Looking out across 'exquisite' gardens to sea and mountains on Connemara's Atlantic coast, this Georgian manor house is owned by Edmund Foyle and managed by his son, Mark. 'They make us feel not merely welcome, but a bit special,' is a comment this year from a visitor who has been returning for 30 years. 'Mark goes from strength to strength, a personable and hands-on manager who involves himself in all aspects of the hotel.' The elegant lounges have log and turf fires, paintings, antiques and objets d'art. A conservatory and bar opening on to a landscaped internal courtyard is a 'delightful venue for a pre-dinner drink'. In the 'beautiful' dining room, Pascal Marinot serves 'short uncomplicated menus using high-quality ingredients': dishes like Cleggan Bay crabmeat with garden herb mayonnaise; grilled sea bass with black olive tapenade. 'We enjoyed the freshest fish, though we would have liked a wider range of vegetables. Fish is also a highlight of the breakfasts (mackerel, plaice, bass), which also have freshly squeezed juice, plenty of fruit, home-baked scones and brown bread.' 'Our large first-floor room overlooked the bay; it was nicely decorated in blue and yellow; adequate storage space; huge Victorian roll-top bath.' (Andrew Wardrop, Ann Walden, David Berry, and others)