I've never understood patriotism - pride in your country of birth makes as little sense as pride in your shoe size.

Which is why, despite this being my first opportunity to crack on about Ireland in this column, I assure you of impartiality. So here goes: Dublin is an overcrowded, dirty, congested, outrageously expensive city populated by arrogant nouveaux riche. Having said all that, once you get outside of Dublin, Ireland's really rather lovely.

Which is why we have no problem in recommending the 'g' hotel in Galway, Ireland's first true 'design' hotel outside of Dublin. The interior has been masterminded by the flamboyant milliner Philip Treacy (last seen reworking shin pads for Umbro), and is as maximalist as you'd expect from the flamboyant designer - as a native he must have been overjoyed by the opportunity to camp up Galway a bit!

There's an ESPA for stressed out London types, a colourful Italian restaurant managed by the same people who run Santini, in Belgravia, and a fantastic looking bar whose design puts the Met Bar to shame.

The only drawback is that - like everything in Ireland these days - rooms will cost a small fortune. But if you stay before the end of April you can get in for 220 Euros - less than half the standard room rate - and have the bragging rights on another wild design frontier.