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Bailey's Cashel

Set back from the road, with a very attractive planted plaza set up with seating and umbrellas in front, this fine early 18th century building in the heart of Cashel was previously a seven-bedroom guesthouse but a cleverly-concealed, extension has allowed it to grow, gracefully, into a fully-fledged family-run hotel (with 14 new bedrooms, a spacious restaurant, a cosy cellar bar, and a lovely swimming pool and leisure centre).

There’s a comfortable residents’ drawing room (‘The Library’) and, although the attractive contemporary bedrooms have no tea/coffee facilities (available in The Library), they tick all the right boxes otherwise: good lighting, quality furnishing, efficient air conditioning, windows that open, comfortable chairs, flat screen TV, irons and boards, hair-dryers, safes broadband and plenty of connection points for laptops, chargers and so on - and well-designed, if compact, bathrooms.

Banqueting (80). Children welcome (under 3s free in parents' room, cot available free of charge); Rooms 19 (1 suite, 1 for disabled, all no smoking); lift, room service (limited hours); B&B €75-90 pps, ss €15.

Restaurant Number 42

Gently contemporary, with well-spaced tables and comfortable chairs, this is a pleasant place to relax and enjoy a good dinner. Chef Michael Doyle, who has been at the helm for a number of years, continues to cook Irish and Continental dishes showing his competent professional skills.

His balanced menus feature some local ingredients and offer a wide choice; appealing dishes on the evening à la carte might include starters like twice baked cheddar & chive soufflé or warm potato pancake with smoked salmon & chive crème fraîche, and main courses include excellent beef fillet or a tender rack of lamb with champ.

The bar menu, which offers an extensive range of more casual dishes, provides a casual option and good value.

This is a well-run place that delivers the goods in friendly Irish style...

Free private parking in an underground car park makes this a particularly attractive all-purpose stop for business people and visitors alike. A lovely place to relax and enjoy good food.

Seats 80 (outdoors, 15); air conditioning; children welcome before 7pm; bar food served daily 12.30-9.30; Sun L 12.30-4, Sun D 6-9.30; set Sun L €25; also a la carte L&D; house wine €19. Establishment closed 23-27 Dec. Amex, MasterCard, Visa, Laser.

Directions:

Centre of town, on Main Street