Built of granite cut from the surrounding Blackstairs mountains, Bobbie Smith’s 19th-century rectory is ‘cosy, comfortable and spotless’, report contented Guide readers this year. ‘It is a beautiful house, but what really makes the difference is how welcoming Bobbie is.’ A turf fire burns in the lounge; tea and home-made biscuits await guests in ample bedrooms. With views on to Mount Leinster or the Kilkenny countryside, each room has antique furniture, perhaps even a stove or fireplace. Meals are a communal affair. Taken at the long mahogany table (all the better to showcase the ‘beautiful silver collection’ and local pottery), the dinner experience is ‘like eating in your own intimate restaurant’. The hostess, a Euro-Toques chef, uses local, organic produce where possible; like the fresh flowers throughout the house, some ingredients come straight from the garden. ‘Dinner was so delicious that we ended up eating in both nights we stayed.’ Breakfast is ‘a four-course meal’ with home-made bread and jams. Tuck in, then head out on a stroll or cycle along the Barrow Canal towpath. (Anne McEneaney, SR)