The Georgian Splendour of Glendine House B&B, County Wexford
This week, the day job took us to the beautiful Lismore Castle & Gardens in County Waterford and wonderfully remote Hook Head Lighthouse in County Wexford. Rather than trying to do the trip in a single day, we decided to stay overnight in the village of Arthurstown on the Hook Peninsular and, of course, Baxter came too!
Our accommodation for the night was the family run Glendine Country House B & B overlooking the Barrow Estuary, where we were greeted with a warm welcome and invited into the guest lounge for afternoon tea.
Glendine Country House is a four star Georgian house set on its own grounds above the village of Arthurstown on the Hook Peninsula in South East Ireland. Built in 1830, the house is full of charm and still retains many of its original 19th century features.
Glendine is pet friendly and dogs may stay in bedrooms with their owners, as long as they are under supervision. Our room, situated at the front of the house, was spacious and had views over to the sea.
The house is perfectly located for exploring the south east coast of Ireland. Waterford is only 25 minutes drive via the car ferry and Wexford is only 35 minutes away. There are plenty of walks both locally and on Glendine's 50 acres of private grounds.
There's plenty to do on the Hook Peninsular, including beaches and historical sites sites such as Tintern Abbey, Ballyhack Castle, Duncannon Fort and the Hook Lighthouse. We'll be writing more about this in future posts.
For more information about Glendine Country House B & B and their room rates, please visit their website www.glendinehouse.com
A Haven by the Sea: Cashel House Hotel, Cashel, Co. Galway
Cashel House Hotel is situated in the heart of Connemara, in the peaceful surroundings of 50 acres of gardens and woodland walks. The hotel is located 8 miles from the fishing village of Roundstone, and the town of Clifden and nearby Kylemore Abbey and gardens are less than 25 minutes drive away.
Cashel House Hotel is one of the best dog-friendly hotels we've stayed in - a wonderful welcome, comfortable rooms, great food and a very beautiful setting in Casla Bay. Some great dog walking as well - we spent a very happy few hours skirting the appropriately named Dog's Bay, just beyond Roundstone.
Visit their website cashelhouse.ie.
Our Poshest Christmas Ever: The Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow
"They say that dogs aren't just for Christmas .... but let me tell you, Christmas is for dogs. I had the best one yet when I went with Nessa and Peter to stay at the Ritz Carlton hotel in Enniskerry.
I'd heard that they normally only take little pooches - you know, the ones that fit in your handbag - but because the weather was so bad with all that white stuff on the ground, they made an exception and let me check in; very good taste they have in hotel guests, I have to say.
I was very impressed with the whole shebang. They had porters to bring up my bags (a week's supply of dentastix not to mention several squeaky toys are pretty heavy, you know) and the room was really comfortable. I had my own bed of lovely red leather and wood, as well as my own bowl for water and biscuits (and rashers, when Nessa could snaffle some for me). I didn't mind having to share the room with my Ma & Da - they're pretty clean and didn't snore much.
Nessa said the food was gorgeous, and we had great fun down in the lobby watching the other guests come and go. I even got to sniff some of the other dogs - there was a particularly attractive doberman pinscher, and I nearly did.
We went for great walks in Powerscourt Demense, and while my folks were busy taking photos of the Sugar Loaf, I was bouncing in the snow and then eating as much of it as I could swallow.
This is a five star review for a five star hotel. Check it out.
See you later, Baxter"
Welcome to Petfriendly Ireland
"My Ma and Da spend all their time on their laptops, so I thought I'd get in on the act and set up my own blog.
I'm Baxter the border collie, I'm 4 years old, and I live in Dublin with Nessa & Peter. Before I met them, I lived with a whole lot of other pals in the DSPCA pound in Rathfarnham. That was great craic, but I missed my comforts and the long stretches up and down the mountains. So when Peter and Nessa invited me home, I decided to try them out.
Three years later, here I am on the internet! I'll be telling you about the sort of things I get up to, the fancy places I've stayed and the great walks I've found. But don't be surprised if Nessa and Peter put their paws in ... I have to fight them for a go on the keyboard!
See you later, Baxter."