3 Best Hotels in Cavan, The Midlands

A blend of stone, wood, and glass, the Farnham Estate—one of the top spots in the Midlands to detox and purify—exudes the promise of contentment over its 1,300 acres, as well as offering a superb choice of dining options. Extended from the original big house (dating from 1664), the hotel includes a golf course and mature grounds. Guest rooms and corridors are in relaxing neutral themes of beige, silvery greens, and sky blue, echoing the tones in the gardens and grounds. The Cedar Rooms restaurant, named after the 300-year-old cedar of Lebanon, the largest and one of the oldest trees in the estate, showcases local artisanal producers' food with beef, vension, and hake among the dishes. What steals the show however, is the spa, and in particular the Laconium, which re-creates the atmosphere of a Roman sauna. The snail shower, salt grottoes, and reflexology footbath are also recommended.

Ask at reception for a booklet outlining five nature trails through woods and around lakes, and make sure you see the magnificent Monterey pine in the center of the parkland.

With its collection of mock-Gothic towers, turrets, and crenellations, along with rumors of paranormal activity, Cabra Castle has been deemed one of the world's scariest hotels; the Irish Ghosthunters Association has confirmed that it was indeed a place visited by spirits. Some reports speak of guests meeting a man in full early-20th-century military uniform striding down the corridor while others claim to have heard a horse and carriage pull into the courtyard in the middle of the night. Standing amid parkland with mature trees and pristine lawn, Cabra boasts rooms of all shapes and sizes, from attics to ones that can accommodate three double beds. Rooms in the castle are recommended (although some are small), but many of the larger bedrooms are in the adjoining courtyard area, in a carefully restored stone outbuilding overlooking Mitzies garden, named after the owner. Some come with roll-top baths and four-poster beds. The Victorian Gothic theme of the main castle is carried through in the bar and the restaurant (reservations are a must for lunch or dinner) with varying degrees of success. Framed portraits and deer heads adorn the walls. Don't miss the castle gallery, which has hand-painted ceilings and leaded-glass windows.

Outdoors types, especially golfers, prick up their ears when they hear of the facilities on offer at this modern country hotel set on 300 acres—apart from two golf courses, it also has an excellent health club. From the outside, this hotel looks like a rather wan 20th-century redo of a stately home. One comes here for modern-day luxuries and de-stressing activities, not the grace notes of yesteryear. In 2020, the hotel invested heavily in its lifestyle and golf facilities—both its courses have been accredited by the Professional Golfers' Association—and some suites were upgraded. The bright and sprightly bedrooms have chunky, Art Deco–style furniture. White linen and wrought-iron chandeliers decorate the formal Conall Cearnach restaurant, where the extensive menu includes traditionally prepared and locally sourced dishes featuring lamb, steak, chicken, duck, and monkfish. The Setanta restaurant is more informal, while the Summit Restaurant, overlooking the golf course, serves tasty snacks.