9 Best Hotels in The Midlands, Ireland

There's a dreamy beauty to this châteaulike mansion set on the slopes of the Slieve Bloom Mountains—as you arrive, a dark, tree-lined avenue suddenly opens up to reveal a dramatically gorgeous Palladian villa, while some ducks, hens, and a Labrador called Rococo often form the welcoming party. The bedrooms in the main house are elegant and airy, or opt for cozier chambers in the adjacent 17th-century self-catering accommodations. Tiniest of all is the cottage, a stone charmer whose original tenants may have been Hansel and Gretel. Affable hosts Hannah and Paddy Flynn often share your table at dinner, and if Paddy's guitar is to hand, he'll entertain guests with classical or contemporary rock numbers. On the menu, lamb and beef are among the staple dishes. Frank Kennan, Hannah's father, is known as the "woodman and the bookman." His 2,000-volume library of the evolution of civilization can be perused in the Long Room, an outbuilding where concerts and plays are occasionally held.

Dedicated to all things equestrian, this family farmhouse, now in the fifth generation of the same family, was once an old-world grain barn, but has been converted into elegant accommodations, with pitch-pine floors, massive roof beams, and open fireplaces. Guest rooms, in restful creams, are cozy, comfy, and well maintained. It matters not a bit if your interest doesn't run to things horsey—the area has all manner of walking, cycling, and golfing opportunities, and Clonmacnoise and Birr Castle are just a short drive away. Horses, though, are a big interest, and the innkeepers, Lynda and Henry Deverell, are well-known in equestrian circles and encourage guests to enjoy a ride on horseback through the surrounding farmland and woodland where trails were upgraded in 2018. Check the website for midweek offers, for economy and intensive riding breaks, and special rates for groups.

An inviting glow hits you as you step into the long, narrow corridor of this unconventional B&B, all nooks and little staircases, an easygoing place to chill for a few days. Run by two brothers, Anthony and Vinny McCay, the Bastion is simply and tastefully furnished with crisp white linens and comfy beds. The studio room is €10 extra and is worth it for some additional space. You're spoiled for dining options, surrounded by Italian, Indian, Thai, Lebanese, and modern Irish restaurants as well as several pubs within a few minutes' walk on Athlone's left bank. Breakfast is not served, but the Bastion Kitchen directly across the road opens at 8:30 am and cooks what may well be the best sausage bap in the Midlands from the Castlemine farm.

The owners have renovated a delightful 200-year-old thick-walled and whitewashed cottage available for rent.

Killoy Cottage is a 20-minute drive northwest of Athlone at Lecarrow on the Rindoon peninsula close to Lough Ree, an area saturated in medieval history. It can be rented on a daily basis (€120) or for a week from €500, and crucially comes with a pub and grocery store round the corner. Described as a country hideaway, photographs of the cottage and interior rooms can be viewed on the owners' website.

The sweet aroma of turf smoke percolates in the living room of this historic B&B, where the delightful Nicola Daly welcomes guests to her "home from home," an 18th-century house that has a connection to Charlotte Brontë, whose husband lived here after her death. Today the B&B attracts much interest from the literary fraternity and books are sprinkled around the house. Guests are encouraged to choose from a range of jams made from the orchard featuring apple, pear, and plum along with homemade bread. Victorian and Edwardian rooms are furnished with antiques, soft colorings, velvet curtains, and Axminster carpets.

Ask for the attic room, which comes with a Jacuzzi.

The main attraction of this modest 200-year-old guesthouse, set in the tiny village of Clough right in the heart of the County Laois countryside, is the genuinely warm welcome extended by its owners, Sean and Marian Hyland, one that is delightfully seconded by a friendly springer by the name of Jill and a terrier called Marley. The enthusiastic Sean and Marian can bring you up to date on the history of the inn and pub, advise you on hiking in the Slieve Bloom Mountains, and organize golf and angling packages. Traditional music nights in summer—not confined to a specific evening—are a big local draw. Guest rooms are plain but clean and comfortable.

“The best of everything” is the maxim of affable owners Dinah and Jerry Campion and that is certainly evident the minute you step inside this elegant Georgian town house next to the Portlaoise train station—open fires, antiques, and sumptuously cozy sofas await you in the beige-on-brown, wood-accented sitting room. Upstairs, luxurious drapes grace the sash windows of the spacious bedrooms, most of which are done in dramatic hues such as red, pink, and emerald, which have all been repainted. An avalanche of plump cushions scattered on your antique bed reinforces the tone of rest and relaxation while pocket-sprung mattresses add to a good night's sleep. Guests find it hard to choose from all the goodies on the scrumptious breakfast menu, but few can resist scrambled eggs with smoked salmon washed down with leaf tea.

Sheltered beneath the eaves of Birr Castle on a riverbank, this converted cut-stone storehouse—built to store malt for Guinness in 1810—is a good option for families and offers special rates for children. The spacious guest rooms have small windows, country-pine furniture, and simple matching floral drapes and spreads. Soft lighting creates a homey atmosphere, as do the friendly owners, who will point you in the direction of area attractions.

Situated on the edge of town, its 103 guest rooms are attractively presented in cream with wood fittings, while the executive rooms are decorated in pleasing dark red furnishings. Scented creamy shampoos, hand wash, and gels come from the luxury Paul Costelloe Linen Collection. The Furlong bar—a name synonymous with local Gaelic football stars—specializes in good value bistro food (from €13 for mains) and was refurbished in 2020 as a place to relax and dine informally. A table d'hôte menu is available at the Oak Room restaurant for €34. The hotel has an on-site beauty salon.

In the town center, some gift, clothing, and footwear shops, as well as beauticians, allow 10 percent discount on presentation of your hotel key card.

The exquisite 400-year-old house, once owned by the Earl of Longford, has been restored to its former charm; the bedrooms are full of character and have impressive period wallpapers and antique mahogany wardrobes and beds. Breakfast is served in a vaulted room cheerily painted in Wedgwood blue. Try the Viewmount Boxty Benedict of smoked bacon, poached egg, and tomato. The 4 acres of grounds that surround the house are a gardener's paradise with an old orchard, a formal garden, and a Japanese garden complete with full-size pagoda. VM Restaurant, in a converted stable block, serves flavor-filled delights such as quail with smoked potato and apple, pork belly with lentils and potato mousseline, or pan-roasted halibut, all prepared by the restaurant's new Dutch chef, Marcio Laan. At €60, the five-course dinner menu is a great value; even better is the three-course early-bird (6:30 to 7:30) dinner at €35 served Wednesday--Friday.