Aodhnait Bed and Breakfast

Irish Independent Saturday 27th January 2001. Peter Cunningham

''it came to the flip of a coin: would we go for ten days to the Sandy Lane Hotel in Barbados or for one night to a B&B in Westport, Co. Mayo? Westport came up trumps and off we went. After Longford town the roads are narrow and uneven and the saturated countryside is like a tubercular lung. But then you come down into Westport which lies at the foot of Croagh Patrick and the green islands of Clew Bay winking in the sunshine lift your heart. Eithne & Ronan Larkin chucked in the hassle of Dublin two years ago, came down here and bought a house-- Aodhnait Lodge-- on the shores of Clew Bay. One of the things Irish people like doing better than anything is being hospitable. We arrived at four on a freezing afternoon and were shown our nice big bedroom with bathroom. Then we were brought upstairs to the blazing fire in the living room where Ronan served us tea and hot scones, told us where the best beaches to walk on were, advised against climbing 'the reek', (Croagh Patrick) at this time of year, give us the  inside track on a good pub, reserved a table for us in his favourite restaurant, advised on where we might pick up a jazz session that night and ascertained the approximate time next morning at which we would breakfast.....It's all so compact, accessible and affordable. The quality is superb, the scenery unsurpassable. And next morning having slept soundly and then eaten a horse of a breakfast, we got our bill form Ronan. It came to £40. Compare it to the price of a Dublin taxi and you'll begin to get an idea of how value for money in Ireland tilts form the outrageous to the sublime''.

Sully's Living Without Fall 2001. Angela Allyn

'' At Aodhnait Lodge in Westport, our hostess Eithne Larkin had gluten-free biscuits and chocolate cream sandwich cookies waiting for us. At breakfast, she served toast made with gluten-free bread. On the second morning, Alec was able to have gluten-free French toast---a culinary highlight of his trip.

Eithne also earned our eternal devotion because she booked us a babysitter and a table for two at a fancy restaurant in Westport.

All our hosts were familiar with coeliac disease and gluten free diets. Since breakfasts are cooked to order, they presented no problems.''

From Our Guestbook

'' A special place'' Kathleen Watkins

''Sorry to leave! a lovely stay'' H& E Wildy, England.

'' Best bread and bed in town''. F&G Johnson. England

''My 6th trip to Ireland & this is the best B&B. P Wendt. Illinois.U.S.A.