Quay House

Quay House Review

Nineteenth-century time travelers would feel right at home walking into this three-story Georgian house, Clifden's oldest (1820), as ancestral portraits, mounted fish, Victorian engravings, and cosseting fabrics all lend a frozen-in-amber allure. They are made all the more homey by such touches as model boats if there are also, alas, a few too many animal-skin rugs. A roaring turf fire in the sitting room greets you as you enter the burnished breakfast room, while the nearby terrace has been gloriously sheathed in glass to give it a gorgeous "conservatory" feel. This oasis of calm beside the harbor quay (just a short walk from the town center) contains guest rooms that are unusually spacious; those in the main house are imaginatively decorated with deep-color walls and wonderful period accents; all but two have sea views. There's also a new wing with seven studio rooms with balconies overlooking the harbor.