Experiencing another world in the west at Knockranny House

Knockranny House in Westport is a portal to the wonderful west, but it’s also a destination in itself, writes Esther McCarthy

There’s something about the personality and setting of Knockranny House Hotel and Spa that makes the shoulders relax the moment you arrive.

The stunning period building is imposing and spectacular, overlooking the town’s spectacular bay, but is just a hop and a skip from all that vibrant Westport has to offer.

Knockranny and Westport have the ability to make you switch to comfort mode on arrival. Maybe it’s the dramatic hilltop setting as you approach Westport town, or that feeling of otherworldliness that comes with going so far west, the dramatic views helping speed away everyday preoccupations and stresses. Or perhaps it’s that extraordinary first glimpse of Croagh Patrick sweeping down to Clew Bay and its many islands that makes you feel your getaway has truly begun.

I’ve always had a soft spot for Westport, but it had been a few years since I’d visited. There’s something special about this cosmopolitan and friendly town, small enough to feel affable and intimate, big enough to work as a base for the west, with many restaurants, bars and home and boutiques on its doorstep.

We stayed in one of Knockranny’s stunning courtyard suites and to describe it as spacious is an understatement. With huge, luxurious guest rooms, a separate lounge area and oversized bathrooms, it felt more like an apartment than a guest room. In keeping with the rest of the hotel, it’s an atmospheric period setting full of character, antique furniture and modern, luxurious comforts.

All residents over 18 have complimentary use of the spa’s vitality pool, thermal and fitness suite. (Younger guests and families are given complimentary access to a nearby swimming pool.)

It’s a wonderful spa facility — a highlight was the full-body massage water jets that leave you relaxed and invigorated. I used the facilities, which also included steam rooms and a sauna, which proved to be a perfect wind-down for one of Knockranny’s newest and most unusual massage treatments.

The Bamboo Deep Tissue Massage does what it says — the specially-trained therapist uses a combination of a bamboo stick and more traditional massage techniques to deliver a more intense ‘rolling and kneading’ massage experience. It helps with circulation, lymphatic drainage, and the breakdown of muscular aches and pains, and is ideal for anyone undertaking a detox.

I was intrigued, and my therapist did a fine job of demystifying the treatment before we started. The stick itself looks like a small, handleless rolling pin, and the therapist used both it and hand massage techniques to eliminate the knots and little niggling aches.

You are encouraged to let her know if the pressure is right for you, and to take it easy for the rest of the day and drink lots of water.

I melted out of the spa in that heady post-massage state of lethargic bliss, but it was the following day I really felt the impact. I was deeply relaxed and my body felt in a more languorous state than it had in some time, which suited me just fine.

It was definitely more intensive and effective than even a great traditional massage, and ideal to enjoy when you’re having some quiet time.

That evening, we dined at the hotel’s La Fougère Restaurant, again lulled into a sense of relaxation by the panoramic views of a big west of Ireland sky that changed and evolved by the minute.

La Fougère Restaurant is one of the jewels in the crown of Knockranny House Hotel

The views inside the room weren’t so bad either. All that light lends itself to the sense of pared-back 1920s style in the room, while the food — great Irish cooking with a modern twist — included such staples as Clew Bay scallops with apple, fennel and crab; rib-eye steak with king oysters and onion tart tatin; and baked Atlantic hake with black olive and Mediterranean vegetables.

It was evident in the dining room that Knockranny has a loyal fanbase — many couples were on return visits during our stay.

Situated on the Wild Atlantic Way, Westport is ideal to explore by car, by bike or on foot.

The relatively recently opened Great Western Greenway is a delight, the longest off-road walking and cycling trail in Ireland, with 42km of almost completely traffic-free countryside to explore. You can join the trail just minutes from Knockranny’s grounds, and the walk around Westport and out to Clew Bay is lovely.

North of Newport and heading towards Achill, particularly around Mulranny, the landscape becomes even more dramatic. If you don’t have the legs for the cycle, beautiful Achill, with its striking beaches and bogs and sense of island life, is just under an hour from Westport by car.

Some of the Greenway runs by the beautiful Westport House estate as well as the harbour, making a walk on the outskirts of the town one of the most pleasant as well as easily accessible stretches.

The town is peppered with great cafes and restaurants, cosy pubs and craft and homeware shops that offer far more of interest that your typical tourist trinkets.

But Westport’s greatest asset could well be its people. Everywhere we went, we were met with a laid-back, organic friendliness, a warmth that never felt forced.

Perhaps that comes from living in such a beautiful setting, or from inhabiting a place consistently voted one of Ireland’s best in which to live, or a sense of pride in its ongoing regeneration.