Waterford - Hotels - Guesthouses and B&Bs - Traveling Around Ireland with Patricia Tunison Preston

Photos: (Center): Faithlegg House, Faithlegg, Co. Waterford; and (clockwise, from upper left) Waterford Castle, The Island, Ballinakill, Waterford; Granville Hotel, Waterford City; Leslie Brown of Brown's Townhouse, Waterford City, at the front door with his dog, "Charlie"; and a typical B&B setting.

Waterford City, home of Waterford Crystal, is a thriving port on Ireland's southeast coast, so there is a wide choice of accommodations in every category. The places featured below offer all rooms with private bath/shower ("en suite") unless otherwise noted. Here are some of my favorites.

Price Key
B&B per person
per night

€ - under 50

€€ - 50 to 75

€€€ - 75 to 100

€€€€ - 100 to 150

€€€€€ - over 150

Waterford Hotels

Athenaeum House Hotel, Christendom, Ferrybank, Waterford City (tel. 051-833-999); e-mail: info@athenaeumhousehotel.com. With a Greek name that means “the center of excellence,” and a stunning location on six acres of parkland overlooking Waterford city and harbour, this 4-star hotel is the unequalled best choice in town. It sits on a bend of the River Suir in a quiet residential neighborhood, yet only a mile from the busy Rice Bridge. The 29 guest rooms and the public areas all boast views of the water and such landmarks as Reginald’s Tower, The Mall and Millennium Plaza. It’s the best place to be in Waterford for a relaxing stay, undisturbed by the constant flow of noisy traffic along the Quays. The hotel is built around an original Georgian-style shipbuilder’s home, Rocklands House (dating back to 1790), and expanded over the years, giving the overall building a rich historic charm along with hand-picked furnishings and art. Facilities include 29 guest rooms and suites, each with individual furnishings and a wide range of amenities including wireless internet, compact disc player, refrigerated mini-bar, flat-screen, clothes-ironing center, king-size bed, bathrobes and slippers. Also on the premises is Zak’s Restaurant, a prime spot for locals to gather. This hotel is also offering a special deal to guests who mention this web site (see my Bargain Page). Closed: 24-27 December. € to €€. Web site: www.athenaeumhousehotel.com

Faithlegg House Hotel, Faithlegg, Co. Waterford; tel. 051-382000; fax 051-382010; e-mail: reservations@fhh.ie. Located six miles southeast of Waterford City, this 18th century country mansion is nestled on a private estate overlooking the River Suir next to an 18-hole golf course. Opened as a hotel in 1999, it offers an elegant décor in the public areas including ornate 20-ft. original ceilings, huge fireplaces, and Portland stone flagstones, and specially commissioned Waterford Crystal chandeliers and sconces. There are 82 guestrooms, 14 in the main house and 68 in a new wing; all are decorated with Irish-made carpets and furnishings with every up-to-date amenity. Guest facilities include a restaurant composed of a garden conservatory and two drawing rooms; a bar with a baby grand piano; and a billiards room in a former chapel. In addition, there is a fitness centre with swimming pool, gym, spa Jacuzzi, sauna, steam room, sun-bed, and hair and beauty salon. Hotel guests have guaranteed tees time and preferential green fees on the adjacent par 72 golf course. Closed: 18-28 December. €€€ to €€€€€ Web site: www.faithlegg.com

Granville Hotel, Meagher Quay, Waterford City; tel. 051-305555; fax 051-305566; e-mail: stay@granville-hotel.ie. If you want to be in the heart of Waterford City, this historic hotel is the best choice — in the center of the city's mile-long quay. Originally a private home and then a coaching inn, the 3-star Granville blends a mix of 18th and 19th century décor and architecture, particularly in its lounges and restaurants. It has been expanded and refurbished over the years, and today offers 100 rooms with all the modern comforts. Closed: 24-27 December. €€ to €€€ Web site: www.granville-hotel.ie

Tower Hotel, Waterford, The Mall, Waterford; tel. 051-862300; e-mail: reservations@thw.ie. Nestled in an historic section of Waterford overlooking the marina on the River Suir, this contemporary four-story hotel is named after 11th century Reginald’s Tower, a prime landmark across the street. Refurbished and enhanced over the years, the Tower now has 135 contemporary guest rooms with the usual modern amenities of cable television, tea/coffee-maker, garment press, hairdryer, and wireless internet access. Public areas include the Bistro and Carvery restaurants, Adelphi bar, and a leisure/fitness centre with swimming pool, gym, Jacuzzi, whirlpool, steam room and saunas. And there's secure private parking for guests with cars. Best of all, you just have to step outside the door and you are on The Mall in the heart of Waterford. Web site: www.towerhotelwaterford.com

