If you are looking for the best castle hotels in Ireland, you have come to the right place! Staying at one of the many romantic and stunning castle hotels in Ireland is the experience of a lifetime.
Nothing beats staying at a castle hotels in Ireland because it is a combination of stepping back in time into some kind of Irish folklore, while at the same time experiencing all the luxury features modern travel has to offer!
Whether you are traveling with your significant other, bringing the whole family on a tour of Ireland, or simply looking to treat yourself, these 12 best castle hotels in Ireland have something that’s just right for you!
When checking prices and availability for these castle hotels in Ireland, please understand that prices do change depending on your dates. We always recommend checking your specific date for pricing and availability.
12 Best Castle Hotels In Ireland
1. Ashford Castle, Cong, County Galway.
It is likely at some point in your life you have seen photos of a stunning old castle on the green fields of a sweeping Irish landscape—it’s highly likely those photos were of Ashford Castle. This is the top hotel destination in Ireland, and definitely one of the best castle hotels in Ireland! One quick glance at this magnificent palace of history and finery and you can see why! Ashford Castle is 800 years old, in perfect condition, and is a real-life fairytale that you can actually stay at!
The castle was once the home of the Guinness family, and now, after lots of refurbishment, it is a luxurious destination point for anyone, but especially fans of Irish culture, antiquity, and—of course—castles! Ashford Castle is full of amazing rooms that have been uniquely designed with individual character.
Though they still possess the original mood of the castle, they are fully equipped with modern comforts. The grounds are stunning, the cuisine is exquisite, the estate activities are lots of fun, and the state-of-the-art spa is not one to miss! You will simply love your stay at Ashford, one of the best castle hotels in Ireland without a doubt! This is a great place to stay if you are following our Ireland itinerary as well!
Check Rates: Hotels.com
Kilkea Castle Hotel, Kilkea Is A Great Way To Feel Like A Royal
If you are looking for one of the best castle hotels in Ireland that is both old-fashioned and 21st Century luxurious, Kilkea Castle Hotelis the perfect place for you! Kilkea Castle Hotel not only is beautiful on the outside, but the interior rooms are ideal for the ultimate relaxation so that you’ll feel like a spoiled royal right away. All the rooms come with a desk and a TV, and the resort offers free wifi, a shared lounge, a 24-hour front desk, and a continental breakfast served on the property. Kilkea Castle Hotel also comes with lovely gardens and a terrace to be explored and enjoyed, making it indeed one of the best castle hotels in Ireland!
Though the nearest airport, Dublin Airport, is 52 miles away from Kilkea Castle Hotel, the staff help arrange transport to and from the airport, which helps make your fairytale trip to this best castle hotel in Ireland super easy! The town of Carlow is only 10 miles away from Kilkea Castle, and Kildare is 17 miles away, so there are great options of nearby towns to explore while at your stay at the resort. Not that you’ll even want to leave once you arrive in your gorgeous rooms fit for kings and queens of ages past—with a convenient modern twist!
Check Rates: Booking.com
If You’re Looking For Especially Stunning Settings, Lough Rynn Castle, Mohill Is The Hotel For You!
One of the things that makes Lough Rynn Castleone of the best castle hotels in Ireland is its gorgeous, slightly-remote location. On the shore of Lough Rynn, this lovely 4-star hotel is surrounded by over 300 acres of stunning old forests and landscapes out of an Irish fairytale. Lough Rynn Castle stands out amongst the other best castle hotels in Ireland in that, though filled with modern conveniences, it retains so much of its original features and character.
The castle is filled with antiquities like its old open fires, wood paneling, glasswork, decorative stonework, and furnishings. You will feel like you took a step back in time when exploring around one of the best castle hotels in Ireland until the great internet and air conditioning bring you back to the present. Many of the old features of Lough Rynn Castle—such as the old stables and even a pheasantry—have been renovated into comfortable, affluent lodgings, though they still retain their original charm.
