What a lovely place to stay. This converted 19th century convent now is a beautifully furnished and decorated, comfortable hotel situated on finely landscaped grounds, all in all worthy of Architectural Digest. Staying there is like paying a visit to a wealthy Irish country home. The owner, Dan Mullane, is charming and put us in a handsome two-room suite with the living area below opening onto a charming patio and a bedroom and bath upstairs. Dinner at the Mustard Seed was a culinary treat and one of the best of our trip. Make sure you make your dinner reservation when you book your room because the restaurant is open to the public and very popular.

There is an indefinable quality that separates a good host from a great host. Dan Mullane has that quality. His eye for beauty is refined, and his taste in food and drink is superb. He manages to be jolly and informal, but possesses the manners of a gentleman. Echo Lodge is a great achievement, and we are lucky that he shares it with us. All this comes at a price of course; our superior double and dinner for two ran about 500 euro. Did we have to order the Margaux with dinner? Of course!

My husband and I had a two night stay at echo Lodge in August and it was absolutely wonderful. The food was tremendous, our room was comfortable and eclectic and the gardens are tranquil and inviting. All staff were anxious to ensure that we had a great time and eager to chat and pass the time of day which was lovely. I would wholeheartedly recommend this as the ultimate place to recharge the batteries!

The mansion, the landscaped grounds, the attentive and helpful staff, the great food, the lovely gardens - it all made us feel like an earl and his lady visiting their country estate. The owner's eclectic collection of antique objects fills every nook of the lovely mansion and fits in wonderfully. Strolling the grounds was a delight, and not once but twice we saw a kitchen staff member dash into the huge herb and vegetable garden to pick some herbs for immediate use. That was no surprise as we had already tasted the wonderful food - in fact, we were there because a friend from back home had recommended the restaurant. Caution when pricing rooms - they quote per person, not per room. But go ahead and splurge - how often do you get to be an earl?