I booked this over the internet as it was so close to the Embassy and
I had a first thing appointment there. As B&B's go it is very good indeed, worth staying for the breakfast alone! As a vegetarian, I was
amazed that someone had gone to so much trouble to provide all the trimmings when quite often a breakfast consists of beans and rubbery scrambled egg on toast for veggies.

The room was nice enough but unfortunately, I didn't get that much sleep. I put up with someones television boom-booming through the ceiling for a long time, and at 1am decided I would tell these guests
that enough was enough. Upon investigation it turned out to be the owners quarters above me, I lost my nerve and scuttled back to my room! I turned my telly onto the channel they were watching and eventually went to sleep, but way past 2am - not that funny when you've got the Embassy at 9am. For that reason alone, I'm not sure I'd stay there again but if you are a heavy sleeper it may not bother you.

In all other respects it is of very high standard.

My daughter and I arrived at the B&B at the end of a nightmare travel day. We had driven our rental car from the Dublin Airport in driving rain and howling wind and had TWO blowouts, one at noon and one at 5PM. Belfast had horrific traffic with constructions and accidents so when we got to the Old Rectory we were exhausted and traumatized.
Our hostess greeted us with such concern and kindness. There was absolutely no way I was going to venture out again in that car in bad weather so she fixed up a tray for us with soup, bread, cheese and cocoa.
Our room was beautiful, breakfast was wonderful and again our hosts came through with information about where to purchase the "tyre" to replace the spare. (The first blowout took out the rim so the emergency service replaced a wheel and "tyre"). It was literally two blocks from the B&B.
She gave us excellent tourist advice to do the HopOn/HopOff Belfast bus and the free tour of City Hall. It was so easy to do since the Belfast city bus goes straight to the center from a stop at the end of their driveway.
PS - Be wary of Irish rental contracts (almost all companies I think) which exclude keys and "tyres" from coverage. We eventually had to pay $340 for the two "tyres".

We had a wonderful stay - 4 nights - at the Old Rectory in Belfast. Scrupulously clean with a breakfast menu second to none with friendly and helpful owners, nothing was too much trouble for them.

Will definetely be back in the future to enjoy their hospitality and see more of the sights of Northern Ireland!!!

Sheila & Michael Beatty

I stayed at An Old Rectory in October 2006 and plan to stay there again on my next visit to Belfast in summer 2007. The food was outstanding and the rooms were beautifully furnished, clean, and quiet. Hostess Mary Callen (Rosato) was friendly and helpful with travel/street directions and answers to her lodgers' questions.

I was in the city for family history research, and the Old Rectory is in a great location for a 15-minute walk to the Public Record Office of Ireland on Balmoral Avenue (you'll enjoy the exercise after a delicious Old Rectory breakfast). A short bus ride takes you straight into the City Center to shops, restaurants, museums, General Register Office, Presbyterian Historical Society library, etc.

Several other guests told me that they had stayed at An Old Rectory on previous trips to Belfast and were very pleased with all its accomodation features.