Please mention ireland-guide.com when enquiring.

Gray's Guest House

Vi McDowell has been running this legendary guesthouse in the attractive village of Dugort since 1970, and nobody understands better the qualities of peace, quiet and gentle hospitality that have been bringing guests - especially artists and writers - here for the last hundred years.

Mrs McDowell is very involved with the cultural life of the island - especially the Desmond Turner Achill Island School of Painting, and the cottage where Nobel prize-winning author Heinrich Böll once lived, which now offers a haven for artists and writers - and is an extraordinarily interested and hospitable hostess.

This is an unusual establishment, occupying a series of houses, and each area has a slightly different appeal: there’s a large, traditionally furnished sitting room with an open fire, comfortable leather lounge furniture, and several conservatories for quiet reading.

Bedrooms and bathrooms vary considerably due to the age and nature of the premises, but the emphasis is on old-fashioned comfort; each of the three houses now has a fitted kitchen with everything you need to rustle up a light lunch, also a washing machine and tumble dryer, and the rooms all have tea & coffee-making trays; there are extra shared bathrooms in addition to en-suite shower facilities and phones for incoming calls.

Children are welcome and have an indoor playroom and safe outdoor play area, plus pool and table tennis for older children.

Dinner for residents is served in a large, quite formally appointed dining room, where lovely old-fashioned menus offer dishes like smoked mackerel with gooseberry sauce, home-made celery and apple soup, local salmon or a traditional roast, and to finish, blackberry & apple pie with custard; there are several choices on each course and menus change daily.

Packed lunches are also available on request.

Rooms 14 (13 en-suite, 1 with private bathroom, 13 shower only, 1 family room, 1 ground floor). Children welcome (under 3s free in parents' room). B&B €55 pps, ss €6, SC discretionary. D 7pm. Set D €32, house wine €18. Pets permitted in some areas by arrangement. Garden, fishing, walking. Pool table. Wheelchair accessible. Stair lift. Closed 24-26 Dec. Personal cheques accepted. No Credit Cards.

Directions:

Castlebar, Westport, Newport, Achill Sound - Dugort!