3 Best Hotels in Bantry, County Cork

When the day-trippers leave, you can play lord and lady of this celebrated manor for the night, thanks to six guest bedrooms, set in a self-contained wing off a long corridor with views over the famous garden. These are not the biggest nor the stateliest of stately home guest bedrooms, but the ambience is truly memorable and they are luxurious, with embroidered silk drapes, underfloor heating, and modern bathrooms. The vistas across the bay from the colonnaded terrace as the sun goes down will be long remembered (especially if you are blessed with a moonlit night). Book afternoon tea in the library, retire to the billiards room, or ask about a private guided tour.

A legacy of Ireland's boom years, this gleaming, modern, waterfront hotel recalls times when building budgets were lavish, and it's a stylish addition to the town, with state-of-the-art leisure facilities that make it a good all-weather touring base. Book a suite (with kitchen) if you're traveling with company. Most rooms have breathtaking views of Bantry Bay and its spectacular sunsets, some have balconies, and all are spacious with huge, pillow-strewn beds, padded headboards, shimmering chic fabrics, floor-to-ceiling windows, and bigger-than-average bathrooms. All public salons are spacious and strikingly designed, and understandably this place is very popular with locals.

Among private, wooded grounds overlooking Bantry Bay, this large, three-story, 19th-century country house is an oasis of calm, nestled in its own gardens well away from the main road. Owner-manager Kathleen O'Sullivan keeps an attentive eye on what was, until 1980, her private home, where antique furniture, plump sofas, polished brass, and ornate drapes provide comfort and elegance. In the dining room, polished tables are set with crocheted mats and linen napkins. Service is friendly and informal.