Last weekend I stayed at the Dufferin Coaching Inn on High Street in Killyleagh. The boutique B&B,…read morewhich is celebrating 10 years in business, has recently undergone a £10K refurbishment and had just been named as one of the best places to stay to Ireland. Of course, with that accolade, I wanted to try it out! The seven-bedroom B&B is somewhat of an iconic building in Killyleagh, first serving as an Ulster Bank, with many of the stunning original features still very much in place.We arrived at around 3.30pm and were greeted by the owner Leontine, who gave us a quick tour of the house, including the living room complete with a roaring fire and the bright breakfast area, before showing us to our room. And what a room it was! We were told it is the most popular room because of its size, the large four poster bed and the bathroom complete with whirlpool bath! The deep red and cream colour scheme really complemented the original features, such as the window shutters. The room came with a range of toiletries and tea/coffee making facilities, as well as slippers and dressing gown! Bliss. The next morning we headed to the breakfast area and helped ourselves to the cold selection, which included cereal, freshly made bread and wheaten, fresh fruit salad and yoghurt. We were told to ring a bell if we wanted hot food and shortly after ringing the bell into the kitchen, a lovely lady arrived to take our order. Barry went for the full fry, while I choose sausage and egg. The side accompaniment of stacked up soda bread and potato bread was a great wee touch! Before checking out, I really wanted to see the B&B's connecting Dufferin Hall, as it was the part which had undergone the £10K transformation. (I was also intrigued because I recently got married myself and the Hall is known for its romantic wedding setting.) The hall was spectacular, with its stone steps and walls, and stained glass door panels. Do check it out if you're looking for a wedding venue with a difference! It was then time to check out and I was glad to get the chance to say goodbye to Leontine before we left. We had a nice night away and felt very at home. It's an historic building in the shadow of the beautiful Killyleagh Castle but it doesn't feel dated. The B&B is only 30 minutes away from Belfast so great for a short staycation!

Stevie at the bar and Conner in the restaurant are second to none. Not realizing the hotel is the…read moreplace to go for locals to celebrate they both went out of their way to ensure we were served and were able to get dinner. I would recommend the place just because of them and the service they provided.

The 4 star hotel is a country club and spa, situated in County Down. The deal we got was £90pp and…read moreincluded bed, breakfast, a four course dinner each and access to the leisure facilities. We had booked 3 twin rooms and were pleased to be shown to 3 rooms right next to each other. The rooms were a good size and each had a double and a single bed. We settled in before heading down to the leisure club. There, we went into the 12-metre swimming pool, the sauna, steam room and Jacuzzi. We didn't try the spa but treatments include massages, scrubs and facials. That night we headed to the hotel restaurant where we selected our four courses. I went for the ravioli to start, the chicken/chorizo main served with champ, cheesecake for dessert and a cup of tea to finish. We were advised the cheesecake was caramel and chocolate, but when it came it was mixed berry. When we asked, we were advised they had run out of the caramel cheesecake and were very apologetic that we hadn't been informed. They even offered us a second dessert- so very good service. After dinner we stayed on and enjoy a few drinks while watching the residents and locals jive the night away to the live music! A good bit of old-fashioned craic! (I think that's the joy of the Burrendale- it's a homely and comfortable hotel, rather than being "show-offy".) It was a lovely break and we all enjoyed our time away! It's only an hour outside Belfast but felt like we were getting away somewhere further!

Had a fantastic time at The Finnebrogue Chocolate and Fine Food Festival celebrating the Life of…read moreSir Hans Sloane. It took place on Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th September at the Killyleagh Castle Towers. We (my wife and two kids) went on the Sunday. Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, Tourism NI and Tourism NI Year of Food and Drink are big supporters with principal sponsor being Finnebrogue Artisan. Hans Sloane was born in Killyleagh in 1660. He was a famous physician and was President of The Royal Society and the Royal College of Physicians. As a young man he travelled to Jamaica and tasted chocolate which he described as "nauseous". He believed chocolate was medicinal and came up with a recipe with milk and sugar to make it taste better. The recipe was adopted by the Cadbury brothers chocolate confection took off. So we had our fair share of locally produced sweets, chocolates, preserves, cakes, bakes, meats to name but a few. There were live cookery demos also. Loads of things to keep the kids entertained. A really great family day out!!