Another feature that makes Lough Rynn Castles included in the best castle hotels in Ireland is the amazing Sandstone Restaurant, which provides delicious menus from the best seasonal produce from the nearby counties. You’ll definitely enjoy the added bonus of this restaurant in your stay at Lough Rynn Castle! And though the nearest airport—Ireland West Knock Airport—is 39.3 miles away, you’ll soon see it’s worth this little drive to get to one of the best castle hotels in Ireland!
Check Rate: Booking.com
Ballynahinch Castle Hotel In County Galway Is One Of The Best Castle Hotels In Ireland For Its Activities And Location
BeautifulBallynahinch Castle Hotel is an amazing castle in and of itself, down to the little details of the darling rooms and the quaint charm of the peaked roofs. But what makes Ballynahinch stand out amongst the other best castle hotels in Ireland is the exquisite backdrop of the 12 Bens Mountain Range, and the stunning river! Many of the charming rooms of Ballynahinch Castle Hotel have views of the mountains or the river or the 450 acres of woodland that surrounds that castle. Equipped with a TV, DVD, and CD player, you don’t even have to leave your hotel room to enjoy a magical experience!
That being said, at this particular best castle hotel in Ireland, you definitely want to leave your room to go out and explore the amazing wilderness that surrounds it! The hotel organizes a host of wonderful activities that will make your stay here extra special and memorable! Some of these actives include hiking the gorgeous river and lakeside trails around Ballynahinch Castle Hotel, game bird hunting, and pony riding. Keep your eyes open for local wildlife while out exploring the estate. If you’re a tennis player, make sure to come prepared to use Ballynahinch Castle Hotel’s private tennis courts! And even if you’re not a photographer, have that smartphone or camera at the ready because you won’t want to stop snapping pictures of one of the best castle hotels in Ireland!
Check Rates: Booking.com
5. Ballygally Castle Hotel
We learned that Ballygally Castle Hotel, located in Northern Ireland, was haunted just days before our arrival! It was quite the experience and we loved staying in an old hotel! Ballygally Castle Hotel is one of the best castle hotels in Ireland if you love the paranormal along with your luxury hotel experience. Ballygally is also one of the best castle hotels in Ireland for coastal views and charming gardens.
Ballygally Castle Hotelis located right on the coast of Northern Ireland, on the Antrim Coast, and offers beautiful views of Ballygally Bay. Many of the lushly-decorated rooms at Ballygally Castle Hotel have amazing views of the bay that you can enjoy, and all the rooms have charming sitting areas and tea and coffee amenities. Ballygally happens to be the home to three resident ghosts, which will make your experience stay at one of the best castle hotels in Ireland especially mystical and chilling! You can go into “the ghost room” where a woman jumped to her death because her husband locked her up there and you will certainly get an eery feeling! Otherwise, Ballygally Castle is a stunning castle hotel in Ireland! You can choose to stay in rooms that aren’t in the haunted part if ghosts aren’t for you!
Check Rates: Booking.com
6. Belleek Castle
Co. Mayo is one of our favorite counties in all of Ireland and Ballina is such a cute town to visit. Belleek Castle is one of the best castle hotels in Ireland for exploring Mayo. There is so much to see and do in Co. Mayo, from coasteering to visiting national parks and stargazing. The historic castle of Belleek itself sits within 1,000 acres of beautiful woodland. On the banks of the Moy River, you can find a restaurant that is said to be made from the remains of a 17th-century Spanish galleon, making it one of the best castle hotels in Ireland if you like both nature and history!
Belleek Castle is near the beach and offers stunning rooms and all the fun and romance of staying in a real castle hotel in Ireland. The 1820’s neo-gothic hotel is the perfect castle hotel in Ireland to relax at without the vibes feeling too stuffy! Belleek provides gorgeous views of the castle grounds and the forest, and the rooms themselves come with pleasant amenities, as well as simply being beautiful in and of themselves. One of the most amazing features of Belleek Castle is the 13th-century Norman fireplace in the Great Hall, and the Armada Bar, which is built from 400-year-old, salvaged wood of shipwrecked Spanish ships! Altogether, Belleek is a castle full of beauty and history.
