2026 Award Winners SMALL STAY AWARDS 2026

SMALL STAY AWARDS 2026

COUNTRY HOUSE Ballymaloe House Hotel Shanagarry Co Cork
‘Small’ would not be the first word to come to mind when describing Ballymaloe House, which, even when the late Ivan and Myrtle Allen bought the property, in1948, was a large farmhouse by any standards. Today it is an hotel with 32 bedrooms and a worldwide reputation, yet the extraordinary thing is that it has retained elements of that family home and it still feels personal. First time guests often comment on the same things that they might have noted fifty years ago and the restorative atmosphere, unfussy country rooms, open fires, and extensive gardens, together with the famously warm hospitality and simple food, create a sense of ease and homeliness that is true to the country house tradition and creates its own special kind of luxury. Food remains the heartbeat. Much of what reaches the table comes from the surrounding farm and gardens, and the philosophy of fresh, local and seasonal ingredients runs from dinner through to delicious breakfasts offering house breads and preserves, eggs, honey, fruit and simple dishes made exceptionally well. Ballymaloe’s influence has spread through generations of cooks, producers and related family enterprises, but the house itself remains the source. It shows that a quiet country house stay can still offer richness, history, authenticity and hospitality on a remarkable scale, and is a credit to the memory of Myrtle and Ivan, and also their late daughter-in-law, Hazel, who was a wonderful custodian for many years.

PUB with ROOMS: Monks Ballyvaughan Co Clare
In Ballyvaughan, where the Burren meets Galway Bay, this much-loved bar and restaurant with rooms can offer something no conventional hotel can quite reproduce: the feeling of being at the centre of village life while having one of Ireland’s most extraordinary landscapes just outside the door. Monks has long been part of that experience. Its waterside setting gives the immediate appeal, but the real attraction is the combination of lively hospitality, comfortable accommodation and food with a sense of immediacy that reflects the coastal location. Seafood is naturally a strong suit in this part of Clare, and a relaxed meal after a day exploring the Burren, walking the coast or exploring the Wild Atlantic Way is exactly the kind of uncomplicated pleasure that visitors remember. The best pubs with rooms work because the two sides of the business complement each other perfectly. Residents have an atmospheric place to eat and drink without going anywhere, while the bar gains the easy mixture of locals and travellers that creates genuine character; and the village itself becomes part of the stay. Monks embodies that sense of connection very well, and it would be a good template for many towns and villages around Ireland. Friendly, informal and wonderfully placed for discovering north Clare, it offers a memorable small-stay experience with a strong sense of place, making it a very worthy Pub with Rooms winner.

B&B: The Harbour Master's House B&B Shannon Harbour Banagher Co Offaly
There could hardly be a more appropriate place for a small-stay award than The Harbour Master’s House at Shannon Harbour. Built in 1806 beside the Grand Canal, this handsome former harbour master’s residence is part of the history of the waterways themselves, sensitively restored so that its original character remains central to the experience. The setting is wonderfully evocative. Shannon Harbour marks the meeting of canal and Shannon country, making it an ideal stopping point for walkers, cyclists, boaters and anyone drawn to Ireland’s quieter inland landscapes. Staying in a house that was created for the working life of the harbour adds an extra dimension - it’s heritage you can inhabit, and very comfortable it is too. B&Bs are changing from their traditional role into something more immersive, but the essentials remain the same: a good B&B succeeds through scale and personality. Guests don’t come for endless facilities but for comfort, conversation, local knowledge and the pleasure of being welcomed into a distinctive home. In a building of such architectural character, with the waterway on the doorstep – and other national treasures, including Birr Castle, nearby - those qualities become especially memorable. The current owners, Darren Joyce and Niamh Devitt, well understand the unique qualities of the home that they so much enjoy sharing with visitors. For preserving an important piece of canal heritage while giving visitors an intimate and atmospheric base from which to discover the Midlands and Shannon waterways, The Harbour Master’s House is a charming and thoroughly deserving B&B of the Year.

HIDEAWAY: Breac.House Dunfanaghy Co Donegal
Cathrine Burke and Niall Campbell.
Perched on Horn Head outside Dunfanaghy, Breac.House is an extraordinary expression of Donegal and North-West Ireland. Described as ‘a modern retreat’, it is far from being an inward-looking retreat that turns away from its surroundings, but one designed to make guests feel part of them. Cathrine Burke and Niall Campbell spent ten years planning the project before opening in 2017, and that care is evident in every element.
The low, contemporary building by MacGabhann Architects sits quietly in the landscape, with views stretching towards Bloody Foreland and the north-west coast. Inside, Irish and local craftsmanship, materials, food and design are celebrated without fuss. Just four guest rooms (three in the main building and a stunning recently added garden room just a few metres away) preserve the intimacy of the experience, each with private outdoor space, while breakfast arrives discreetly through a specially designed hatch. There are bikes, thoughtfully prepared packed lunches, an outdoor fire, private seaweed bath and wood-fired sauna; pre-dinner cocktails precede evening sorties to nearby restaurants, and there are occasional chef collaborations when dining is a special experience. Yet the greatest luxury is attention: Cathrine and Niall take a genuine interest in each guest’s stay and unobtrusively help them connect with the region. Breac.House demonstrates what a true hideaway can be - private but not isolated, luxurious but grounded, contemporary yet profoundly local. It is a remarkable place and a natural winner of this award.