Nestled in Ireland’s gorgeous landscape are off-the-beaten-track retreats where stillness and beauty combine to restore the body and soothe the soul. Seek out these special places and embrace the chance to slow down, switch off and fully experience the people and place.
1. Breac.House, Dunfanaghy, County Donegal
Set on a dramatic headland overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, Breac.House is a contemporary boutique Bed & Breakfast that showcases the best of Donegal’s native materials and craft in a striking modern building that sits gently in the landscape. Here guests can enjoy rooms with an inside-outside feel, relax in a sauna or soak in a seaweed bath while a step or two from the house are walking trails on which to explore stunning Horn Head.
2. Fernwood, Clifden, County Galway
These luxury eco-conscious retreats on the Wild Atlantic Way bring guests right into the heart of nature. Choose from a Treehouse Dome perched in a pine-scented woodland canopy, the striking elliptical Stilt House with floor to ceiling windows or the rustic charm of the Bothy. Sitting in the surrounds of Fernwood Farm in spectacular Connemara, these peaceful getaways invite you to completely switch off. A lakeside sauna and gorgeous trails through native woodlands add to the experience.
3. The Cabin Under the Hill, Cappoquin, County Waterford
‘The Cabin Under the Hill’ is an off-grid, solar-powered hideaway with views over the beautiful Blackwater Valley. The perfect escape from digital overload, it offers comfort and serenity and is pet friendly allowing you to share the experience with your four-legged friend. Wander through Cappoquin House Gardens and estate and then watch the sun go down from the cabin’s outside deck, warmed by the fire pit.
4. Samsú, Westmeath and Wicklow
Three off-grid cabins, each just an hour from Dublin, make it easy to reach a world of quiet away from modern life. Wood stoves, outdoor roll-top baths, forest saunas and acres of peaceful Irish woodland through which to roam create an experience of total immersion in nature. Here there is space to breathe, to reflect and to be truly present.
5. Cabú by the Lakes, Killykeen Forest Park, County Cavan
These log cabins are perfect for couples, groups or families that want to enjoy a break close to nature. With a choice of forest or lakeside cabins, the Cabú experience can be as active or laid-back as you wish. Lough Oughter provides fishing and boating opportunities while Killykeen Forest Park offers beautiful woodland walks and biking trails. Or simply unwind in a sauna or Japanese bath and banish stress with forest bathing.
6. Finn Lough, County Fermanagh
At Finn Lough on the beautiful Fermanagh lakes you can escape to a world of serenity. Spend an unrushed afternoon on the thermal spa trail that features hot and cold therapy. Then relax under the stars in a luxury, transparent Bubble Dome that wraps you in wilderness or fall asleep to the sound of lapping water with a stay in a River Cabin or Lake Villa.
Drumhierny Woodland Hideaway, Co Leitrim
7.Drumhierny Woodland Hideaway, County Leitrim
With sustainability at its heart and wellbeing as its mission, Drumhierney Woodland Hideaway offers a chance to step out of the noise and into a quiet reset. Its stylish timber lodges each have a private area of woodland and the outdoor Wellbeing Sanctuary features hot tubs, seaweed baths and a range of spa treatments. Just a stone’s throw away is the Shannon Blueway offering a world of water-based activities.
A new handcrafted rural escape rooted in the concept of slow living recently opened in one of Ireland’s most iconic landscapes, the Burren. Summerage is a restored cottage, set alone in a 32-acre stone-walled landscape that gives guests a true away-from-it-all experience. With curated minimalist interior décor and a deep connection to place it offers guests the gift of simplicity in a unique setting.
This serene, whitewashed cottage with breath-taking views over the lake to the mountains beyond has been restored using a blend of heritage techniques and modern design. From its vantage point you can watch the vagaries of the Irish weather as it casts light and shadow onto this stunning landscape. With nearby mountain trails, beaches and Kerry’s famous dark skies, it offers guests a chance to stay in a place with a unique elemental connection.
Inis Meáin, Aran Islands, Co Galway
10. Inis Meáin Stays, Aran Islands, County Galway
Stepping onto Inis Meáin is stepping into a place apart – a tiny island criss-crossed by stone-walled fields with views to the Atlantic horizon. Get the most from this tranquil setting with a stay in Teach Boirne (The Karst House) or Teach na Curaigh (The Currach House), luxury accommodation built with natural materials. Complementary food boxes from the surrounding farm and the chance for unrushed exploration offer connection to island life, culture and landscape.
Main image; Finn Lough Luxury Hideaway, Bubble Forest Dome, Co. Fermanagh
Article credit; www.ireland.com
