meath, on the border with Cavan and Westmeath, the extraordinary Loughcrew Estate is the location of the largest complex of ancient passage graves in Ireland - and also home to a very modern adventure centre, complete with zipwire.
And ... more...
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.
Spring may be a clichéd time for all things romantic, but there can never be a bad time to plan a twosome break. Here are just a few of our favourite romantic destinations in Ireland to get you thinking...
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. Extra high demand this year means that some venues may be heavily booked, especially for the main Christmas break, but it is always worth calling to check availabi ...
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.
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….
Not quite decided on your holiday plans yet? Consider the simplicity, relaxation and - if chosen wisely - better value, that airport-free home holidays offer. Parents holidaying with their kids will find there is plenty to choose from in many of the most beautiful and interesting areas of Ireland, and you’ll be made especially welcome this year.
A bold modern boutique hotel overlooking Ardmore Bay, this chic five-star bolthole draws guests as much for the culinary offerings as the setting - and The Well spa, with its stunningly positioned outdoor infinity pool.
While mainly modern, this restored Victorian castle surrounded by beautiful woodland and formal gardens is a relaxing place to stay, and has wide appeal for a short break.
Two iconic houses of great taste create the perfect blend this March when The K Club hosts a very special Laurent Perrier Champagne Dinner in the Barton Restaurant
Famed for their value breaks together with great food and service, the Dunraven Arms always has some excellent short breaks on offer, including in Spring 2024
It’s not too late to bag a festive treat at this special rural destination. Set in a secluded County Wicklow Valley, BrookLodge & Macreddin Village promises a ‘haven of tranquillity’ at any season...
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 ...
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