4 Best Hotels in The Northwest, Ireland

High ceilings, marble fireplaces, and stained glass adorn the interior of this spacious Victorian manor house; bedrooms have superb views of the Donegal mountains, and some guest rooms overlook the garden. Parts of the interior and the coach house date from the 17th century. Bedrooms in the converted coach house are particularly spacious and come with small balconies. The 40-seat restaurant (where prices are usually in the $$$ range) uses burstingly fresh local ingredients in its French--Irish €42.50 prix-fixe menus; choose from slow-cooked Irish lamb, prime pedigree Angus beef, monkfish, cod, or a vegetarian dish. Desserts include crème brûlée or chocolate fondant. If you prefer a less formal (and less expensive) dining experience, choices include soup, goat cheese, pasta, oysters, and tiger prawns from 2 pm at the fully licensed lounge bar where a log fire enhances an ideal weekend getaway.

An elegant creeper-clad manor house with many period features on the outskirts of Ramelton, Frewin's history stretches back to the 1880s when it was a rectory. Its three rooms, all with king-size beds and antique headboards, are themed on mellow Irish colors: buí (yellow), glas (green), and bán (white). Hot breakfasts are cooked to order but the owners focus on yogurt, honey, syrup, and fruit such as berries, figs, melon, and grapefruit sourced from the town's country market, and freshly baked bread. There's also a delightful self-catering stone cottage for weekly rental in the mature grounds. The attractions of the Wild Atlantic Way are on your doorstep and the hospitable owners can help organize walking, cycling, horse-riding, fishing, or golf.

Not a hotel per se—there isn't a bar, pool, or meal plan—Ionad Siúl has clean, comfortable, and spacious rooms, all en suite (bathroom included), with a handy kitchen for those who can whip up their own breakfasts. Before long, most guests want to pull on their walking boots and they can count on the owner Charlie McGuire to fill them in on the best guided tours of the region—a great way to explore the area's rich heritage and stunning landscape (prebooking is essential).

If you stay three nights or longer the room rate is cheaper.

With a 200-year-old pedigree, a recent refresh, and a legacy that spans six generations of the same family, this former mill, a rustic stone-front inn, is one of the few stops for sustenance near Lough Gill. A recent renovation added a new café offering lunches such as panini, soup, and "ploughman's lunch" (bread, cheese, salad, and pickles), while dinner steps up a notch with a more substantial local bounty of steak, pork, chicken, and fish. Traditional music sessions are held most weekends. Includes a self-catering cottage.