Places to Stay - Activities/Outdoors

Although they are one of Britain's hospitality treasures, we're inexplicably short of good pubs with accommodation in Ireland, but it is an appealing combination that makes for an especially relaxing laid-back atmosphere. Well worth seeking out if you like to keep things casual, the examples given below are the exceptions to the rule - and some could well provide a template for many other under-used pubs in towns and villages around Ireland.

The soothing surrounds of a beautiful garden are just what's needed for a break right now - and better still if al fresco dining is offered in this lovely setting. Here are just a few early summer garden stays with outdoor dining (and many also with self catering options, or own-door suites) to tempt you...

The Guide has always sought out pet-friendly places to stay. Our dog, Pippa, comes everywhere with us and she is probably the only dog to travel to every county in Ireland at least once every year...

Lengthening days and spring in the air make a short break away from cities very appealing - especially with St Patrick's Weekend, Mother's Day and Easter all coming up in quick succession. A hotel is a good bet early in the year, offering plenty of comfort and facilities if the weather is disappointing, and it needn't break the bank. To get the best rates, give the special offers pages on hotel websites a good browse, take up holiday weekend offers or travel midweek if possible - and book di ...

For a well-earned relaxing short break before the seasonal madness really kicks in - and Christmas shopping without the pain - top up your credit card and head for one of these great destinations.

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. Many venues are offering surprisingly competitive prices given the current economic circumstances, and some have retained (or even reduced) their prices from last ...

It used to be all about St Valentine's Day but now it's February the Month of Love, which makes a lot more sense - and why not extend that to Spring of Love…There’s great value to be found early season if you navigate around Easter and other public holidays, especially if you can take a midweek break. From pubs with rooms to five-star hotels, this micro-collection highlights just a few of the most desirable destinations around Ireland for twosomes (among others) and it includes ...

Give yourself a break and take off for a few days this winter - there are cosy and relaxing places all over Ireland to tempt you, and some fantastic value to be enjoyed off-season too. And with Valentine's coming up, maybe one of these would be perfect for that romantic treat...So browse through this gloriously diverse collection and take your pick...

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….

August is a spectacular time to experience Donegal. Long days invite scenic drives along the Wild Atlantic Way with walks through Glenveagh National Park and hidden beaches waiting to be discovered, before returning to the warmth and elegance of Lough Eske Castle...

Make time for a relaxing overnight break before summer slips away… This August Summer Offer is the perfect excuse to switch off and enjoy the charm, comfort and renowned hospitality of Ardtara Country House.

Enjoy a Summer Staycation in the heart of Ireland, the perfect place for a home holiday, ideally placed in the Midlands...

So the days are longer, the terrace is open, and summer is officially on its way, and the folks at The Blue Haven Hotel say there’s no better place to enjoy it than with them...

Book a very special escape in The Lodge at Castle Leslie Estate on selected dates this April and May, and be treated to a complimentary bottle of the season’s most sought-after rosé – Whispering Angel!

Nestled on the tranquil shores of Lough Ree, Wineport Lodge is a serene sanctuary for summer. Whether you're celebrating love, preparing for new beginnings, or simply seeking something special, the team at Wineport invite you to slow down and indulge in the elegance of lakeside living.

One of Irleand’s most appealing castle hotels, Barberstown Castle has evolved around an original Medieval Castle Keep of 1288 and is very conveniently located, with easy access to Dublin and close to four major motorway links in the heart of Ireland's Ancient East.

As the Wild Atlantic Way wakes up, The Blue Haven Hotel invites visitors to County Cork to enjoy the vibrant culture of the town and the fresh salt air of the coast in what they have designed to be a multi-sensory escape in the heart of Kinsale, where this 'coastal retreat where heritage meets modern luxury'.

As the season changes we’re glad to see the longer evenings and brighter, warmer mornings – and a new culinary adventure of fresh seasonal foods awaits in County Wicklow.

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.

The wonderful northwest

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.