This guest house that Carmel and Tommy built on their dairy farm off Clew Bay is a wonderful place to spend a week. We arrived on a rainy night and Carmel was there to welcome us with some brown bread and fresh milk. The next morning we woke up to amazing views of the farm running down to Clew Bay and the mountains including Croagh Patrick rising on the far side of Clew Bay. There are plenty of windows and outside seating to allow guests to enjoy the beautiful views.
My wife is a clean freak and even she was impressed by the cleanliness of the guest house. It's newly renovated with gorgeous wood floors downstairs and upstairs and wood ceilings upstairs. Our family of 5 slept comfortably in the three bedrooms and the house could comfortably sleep 8 persons. There are three full baths which is great for large groups/families. Carmel and Tommy did not scrimp on the finishes. High quality doors, windows and finishes are evident throughout the guest house and make for a very pleasant interior environment.
The house is located in the village of Carraholly which is itself located about 10 minutes outside of downtown Westport. Westport is an attractive little town with a decent sized downtown area consisting of several blocks of high quality restaurants, pubs and various specialty retailers. Here's some suggestions for things to do/places to see when staying with Carmel:
1. Climb Croagh Patrick. The holy mountain of St. Patrick looms over you everywhere in the Westport area. It is something of an arduous climb for which you should budget 3-4 hours up and down. The views are spectacular. Don't go unless it appears to be a dry and clear day (recognizing it's Ireland and the weather can change quite quickly).
2. Visit Achill Island. Its about a 45 minute drive from Carraholly and it is so worth it. Magnificent views of the Wild Atlantic crashing on rugged craggy outcroppings. Sheep free grazing everywhere. There are multiple places along the Wild Atlantic Way where you will want to get out, take pictures and take in some breathtaking scenery. On way out give the Amethyst Pub/Restaurant a try. We had a delicious meal there as we were leaving Achill Island. It's a local favorite for good reason.
3. Visit Cliffs of Moher. 2.5 hours from Westport but there is a reason it is Ireland's most visited spot. You can break up the drive by visiting Bunratty Castle or Dungaire Castle which are on the way or nearby.
3. Visit Ashleigh Falls and Kylemore Abbey in the Connemara Region in Galway and the border between Mayo and Galway. See the fiords and the scenery including areas where John Ford's The Quiet Man was filmed back in 1952.
4. Visit the Westport Harbor and Westport House close to the town of Westport.
5. If you like horses and horseback riding, do try a one or two hour ride at the Carraholly Stables located only a mile or so from Carmel's place. You will likely see the horses along the road at some point if you stay for a few days. Beginners will walk and trot while advanced riders will be able to canter. Again you will enjoy some different perspectives and views on the ride.
6. In Westport and nearby, we literally never had a bad meal. In fact, the food in Ireland was better than the food we had in Italy last summer without question. Local recommendations: The Tavern, Ring's Bistro (where locals eat breakfast and lunch; the female owner is fabulously warm and welcoming to obvious tourists like our family), the Helm, and Sol Rio. All very good.
7. For breakfast, I encourage you to go each morning to the bakery at SuperValue in the town of Westport. The rolls and croissants are amazing and baked fresh daily. Along with some yogurt and granola a great way to start the day in Carmel's place while enjoying some fresh milk and the amazing bucolic views.
I can't recommend this place and Carmel highly enough and encourage you to give it a go if the pictures and area sound inviting to you.