The Northwest
Favorite Places to Stay —
Counties Sligo & Leitrim
Photos: Four of Sligo's newest hotels are the (top, left) Diamond Coast Hotel at Enniscrone; (top, right) The Clarion Hotel, Sligo Town; (bottom, left) The Glasshouse in Sligo Town; and (bottom, right) Ocean Sands Hotel, Enniscrone.
Here is a selection of some of my favorites. The places featured below offer all rooms with private bath/shower (en suite) unless otherwise noted.
B&B per person per night
€ - under 50
€€ - 50 to 75
€€€ - 75 to 100
€€€€ - 100 to 150
€€€€€ - over 150
Hotels
Cromleach Lodge Country House ,
Ballindoon , Castlebaldwin, via Boyle, Co. Sligo; tel. 071-916-5155; fax
071-916-5455; e-mail: info@cromleach.com.
If you seek an off-the-beaten-track retreat with easy access to the main
N 4 road, here is the perfect choice, meticuously run by an enthusiastic
husband-wife team, Christy and Moira Tighe. Tucked into a hillside overlooking
Lough Arrow and the Bricklieve Mountains, this 4-star chalet-style hotel
offers 10 large and well-outfitted guest rooms, with the utmost comforts
enhanced by awesome wide-windowed views of the lake and south County Sligo
scenery. Each room is named after a different part of the countryside
(from Ben Bulben and Knockarea to Moytura and Carrowkeel) and decorated
in colors to reflect its namesake. The star of the premises, however,
is the highly acclaimed restaurant. If you can tear yourself away from
this relaxing setting, the surrounding countryside beckons with nature
walks at every turn and Sligo Town is only 20 miles away.
€€€€ to €€€€€
Web site: www.cromleach.com
Clarion Hotel, Clarion Rd., Sligo, Co. Sligo (tel. 071-911-9000); e-mail: info@clarionhotelsligo.com. Nestled on a hillside overlooking Sligo, this impressive 3- and 4-story castle-like stone building with a distinctive Elizabethan façade dates back to 1848. It was known originally as St. Columba’s and served as a mental hospital (1855-1992). In recent years, it has been totally restored, refurbished, and “born again” as a luxury 4-star hotel, with no remnants of its former institutional trappings. The public areas are bright and spacious, with wide corridors and contemporary décor. There are 75 oversized rooms, each with digital TV, coffee/tea-maker, mini-bar, safe, and broadband access; as well as 89 suites, and 74 apartments with kitchenettes. Facilities include Sinergie restaurant, Kudos bar, Savour lounge, and a leisure centre with swimming pool, sauna, Jacuzzi, steam room, gym, aerobics, t’ai chi or yoga, and Essence spa. €€ to €€€ Web site: www.clarionsligo.com
Diamond Coast Hotel, Bartragh, Enniscrone, Co. Sligo (tel. 096-26000); email: sleep@diamondcoasthotel.com. Set beside Killala Bay on the southwest shore of County Sligo, this new contemporary hotel overlooks Enniscrone Golf Course and the Atlantic Ocean. They don’t call the area the “diamond coast” for nothing - there are great views in every direction - Ox Mountains, Nephin Mountains, Killala Bay, Bartragh Island, Enniscrone Town and Pier as well as dune lands and sea. It is about 40 miles from Sligo Town and less than 10 miles from Ballina, Co. Mayo. There are 98 spacious guest rooms (including family room and king-size bed rooms), each with 32" LCD television, refrigerator, safe, coffee/tea-maker and ironing facilities. Facilities include the Coral Restaurant and Inishaven Bar, as well as state-of-the-art leisure centre (set to open in winter of 2007) which offers swimming pool, sauna, steam room, Jacuzzi, kids splash pool, gym and treatment rooms. €€ to €€€ Web site: www.diamondcoasthotel.com
The Glasshouse, Hyde Bridge at Swan Point, Sligo Town, Co. Sligo, tel. 071-919-4300, email: info@theglasshouse.ie. Overlooking the River Garavogue in the heart of town, this stunning 6-story hotel has floor-to-ceiling glass windows on every floor, giving it the overall façade of a “glass house.” Inside, the décor features vivid primary colors with Celtic swirls and flourishes, hard wood floors, psychedelic carpets, and modern art. Public areas include The Kitchen Restaurant and The View Bar as well as an outdoor terrace overlooking the river. The 116 guestrooms are brightly decorated in soft tones of lemon, lime and orange, and each is equipped with LCD TV, safe, iron, hairdryer, tea/coffee-maker. Rooms are sound-proof, and have individual climate control and wireless broadband. Guests also can avail of underground car parking. Closed: Christmas. €€ to €€€ Web site: www.theglasshouse.ie
Landmark Hotel, The Marina, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Leitrim;
tel. 071-962-2222; fax 071-962-2233; e-mail: landmarkhotel@eircom.net.
As one of the Shannon River's major crossroad towns, Carrick-on-Shannon
has long been popular with boating enthusiasts. Now, with this new 4-star
hotel, travelers in cars have a good reason to stop and stay as well.
