Coopershill
Step beyond the elegant, symmetrical stone facade with its central Palladian window, and wander through an appealing mix of antique bureaus, marble busts, mounted deer heads, and 19th-century paintings that fill the large reception rooms of this three-story Georgian farmhouse. Seven generations of the O'Hara family have lived here since it was built in 1774. Spacious, beautifully furnished guest rooms are decorated in shades of turquoise, burgundy, and soft grays, and some have four-poster or canopy beds. Using the family silver, guests dine by candlelight (at 8 pm sharp), on meals such as medallions of venison (from its own farm with a herd of 250 fallow deer), lamb, or fillet of Donegal monkfish made with fresh Irish ingredients. Eco-friendly measures are promoted alongside luxury at Coopershill: electricity comes from renewable resources, low-energy lightbulbs are used, and rainwater is mixed with the estate's spring water and filtered for use. You can sign up for an hour-long "Hawk Walk" with a falconer. The owners can also organize activities such as horse-riding or kayaking.
