Overview

DROMOLAND CASTLE - CO CLARE - Dramatic castle-hotel on a 375-acre estate, 15 minutes north of Shannon Airport. A turreted façade leads to salons accented by oak paneling and heirloom portraits. One hundred accommodations combine period charm with modern amenities and marble baths. Most lodgings overlook the estate’s lake and gardens (“Queen Anne” section, a century older than the rest of the structure, has smallish windows). The elegant Earl of Thomond dining room and festive Cocktail Bar offer evening entertainment. Redesigned 18-hole championship golf course winds through stands of oak, beech and pines. Other activities include tennis, health/fitness spa with indoor lap pool, riding, clay pigeon shooting, cycling and scenic walks. Review Courtesy of Andrew Harper - Travel Partner with Wide World of Golf

THE MERRION - DUBLIN - Gracious 142-room hotel (19 suites) occupying four beautifully restored Georgian townhouses in a fashionable downtown district. Guest rooms, furnished with Irish fabrics and antiques, include comfortable armchairs, writing desks and spacious marble baths with twin vanities, large tubs and separate showers. Most rooms have views of the parliament buildings or the hotel’s gardens. Irish art adorns the elegantly appointed drawing room and bar, as well as Patrick Guilbaud gastronomic restaurant and revamped Cellar, serving simple Irish cuisine. Attractive garden terrace for summer dining, weather permitting. A health/fitness spa includes a steam room and an infinity pool. Dublin’s prestige address for discerning travelers.Review Courtesy of Andrew Harper - Travel Partner with Wide World of Golf

MOY HOUSE - CO CLARE - Restored 18th-century coastal inn commanding a dramatic promontory above Lahinch Bay, an hour northwest of Shannon Airport and only minutes from the renowned seaside Lahinch golf links. Nine bedrooms (no A/C) feature antique furnishings and modern baths; request one of the top-floor units affording superb views of the Atlantic. A library and dining room complement the homey lounge with an honor bar. Unpretentious and hospitable. Spectacular Cliffs of Moher, haunting landscape of the Burren and Greg Norman’s challenging Doonbeg links all a short drive away. Review Courtesy of Andrew Harper - Travel Partner with Wide World of Golf