From lighthouse life to glamping under the stars: An inside guide to the best places to stay in Northern Ireland

The village of Hillsborough has long been a popular day trip destination for Belfast residents and, with the opening of Arthur’s, it has drawn in visitors from farther afield. This elegant guest house is on the Main Street beside the village’s main attractions – Hillsborough Castle (used by visiting members of the royal family and the Secretary of State, Hilary Benn), the Forest Park and numerous gastropubs, cafes, delis and patisseries (I recommend The Round House, Keane’s Deli and Kin + Folk). Each of Arthur’s 12 rooms reflect local history and pay homage to Hillsborough’s founding father, the marquess of Downshire, after whom the guest house is named. Owners Lynne and Jonathan McCabe, also own two other properties in the vicinity (Lisnacurran Country House and Ralph’s Moira); all three reflect their attention to detail, love of antiques and thoughtfulness. The cafe, on the ground floor, is where residents have breakfast, and is the setting for regular restaurant pop-ups (the next one is on September 21st with chef Joery Castle). Overnight rates cost from £150. If visiting, there is a farmers’ market on September 28th in the Dark Walk at Hillsborough Fort where you’ll find interesting arts, crafts and food stalls.
St John’s Lighthouse, marked with distinctive bands of yellow and black once painted by Brendan Behan, was built in 1844 and is the tallest lighthouse in Ireland (the Fastnet is taller but offshore). It’s along the self-drive Mourne Coastal Route, outside the village of Killough. Follow the route from Ardglass, famous for its harbour and medieval tower houses, to the beaches of Rossglass, Minerstown and Tyrella, and take in the Murlough Nature Reserve, before arriving in Newcastle, where the prestigious Royal County Down Golf Club is hosting the Amgen Irish Open, September 12th-15th.
There are two cottages on the lighthouse station – St John’s Point Ketch and St John’s Point Sloop. Each cottage sleeps four and oozes character with a side helping of amazing views – the Isle of Man on one side and Mourne mountains on the other. A two-night minimum charge applies, from £326 midweek.
If you watched Majella, the ITV/Netflix crime drama starring Anna Friel, Larchfield Estate was chosen as the home of the Maguire family for series three. Rest assured there are no baddies to be found on the 600-acre grounds, though you may spy the resident herd of pedigree alpacas and miniature donkeys as well as Robert, the Shetland pony. Because of its idyllic setting Larchfield is a popular wedding venue and has a range of self-catering accommodation from self-catering cottages to a chic Gate Lodge (£586 per night). I’ve stayed in Rose Cottage (£295 per night) overlooking the estate’s walled garden, as well as “Myrtle”, a 1952 Saurer Swiss Army truck cleverly adapted for luxury glamping, with a wood-burning stove, under-bed heating, sauna and fire pit (£285 per night). Prices include a delicious breakfast hamper with smoked salmon, eggs, wheaten bread and apple juice (made from apples grown in Larchfield’s orchards); wellness experiences and a private chef can be provided. If guests don’t feel like cooking, The Pheasant gastropub is just across the road. I recommend antiquing in Saintfield (especially at David Flynn Antiques), and visiting Montalto Estate in Ballynahinch, where further garden inspiration and beautiful walks are plentiful.
While most visitors to the North tend to flock to the North Coast, the Ards peninsula is a bit of an unsung gem. Greyabbey village is a favourite, especially for vintage and antiques hunting. Just outside the village is the neoclassical house Mount Stewart and its impressive gardens. Stay nearby in the stylish, self-catering retreat Brent Lodge, named after the geese that fly in from Canada to winter on the shores of Strangford Lough (because of the abundance of eel grass found there). An additional property, Brent Cove, is also available to rent near the Lodge. Both sleep two (with the option of a small bed for a child) and are well equipped with wood-burning stoves, underfloor heating and private terraces for admiring the sunsets and witnessing the incredible sights and sounds of more than 30,000 Brent geese on the shore. From £140.
Where to stay on the North Coast? Insiders will tell you that Portstewart is the quieter sister resort of Portrush, which has always been known for its lively nightlife. Both have great beaches and relatively new boutique hotels. In Portstewart, the undeniably chic Mr and Mrs Jones is matched by Elephant Rock Hotel in Portrush. There’s been a real buzz about its design – mixing bold colours, deco details and bespoke upholstery – and food. The hotel’s restaurant and cocktail bar, overlooking the Skerries Islands, East Sands beach and Atlantic Ocean, is ideal for a sundowner after a round of golf on the Royal Portrush Golf Course. This month, chef Stephane Delourme, formerly head chef of Rick Stein’s Padstow restaurant, will be serving up seafood dishes during a two-day Fire and Feast adventure on September 19th to 20th. A two-night stay with evening meal costs from £280 per room.
Belfast 2024 is well under way – this year-long cultural celebration is amplified further during the city’s International Arts Festival, October 16th-23rd, which includes interesting talks, readings, exhibitions and performances taking place in multiple venues. As an arty base close to the Ulster Museum and Botanic Gardens, The Harrison will appeal to bibliophiles: each of the 17 rooms in the Victorian town house is named after a writer or poet, with reading material to match – from Brontë biographies and Seamus Heaney anthologies to Yeats memorabilia. Book the current Night to Remember offer, which includes cheese and charcuterie boards, wine, and breakfast delivered to your room the next morning. From £200.