Built overlooking the marina, the 3-story Landmark has 60 contemporary
guest rooms, most of which enjoy river views. Facilities include an Italian
restaurant aptly named "La Gondola," a traditional pub/restaurant
with riverside views, called "The Boardwalk Café." Closed:
24-26 Dec. €
to €€€
Web site: www.thelandmarkhotel.com
Markree Castle, Collooney, Co. Sligo; tel. 071-916-7800;
fax 071-916-7840; e-mail: markree@iol.ie.
Live like a king or queen in Sligo at this authentic 3-star turreted castle
located 7 miles south of town. Even the approach is regal - via a mile-long
driveway, along pasturelands grazed by sheep and horses and gardens that
meet the River Unsin. Dating back to 1640, this has been the home of the
Cooper family for hundreds of years — current owner, Charles Cooper,
is the 10th generation. Many of the castle's original treasures have been
preserved and well-maintained including a hand-carved oak staircase, ornate
gold-filigree plasterwork and chandeliers, and a stained glass window
that traces the Cooper family tree back to the time of King John of England.
The 30 guest rooms, restored to include all modern facilities, overlook
the gardens. Closed: 24-27 Dec. €€€
to €€€€
Web site: www.markreecastle.ie
Ocean Sands Hotel, Main St., Enniscrone, Co. Sligo, tel. 096-26700, e-mail: reservations@oceansandshotel.net. Although Enniscrone is not on every tourist’s itinerary, it is a delightful small beach town in western Sligo (closer to Ballina, Co. Mayo) with a “get-away-from-it-all” appeal. Opened in 2008, the hotel is small enough to provide a warm welcome, along with modern luxury. There are 50 guest rooms, each equipped with king size bed, multi-channel flat-screen TV, tea/coffee maker, and individual temperate controls, and many with ocean views. Facilities include Jaspers restaurant, the Onyx bar, and Enniscrone beach at the back doorstep. € to €€ Web site: www.oceansandshotel.net
Sligo Park Hotel, Pearse Road, Sligo, Co. Sligo; tel.
071-916-0291; fax 071-916-9556; e-mail: stay@leehotels.com.
If you're touring by car and prefer to avoid town traffic, this contemporary
3-star hotel sits in a lovely residential setting one mile south of town,
with ample car parking. Set back from the main road amid seven acres of
gardens, it is Sligo's largest hotel, and a favorite for tours and other
groups. It offers an exotic ambiance with a glass-fronted façade, skylit
atrium lobby, and state-of-the-art leisure centre including large indoor
swimming pool, sauna, steam room, and gym. Other facilities include a
full-service restaurant, bar, and outdoor tennis court. The 138 guest
rooms are modern and cheerily decorated. €€
to €€€
Web site: www.leehotels.com
Guesthouses and B&Bs
Glenview Guesthouse,
Aughoo, Ballinamore, Co. Leitrim; tel. 071-964-4157; fax 071-964-4814;
e-mail: glenvhse@iol.ie. Surrounded
by lush gardens, this 2-star guesthouse is 2 miles south of Ballinamore
near the popular Shannon-Erne waterway. Proprietor Teresa Kennedy offers
6 guest rooms outfitted in traditional style and lovely views of the north
Leitrim countryside. Facilities include a restaurant, tennis court, games
room, and play area for kids. €
Web site: www.glenview-house.com
Lisadorn, Donegal Rd. (N 15), Sligo; tel. 071-914-3417,
fax 071-914-6418; e-mail: cjoconnor@eircom.net.
Situated a 5-minute drive north of Sligo Town, this Georgian-style 3-star
guesthouse sits amid lovely gardens on an elevated site, with views of
Ben Bulben and other Yeats Country scenery from its windows. Proprietor
Marian O'Connor offers 6 guest rooms, each outfitted with remote control
TV, phone, hairdryer, and hospitality tray. €
Web site: http://homepage.eircom.net/~lisadorn
Lough Gill House, Pearse Rd., Sligo, tel./fax 071-915-0045;
e-mail: loughgillbandb@eircom.net.
Named after the nearby lake made famous in Yeats' poetry, this Georgian
townhouse B&B home is nestled in a residential area near the Sligo
Park Hotel, a 5-minute walk south of Sligo town. Hostess Florie Gilmartin
maintains a non-smoking home, offering 4 guest rooms.Closed: Christmas. €
Web site: www.loughgillhouse.net
Riversdale Farm Guesthouse, Ballinmore, Co. Leitrim;
tel. 071-964-4122; fax 071-964-4813; e-amil: riversdaleguesthouse@eircom.net.
Situated in parkland overlooking the Shannon-Erne Waterway, this modern
3-star guesthouse is ideal for families. The Thomas Family, proprietors,
offer 13 spacious guest rooms, some classified as family suites. Facilities
include a heated indoor pool, squash court, sauna, gym, and games room.
Closed: mid-Npv. to end of Jan. €
Web site: www.riversdaleguesthouse.com
Yeats Lodge, off N 15, Drumcliffe, Co. Sligo; tel. 071-917-3787; e-mail:
gibbonsg@eircom.net. Views of Yeats Country and Ben Bulben
are part of the charm of this modern non-smoking B&B home on the main
road 4.5 miles north of Sligo and en route to Donegal. Hostess Geraldine Gibbons offers
4 en suite rooms, each with TV, hair-dryer and coffee/tea-maker.
The breakfast menu includes vegetarian options. Yeats Tavern is across the street. Closed: Nov.-Jan. € Web site:www.yeatslodge.com
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