With the new motorway between Dublin and Galway reducing the travelling time to the west of Ireland, Galway has never been more popular. KIRSTY WILKIE headed to the fastest-growing city in Ireland to see what all the fuss is about...

"WE definitely took the long oul road", I said to my partner as we made slow progress on our chosen route to Galway - stuck behind yet another lorry.

We had decided to go against the advice of our sat nav (it advised we travel south to Dublin before heading west along the new motorway to Galway) and instead took the 'scenic' route via Lisburn, Armagh, Monaghan, Cavan, Longford, Roscommon then Galway. The route certainly was scenic... but it was also painstakingly slow.

We arrived at the Forster Court Hotel, Galway in the early evening. By that time we were extremely tired and could not negotiate Galway's one-way traffic system to get to the hotel's car park - so after a quick call to the hotel for directions they told us not to worry about that, that they would send someone out to us who would park it for us. Fantastic!

Situated just off Eyre Square, the hotel offers you the freedom to explore Galway’s many attractions before sinking into the pure relaxation of the huge beds in one of the hotel's 48 newly renovated luxurious bedrooms.

With every need anticipated and no detail overlooked, the Forster Court Hotel offers guests style, luxury, relaxation and above all else professional and attentive service from the dedicated team - they honestly couldn't do enough for their guests comfort and peace of mind.

Guests can also choose between a smoking or a non smoking room - which I find quite rare today! Their double and twin rooms sleep two people comfortably while the triple and double single rooms can accommodate three people as they are generously proportioned with a double bed and single bed - great for girly weekends away. The hotel also offers interconnecting rooms which are great for families.

Check-in was quick and our bags were delivered straight to our room about three minutes after we had unlocked the door... plenty of time then for a little walk around the shops to stretch our legs before dinner.

Galway boasts the best of both worlds - plenty of pubs and shops - so ladies can leave their other half happily sipping a pint while they explore the shops.

To read the rest of Kirsty Wilkie's feature on her weekend break in Galway and see all the pictures, pick up a copy of Northern Ireland Travel News...

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