Waterford Castle, The Island, Ballinakill, Waterford; tel. 051-878203; fax
051-879316; e-mail: info@waterfordcastle.com. If you want to live like a king or a queen in an authentic medieval castle, this is the place — a fairytale setting with an original Norman keep, two Elizabethan wings, and an array of turrets, towers, battlements, archways, gargoyles, stone walls and mullioned windows. Dating back 800 years, the 19-room castle sits on its own 310-acre island, accessible only by a private car ferry, and offers guests the freedom of its 18-hole championship golf course, tennis courts, and leisure centre. It's worth the splurge. Closed: January. €€€€ to €€€€€

Waterford Marina Hotel, Canada St., Waterford City; tel. 051-856600; fax 051-856605; e-mail: info@waterfordmarinahotel.com . A favorite with tour groups, this art deco-style 5-story hotel offers good value for downtown Waterford. It sits on the east end of the quays, a convenient two block walking distance from the Mall. Best of all, it overlooks the River Suir, so the restaurant/bar and many of the 81 guest rooms have views of the harbour. Facilities are limited to a gym with sauna, an indoor-outdoor car park and patio deck. On warm days, it's hard to resist sitting on the deck outside to watch the boats glide by. Closed: 18-27 December. € to €€

Woodlands Hotel, Dunmore Road, Waterford City, Co. Waterford; tel. 051-304574; fax 051-304575; e-mail: info@woodlandshotel.ie. If you are heading to Waterford and can't make up your mind between staying in the city or along the coast at the popular fishing port of Dunmore East, here's a hotel ideally located for you - on the main road mid-way between the two points. Nestled beside the River Suir Estuary, this 3-story hotel has a restaurant, traditional bi-level pub, and a leisure centre with indoor swimming pool, sauna, Jacuzzi, gym, aerobics studio, and hair/beauty salon. Most of the 47 contemporary guest rooms have views of the water, and some have balconies. € to €€€ Web site: www.woodlandshotel.ie

Waterford - Guesthouses & B&B Homes

Blenheim House, Blenheim Heights, off the Passage East Rd., Waterford; tel. 051-874115; e-mail: blenheim@eircom.net. This B&B with six guest rooms has been a favorite of ours for years. It is located in a leafy residential neighborhood 3 miles southeast of the city, and sits beside the River Suir on its own lovely grounds including a deer park. Built in 1763, the house has been revitalized by the Fitzmaurice family who have furnished it with their own antiques and dazzling collection of Waterford Crystal. Closed: 23-31 December. € Web site: http://homepage.eircom.net/~blenheim

Brown's Townhouse, 29 South Parade, Waterford; tel. 051-870594; fax 051-871923; e-mail: info@brownstownhouse.com. For good value and a homey old world atmosphere, it's hard to beat this charming Victorian townhouse (circa. 1886) on the southern edge of Waterford City. It's located in a quiet residential neighborhood, almost directly opposite the People's Park and a 10-minute walk from the center of the city. Owner Leslie Brown, an affable host known for his home-cooked breakfasts, offers 6 rooms including a family room (that accommodates up to four people). € to €€ Web site: www.brownstownhouse.com

Rice Guesthouse, 35-36 Barrack St., Waterford City; tel. 051-371606; fax 051-357013; e-mail: info@riceguesthouse.com. Situated next to Mount Sion, the original Christian Brothers school founded by Blessed Edmund Ignatius Rice, this four-story guesthouse is within walking distance to most Waterford city attractions including the adjacent Rice shrine. The facilities include 20 modern guestrooms, a restaurant, an on-premises pub, and guest car parking. Closed: 23-27 December. € to €€ Web site: www.riceguesthouse.com

B&B Recommendations: Here are four modern townhouse B&Bs along the Cork Road, and all members of the Town & Country Homes Association (www.townandcountry.ie). They are all situated on the left side, as you drive out of Waterford after the Waterford Crystal Factory (listed in order of location, with the nearest to the city first):
St. Joseph’s B&B, Ballinaneeshagh, Cork Rd.,Waterford City, tel. 051-376893; e-mail: stjosephsbandb@hotmail.com
Dunroven B&B, Ballinaneesagh, Cork Rd., Waterford City, tel. 051-374743; e-mail: dunroven@iol.ie; web site: www.dunroven-ireland.com
Ashleigh B&B, Holycross, Cork Rd., Waterford City, tel. 051-375171; e-mail: ashleighhouse@eircom.net; web site: www.ashleigh-house.com
Arriviste B&B, Holycross, Cork Rd., Butlerstown, Waterford City, tel. 051-354080, e-mail: arriviste@iolfree.ie

Favorite Places to Stay — Waterford

Waterford Hotels

Waterford - Guesthouses & B&B Homes