Waterford: A cliff-top challenge

The Cliff House Hotel, Ardmore, Co Waterford; tel: [phone]; web: thecliffhousehotel.com

The dining room at the Cliff House Hotel in Ardmore has stunning views over the bay of the seaside resort.

Ireland’s south east is better served than nearly any region outside of the Pale for pomposo dining. There are a good number of ambitious and imaginative chefs vying for your special-occasion budget so, as Mrs T so icily put it, the competition sets the standard.