Ireland (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Fionn Davenport [578]
Sleeping
Don’t even think about turning up without a booking during the North West 200 weekend in May.
BUDGET
Causeway Coast Independent Hostel ( 7083 3789; rick@causewaycoasthostel.fsnet.co.uk; 4 Victoria Tce; dm/tw from £11/35; ) This neat terrace house just northeast of the harbour has spacious four-, six- and eight-bed dorms plus a double room, and good power showers. It has its own kitchen, laundry and welcoming open fire in winter.
Millfield Holiday Village ( 7083 3308; 80 Mill Rd; tent & caravan sites £15) This is the nearest place to the promenade (a 15-minute walk away) that you can pitch a tent; great views. Coming from Coleraine on the A2, turn right at the Mill Rd/Strand Rd roundabout.
MIDRANGE
Cul-Erg B&B ( 7083 6610; www.culerg.co.uk; 9 Hillside, Atlantic Circle; s/d £40/70; ) This family-run B&B is in a modern, flower-bedecked terrace house just a couple of minutes’ walk from the promenade. Warm and welcoming, it’s set in a quiet cul-de-sac; the rooms at the back have a view of the sea.
Cromore Halt Inn ( 7083 6888; www.cromore.com; 158 Station Rd; s/d £55/80; ) Located about 1km east of the harbour, on the corner of Station Rd and Mill Rd, the motel-style Cromore has a dozen modern, businesslike rooms, along with friendly, helpful staff and a good restaurant.
The York ( 7083 3594; www.theyorkportstewart.co.uk; 2 Station Rd; s/d from £79/110; ) The York brings a bit of boutique chic to Portstewart’s mostly staid accommodation scene, with designer rooms in shades of chocolate, cream and cappuccino, red leather chairs, spacious bathrooms with rain-head showers, and big breakfasts served in a glass-lined dining room with stunning views along the coast.
Eating & Drinking
Morelli’s ( 7083 2150; 53 The Promenade; mains £4-8; 9am-11pm, food to 8pm) Morelli’s is a local institution, founded by Italian immigrants and famous for its mouth-watering ice cream since 1911. The menu includes pasta, pizza, sandwiches, omelettes, and fish and chips, as well as good coffee and cakes, and there’s a great view across the bay to Mussenden Temple, Benone Strand and Donegal.
Anchor Bar & Skippers Restaurant ( 7083 2003; 87-89 The Promenade; mains £8-15; food noon-9pm) The liveliest of Portstewart’s traditional pubs, famed for its Guinness and hugely popular with students from the University of Ulster, the Anchor serves decent pub grub, opens till 1am and has karaoke on Tuesday, quiz nights on Wednesday, trad Irish music on Thursday and live bands Friday and Saturday, plus DJ club nights from 9.30pm Thursday to Sunday. There’s also Skippers Restaurant, which serves more sophisticated dishes such as mussels in garlic and basil butter, roast duckling, and vegetable stir-fry.
Preference Brasserie ( 7083 3959; 81 The Promenade; mains £15-21; 6-9.30pm Tue-Sat, 12.30-3.30pm Sun) A welcome new addition to Portstewart’s prom, this stylish brasserie prides itself on a seasonal menu of fresh local produce served with continental flair – dishes include medallions of Irish beef with creamed haricot beans and pancetta, roast cod fillet with braised puy lentils and Dijon mustard vinaigrette, and stilton and red pepper frittata with seasonal leaves.
Getting There & Away
Bus 140 plies between Coleraine and Portstewart (£2, 20 to 30 minutes) roughly every half-hour (fewer on Sunday). Also see Getting There & Around, below.
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COUNTY ANTRIM
Getting There & Around
Translink ( 9066 6630; www.translink.co.uk) operates several bus services specially designed for tourists visiting the popular Antrim coast and Giant’s Causeway areas.
The Antrim Coaster (bus 252/256) links Coleraine with Belfast (£10, four hours, two daily Monday to Saturday) via Portstewart, Portrush, Bushmills, the Giant’s Causeway, Ballycastle, the Glens of Antrim, and Larne, departing Belfast at 9.05am and 3pm. South-bound buses leave Coleraine at 9.35am and 3.40pm. A Sunday service operates from July to September only.
From June to mid-September the Causeway Rambler