| The Good, the Bed and the Breakfast
 Malcolm Rogers takes a look at a new guide to the accommodation
available in Ireland.
In Santa Cruz, California stands the world’s first
hotel for marijuana users. The only hotel in the world never to be asked
for a wake-up call. Where you can phone for 20 chocolate bars in the
middle of the night and no one looks askance at you.
Ireland hasn’t quite gone that far yet, but a bewildering array of
accommodation is now available.
You can book in at top drawer digs such as Dromoland Castle, where
George Bush, Madonna and Jeremy Paxman have all stayed (although not
together), Castle Leslie, where Paul McCartney was married, or Kinnitty
Castle, which has played host to more EU heads of state than you could
shake a farm subsidy at.
More modest castles, sometimes haunted, are also available, as well as
secluded monasteries, friendly Bed & Breakfasts and farmhouse cottages.
You might also fancy a state-of-the-art health spa, where your not so
state-of-the-art body can be pampered and pummelled.
When it comes to accommodation, if you find the thought of choosing a
little confusing, then help is at hand. The second edition of Lucinda
O’Sullivan’s Little Black Book of Great Places To Stay in Ireland has
just been published and, in short, it is a terrific guide to the hotels,
inns, castles and health resorts of the country.
Dining and dallying in Dublinn
So where would Lucinda recommend? Well, top of the range in Dublin is
the Merrion Hotel, with double rooms starting at e390. Now for those of
you who remember Dublin hotels of yesteryear, where the service was so
relaxed it bordered on the indolent and the furniture looked as if it
was off a George and Mildred set, then you’re in for a treat here.
The five-star Merrion is situated in the heart of Georgian Dublin and,
according to Lucinda, is “heaven on earth — nothing more, nothing less”.
I had the good fortune to stay there recently and found it just as
impressive as Lucinda promised. Don’t feel like popping down to the
restaurant for your dinner, sir? No problem, we’ll send it up.
Now, do you remember Groucho Marx’s line: “Hello. Room service? Send me
up a room.” It happens at the Merrion. Because half an hour after
placing your order, as you’re sitting back in your luxurious bathrobe
thoughtfully provided by the hotel, an attentive waiter will arrive
wheeling a dining room in front of him. Glass trolleys adorned with
silver cloches containing your meal arrive in a convoy.
Definitely not a place for dining and dashing. And I can confirm that
not even the most exacting customer would have been disappointed with
the food. This is the place to stay if a) you’re rich; b) on a
honeymoon; or c) wantonly extravagant (Tel: + 353 (0) 1 603 0600).
Into the west
After Dublin, the west coast is one of the most visited areas of Ireland
and it has a complete range of accommodation, from city centre
pied-à-terres to farmhouse cottages perched on the edge of the Atlantic.
My brother lived for many years in Newport, Co. Mayo and the local
hostelry was run by the redoubtable Mr Con O’Malley.
Con was the type of thoughtful host who would use the flat side of a
meat cleaver to flatten a fly on a haunch of lamb with a deft wallop,
declaring: “We’re fierce particular about hygiene here.”
Not a hint of that at the Delphi Mountain Resort and Spa, which is
situated on the Galway-Mayo border. Set amidst the wild and rugged
beauty of the Delphi Valley on 300 acres of forested estate, this is a
haven of tranquility. It’s the sort of place you might arrive down in
the morning and have to say: “Oh no! Not poached eggs Grand Duc again!”
The Lodge, designed to fit into the surrounding landscape, is built of
local stone and wood, with large bay windows enveloping the scenic
beauty.
All manner of treatments — far from where most of us were reared — are
available. Swedish aromatherapy, Indian head massage, Tai Ching and body
exfoliation. During my stay I couldn’t decide whether to go for the
seaweed wraps or the yoga. It left me in a bit of a difficult position —
as indeed did the yoga, which I finally opted for.
Double rooms at the Delphi begin at e290 (Tel: + 353 (0) 95 42208).
A small castle in Dromore
There’s an apocryphal story about a gentleman staying at a B&B just
outside the Antrim town of Cullybackey. The landlady was the type who
served fairly meagre portions, to the extent that when the traveller saw
how little honey was being served with his toast at breakfast he
summonsed her.
“I see,” he observed, “you keep a bee.”
Those days are not entirely gone in the North of the country, but plenty
of gracious living is available as well.
Lucinda O’Sullivan highly recommends a place I must confess is one of my
favourites — Clanmurray near the town of Dromore in Co. Down.
If you were driving late at night — maybe lost after having got off the
Larne ferry — and happened upon this place, then you could feel
confident that at least some of your sins had been forgiven.
Mein host is the amazingly affable John McCorkill — although he would
probably cringe if he heard me saying that. But his breakfasts,
indisputably, are a thing of wonder: coddled egg, smoked haddock with
poached egg, or kedgeree. John and his wife Sara will also regale you
with tales of the family passenger shipping line, which in bygone days
served the busy Atlantic route. As Lucinda O’Sullivan puts it: “Two twin
bedrooms with garden views are serenely furnished, and John and Sara are
delightfully humorous hosts who will be very happy to plan out routes
for you.”
This would be routes throughout the North, and not across the Atlantic
just in case you were wondering.
High living at not so high prices
Lucinda O’Sullivan’s Little Black Book is by no means comprehensive —
but I doubt she’d claim that it even attempted to be. What it is,
however, is an excellent guide to the places where you can stay in
Ireland which boast true character and personality.
The Kilfinnan Farmhouse in Cork, the Castle Murray House Hotel in
Donegal, the Aghadoe Heights Hotel and Spa — some of the most alluring
places in Europe to fetch up for a few days. And not all are at the top
end of the price scale — wonderful places to stay can be had for as
little as e40 per person.
Although Ireland’s reputation as one of the friendliest places in Europe
has come under the microscope lately, you will invariably get a very
warm welcome in the places you stay.
As Lucinda puts it in her introduction: “Ireland — you won’t be
disappointed.”
The Little Black Book of Great Places To Stay is published by Tsar
Press.
You can view more of the book online at: www.lucindaosullivan.com. |