Killyleagh Castle is yet another one of Northern Irelands treasures that could be in danger of…read morebeing ignored by tourists and neglected by locals. It is a building that I was aware of but had never visited until now. The castle itself is like something out of a Disney film or a story book. It is large and commanding providing a focal point for the town of Killyleagh. The history of the Castle is as impressive as the structure itself. It was built in the 12th century as protection for Strangford Lough from Viking warriors. It was then traded a s part of a deal to release Lord Clandeboye from imprisonment. This meant the Castle was passed into the hands of the Hamilton family in 1602 and it is the Hamilton's who still occupy the building. This occupation is quite unique as this is now the only inhabited castle in Ireland. History lesson over, now to what I thought of Killyleagh castle. The castle itself is now used as a Hotel and is fully equipped with two self catering guest apartments. Being far to poor to stay in the rooms I visited the expansive grounds.The family conducts tours for schools and, with the castle holding a registry licence, weddings also take place in the grounds. This really is a perfect location for a fairytale wedding. I would be very careful about entering the castle grounds without booking a tour or a room in the guest house. Tourists must take into account that the castle acts as a home to the Hamilton family. But the grounds are certainly worth a visit.

Food here is sublime. The salt and chilli calamari here is too good and would make me want to come…read moreback the next day. The only downside is that I find the portion size slightly too small for what an amazing dish it is. This is justifiable though, because it is a starter. My usual main course here is the beer battered haddock. It is also extremely well done.

My wife and I chose this wonderful restaurant called Coq & Bull, to celebrate our anniversary. It's…read morepart of the Clandeboye Lodge Hotel. The restaurant was refurbished in January 2014 and looks modern yet still has character. For starters we shared smoked salmon and squid,both were amazing. Mains were Pork belly for me and salmon for my wife again both flawless. The desserts were to die for- light fluffy toffee pudding and a light and refreshing Crewe brûlée. I had water throughout my meal and ended with a coffee, my wife enjoyed the Zinfandel. We were both extremely impressed by the very professional service and staff. This is certainly a must visit restaurant.

Absolutely delicious! We were part of a very large group. Our meal of roast chicken and dressing…read morewith potatoes, carrots, and broccoli was served in a timely manner and was cooked to perfection...for all of us! When we return to NI, this will definitely be a stop.

I was in Downpatrick with a group of people for a Saturday afternoon musical event in Down…read moreCathedral, preceded by lunch in Denvirs on a pre-ordered menu. I opted for chicken Caesar as my starter and gammon with sauté potatoes for my main. The lettuce was nice and crisp in my Caesar and the gammon very tender. Sweet menus were then offered and I chose the brownie with ice cream. This was rather too sweet for my liking and I wish that I had just had the savouries, which I certainly recommend.

Elegant and classy, a wonderful property to stay in! The resort is an intricate maze of stairs and…read morehallways with the rooms being decorated with dark wood and walls. I had a lovely view of the sea. The breakfast at the hotel is also delightful! The service is very responsive and professional as well. I would absolutely love to revisit!

Loved this hotel so much, we took advantage of the spa services and it was one of the best…read moredecisions I've made. I love the new redesign of this hotel as it feels more luxe and cozy. This bed was so comfortable and the pool was also amazing! The views are beautiful even if you're not in ocean front as you have a very beautiful view of the Mourne Mountains & just beautiful greenery. We ended up adding a night here because we forgot to book a hotel for one of our nights & I'm so glad we did. I would come back just to come back here. Staff was super friendly & the food and drinks here were exceptional.

I love the location, pricing, service, style & reward perks of this hotel. This was our second time…read morestaying and we will be back again. We had a king sea-view. Sure, you need good vision to see the sea, but it's there! We stayed 3 nights and added breakfast. Our check in was late, (thanks to a navigation re-route after a long day out), tho flawless. We were presenting a drink amenity and advised the bar was still open... nice touch. Our aromatherapy spray wasn't in the room. Not a huge deal, but I didn't bring any with me, since the room included it and we really liked the provided one on our last stay. The room was clean, well-appointed and spacious. Breakfast was plentiful. The croissants alone were worth the additional cost. I could have eaten them all day, every day. There is cereal, fruit, eggs, black & white pudding, ham (bacon), deli meats and cheeses, assorted breads & pastries, a gluten-free station and... did I mention the croissants? Check-out was painless. We owed a small additional amount for taxes. The gent working the desk called up to make sure we got breakfast pre-departure, when he found out we hadn't yet eaten and were flying out. On his insistence, we went up for breakfast before going to the airport. I owe him one. We would not have had time to eat. The lines were crazy. Those small touches make a huge difference and will keep us coming back. Another great stay.

Great staff! Stayed here on a trip back from the States with…read moremy family. The staff are very helpful and geared towards hospitality. The front desk manager went out of his way to make me a cup of coffee one morning as it was early and breakfast wasn't starting for a few hours. The restaurant on the 13th floor is a great breakfast venue and again the staff are very helpful- making a mocha or Americano or providing extra pancakes for my 8 year old. Rooms are big and clean and the showers are great. Anything I needed was attended to without delay. Well done and I will plan on staying here again on my next trip to Dundalk