You will probably be "greeted" by a pair of braying donkeys who graze beside the driveway. Enter this realm and you can see riding boots and tennis rackets in the hall—clearly, Peadar Nevin's beautifully converted 1815 shooting lodge feels more like a private home than a top-class hotel. A turf fire warms the large, sumptuous drawing room—an eye-knocking symphony in red, chicly fitted out with houndstooth-check armchairs and gilt-frame mirrors (plus a lovely array of magazines, books, and board games). Fluffy mohair or chintz spreads cover the beds in the sweetly furnished guest rooms. To get here from Clifden, cross the bridge at the west end of town and walk less than 1 km (½ mi) down the R341 Roundstone road. Pros: quiet, out-of-town location; restaurant on-site; elegant country-house atmosphere. Cons: a bit far for many people to walk into town; not for lovers of bright lights and nightlife.
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