Ireland (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Fionn Davenport [231]
Sleeping
BUDGET
Eagle Point Camping ( 027-50630; www.eaglepointcamping.com; Glengarriff Rd, Ballylickey; campsites from €28; May-Sep) An enviable location at the end of a filigreed promontory 6km north of Bantry makes this a popular site. Most of the 125 spots have sea views, and there’s direct access to the pebbly beaches nearby.
MIDRANGE
Atlanta House ( 027-50237; www.atlantahouse.ie; Main St; s/d €40/70; ) You won’t get a more central stay than in this town house, which has good-sized rooms and firm beds piled high with pillows, perfect for tossing at your companion. It’s the best-value place in town; all rooms have high-speed internet access.
Mill B&B ( 027-50278; Glengarriff Rd; www.the-mill.net; s/d from €50/80; Easter-Oct) This modern house, on the immediate outskirts of town, oozes individuality. The irrepressible landlady, Tosca, is just part of it. The rooms are a riot of knick-knacks, and the spacious dining room has a wonderful collection of Indonesian puppets and Tosca’s art to accompany solid breakfasts.
Bantry Bay Hotel ( 027-50062; www.bantrybayhotel.ie; Wolfe Tone Sq; r €50-140; ) Most of the 14 rooms overlook the square, with glimpses of the bay. Nothing about the decor will surprise and, in fact, there’s nothing to keep you in your room and forgo local explorations. The bar’s maritime theme may put you in the mood to hoist the mizzen-mast.
Ballylickey House ( 027-50071; www.ballylickeymanorhouse.com; Ballylickey; r €90-160; Mar-Nov; ) Possessing a name that rolls off the tongue, Ballylickey is a beautiful manor house with manicured lawns overlooking the bay. There are two choices for the night: rooms in the house or cute cottages set round a swimming pool. All are spacious and comfortably furnished.
TOP END
Sea View House Hotel ( 027-50073; www.seaviewhousehotel.com; Ballylickey; s €85-95, d €150-170) You’ll find everything you’d expect from a luxury hotel here: country-house ambience, tastefully decorated public rooms, expansive service and 25 cosy, posh bedrooms. The hotel is on the N71, 5km northeast of Bantry.
Bantry House ( 027-50047; www.bantryhouse.com; Bantry Bay; r €140-250; Apr-Oct) Bantry House’s guest rooms, decorated in pale hues and a mixture of antiques and contemporary furnishings, are luxurious places to while away the hours. Rooms 22 and 25 are double winners, with views of both the garden and the bay. Enhance the dream by playing croquet, lawn tennis or billiards and lounging in the house’s library once the doors are shut to the public. And if you see French ships offshore, go and tell someone immediately!
Eating
Wolfe Tone Sq takes on a heady mix of aromas for the Friday Market, which draws in the masses – both vendors and shoppers – from a wide area.
Stuffed Olive ( 027-55883; New St; meals €4-7; 8am-5pm Mon-Sat) This exquisite bakery and deli has a fine coffee bar and stools along a narrow counter in the sunny front window. Luscious baked goods are displayed like, well, a bunch of tarts. Find your picnic lunch here and nab one of the excellent bottles of wine.
O’Connor’s Seafood Restaurant ( 027-50221; www.oconnorseafood.com; Wolfe Tone Sq; lunch €7-15, dinner €20-30; lunch & dinner daily Mar-Oct, Tue-Sat Nov-Feb) The tank full of lobsters and the three wooden yachts in the window give the game away – award-winning O’Connor’s offers Bantry seafood at its posh best. It’s an exquisite experience and one to savour.
Organico ( 027-51391; 2 Glengariff Rd; lunch €8-15; 9.30am-5.30pm Mon-Sat; ) The milk in the organic latte here is fairtrade – just one example of the green ethos prevalent throughout this very attractive bakery–deli–cafe. Enjoy fine baked goods throughout the day; at lunch there’s an array of daily specials. The soups are hearty and fresh, the salads innovative. Everything is meat-free but not dairy-free: cheese lovers, enjoy!
Fish Kitchen ( 027-56651; New St; mains €8-20; noon-9pm Tue-Sat) Fittingly located above Bantry’s fish vendors, the Fish Kitchen is a welcome addition