More Than a Bed: Rural Irish Stays That Slow You Down

Sleeping differently changes how you travel. When your accommodation is part of the experience, I think you’re less inclined to rush from attraction to attraction. It slows everything down. You might skip a long drive and instead spend the evening watching the light change through the trees, or listening to the wind off the water.

Ireland suits this kind of travel – and the Midlands, in particular, does it really well. The distances are short, the landscapes varied, and there’s a long tradition of making do with what’s there and making it welcoming.

So if you’re visiting Ireland, consider skipping the standard hotel. There’s maybe a treehouse accommodation in a Midland woodland, or an old stone building with a new story to tell. And chances are, you’ll remember the night as much as the place. Unusual accommodation isn’t just about novelty. Many of these stays are run by individuals or families who’ve poured time and care into creating something small-scale and personal. You’re more likely to get a handwritten note than a laminated welcome pack, and recommendations that come from lived experience rather than a brochure.

They also tend to spread tourism beyond the usual hotspots. Counties like Longford, Offaly and Westmeath don’t always make the front page of travel guides, but spending a night in a treehouse or converted cottage there can change how you see them entirely. One of the most Irish forms of alternative accommodation is the converted building. All over the country, old churches, national schools, gate lodges and railway buildings have been carefully turned into places to stay.

In the Midlands again, you’ll find former schoolhouses in Westmeath that still carry their original features – high windows, thick stone walls, even the odd blackboard – but now come with a modern kitchen and a decent shower. Staying in places like this gives you a quiet insight into local history, without needing a guided tour.

There’s something comforting about sleeping in a building that’s been part of a community for generations, even if its purpose has changed.

Written by:
Dr Tony Johnston
TUS, Ireland
https://tus.ie/