The
warmth and friendship of owner, Patsy O’Kane, are the glue
that holds the Beech Hill Country House Hotel together.
Staying here
is an experience made up of the attentiveness of the staff, the
incredible skills of the chef and sous-chef, the comfort of the
public rooms dotted with fireplaces everywhere, and the grand
architectural style of the building which is situated on 32 gloriously
wooded acres complete with pathways and three small lakes linked
by a bubbling stream.
You probably
won’t have your dog with you when you travel to Northern
Ireland so you’ll enjoy the opportunity to play with the
Beech Hill Country House Hotel’s own uniquely loveable mascot,
Jake, a three-legged shiny black dog who doesn’t know he’s
short a limb!
Patsy’s
daughter, a vet, had to amputate the pup’s leg to save its
life and then set about to find it a mom and dad! When no one
stepped forward to adopt Jake, Beech
Hill Country House Hotel became Jake’s new home. Now
just over 2 years old, you’ll see the healthy, sweet-faced
Jake romping on the grounds, swimming in the lakes, chasing butterflies
and loving the attention of dog-loving guests! Perfectly balanced,
Jake cavorts about the park-like setting and frisks about the
lawns, trails and gardens, following the landscaping crews about
the property. Clearly, no one has told Jake that being a three-legged
dog is unusual or a handicap!
The Beech
Hill Country House is only minutes from Derry City center but
you’d never believe that! You have the sense of being in
the country in a rural setting.
On the lawn
in front of the entry, on the wall beside the front door, and
in a special memorial room on the main level, you’ll find
memorial plaques, monuments, photos and memorabilia honoring the
US Marines who were headquartered at this building during WWII
from which they patrolled the waters around Derry to protect the
area from Nazi U-boats!
You’ll
also be met in the foyer of the Beech Hill Country House with
photos of discerning individuals who have chosen this special
place to be their home while in Derry. Special visitors include
former US President Bill
Clinton, US Senator Hillary
Rodham Clinton, and Nobel Peace Prize winner John
Hume who enjoys relaxing in the homey lounge of the Beech
Hill Country House.
I had the
amazing privilege of being introduced by Patsy to John Hume, awarded
the 1998 Nobel Peace Prize for his “efforts to find a peaceful
solution to the conflict in Northern Ireland.” You can hear
an interview with Patsy O’Kane on Traveling
Feet on March 31, 2007 and with John Hume on Travel WITH Stephanie
Abrams on April
1, 2007 and again on April
15, 2007.
Beech Hill
Country House Hotel, 32 Ardmore Road, Londonderry, Northern Ireland
BT47 3QP
www.beech-hill.com
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