With both Hilton and Marriott opening in Limerick City and Galway's rise to the accolade of Ireland's second city - to the locals, at least - Shannon Airport's closest cities on the west coast of the Emerald Isle are certainly on the up.
Ireland has traditionally been known as home of the ”craic” but within the last decade a rise in employment, improving economy and introduction of a Euro currency has brought the business end of the equation very much to the fore.
It was January 2002 when the Euro was introduced across 11 participating countries including Eire. Ryanair had taken delivery of its first Boeing 737-800 series and a pint of Guinness would have set you back just over £2 ($3).
Now the country paints a very different picture and the pint worth waiting for can cost almost double. Visitors are now pouring into the country, with more than 7.4m arriving from overseas in 2006 and two major hotspots of growth are the cities of Limerick and Galway.
A 20 minute drive from Shannon airport, Limerick city is certainly conveniently situated close to the international hub with air links to the US and Europe. The city itself and the surrounding area are in the midst of new construction with an abundance of new apartments, housing communities and business premises springing up everywhere. And the arrival of two of the world's largest hotel brands, Hilton and Marriott, has certainly created a stir amongst locals, projecting the city as an up and coming destination for visitors from Ireland and abroad.
Overlooking the River Shannon and a short walk over the bridge into central Limerick is the Hilton, in all its glass fronted, sparkly newness. Sitting seven storeys high and with 184 air-conditioned rooms, the hotel offers the business traveller seven top floor meeting rooms and high speed internet access in every room. The 100-seat River Restaurant and 150-seat Terrace Bar & Cafe provide a light and Mediterranean outdoor feel without the need to actually sit outside (it is Ireland after all).
Evening entertainment in Ireland is never far away and Limerick doesn't disappoint. All fans of what is arguably the country's finest export, Guinness, know that the only place where it tastes as it should is on the home turf. A fine pint can be found at Mickey Martins, Nancy Blakes & Tom Collins - all three are in the city centre.
There is excellent fine dining at Brulees restaurant on the corner of Henry St & Mallow St. Owned and run by Donal and Teresa Cooper, the intimate establishment offers excellent food at a reasonable price. With the smoking ban introduced some three years ago and well and truly in force, you will find several daytime and evening watering holes around the city that offer a cafe style area for you to enjoy - weather of course a factor for all but the die hard puffer.
Located on the beautiful west coast and a one hour drive from Shannon Airport, Galway is a city with the infrastructure already in place and its tiny cobbled streets are littered with traditional Irish bars and fine restaurants offering customary fair.
The city boasts numerous hotels and guest houses but if you are looking for glamour and a little indulgence look no further than the g hotel. Positioned on the bay and with interiors designed by Philip Treacy, the g hotel is simply stunning for its precise attention to detail, sumptuous array of colours and materials and perfect balance between modern and traditional decor.
Each of the 101 deluxe rooms has been individually designed and provides spectacular luxury - contemporary ESPAs complete with vitality pools, heated tepidariums and ice mountains are just a taste of what's on offer and having maxed out on pampering there is an abundant choice of highly moreish cocktails and exquisite dining in one of three areas.
Galway provides a wide range of festivals, fringe theatre and an excellent comedy scene for those interested in the arts. The Galway races is an annual event attracting over 500,000 across the week-long event and in October the Galway Oyster Festival is a must-attend for those looking to sample the very best Ireland has to offer.
A short drive out of the city centre and you will find beaches, mountain walks and stunning countryside to enjoy. Easy to navigate roads that are invariably clear of traffic take you out of the city in no time and, unlike most roads in Britain, there's a high chance of you actually travelling 60 miles in an hour.
One area where the west coast of Ireland does fall down is the weather - unless you have webbed feet. My advice is to drive across stunning mountains and admire the spectacular views on a clear day and when it is cold and wet find yourself a roaring fire in a traditional pub to indulge in the highly cultural pursuit of stout tasting and savouring the local atmosphere!
As visitor numbers increase each year the secret is certainly out about Ireland but the cities located on the west coast are still undiscovered by many Brits. With attractive and cultured long-haul destinations available and the no-frills offering a cheap getaway to Europe, many of us ignore what is on our doorstep. There won”t be frequent opportunities for your beach-wear but there is always a warm welcome from friendly locals who know how to enjoy themselves. Airline links from numerous UK gateways to Ireland have never been so good and the big hotels names are expanding across the country, so there has never been a better time to enjoy the ”craic”.