Athlumney Manor

While the name might lead first-time guests to expect something older and grander, this comfortable modern B&B is surrounded by lovely gardens and is less than ten minutes walk from Navan town.

Owners Pat and Pauline Boylan have spent many years in the hospitality industry and their understanding of real customer service makes this a very welcoming and pleasant place to stay.

Pat is front-of-house and has all the local information at his fingertips (including menus from nearby restaurants), while Pauline presides over the kitchen – and her cooking skills are ably demonstrated at breakfast, when guests are treated to her delicious homemade brown soda bread, marmalade and jams as well as cereals and fruit/juices, and hot dishes cooked to order.

Rooms at the front are on the small side but the beds are comfortable and, although the house is situated on the busy Kentstown Road, traffic in the evening is light so noise should not prevent a peaceful night’s sleep. Rooms at the back are more spacious, however, and have views over Athlumney Castle.

All bedrooms have TV, phone, hairdryer and Wifi (which is available free throughout the house) and, as well as tea-making facilities in the bedrooms, there is orange juice and fresh milk and the fridge in the dining room for guests’ use, along with a selection of herbal teas.

The dining room is pleasantly situated and has a comfortable seatingarea for guests, with a plentiful supply of reading material including Ireland guides and general fiction.

This B&B offers genuine hospitality and good value, and it’s a handy place to stay when visiting Navan – there is plenty of parking space a big and a big plus is that you can leave the car and walk into the town, thus avoiding not only parking fees but also the one-way system.