The Bards Den Hostel
The oldest hostel in Connemara and one of the oldest in the west of Ireland, these accommodations are located in the middle of the seaside village of Letterfrack at the entrance to Connemara National Park. The hostel has an on-site traditional bar that serves food all day.
Letterfrack Village, Connemara
County Galway, Ireland 095 41042
bardsden.com
Cornmill Quay Hostel
This hostel is in Annalong, the harbor village. The buildings are arranged in a "clachan" style, which is based on traditional Irish villages. Rooms overlook the stone harbor and are nestled on the edge of the Annalong River. The hostel offers views of the Irish sea and is close to trails and opportunities for water activities.
Cornmill Quay, Marine Park Annalong
County Down, Northern Ireland BT34 4QJ
cornmillquay.com
Beech Hill Country House
This "self catering accommodation" is run on solar panels and keeps locally sourced produce on hand for guest breakfasts. It's located about 15 minutes from the Belfast City Airport. Rooms, furnished in antiques, have panoramic views of the North Down countryside.
23 Ballymoney Road, Craigantlet, Newtownards, Holywood
County Down, Ireland BT23 4TG
beech-hill.net
Tahilla Cove Country House
Tahilla Cove Country House is on the shores of Kenmare Bay, so it is the setting for walking, golfing, fishing, horse riding, cycling and canoeing. Most of the rooms have a private balcony or terrace and views of the peninsula. Guests can walk through the on-property oak groves to places where seals are sometime spotted sunning on rocks or swim from the private pier.
Ring of Kerry, Sneem
County Kerry, Ireland 064 45204
tahillacove.com
Article Written By Molly P.A. Yun
Molly P.A. Yun has been a professional writer for six years. She earned a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Missouri, and has been published in a wide variety of magazines, websites and newspapers, from "Bluegrass Now Magazine" to "Delmarva Quarterly," the "Rolla Daily News" to the "Cape Gazette" and "My Community Trend," a weekly paper inserted into "The Philadelphia Inquirer."
