Travel: €100 getaway! Is this Cork’s best value break?
The Mills Inn, Ballyvourney, Co Cork
Ireland’s hotel industry has been receiving a PR hammering of late with some eye-watering overnight room rates, particularly in the capital, spurring accusations of price-gouging and profiteering. Even travel giants such as are advising visitors to the capital to ensure they have accommodation before arriving in the city.
Booking advice clichés from industry professionals can grind those getaway gears, too — “try booking midweek,” they say! Sure, we’d never have thought of that!
But to offer some staycation solace, there is still getaway value to be had if you’re prepared to jig around location preferences. How does €100 per night in the beautiful West Cork Gaeltacht sound? I recently made an impromptu check-in to The Mills Inn in Ballyvourney to discover not only a great hotel, but a super base for an alternative West Cork base.
Pulling into The Mills, a family-run property established in 1755, the historic setting almost feels like a micro-Bunratty with everything from an ivy-clad keep castle to a courtyard of siopaí, not least a charming thatched-roof ice cream parlour. I checked-in on a bustling Saturday evening, with the bar brimming with road trippers breaking up their Cork-to-Kerry jaunts. Upstairs, my double room was instantly impressive for the price-mark; it’s spacious, comfortable and generously appointed with antique furniture. Not a world apart from something you’d find in a more premium property than a €100-a-night inn.
At dinner in the bar that evening, I enjoyed a generous helping of gluten-free fish & chips, made with coeliac-friendly batter thanks to 9 White Deer Brewery located just down the road. Breakfast was equally impressive. I no longer eat eggs or bacon so I had their delicious potato bake served with cherry tomatoes, spinach and loaded with cheddar — such a novelty hit. Together with the inn’s friendly staff, the property really hit all bases and is definitely one of my finds of the year.
A good inn is only as good as its base, and Ballyvourney makes a super springboard for Gaeltacht Mhúscraí gallivanting. Gougane Barra which lies just 30 minutes south is much more than its postcard chapel with its forest park featuring some of the most scenic hiking in the country. Trail options vary from the 2hr Slí na Sléibhe to the 1hr Slí na Easa but you can also lace up for the 50km Slí Gaeltacht Mhúscraí if you fancy a Corkonian Camino vibe.
To fuel up, Cronin’s Café in the valley makes a fine stop for a tasty sandwich while the Gougane Barra Hotel is a fine spot for lunch with menus celebrating local fare — just be sure to book ahead as it gets busy.
The public outdoor heated swimming pool in Cúl Aodha is an absolute gem and a great way to while away an hour. Local operator Dave Ryan took me on a guided kayaking tour of Lough Allua: a highlight was paddling up to the banks of Cork’s only crannóg. For cheese lovers, Macroom Buffalo Farm in Kilnamartyra offers fun and fact-filled tours and tastings, I was under the wing of tour guide tour de force, Dorothy O’Tuama, who guided me around the farm before whipping up several cheese dishes from halloumi style and watermelon to 'feta' style salads. I capped my evening with a walk up the Top of Coom, a scenic walk on the Kerry border dotted with mountain sheep. All being said, they’re the only ones getting fleeced on this trip.
- millsinn.ie - rooms from €100.
Tom visited the area as a guest of the Explore Cork app.
Summer holiday season may be in full swing but if you’re already looking for a winter break, Ryanair has just announced two new routes for Cork Airport. The services to Rome and Newcastle will commence on Halloween weekend 2022 and are set to operate twice weekly for the duration of the winter. Rome should prove particularly popular for winter weekenders; Friday flights leave Cork at lunchtime and depart Rome at 10:55am on Monday morning; a decent weekend stint without any ungodly departure or arrival times.
Expect to pay €200 return incl. baggage. Not quite bargain bin fares but think of those savings on a transfer to Dublin.
Few of us steal away to Donegal for just one night which is why a hotel deal for the county is all the more appealing. Check out the three nights for two nights stay at the recently revamped Redcastle Oceanfront Golf and Spa Hotel overlooking the waters of Lough Foyle. The hotel has just enjoyed a €500,000 revamp and to celebrate they are offering a free night’s stay when you book two on selected dates this summer. The hotel is also situated just 20 minutes from Derry, making it an attractive base for a twin county break.
From €260;
Who would have thought entry for a tree-top slide would be one of the hottest tickets for summer 2022? One of the most exciting new attractions to open in some time, 'Beyond the Trees Avondale', is a new world-class visitor destination in Wicklow opening after a €19 million redevelopment project by Coillte in partnership with Fáilte Ireland and EAK Ireland.
It will feature the longest treetop walk in Ireland and Britain, at 1.4km bringing visitors on an adventure through and above the trees culminating at the impressive viewing tower.
The Creel in Westport, a popular lunch and brunch haunt for locals and tourists alike has just launched a casual evening dining menu.
And, in Dublin, Bartley’s at The Grafton, is a swish new bar, restaurant and coffee dock built on the site of the original Bartley Dunne’s pub in the heart of Dublin 2.
Heading on a West Cork road-trip? The Emmet Hotel in the heart of Clonakilty has just added a new bar to its Emmet Garden.
Drumhierny Hideaway near Leitrim Village is a collection of 16 gorgeous lodges set in a mixed leaf woodland haven which offers a sweet, sustainability-led, escape in one of Ireland’s most unspoiled counties. The lodges are set to open this month with two-night stays from €450.
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