This is the small country hotel of your dreams—especially if you enjoy being off the beaten tourist trail, and being pampered. It's a Victorian jewel set atop a small hill overlooking Ballingarry, the Irish equivalent of la France profonde—a village that time forgot, deep in rural Ireland, redolent of the days of yore, yet only 13 km (8 mi) southwest of Adare. Owner Dan Mullane has decorated what was once the parish priest's imposing house with flair and wit, scattering oriental rugs over the wooden floors, and placing Chinese inlaid lacquer cabinets, Georgian satinwood wardbrobes, and other treasures in the beautifully furnished bedrooms, all of which have views of countryside or gardens. But for all its finery, this is a fun, down-to-earth place. Much of the food served in the restaurant is grown in the 7 acres of gardens. Pick your own salad leaves into a wooden bowl, and let the kids collect eggs for tomorrow's breakfast from the free-range hens. Pros: quirky, memorable and extremely comfortable; acclaimed restaurant on the premises. Cons: in the middle of nowhere; cock crows at dawn.
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