5 Best Hotels in Connemara and County Mayo, Ireland

In the heart of what is arguably Connemara's most spectacular mountain and lake scenery, 13 km (8 miles) north of Leenane off R335, this historic Georgian sporting lodge heavily stocked with fishing paraphernalia has a lovely lakeside setting. Fishing is the main attraction, but guests also come for the peace and quiet, or like England's Prince Charles, to sketch the scenery. Victorian antique furniture, floral curtains, and wonderfully comfortable beds fill the bright, spacious bedrooms, some with lake views. TV presence is minimal: there's one in the snooker room. Guests dine together ($$$$) at a long oak table; there's an excellent wine list and a self-service bar. There are also cottages (one with TV), which require a three-day minimum stay.

An old town house in the lower, quieter part of Clifden has been extended and converted into a comfortable guesthouse with private parking. The town's bars and restaurants are only two minutes' walk away, yet there can be sheep grazing on a grassy enclosure across the road. Rooms are a good size, with hotel-like features including adjustable radiators, swagged floral curtains, and efficient showers. Help yourself to tea and coffee in the residents' lounge, a good place to compare notes with fellow travelers. The breakfast room has a pine floor and white damask cloths, and the homemade bread is accompanied by homemade jams.

In the heart of the picturesque village of Roundstone, this slim town house offers large, well-appointed rooms, with Bertraghboy Bay, Inis Rí island, and the Twelve Bens views, a full Irish breakfast, and a guest-only lounge for an edge on other local offerings. Ask for a bay side room that overlooks the ocean, or if you're looking for more privacy, ask for details of the self-catering Abby's Cottage, a stunning stone finished house that's also in the heart of Roundstone.

Nineteenth-century time travelers would feel right at home in this three-story, town-center Georgian house, Clifden's oldest building (1820) that once housed the harbormaster. The ancestral portraits, mounted fish, Victorian engravings, and cosseting fabrics all lend a frozen-in-amber allure. It's made all the more homey by touches like model boats and, alas, a few too many animal-skin rugs. A roaring turf fire in the living room greets you as you enter the burnished breakfast room, while the nearby terrace has been gloriously sheathed in glass for a conservatory feel. The peaceful setting by the harbor quay ensures a good night's sleep and the guest rooms are unusually spacious; those in the main house are imaginatively decorated with deep-color walls and wonderful period accents; all but two have sea views. There's also a new wing with seven studio rooms with balconies overlooking the harbor.

With framed fishing ties and specimen fish given pride of place on the lobby wall, you know you are in a hostelry favored by anglers. But you don't have to be a fisherman to recognize that Ryan's—a clean and comfortable, affordably priced, and totally frills-free hotel—is a total catch. Guest rooms above the pub and bistro are mostly sunny, reasonably sized for the price, and simply decorated with white furniture, plain walls and carpets, and colorful quilted bedspreads. The staff are friendly and informal, and you can hone your dart-playing skills in the lively Crowe's Nest Pub, which has live music year-round. It even has its own bus stop.