Ballygally Castle

Ballygally Castle Review

Set between the Glens of Antrim and the Giant's Causeway, this baronial castle, built by a Scottish lord in 1625 to rise dramatically beside Ballygally Bay, can be booked solid much of the time so you will want to reserve well in advance. Attached to the old castle is a modern extension that provides room for facilities but clashes a bit with the original. Bedrooms in the castle have retained beamed ceilings but have bland-if-comfortable furnishings throughout. Ask for a room in a turret—they are named after four of the nine Antrim Glens—and one comes complete with milady's ghost. The four guest rooms are attractively furnished. On Saturday in the dining room, a decent set-menu dinner is served to musical accompaniment; a Sunday bistro meal is also available. A sign over the check-in desk captures the friendly nature of the hotel: "There are no strangers here, only friends you haven't met."