Check Rates: Booking.com
7. Lough Eske Castle
Nothing quite says luxury like this exquisite fairytale castle. A 5-star hotel situated at the foot of mountains on 43 acres of forest, Lough Eske Castle is definitely one of the best castle hotels in Ireland!Your experience here will consist of the ideal relaxation vacation! Guest are provided with fluffy bathrobes and slipped in each of the luxurious rooms, which also hold 32-inch flatscreen TVs! The bathrooms inside the rooms are beautifully wood-paneled, and the rooms themselves are filled with oak furniture and offer lovely views of the gardens.
You might not ever want to leave your room, but if you do, Lough Eske Castle offers more amazing features beyond its idyllic guest rooms. If you visit Oak Bar you will find a pool table and often fun events with Irish music! The Cedars Grill provides delicious meals of traditional seafood from the nearby port of Killybegs, and has a beautiful terrace that we know you will love! Beyond the food and bar, there is a steam room, sauna, massage suits, a fitness center, and a stunning swimming pool inside a glass atrium that provides lovely views of the castle grounds!
If fishing is a hobby you enjoy, then Lough Eske is definitely the best castle hotel in Ireland for you, because you can fish on Lough Eske, which is less than a five minute walk from the hotel! There is also a golf club only a fifteen-minute drive away, and even a surf school just thirty minutes away! Lough Eske really has something for everybody.
8. Dunboyne Castle Hotel And Spa
If you’re looking especially for one of the best castle hotels in Ireland that is near Dublin, Dunboyne Castle Hotel and Spa is the perfect castle for you! Only 14 miles from Dublin city center, Dunboyne Castle is located amongst 21 acres of beautiful County Meath countryside. And the Dublin Airport is only 16 miles away, making this castle a very easily-accessible hotel to stay at. But it is not just conveniently-located! Dunboyne Castle is a gorgeous Georgian mansion with 145 rooms that include 2 Junior Suites, a Presidential Suite, a steam room, sauna, laconium, and an outdoor hot tub.
The rooms are spacious and beautiful, and definitely full of every modern comfort and facility, even though the mansion itself is historic and old-fashioned. The drive up to DonboyneCastle is lined with gorgeous old trees! Both the Hill of Tara and Trim Castle are only 30-minutes drives from Dunboyne Castle, and Newgrange and Brú na Bóinne are only 45-minutes away, providing amazing sightseeing adventures within easy distances. With so many wonderful features, Dunboyne Castle Hotel and Spa makes it easily one of the best castle hotels in Ireland to visit!
Check Rates: Booking.com
9. Kilronan Castle, Ballyfarnon, Offers The Perfect Merging Of Historic Features And Modern Comfort
Previously known as Castle Tenison, Kilronan Castle sits on the shore of Lough Meelagh in County Roscommon, near the village of Ballyfarnon. It is a massive country house amidst 40 acres of parkland, and is without a doubt one of the most stunning and best castle hotels in Ireland! Originally built around 1820, Kilronan Castle was later expanded in the 1880s to mostly what it looks like today, complete with the large baronial tower. The building itself it beautiful and will make you instantly feel like you stepped back in time into some sort of Irish fairytale. You’ll be wanting to snap photos all day, but make sure you don’t miss out on the other amazing features Kilronan Castle has to offer!
The indoor swimming pool, spa, and dining area are all so beautiful and perfectly designed, you won’t be able to get enough of the experience! It will be the perfect mix of relaxation, luxury, comfort all within a stunning historical setting. The rooms at Kilronan Castle come with all the best facilities, such as a flatscreen TV, tea/coffee makers, private bathrooms, free wifi, and—of course—lovely antique furniture!
