We love food. And we were hell-bent on finding some good cuisine in Ireland. But food was actually secondary to why we booked the Ballymaloe House

As lovers of antiques, old architecture & the history of a place, we were taken by the descriptions we read about this country-house accommodation. But words used to describe one room in particular, were the clincher...doll-house sized. We booked the Ballymaloe. And the room we were warned was not suitable for tall people.

Actually it was the Gatekeeper's cottage. Obviously not everyone's cup of tea. This is truly a hobbit dwelling. But we loved it. Our only complaint was that the weather was too nice (have you ever heard a complaint like that in Ireland before?) to use the fireplace in the bedroom.

Ballymaloe is a wonderful stone manor house in the County Cork countryside. Surrounded by acres of green lawns & farmland. It has various other accommodations. To suit even the tallest among us. And the Allens, your hosts, are world-renowned for their cooking expertise. Only a few steps from our little gatehouse was one of the best laid tables on the island. What luck!