Viewmount House

This elegant 17th-century country house set among orchards and beautifully designed gardens ‘ticks every box’ for readers. After receiving ‘the warmest welcome’ from Beryl Kearney and husband James, our regular reviewer was shown to his ground-floor suite where he immediately felt ‘very much at home’. Bedrooms are traditional, with an emphasis on comfort, and boast large windows, period features, antique furniture, fresh flowers and original fireplaces. Many overlook the ‘lovely’ grounds, which include an enchanting Japanese garden. Bathrooms are ‘immaculate’. The spacious candlelit VM restaurant is housed in the old stables; its continuing popularity with locals is proof of its good food. Here ‘very well-trained’ staff serve chef Marcio Laan’s classic French dishes with a modern twist, such as ‘a tiny sphere of pork with a crisp coating and touch of chilli’. Breakfast, cooked and served by Beryl, includes a local twist on eggs Benedict or muffins with Irish potato pancakes, accompanied by the ‘most delicious smoked bacon I can remember’. ‘My stay was memorable and all for the right reasons.’ (TL)