Fodor's Expert Review Rathmullan House

There is an otherworldliness to Lough Swilly, which is mirrored in the classic country-house comfort of Rathmullan where log fires roar in antiques-filled surroundings in a place that drips with character. The house has been run for 60 years by the Wheeler family—one of the most renowned hospitality dynasties in Ireland—and historic family details line the corridor walls. Bedrooms are appointed with floral curtains, books, and soft furnishings. Breakfast highlights include sweet banana bread and a steaming bowl of the classic Irish Flahavan's porridge oats topped with carrageen moss (mild-tasting seaweed). All this will set you up for the 15-minute walk into Rathmullan along the sandy beach right in front of the house. Dinner in the Cook & Gardener restaurant promotes local produce; lamb rump, Donegal lobster, Greencastle cod, roast pepper, pea and broccoli risotto, and roast free-range chicken breast all feature prominently. The Pavilion is a king pole tent serving stone-baked pizzas in an alfresco environment, washed down with craft beer such as Scraggy Bay or Devil's Backbone from the nearby Kinnegar brewery.