Westmeath & Roscommon - Hotels

Photos: (left) Radisson Blu Hotel, Athlone, Co. Westmeath; and (right) Kilronan Castle, Ballyfarnon, Co. Roscommon.

PRICE KEY
B&B per person per night

€ - under 50

€€ - 50 to 75

€€€ - 75 to 100

€€€€ - 100 to 150

€€€€€ - over 150

Hodson Bay Hotel, Hodson Bay, Co. Westmeath; tel. 090-644-2000. For stunning waterside views, you don't have to go to the Irish seacoast. Just head for the very center of Ireland to the Hodson Bay Hotel, 3 miles north of Athlone. Hugging the shores of Lough Ree, this hotel and the surrounding area have had a long and storied history. Lough Ree, meaning the "Lough of Kings," has many islands including one on which St. Ciaran is said to have founded a monastery before he went to Clonmacnoise. The land on which the hotel sits was given to the Hodson family in the 1640's and in 1800-1813 a round tower was placed on another nearby island, to this day known as Hodson's Pillar. The site was then passed to the Lenihans, a famous Irish political family, before it became a 10-room hotel and then grew to 46 rooms in 1992.  As a result of recent expansion, this modern 3-star hotel has tripled its size. The 133 guest rooms offer luxurious amenities and views of the lake, marina, sandy beaches, and the islands. Facilities include a waterfront bar, restaurant, conservatory-style breakfast room, and a leisure centre with a heated swimming pool, sauna, steam room, gym, and sun room. In addition, it is bordered on three sides by the18 hole Athlone championship golf course. The grounds also offer a tennis court and lakeside walking trails. €€ to €€€€   Web site:  www.hodsonbayhotel.com

Kilronan Castle, Ballyfarnon, Co. Roscommon, tel. 071-964-7771, sits amid 40 acres overlooking Lough Meelagh midway between Counties Leitrim and Sligo, so it can be a convenient base for touring Roscommon and its neighboring counties. Dating back to the early 1800’s, this multi-turreted Gothic revival castle was originally home of the Tennison family of Oxfordshire and was extended in 1876 with a baronial tower and battlements by the 12th Earl of Kingston. Its history (along with how the castle got its name) actually goes back to the 6th or 7th centuries since it sits on land that was once St. Ronan’s Abbey (in Irish, Cill Ronain) and holy well. The public areas and guest rooms are furnished in traditional 4-star style with lots of dark woods, crystal chandeliers, textured wallpapers, and regal velvet fabrics. 18 bedrooms are in the original castle, and the remaining 64 are in a new wing. Facilities include a restaurant, bar, library, spa and proposed 9-hole golf course by Nick Faldo. €€ to €€€€  Web site:  www.kilronancastle.ie

Radisson Blu Hotel, Northgate St., Athlone, Co. Westmeath, tel. 090-644-2600. Like many of the Radisson properties in Ireland, this hotel has an ace waterside location – overlooking the Shannon River and the town’s marina, castle and cathedral. About half of the hotel’s 127 guest rooms overlook the river; and rooms are decorated in two themes: ocean and urban. It is an ideal location for touring the heart of Ireland or a stop mid-way between Dublin and Galway.  Public areas include a restaurant and bar with an outdoor terrace overlooking the river, plus a health center with swimming pool sauna, steam room and gym. €€  to €€€  Web site: www.radissonblu.ie/hotel-athlone

Shannon Key West Hotel, The River Edge, Rooskey, Co. Roscommon; tel. 071-963-8800. Perched beside the upper reaches of the Shannon River in a small town on the main Dublin-Sligo road and beside the Leitrim/Roscommon border, this 3-star hotel is a blend of new and old — the lobby is bright and modern with a nautical atmosphere, sandstone fireplace, and huge windows overlooking the river, while the restaurant and bar have a traditional ambiance, incorporating the original brick, stone, pitch pine, and timeless fixtures of a pre-existing pub, The Rooskey Inn. The 39 guestrooms are furnished in contemporary style; some rooms are rather compact and small and face the back of the hotel, while other rooms are more spacious and have views of the waterfront. Facilities include a patio and roof terrace overlooking the water, and an in-house leisure centre with gym, solarium, Jacuzzi, steam room, and tennis court. All of this in Rooskey, an off-the-tourist-path place — a great little town to get away from it all. Closed: 24-26 Dec. € to €€  Web site:  www.shannonkeywest.com

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