For a shopping trip to Belfast, don’t leave without a wander along the trendy Lisburn Road, where you’ll find independent boutiques (Please Don’t Tell, Weekend Max Mara, Blush) homeware stores (Herbert Gould and Maven) preloved stores (Labels and Deja Vu), and popular eateries: Shu, Cù, Trait Coffee and Output. For a posh stay in the Queen’s Quarter of the city, consider Regency House. Comfort is guaranteed at this boutique hotel, where spacious suites come with private kitchens, dining and living spaces. From £400 for an overnight stay with breakfast.
Location, location, location: The Salthouse Hotel is perfectly poised to visit the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge, Ballintoy Harbour and Kinbane Castle. It’s also adjacent to a golf club and a very short drive to Ballycastle Beach. Take the Rathlin Island Ferry to the island for a cycle or walking tour and look out for the resident birdlife. Razorbills, guillemots, kittiwakes and a puffin colony are the island’s main residents. However, if you are looking for a more relaxing spa break, facilities at this luxury eco hotel include seaweed baths, a thermal suite and a good range of Voya treatments. Accommodation includes 24 spacious bedrooms and suites, in addition to eco lodges and a farmhouse (which sleeps eight). All enjoy great views while the laid-back bar and restaurant are further reasons to visit. From £170 per room per night.
One of the best places to stay for first class food in “Orchard County” is the ivy-clad Georgian Newforge House, which has been in owner John Mathers’s family for six generations. It comprises six bedrooms, decorated with family antiques, one with a four-poster bed. Luxurious bathrooms, a pillow menu, delicious home-made shortbread for an afternoon cuppa and lovely views of the garden are other delights. Dinner is a highlight, prepared by John, a trained chef, using produce grown in the kitchen garden. An overnight stay with breakfast is from £175.
Whether you’re a history buff, nature lover or adventure seeker, the Fermanagh Lakelands offer plenty of scope for an inspiring weekend visit. Several stately homes, the Marble Arch Caves and Geo Park, and Cuilcagh Boardwalk (the so-called Stairway to Heaven) are popular attractions as is the island town of Enniskillen. My family has stayed many times in the pet-friendly, self-catering Lakeside and Woodland Lodges at Killyhevlin Hotel. These two-bedroom lodges come with fully equipped kitchens and open plan sittingrooms that lead on to private outdoor decking areas. Sitting there, watching the cruisers and swans glide along the lough, never gets old. On a recent visit I stayed in one of the new Lakeland Studios. All enjoy accessibility to hotel facilities: its restaurants and health club, including indoor swimming pool, Jacuzzi, sauna and steam room. If you’re not dining at the hotel, try Cellar Door Bistro at The Manor Park, enjoy afternoon tea at Lough Erne Resort or pick up some patisserie treats at The Jolly Sandwich Bar in Enniskillen. A two-night minimum stay applies, from £245 per night at the Lakeside Lodge, £315 per night at Woodland Lodges, and £160 per night at the Lakeland Studios.
Seamus Heaney’s Home Place, the Giant’s Causeway, and the links golf courses of Royal Portrush, Portstewart or Castlerock are easily accessible from this secluded retreat, once the home of linen baron Harry Clarke. Rooms are comfortable, while food is a forte, overseen by chef-patron Ian Orr and comes with a Michelin recommendation. An overnight Autumn Escape with breakfast, dinner and wine is from £139.50 per person sharing. Other notable restaurants in the vicinity include Eighteen Ninety Four restaurant overlooking Portstewart Strand and Browns Bonds Hill Restaurant in Derry. If visiting as part of a foodie getaway, the nearby village of Bushmills is hosting a Salmon & Whiskey Festival October 4th-6th.
The National Trust website has a range of interesting holiday rentals in grand locations, from campsites (at Crom Estate, Co Fermanagh) to caravan parks (at Castle Ward Estate, Co Down) as well as a rose-covered cottage (at Florence Court). Bishop’s Gate Lodge is at the entrance to Downhill Estate, famous for its folly the Mussenden Temple, one of the most photographed places in Northern Ireland. Garden enthusiasts will enjoy exploring Bishop Gate’s Gardens (with its rare tree species) and Walled Gardens. It’s also a good place for breezy clifftop or beach walks, close to the Blue Flag beaches at Downhill and Benone. The cosy Bishop’s Gate Lodge has a stove for cooler evenings and a private garden for relaxing or dining outdoors. Pop over to Castlerock for some surfing or food or book one of Derry’s fabulous dining spots: Artis Derry (try the two-course lunch deal, £32), the Asian fusion cuisine at Umi Derry, or the impeccable Browns in Town Restaurant. A two-night minimum stay applies at Bishop’s Gate Lodge, from £275.
Aurora hunters and stargazers will know the autumn equinox, on September 21st, produces some of the best cosmic light shows. In Northern Ireland, Davagh Forest is an accredited International Dark Sky Park, one of only three in Ireland, which is also home to the OM Dark Sky Observatory, where astronomy meets archaeology. An interactive exhibition links the landscape with the astronomical and archaeological heritage of the Sperrins. Stay nearby at Sperrin View Glamping, whose luxury pods feature special “viewing windows” for stargazing. They sleep up to three and come with kitchenette and shower room, as well as fire pits and barbecues. There’s also a concierge service and an optional hot tub package, from £126. With plenty of biking and walking trails nearby, an essential stop off are the stone circles of Beaghmore. I also recommend the Tea Rooms at Killymoon Castle, originally designed by John Nash, of Buckingham Palace fame.