Home & Away with Robert Walshe
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Weekend Hotspot - Knockranny House Hotel & Spa - Westport Co Mayo
fectly with tasteful furnishing including all necessary comforts and facilities. The hotel’s culinary reputation is known to foodies everywhere with La Fougere restaurant offerOVERLOOKING Croagh Patrick and ing superb cuisine and fine wines. Clew Bay Knockranny House Hotel The menu draws from the fresh& Spa in Westport offers stunning est local produce, an organic herb views, luxury accommodation and garden and local salmon smoked true Irish hospitality. on site. Dining options include Opened in 1997 as a four-star table d’hôte, à la carte and tasting hotel. a spa and 40 luxury bed- menus with an emphasis on fresh rooms were added including presi- seafood & a tasty 21-day dry-aged dential, penthouse and a number sirloin of Irish beef while chocoof master and courtyard suites. late lovers will fall in love with the Knockranny has an excellent se- desert menu. lection of accommodation options La Fougère was awarded Best where calming colours blend perHotel Restaurant in Ireland in 2010 and received Two AA Rosettes for culinary excellence in 2011. It was also named Best Restaurant in Connacht in 2011. The Brehon Bar at Knockranny is perfect for relaxing & the w eekend entertainment is a warmly welcomed by ■ Knockranny House Hotel & Spa Suite guests. The
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conservatory is under used and could make for a wonderful afternoon tea destination if the hotel so wished. Spa Salveo offers twelve spacious treatment rooms and post treatment relaxation areas. The therapeutic vitality pool with hydrotherapy massage stations is perfe ct for the more energetic alongside a technologically advance fitness suite. Westport in Co Mayo ■ Knockranny Ho use Hotel & Sp is a charma AA Hotel Of The Year ing town, with lively pubs and plenty of The town is unique in that it Irish music. Saturday night out here ranks alongside any of the top was designed to the plan of James Wyatt, the well-known architect of ‘going out’ towns in Ireland. An unrivalled pub scene and ev- the Georgian period. The Mall, with its lime trees lining er-improving culinary reputation, a weekend in Westport makes for the both sides of the Carrowbeg River, is a charming thoroughfare. The ideal short break.
Westport neighbourhood was the setting of many novels by George A. Bermingham who was once Church of Ireland rector in the county. Westport is also well known as a sea fishing centre and its annual festival attracts many visitors. There is bathing at many nearby beaches and a championship golf course. About a mile outside Westport is one of my favourite stately homes in Ireland “Westport House”, home of the Marquess of Sligo. It is a fine Georgian mansion and the contents include English and Irish pictures, silver, Waterford glass, and exhibits of historical interest. The house is open from midMay to mid September and well worth a visit. For Valentines in early 2015 Knockranny offer their “Romance “package for two people with dinner, B+B for two nights from €185. For late Christmas or early New Year rates www. knockrannyhousehotel.ie Robert Walshe is a travel broadcaster with Q Radio in Northern Ireland and Travel Editor for River Media newspaper titles across the island of Ireland. www.robertwalshe. com