Ireland (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Fionn Davenport [377]
Sleeping
Achill is a great budget destination and there are some decent midrange options, but for top-end luxury you’ll need to head off-island.
BUDGET
Valley House Hostel ( 098-47204; www.valley-house.com; The Valley; campsites per tent €5, plus per person €5, dm €19-22, s €25, d €50, f from €40; ) Amid unruly gardens, this remote, 42-bed hostel in a creaking old mansion has atmosphere to spare. JM Synge based his play The Playboy of the Western World on misadventures here (the staff can tell some great stories!), and the subsequent film Love and Rage (1999) was also partially shot here. Bonuses include free scones for breakfast and a cosy licensed pub with patio tables (bar food June to August only).
Keel Sandybanks Caravan & Camping Park ( 094-903 2054; www.achillcamping.com; Keel; campsites €10; June–mid-Sep) This camping ground, an easy stroll from town, overlooks Keel Strand and has a sociable lounge and a laundry room.
Railway Hostel ( 098-45187; Achill Sound; campsites per person €7.50, dm €15; ) The Railway Hostel was once a train station for the ill-fated Great Western Railway (see boxed text, Click here). It’s now a social little hostel that sleeps up to 16 people and has toasty open fires in the common and dining rooms. It’s just before the bridge you cross to reach the island; ask the bus driver to stop outside.
Rich View House ( 098-43462, 086 231 5546; richviewhostel@hotmail.com; Keel; dm/s/d €15/18/36) Facilities at this relaxed hostel/home-stay are simple, even scarce, but the jolly live-in owner, musician Shay Kennedy, is extremely knowledgeable about Achill and quick to invite guests to the pub. Shay’s daughter has built her house right in front, but it doesn’t detract from the eponymous views.
MIDRANGE
Fuchsia Lodge ( 098-43350; fuchsialodge@eircom.ie; Keel; s/d €45/70, cottage per week €700; ) This friendly family home is one of very few B&Bs to open year-round. It has three cosy bedrooms, and guests can access the kitchen. The adjacent fisherman’s cottage belonged to the owner’s grandfather and has been renovated to incorporate three bedrooms, three bathrooms and full kitchen and laundry facilities, but happily retains its original timber ceilings and Irish charm.
Achill Cliff House Hotel ( 098-43400; www.achillcliff.com; Keel; s €110-120, d €140-160; closed Christmas; ) The 10 spacious but unspectacular rooms in this whitewashed hotel that resembles an oversized cottage don’t come cheap in high season, but there are often good deals available online and rates drop considerably outside midsummer. You can pay an extra €25 to secure a sea view; alternatively, take advantage of the views from the restaurant Click here.
Also recommended:
Achill Sound Hotel ( 098-45245; www.achillsoundhotel.com; Achill Sound; s/d €55/100; ) Family-run hotel near the bridge, on the island side, with basic rooms, a bar and restaurant.
Achill Head Hotel ( 098-43108; www.achillheadhotel.ie; Pollagh, Keel; s/d €65/90; seasonal opening periods vary; ) A 10-minute walk from Keel village and beach. Some of its 19 modern rooms have grandiose four-poster beds and patchwork-style quilts.
Eating
Gielty’s Clew Bay ( 098-43119; www.gieltys.com; Dooagh; sandwiches €4-7, mains €9-20; food served 10am-9pm) Publican Alan Gielty can fill you in on pretty much anything you need to know about Achill. The building is modern but has a time-honoured atmosphere that’s enhanced by open fires and sea views, and good pub grub such as local smoked salmon or beef and red wine casserole. Live music plays every Saturday night year-round, and nightly during July and August.
Beehive Craft & Coffee Shop ( 098-43018; Keel; snacks around €7; 10.30am-6pm Apr-Oct) As much a craft shop as a cafe, the Beehive dishes up healthy homemade soups with brown scones, and decadent home-baked cakes.
Calvey’s Restaurant ( 098-43158; Keel; lunch mains €4-10, dinner mains €10-20; lunch & dinner Easter–mid-Sep) As it’s attached to its own organic butchery, it’s no surprise