Here is an article from The Guardian about various inns and hotels across Northern Ireland:
The Bull's Head Inn, Ynys Môn/Anglesey
Charles Dickens stayed at Beaumaris's Ye Olde Bull's Head in 1859 and gave a scathing account of its food in his fictionalised book The Uncommercial Traveller. He described "side dishes of ailing sweetbreads in white poultices" and "apothecaries' powders in rice for curry". Fortunately, after a few changes of hands (most recently to the Inn Collection Group, who gave it a refresh in 2023) the critique doesn't stand today. While the Bull's listed bar is still filled with artefacts from its 500-year history, the menu runs from sides of black pudding bonbons to rich lamb massaman curry. For more history, Edward I's unfinished masterpiece, Beaumaris Castle, is just at the end of the road, or simply pull up the drawbridge and settle in by the fire in The Bull's lounge with a dram of Penderyn single malt.
The Harbourview Hotel, County Antrim
Carnlough's historic Londonderry Arms became the Harbourview Hotel when this inn on the Causeway Coast, in the north-west corner of the country, was recast as Ireland's first "destination whiskey hotel". There are still live trad music sessions in the Wee Bar, but now there are also tastings of flights of whiskeys, which include drams from local distillery Bushmills, peaty smoky numbers from Galway's Micil and a host of other Irish craft names. Warming stews (Guinness-braised daube; traditional Irish lamb) will line the stomach for a round or two of whiskey-based cocktails. Upstairs the 35 bedrooms look out over either the harbour to the front, or the glorious glens of Antrim behind – and there will be a wee bottle of the good stuff beside the bed for a nightcap.
The Old Inn, County Down
At the heart of the now rambling Old Inn in Crawfordsburn, a 10-mile drive or train journey from Belfast, is an original thatched coaching inn that was built in 1614. The 32-room hotel is righty proud of this long-ago birthdate – making it one of the oldest inns in Ireland – and there's the 1614 Bar where you can sip on 1614 gin, a new collaboration with local Rademon distillery. More recently, the much-loved spot was bought by the Galgorm Collection in 2021, which added an outdoor spa the following year. Just last month, the Old Inn was crowned AA Hotel of the Year. Walks run from the door through the forests of Crawfordsburn country park, past a railway viaduct and waterfalls and loop down to beaches on the coast.
The Northern Ireland section of the article includes:
* The Harbourview Hotel in County Antrim
* The Old Inn in County Down
Note that this is not an exhaustive list, as the article mentions many other inns and hotels across Northern Ireland.
The Bull's Head Inn, Ynys Môn/Anglesey
Charles Dickens stayed at Beaumaris's Ye Olde Bull's Head in 1859 and gave a scathing account of its food in his fictionalised book The Uncommercial Traveller. He described "side dishes of ailing sweetbreads in white poultices" and "apothecaries' powders in rice for curry". Fortunately, after a few changes of hands (most recently to the Inn Collection Group, who gave it a refresh in 2023) the critique doesn't stand today. While the Bull's listed bar is still filled with artefacts from its 500-year history, the menu runs from sides of black pudding bonbons to rich lamb massaman curry. For more history, Edward I's unfinished masterpiece, Beaumaris Castle, is just at the end of the road, or simply pull up the drawbridge and settle in by the fire in The Bull's lounge with a dram of Penderyn single malt.
The Harbourview Hotel, County Antrim
Carnlough's historic Londonderry Arms became the Harbourview Hotel when this inn on the Causeway Coast, in the north-west corner of the country, was recast as Ireland's first "destination whiskey hotel". There are still live trad music sessions in the Wee Bar, but now there are also tastings of flights of whiskeys, which include drams from local distillery Bushmills, peaty smoky numbers from Galway's Micil and a host of other Irish craft names. Warming stews (Guinness-braised daube; traditional Irish lamb) will line the stomach for a round or two of whiskey-based cocktails. Upstairs the 35 bedrooms look out over either the harbour to the front, or the glorious glens of Antrim behind – and there will be a wee bottle of the good stuff beside the bed for a nightcap.
The Old Inn, County Down
At the heart of the now rambling Old Inn in Crawfordsburn, a 10-mile drive or train journey from Belfast, is an original thatched coaching inn that was built in 1614. The 32-room hotel is righty proud of this long-ago birthdate – making it one of the oldest inns in Ireland – and there's the 1614 Bar where you can sip on 1614 gin, a new collaboration with local Rademon distillery. More recently, the much-loved spot was bought by the Galgorm Collection in 2021, which added an outdoor spa the following year. Just last month, the Old Inn was crowned AA Hotel of the Year. Walks run from the door through the forests of Crawfordsburn country park, past a railway viaduct and waterfalls and loop down to beaches on the coast.
The Northern Ireland section of the article includes:
* The Harbourview Hotel in County Antrim
* The Old Inn in County Down
Note that this is not an exhaustive list, as the article mentions many other inns and hotels across Northern Ireland.
!! like who knew charles dickens used to stay at the Bull's Head Inn back in 1859? 
it's crazy to think he got roasted on his food review lol anyway, i'm super jealous of their whisky flights at the Harbourview Hotel - sounds like a dream come true! 
and can you even imagine sipping 1614 gin at the oldest inn in ireland? 
. I mean who needs a scathing review from Charles Dickens when you can have a lamb massaman curry that'll make your taste buds do the jig? And Beaumaris Castle, oh man, it's like the ultimate bonus for history buffs and whisky lovers alike 
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. I mean who wouldn't want to stay in a hotel with its own whiskey tasting flights and live trad music sessions? It's like they're giving you an entire Irish experience package deal 
. And 35 bedrooms with harbour views or glens behind? Yes, please! 
. I mean, a thatched coaching inn from 1614 is just incredible, and adding an outdoor spa in 2021 was pure genius 
. It's no wonder they were crowned AA Hotel of the Year! 
. Remember when you could just grab a pint of Guinness and listen to some trad music? 
Now they've got whiskey tastings and fancy cocktails too! The Bull's Head Inn, that one with Charles Dickens' bad review from ages ago, now serves black pudding bonbons - who knew? 
And the Harbourview Hotel in County Antrim is like a whole other world up there. I wish I could visit all these places, it looks so cozy by the fire 
I also appreciate how they've kept some of their historic charm and artifacts on display.
. I'd love to try some of those local whiskeys and enjoy a wee dram by the fire 
It's like they're speaking our language!
. Collaborating with local distillery Rademon on their gin sounds like a match made in heaven! And congrats to them being crowned AA Hotel of the Year – totally deserved 
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I'm intrigued by the evolution of these historical establishments into modern destinations for whiskey connoisseurs & foodies 
. The Harbourview Hotel's transformation from a traditional pub to a whiskey-focused retreat highlights the changing tastes & interests of tourists visiting Northern Ireland. The fact that Charles Dickens himself visited Beaumaris's Ye Olde Bull's Head Inn and was underwhelmed by its cuisine is amusingly relevant given today's elevated standards 
. It'll be interesting to see which other historic inns & hotels will adapt to the shifting landscape of tourism in Northern Ireland 