Luxury Ireland Tours

There is much to discover when Touring Northern Ireland. The Glens of Antrim of Northern Ireland are naturally unique and diverse. Within twenty miles, the natural landscapes include glacial valleys, sandy beaches, vertical cliffs, tundra plateau, wooded glens, waterfalls and picturesque villages.

Ask about Custom Northern Ireland Tours.

With Ireland's oldest known houses dating back as far as 9000 years, Northern Ireland offers many historic monuments, from Neolithic to early Christian times. An abundance of castles, ruins, monastic sites, gravestones, abbeys, round towers and Celtic crosses offer ample opportunities for those interested in Ireland archaeology and history.

The Antrim Coast Road was judged by 'Jacob's Creek' as one of the top five scenic views in the world.

In the picturesque Glens of Antrim, in the small coastal village of Carnlough, some guests enjoy staying at the Londonderry Arms Hotel while on one of our Ireland Tours.

This historic hotel offers access to any number of sites, activities and events along the coast of Northern Ireland, which may include:

• Walking
• Golf
• Cycling
• Fishing
• Boating and Sailing
• Swimming
• Windsurfing
• Yacht Charter Cruises
• Horse riding
• Geology and Archeology
• Gardens
• Coastal Drive
• Shopping

The Londonderry Arms Hotel has 35 bedrooms, 2 restaurants to allow customers to choose between formal and informal dining and function rooms which cater for weddings and conferences.

Each guest room is tastefully furnished and have private bathroom ensuite, radio, television, telephone, hairdryer and tea making facilities. Each room has its own character in décor and furnishings and designed to provide you comfort at the end of the day touring the breath-taking scenery of the Glens of Antrim and Northern Ireland.

A historic hotel of Northern Ireland

This Northern Ireland hotel has an interesting past, including ownership by dignitaries, including Sir Winston Churchill.

The Londonderry Arms Hotel was built in 1848 as a coaching inn by Frances Anne Tempest, Marchioness of Londonderry.

Frances Anne was the grand-daughter of Randall William, sixth Earl and second Marquis of Antrim. He was the great-great grandson of Sir Randall MacDonnell, the first of that branch of the MacDonnells to bear the title Earl of Antrim.

Frances Anne inherited from her mother, Anne Katherine, Countess of Antrim in her own right, land between Glenarm and Cushendall, including Carnlough.

At the age of 19 she married Charles William, Lord Stewart, the British Ambassador to Austria, later the third Marquis of Londonderry and sometime affectionately known as fighting Charlie. As Ambassador he assisted his half-brother Castlereagh, and afterwards the Duke of Wellington in the negotiations of the celebrated Congress of Vienna. Lady Londonderry was greatly admired at the Russian Court and the Russian Emperor, Alexander I, gave her some of the Londonderry family jewels - the Down diamonds and the parture and cross.

Conscious of their responsibilities as landlords, the Marquis and Marchioness of Londonderry were determined to provide assistance for the people of the area.

Ireland at that time was suffering one of the greatest tragedies in its history - The Great Famine, also known as the potato famine.

They initiated the erection of a town hall, lime kilns and the building of a protected harbour. Later a mineral railway line was built to connect the south pier with the limestone quarry in the hills rising behind the village.

The Marquis died in 1854 and on the death of Lady Londonderry in 1865 the Carnlough estate passed to her son Henry the fifth Earl. After his death in 1884, the estate passed to her grandson Herbert Vane Tempest who was tragically killed in a train accident in Wales in 1921. After his death the estate, including the hotel, passed to his second cousin, Sir Winston Churchill.

In 1934 Winston Churchill sold the hotel to the Lyons family. During the Second World War part of the hotel was commissioned by the Army to allow for the recuperation of wounded soldiers; after the war in 1946 Mr Lyons sold the hotel in several lots which considerably reduced its size.

For 60 years the hotel has been owned by the O'Neill family who are the longest established hotelier families in Ireland.

Today, this Northern Ireland hotel boasts original Georgian architecture which can be viewed throughout the hotel, complimented by antique furniture, local artwork and documentation of local history through newspaper clippings and photographs.

One of the Executive Suites is famed for being the room where Sir Winston Churchill once slept.

The hotel’s winning restaurant offers fine dining with a menu featuring a wide choice of locally produced Irish cuisine prepared by Chef Manus Jamison reflecting specialties of the Glens of Antrim, including vegetables, wild salmon and lamb from the Antrim Hills. The hotel is known for its homemade wheaten bread and tasty scones. For an informal meal, you may choose to dine at the Hotel’s Coach House Bistro.

The Londonderry Arms Hotel also accommodates weddings, conferences and special events for up to 100 people. We have been awarded the Taste of Ulster and also the AA Rosette for culinary excellence.

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