Postcards to Seattle... from Viewmount House Longford

But, with Center Parcs less than a year away from opening, and with Longford really upping its tourism game, it comes as no surprise that the county is starting to attract the right kind of attention.

Enter Marissa Pedersen, an outdoor enthusiast from Seattle with a passion for travelling. She's also a photographer and travel blogger.

This September, Marissa spent some time visiting the west and north of Ireland, and, while spending some time on the Emerald Isle, she decided to take in some of the Midlands, adding a stay at Viewmount House in County Longford to her itinerary.

Marissa is the creator and owner of the blog 'Postcards to ', in which she writes of her experiences travelling around the world, and advises on the best places to visit, where to stay and what to see and do in each location.
She also has a combined social media following of 982,056.

The blogging enthusiast's trip included overnight stays in Viewmount House, as well as Enniscoe House in County Mayo, Rathmullan House and Castle Grove House in County Donegal, Castle Leslie Estate in County Monaghan, and Newforge House in County Armagh.

Readers of her blog will be treated to detailed descriptions of her experiences in these historic hotels as well as advice on things to do and see in the local areas.

“I loved the warm welcome I got as soon as I checked into Viewmount House,” Marissa told the Longford Leader last week.

“The sitting room provided a great place to unwind after a long journey from Seattle, and every staff member I talked to was incredibly friendly.
“I had a delicious dinner in the restaurant, where I experienced the best of the local fish and vegetables."

The six hotels visited by Ms Pedersen are members of Ireland’s Blue Book – a collection of country house hotels, manor houses, castles and restaurants around the island of Ireland.

Visitors from North America to the island of Ireland amounted to 1.83 million in 2017.

Irish Tourism organisation - Tourism Ireland - has predicted a growth of 5% for 2018, that should be aided in part, by the new Aer Lingus service between Seattle and Dublin, which has added four weekly direct flights to and from Seattle since its launch in May 2018.

Ms Pedersen’s itinerary was coordinated by Ireland’s Blue Book with the objective of encouraging more overseas visitors to Ireland as well as encouraging visitors to explore the lesser-seen parts of the country outside of the main cities and tourist-hubs.