If you’re the type of adventurer who likes mixing creature comforts with that little sense of history, grandeur and at the same time homeliness, then you’ll find Northern Ireland’s guest houses are the perfect fit. Whether you’re after the suburban elegance of a Victorian red-brick or the country grace of a Georgian mansion, you’ll eat well and get a great warm welcome wherever you decide to rest your head.
Down and around - Strangford Lough and the Mournes
Located on the shores of Strangford Lough, The Cuan (4*) is famous for its tasty home cooked food and is a particular treat for seafood lovers. Game of Thrones® fans, will delight in the fact that the cast stayed here for much of the early filming and the guest house is close to many of the hit series' famous locations. The Cuan also offers a Game of Thrones® themed feast and there are usually a number of packages on offer around the show. A real treat for Thronies.
Elegance and comfort in Co Armagh
Near Craigavon you’ll find Georgian elegance and warm welcomes at John and Lou Mather’s Newforge House (5*). The beautiful period furniture, four poster beds and the most elegant of dining rooms will transport you to the days of old but with all the comforts of today. Get yourselves up for breakfast and sample the jam from the fruits of their orchard and get back in time for dinner and their sweet tasting desserts.
Not too far away in neighbouring Banbridge, you’ll find that every room at beautiful Blackwell House (5*) has its own unique look. Whether you are staying in the Orchard Room, Loft Suite or Blue Room you are staying in comfort and style.
This place is a life’s work for owners Joyce and Steve who have planned this place out with meticulous detail and make every effort to make this place their own and your own for the duration of your stay. Joyce runs her own cooking classes too and at breakfast you’re likely to find eggs from her own free-range hens on your plate or in your egg cup. Delightful and a little different.
A tasty, tasteful retreat in Tyrone
It’s a little-known fact that despite its gallic sounding name, croquet is in fact an Irish game. You and your travelling companions can have a go on the carpet-like lawns of the wonderful Grange Lodge Country House (4*) in Dungannon. Great care is taken throughout this guest house to make you feel comfortable and relaxed. The homely feel is carried through into the host’s ‘Cook With Norah’ Cookery Sessions which guests can of course sign up to.
Find the finer things in life in Fermanagh
On the shores of Lough Erne, nestled at the foot of Knockninny mountain, Knockninny House (4*) marries old world charm with all the comforts of the modern day. The decor throughout is quaint and comfortable. We are particular fans of the cosy Parlour Bar where you can relax by the fire in what can only be described as a swish shebeen with a certain hint of jazz. They also offer afternoon tea overlooking Lough Erne and are happy to take you hopping around the islands dotted on the lake in front of you.
A welcome awaits near the walled city
In Derry-Londonderry they like to keep it simple, clean and welcoming at the Iona Inn (3*). This spot is just a hop across the River Foyle to the city centre and all the delights of Derry-Londonderry. It has the added advantage of being beside the fantastic Iona House Bar, a local haunt, owned by your hosts, dating from 1859 with an open fire and the best pint of Guinness in town.
Beyond the city is the award-winning Ardtara Country House (4*) which has nine elegant bedrooms each with its own character. It is just a short drive from the Causeway Coastal Route to the north and Lough Neagh to the south. Wherever your day takes you, you’ll return to king size beds surrounded by eight acres of woodlands and a fine dining experience in the most elegant of dining rooms.
Fans of the late local poet, Seamus Heaney will become fans of the lovely Laurel Villa (4*) in Magherafelt. This guest house has a strong link to Northern Ireland’s Nobel Laureate and many of his poems are on display throughout. Owner, Eugene Kielt, was a friend and massive fan and today he runs top-class tours of the area, retracing the steps and recounting the tales around the local people and places that inspired Heaney.
Back to Belfast and surrounds
They say that dreams are made in Hollywood, and at Rayanne House (5*) in Holywood County Down, you’ll be treated like a star. This Victorian guesthouse and restaurant looks out over beautiful Belfast Lough and is the perfect base to explore the vibrant city of Belfast. After a visit to Titanic Belfast, you can return here for the nine-course ‘Titanic Menu’.
Not an all-you-can-eat buffet but a recreation of the dinner served to the first-class passengers of the ill-fated ship. You can also arrive here in style as it’s just a short taxi ride from George Best Belfast City Airport.
A little closer to the city is the elegant Ravenhill House (4*). Olive and Roger Nicholson provide large comfortable rooms and a top-notch Ulster Fry in this beautifully restored Victorian house. Located in a quiet leafy suburb just ten minutes from the city centre, this Belfast guest house is very near the trendy Ormeau Road and all its pubs and restaurants.
Keef Halla Country House (4*) is within an engine’s roar of Belfast International Airport at Aldergrove. Not that you’ll be hearing the jet engines when you settle into any of the seven en-suite bedrooms here, all with free WiFi, big-screen TV and more of life’s luxuries to get you all set up for your stay. Keef Halla also makes a great base for exploring nearby Belfast as well as the shores of Lough Neagh, before venturing further afield.
Great guest houses make for great experiences and there are plenty of them to choose from in Northern Ireland. We know you’ll enjoy your stay.
