Maryborough Hotel

Hidden away in 18 acres of mature grounds south of Cork city, in Douglas, the Maryborough is one of the city’s most handsome mansions, built in 1710 by one of Cork’s merchant princes, Richard Newenham. The modern wing of the house has almost 100 rooms plus a spa and a conference wing. Over the years we have found the staff to be uniformly excellent, and Maryborough is a great escape, a city hotel away from the city. The real food action happens in Bellini’s Restaurant, where chef Gemma Murphy reveals herself to be an ambitious, modern, creative cook, and Ms Murphy is helped by having a vegetable and herb garden in the grounds to supplement her favoured artisan ingredients. Her cooking is colourful and creative: miso marinated mackerel with wakame and trout roe; chicken with polenta cake and salt-baked beetroot; peanut butter and jelly baked Alaska. Here is a talent to watch, and for a special break away from the madding crowds, do note that the Maryborough specialises in afternoon tea.