Ash Hill B & B

We spent three weeks in the UK and Ireland staying in a series of castles, manor houses, and top line hotels. Of all the places that we stayed, Ash Hill B&B was my personal favorite. We only spent a few nights there, but I highly recommend adding it to your itinerary, if you can. Nicole (Nikki) and Simon were very gracious hosts who went out of their way to tailor the experience for us. Asheville is a former Castle, that is now a more manageable (only a relative term) large manor house. The room that we were shown first was quite large with a small kitchenette, which I would recommend you request ahead for a long-term stay. We were upgraded to a beautiful, large room with a carved oak Emperor-sized bed, larger than a king size bed, which made us feel like royalty. The room was exquisitely decorated and the ceiling was a show-piece. Nikki said she was getting ready for a decorating redo of much of the whole place, so it may not be the same next season, but I'm sure it will still be wonderful. It is their home where they live. With their family and friends stopping by, we felt as though we were able to experience what it would feel like to live on this farm/country manor in Ireland. It was very comfortable and special for us. They are both very knowledgeable about history and so we were given insights on both the history of Ireland and a modern take on Ireland. Nikki gave us tips on where to find authentic Ireland sights, including the local ruins and cathedral in addition to places for day trips. We learned so much that we would have missed otherwise with less engaged hosts. Ash Hill, itself, accommodates as much privacy as we would wish, but they were also welcoming enough for us to have a peek into their world, behind the curtain, so to speak. We ate out for lunch and dinner, but also bought prepared dinners from the market that were heated up for us in the kitchen while we chatted Nikki up. She was such a delight that we again kept her chatting over breakfast, which was prepared expressly for our special needs, having addressed it all the night before. All food allergies, sensitivities and preferences were caringly and seamlessly seen to as though we were home - which is what the whole experience felt like - except home was a lovely castle in the countryside of Ireland.