Fed up with airport queues? A self-catering holiday in Ireland should make stress a foreign concept, writes Alanna Gallagher
1 Have a hobbit moment in KilkennyTake the kids on an adventure to find their inner Frodo at Wallslough Village, in Bennettsbridge, Co Kilkenny.
This cluster of hobbit- friendly houses includes two pre-Famine buildings, which are wheelchair accessible and offer as much rustic charm as your imagination can handle.
Located five kilometres south of the medieval city of Kilkenny, they sleep up to six or seven people. The design is simple, with dark oak beams and tiled floors throughout. Pull up a chair in front of the open fire and play seanchaí - this is rustic living writ large.
A visit to nearby Dunmore Caves, considered to be one of the entrances to hell, will add extra atmosphere to a time-travelling experience.
Expect to pay €765 to sleep seven in high season.
• 053-9133999, 056-7723838, www.selfcatering.ie, www.wallsloughvillage.ie
2 Go green in DonegalAn Teach Carraig, in Drumfries, is just outside Buncrana, on Ireland's most northerly promontory, Donegal's Inishowen Peninsula.
The slick-looking house is a first-year rental property that can sleep up to 16 people. The interior is sleek and modern, and its large windows offer picture-postcard views over Lough Swilly to Buncrana and out to Inch Island. The house has four en-suite bedrooms, each with two double beds.
The house has low-energy lighting throughout, plus geothermal underfloor heating and water-recycling systems. The couple who own the house are in the process of getting a wind turbine to power the geothermal pump and the lights.
The house costs €1,300 per week in high season.
• Call Fiona Brennan on 00-44-29-20529770 or 00-44-7957-149229, or see www.donegalcottageholidays.com.
3 Boutique chicIf you like boutique hotels but would enjoy more freedom to roam, check out Tankardstown, an elegant Georgian property near Slane, in Co Meath. The main house has six sumptuous bedrooms, and you also have the option of hiring stone cottages in the grounds, depending on the size of your group.
This is high-end self-catering. The property is full of Irish antiques, and you don't even have to cook: for an additional fee you can avail of the services of its chef. Add power showers, plasma TVs, DVDs and a well-stocked mini bar and this is an option that offers all the add-ons of a hotel without having housekeeping interrupting your privacy.
Service and attention to detail on this scale come with a hefty price tag of €3,000 per night in high season. Cottages cost from €100 per person sharing per night.
• Tankardstown House, Slane, Co Meath, 041-9824621 www.tankardstown.ie
4 Discover GothicRevival Castle Oliver is a sprawling neogothic mansion on six hectares deep in the Ballyhoura Mountains, in Co Limerick, an hour north of Cork city.
It comes with its own butler and sleeps up to 22 people comfortably.
The ground floor comprises a library, billiards room, drawing room, dining room, kitchen and ballroom (for dance-offs, perhaps). Upstairs are 11 bedrooms, of which eight are en suite.
There is antique furniture and lighting throughout the castle, and the luxurious suites all have four-poster beds and period bathtubs. Breakfast is included in the hefty price of €15,000 per week in high season, which amounts to about €95 per person per night if you have a full house.
If that's beyond your budgetary means, castles in Ireland can be had for as little as €1,000 a week.
• 01-6607975, www.irishluxury.com
5 Room with a viewOodles of hotels have self-catering options, but for me the Park Inn in Mulrany, near Westport, Co Mayo, is perfect for parents with little kids.
The upper-floor apartments, built adjacent to the hotel, offer wonderful views across Clew Bay to Croagh Patrick. They have two bedrooms, a roomy lounge with a sliding door to the balcony, and a small kitchen with very simple cooking facilities.
You should request it to be kitted out for families, as the hotel also does a roaring trade in weekenders who don't do any cooking at all.
Room service and a very fine leisure centre are other draws.
The apartments cost €285 per night at weekends and €220 per night during the week in high season. The weekly rate is €1,503.
Breakfast, which is included in the price, is served in the hotel's dining room.
• 098-36000, www.parkinnmulranny.ie
6 Gated communityEnjoy a gated community of a different kind at Castletown Round House, which is one of the three gate houses at Castletown House in Celbridge, Co Kildare.
This heritage property has been lovingly restored by the Irish Landmark Trust, which offers all three gate houses for rent.
The Round House sleeps six, with two double bedrooms and a twin room.
You can also enjoy the fringe benefits of Castletown House, including walks around the grounds, which sweep all the way down to the River Liffey.
On rainy days you can take a tour of house, one of the country's most important architectural properties, and enjoy delicious nibbles in the West Wing cafe.
The Round House costs €1,106 per week in high season.
• 01-6704733, www.irishlandmark.com.
7 Island lifeThe boathouse on the private island estate of Inish Beg is situated off the west Cork coast, between Skibbereen and Baltimore.
Set almost out on the water, the house is a stone-and-glass ode to modernism that will have designheads drooling.
Designed by architect Tony Cohu and surrounded by an open deck, the house is ultra-smooth. This is an adult-only getaway, unsuitable for young children.
The house comes with a state-of-the-art kitchen for amateur chefs to enjoy, and there are three bedrooms: one double with an en suite and two twin rooms.
As well as boasting stunning views, the property also enjoys the facilities of Inish Beg's fitness complex, which includes an indoor swimming pool a steam room and an exercise room.
This award-winning property costs €2,520 per week in high season.
• 028-21745, www.inishbeg.com/boathouse
8 Cottage chicBallyvaughan Holiday Cottages, in Co Clare, are traditional thatched properties where you can channel your inner Quiet Man.
The houses have whitewashed exteriors with sunny yellow trim around the windows and doors.
Located at the edge of the Burren, the cottages are set in the centre of the village within walking distance of traditional singing pubs and excellent seafood restaurants. The village also has a weekly farmers' market.
They sleep from six to eight, depending on the house type, and have mod cons, such as conservatories, which may
put some purists off but mean you can enjoy the outdoors without having to venture outside.
The Ailwee Caves, the Cliffs of Moher and the Portal Dolman are in the vicinity.
Cottages cost €995 per week in high season.
• 061-411109, www.rentacottage.ie
9 Rock the midlandsCoolatore House in Rosemount, Co Westmeath, is a Victorian country home built on the sacred hill of Cnoc Aiste.
A library, dining room, living room and country kitchen, complete with Aga range, are all on offer. A private chef can rustle up a three-course meal for an additional €75 per head.
The house has six bedrooms - five doubles and another room with a double and two singles. The property is child-friendly, with a well- stocked playroom for all ages.
Guests can also use the pool, jacuzzi, sauna and gym at nearby Grouse Lodge Recording Studios. Given that stadium acts such as REM, Michael Jackson and Manic Street Preachers have recorded here, you never know who you might meet.
The weekend rate is from €1,800 in high season. A week costs €4,000.
• 0906-436175, www.coolatorehouse.ie.
10 All loved upDoyle's Lodge is in Fortgranite, about five kilometres outside the beautiful village of Baltinglass, in south Co Wicklow.
Situated at the foot of the Wicklow Mountains, this charming Regency gate lodge is an ideal getaway for anyone wanting time alone with their loved one.
The lodge is at the entrance to the privately held Fortgranite, one-time home of Ireland's first amateur radiohead, Col Meade Dennis. His grandson now lives on the property.
The secluded house, which has two bedrooms and bathrooms, is set in parkland with many mature trees. The River Slaney is 500m away.
It costs €450 per week in high season.
The nearby Roundwood Inn is one place for a long lunch; dinner at Rathsallagh House will add to the romantic mood.
• 098-66650 or www.hiddenhr.com