B&BS IN SLIGO and Antrim have been named as two of the best bed and breakfasts in the world.
Down Yonder, which is in Rosses Point, is ranked number one when it comes to Sligo B&Bs, and number 10 in the TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice 2015 awards for B&Bs and inns.
Meanwhile, Shola Coach House in Portrush, Northern Ireland, scooped the number two spot.
“We are over the moon,” said Eavan O’Hara, who runs Down Yonder with her husband Ronnie. The couple have four children and built their B&B home 10 years ago – but it took them almost eight years to find the right time to get the business up and running.
In March 2012, they opened the doors to Down Yonder, and Eavan said they aim to make it a friendly, family experience. “We are doing it for pleasure,” she said.
We always were very sociable people and always loved having people to eat. It’s like having a dinner party every morning for breakfast. We made some great friends. A lot of people are coming back to us.
Every morning, the guests gather around the dining room’s large table to eat breakfast, where they are joined by either Eavan or her husband.
“We enjoy getting to know our guests,” said Eavan. “It’s a home from home for people rather than a disjointed feel, like a hotel. Everybody settles in and feels very comfortable.”
The couple first tried to buy a B&B 16 years ago, but it didn’t work out. Eventually, they built their own. But with small children to raise, they decided to wait until they were older before they opened.
Now the kids help out around the B&B. “It is very much a family business,” said Eavan. “The kids partake in it and I think people who come to visit us love to meet the kids and love to see it as a family-run business.”
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