About Us

About Us

WELCOME TO THE ROCKS, WE ARE YOUR HOSTS NOEL AND CATHY ALONG WITH OUR DOGGY WELCOMING COMMITTEE, MIDGE, POPPY AND TILLY!

A GREAT NIGHTS SLEEP IS GUARANTEED AT THE ROCKS B&B’S QUIET RURAL LOCATION IN CO. ANTRIM, NORTHERN IRELAND, WE LOOK FORWARD TO WELCOMING YOU.

Our Story

The seed for running a bed and breakfast was sown after our daughter’s 21st Birthday Party on New Year’s eve when she was still at University, a number of her noisy university friends descended upon us for both Sarah’s birthday and the New Year celebrations…it was a great party, and the next morning, as we made umpteen Ulster Fry’s, Sarah’s friends all said that we should be in the hospitality business as we had made them all feel so welcome and “WOW….what a breakfast!”

Both our children had flown the nest and our once family home was feeling very empty, suffering from ‘empty nest syndrome’ it got me thinking! Jamie, our son, had moved about as far away as he could to New Zealand and our daughter Sarah was studying in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne and Norway and we missed the hustle and bustle that family life brings. 

We had both talked about the idea and I had researched how to go about running a B&B as a business, but Noel was unsure if he wanted ‘stranger’s in our home and he didn’t want the kids to feel pushed out. The kid’s had reassured me and in their words said “mum, no offence, but we won’t be moving back home”! So on that wet Saturday afternoon, Sarah and I put together some photos and a little write up about our home and, egged on by Sarah, I hit the button to ‘host’…and BOOM so it began!
Since then it’s been a steep learning curve! Neither of us have any experience in the hospitality industry (unless you count when I worked as a barmaid in my late teens)! When we opened as a Bed & Breakfast in 2015, we both worked full time so we only opened from Thursday-Sunday, with the exception of the very popular Ulster Grand Prix or the the Open golf at Royal Portrush when demand was exceptionally high, at these times I would take Annual leave to work those weeks full time in the B&B! However, in March 2022, we left the rat race behind, both taking early retirement to run our B&B full time.
Over time, we have continuously improved both our property and our guest experience. We’ve always believed in providing the right balance of privacy for our guests, giving them space to relax and unwind but ensuring that they feel comfortable that they can contact us if they need anything. We have stayed in B&B’s over the years and it’s not always a comfortable experience, in that you often feel as though you are tip-toeing around someone’s home! We wanted to offer a hotel accommodation experience of comfort and professionalism but with a personal touch….if the guest’s want to chat, we’re happy to chat with them but if they don’t, we’ll give them space!  

Set in the countryside, just 9 miles from Belfast and 6 miles from Belfast International Airport, we offer great nights sleep in a comfortable bed, a delicious breakfast and friendly hosts…it’s what ‘makes’ a wonderful B&B, all within a stones throw of the best of what Northern Ireland has to offer. 

We use only top quality local produce (where possible) for our breakfasts and offer lots of delicious options…very unusual for a B&B we’re told! We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, egg free, nut free and even gluten free vegan diets! Our menu includes the Traditional Ulster fry (unique to Northern Ireland) a build your own breakfast, Howay the toon which is a breakfast stack of toast, bacon, black pudding and poached eggs! If you’re a little less hungry, try our bacon, egg soda or sausage egg soda, they are superb! We also offer Croissants and Pain au chocolat which we bake fresh to order and homemade Canadian style pancakes and crispy waffles with fruit compote, caramel sauce, chocolate sauce or maple syrup! 

Finally, we offer fresh free range eggs (from our neighbour) served whatever way you want, fried, over easy or sunny side up, poached, or scrambled – creamy or well done.
At the Rocks B&B we will do everything possible to ensure your stay with us is relaxing, stress free and comfortable and we hope that you consider our place, your home from home. We’re happy to help, should it be advice on places to see, things to do, where to eat or just having a chat and a laugh!

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