The smallest county in Northern Ireland, County Armagh is a region to the south of Lough Neagh, running down to the Irish border. Close to the Lough the landscape is boggy and wooded, but further inland the orchards start taking over the landscape — County Armagh is probably best known for its orchards and cider. You’ll find some of the best places to stay in County Armagh in Armagh itself, but there are also country house hotels and guesthouses, B&Bs and farmhouse conversions.

County Armagh’s county town, Armagh, has two cathedrals: St. Patrick’s Church of Ireland Cathedral, founded in 445, and seat of the Archbishop of Armagh, and St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Cathedral, founded in 1838, and seat of the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Armagh. Despite its obvious contention as the seat of St Patrick, and the ecclesiastical capital of Northern Ireland, Armagh is a really friendly city, with great restaurants and bars, cafes, coffeehouses, lots of green space, and a rather fantastical collection of stone carvings and gargoyles. If you opt for Armagh as your base in County Armagh you’ll also be staying close to Navan Fort, a recreated Ulster tree ring fort, the impressive Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, several museums, and the Armagh Public Library, which has a fine collection of 17th and 18th century English texts, including Jonathan Swift’s own first-edition of ‘Gulliver’s Travels’.

Outside of the main city and other towns, the best places to stay in County Armagh are close to picturesque Lough Neagh or Slieve Gullion, an extinct volcano with a beautiful crater lakes, and a view of nine counties from the highest point. County Armagh’s landscape is dotted with ancient cairns, dolmens, and pagan ceremonial sites, plus verdant nature parks rife with wildlife and unusual plant species.

The Best Places to Stay in County Armagh

For a Country House Escape

• Georgian-built, Newforge House is a sophisticated, family-run country house hotel, with six traditionally decorated rooms and suites. The owners and hosts live in a separate property, so it’s more hotel than B&B, but the service is warm and personal — one of the owners, a professional chef, will often do a three-course menu to suit the taste of guests. Romantic, relaxing and refined.

For Foodies

• Blackwell House is a charming, six room guesthouse, with warm hosts who really know how to cook! The rooms are decorated with bold, contemporary style featuring statement wallpaper, and they all have sizeable bathrooms. The best overlook the gardens. On Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings the hosts make a stand-out farm-to-table five-course meal, and the daily breakfasts are excellent. Dogs are welcome, as are children, but this is also a romantic choice.

Prefer a Private Apartment or Cottage?

• If you'd prefer the privacy of a self-catering option then browse through the wide variety available online with our partner, Booking.com.

Travel Information

• Belfast City Airport is the closest airport for much of County Armagh. You can catch the train from there to many of the main centres. Alternatively you can cross from the UK into Northern Ireland via Ireland, and the ferry route between Holyhead and Dublin.
• If you want to hire one we recommend you visit our online partner, Rentalcars.
• If you’re hoping to see County Armagh in the nicest possible weather, the best time to visit is late spring/early summer. This part of Northern Ireland has mild, wet summers and damp, cool winters, with maximum temperature remaining in single figures between about mid. November and mid. March. Spring is pretty with wildflowers and apple blossom, and if you wait until autumn you’ll see apple harvest and colourful foliage.

Still not sure where to stay?

• Expand your search to include our Gurus’ recommendations for the best places to stay in Northern Ireland
• Refine your search to just the best places to stay in Portrush, Bushmills or Belfast
• Or you could contact one of our friendly Gurus for personalised advice.