Home & Away with Robert Walshe
Weekend Hotspot Knockranny House Hotel & Spa Westport Co Mayo Overlooking Croagh Patrick and Clew Bay Knockranny House Hotel & Spa in Westport offers stunning views, luxury accommodation and true Irish hospitality. Opened in 1997 as a four-star hotel. a spa and 40 luxury bedrooms were added including presidential, penthouse and a number of master and courtyard suites. Knockranny has an excellent selection of accommodation options where calming colours blend
www.robertwalshe.com
perfectly with tasteful furnishing including all necessary comforts and facilities. The hotel’s culinary reputation is known to foodies everywhere with La Fougere restaurant offering superb cuisine and fine wines. The menu draws from the freshest local produce, an organic herb garden and local salmon smoked on site. Dining options include table d’hôte, à la carte and tasting menus with an emphasis on fresh seafood & a tasty 21-day dry-aged sirloin of Irish beef while chocolate lovers will fall in love with the desert menu. The Brehon Bar at Knockranny is perfect for re-
Christmas Afternoon Tea at Knockranny House Westport Co Mayo
laxing & the weekend entertainment is warmly welcomed by guests. Spa Salveo offers twelve spacious treatment rooms and a post relaxation area. The therapeutic vitality pool with hydrotherapy massage stations is perfect for the more energetic alongside a technologically advance fitness suite. Westport is a charming town, with lively pubs and plenty of Irish music. Saturday night out here ranks alongside any of the top ‘going out’ towns in Ireland. An unrivalled pub scene and ever-improving culinary reputation, a weekend in Westport makes for the ideal short break. The town is unique in that it was designed to the plan of James Wyatt, the wellknown architect of the Georgian period. The Mall, with its lime trees lining both sides of the Carrowbeg River, is a charming thoroughfare. The 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
Westport House Winter Wonderland 2016
contents include English and Irish pictures, silver, Waterford glass, and exhibits of historical interest. This year start Christmas early with a pre-Christmas family break at with an overnight stay and a visit to the Westport House Winter Wonderland, where the little ones will adore festive fun with Santa, Mrs. Claus and all the elves, including joining the elf workshop for some homemade gingerbread man decorating, magical storytelling by the fireside, a trip to the Christmas Wish Tree and, of course, a special visit to Santa in his grotto. Parents can sit back and relax, and enjoy the twinkle of Christmas merriment with a warming glass of mulled
wine, then everyone can hop on board the Westport House train to enjoy magnificent winter-time views of the house. This one of a kind family break includes an overnight stay in lovely Knockranny House Hotel, the Winter Wonderland experience at Westport House and a hearty breakfast the following morning, from €180 for 2 adults and 2 children under 16 over selected dates in December. 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