Outside Kilronan Castle Hotel, you can find various actives to enjoy, such as biking, golf, sailing, and hiking, and just a 20-minute drive away you can visit Lough Key Forest and Activity Park. Just one quick look at the beautiful picture of Kilronan Castle Hotel should convince you it is one of the best castle hotels in Ireland and not to be missed!
Check Rates: Booking.com
10. Ballyseede Castle, Tralee Is The Best Castle Hotel In Ireland In Co. Kerry
If you are looking for the best castle hotels in Ireland and want to stay in co, Kerry, Ballyseede Castle is the hotel for you! Ballyseede Castle is actually the only castle hotel in Kerry! It is a four-star luxury property and offers accommodations for all price ranges. This luxury hotel in Ireland is situated on 30 acres of woodlands and gardens that are hundreds of years old. Inside the lobby, the Doric columns lead to a grand oak staircase, and throughout the castle you will find beautiful parlors with marble fireplaces where you can enjoy your coffee or afternoon tea.
This is one of the best castle hotels in Ireland and the only one that is located near the Ring Of Kerry, Killarney, Slea Head Drive, and the Dingle Peninsula and it is also a destination that is recognized for civil wedding ceremonies. We highly recommend staying in this area during your trip to Ireland as it is a wonderful and beautiful part of the country. If you are looking for the best castle hotels in Ireland that are near beautiful sights, you can’t go wrong with Ballyseede Castle!
Check Rates: Booking.com
There are so many fantastic and luxurious castle hotels in Ireland that you can visit, the only challenge you will have is going to be trying to decide which of the best castle hotels in Ireland you want to visit! Each one is unique and filled with its own treasures, memories, and amazing features for you to enjoy, but, really, you simply can’t go wrong with any one of them! Remember, this rate often depends on which room you book and at what time of year you visit so be sure to check your booking dates to be sure you know the correct pricing for when you want to visit. The best castle hotels in Ireland are spread out all over the country so no matter where you want to go, there is an Irish castle hotel just waiting for you to visit!
Which one sounds the most amazing to you? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments! Have a fun and safe trip enjoying the best castle hotels in Ireland!
Leah
This is such a great list! I seriously want to do a whole trip where all I do is stay in castles 🙂 Maybe one day!
Emily
This is amazing! Didn’t even think to stay in a castle because I would’ve assumed it is out of my budget. Thanks!!
Louise
Wow, I did not know there were so many castle hotels in Ireland! That’s amazing that there are that many under $200 a night. I would love to stay in at least one of these! Definitely saving for a future trip 🙂
Corinne
I wish I’d seen your post before I booked my upcoming trip to Ireland! Doh! I’d stay at Ballyseede just for the dog! 😉
Robin Hopper
Can you please tell me what the name of the castle is that you have shown with the caption “10 Castle Hotels in Ireland Under $200/night” It is just beautiful and I would like to see if is in the area of Ireland I am traveling too. Thank you
sarah kelly
Wowww, I live here and i didn’t know half these castles were here! Victoria I have a question for you. I follow you on instagram and look at your site regularly. I do photography part -time ( not often ) and love travel. I started a blog to share my travel photos around ireland but because I work full-time i don’t get to travel and explore as much as I want. Consequently I don’t have a lot of content to post. Do you visit all the places you write about on your site – as in have you stayed at all these castles? I don’t know if I’d be able to write about things I haven’t experienced but because I don’t get to go away very often I just don’t have a lot of content for my site. I know you’re super busy so if you don’t get a chance to reply to this that is no bother. Love yours and Terrence’s work – so inspiring and informative.
Sarah
Follow Me Away
Hey Sarah! It depends, yes and no. Some things are things we have gone to and we say that [any road trip itineraries, packing lists etc] some things like inspirational posts we heavily research. We have stayed in multiple castles on this list HOWEVER just including a list of a few really isn’t that helpful to our readers! So to answer your question, it is a mixture of both!