The best available Castles to stay near Ireland

April 24, 2023 Sheron Bogner

Woven with wild greenery and Gaelic legends, the Emerald Isle is one of Europe’s most prized jewels. Rugged Atlantic beaches and mystery-shrouded sites rub shoulders with the cosmopolitan cities of Belfast and Dublin, where literary history and warm Irish hospitality are always in abundance.
Things to do in Ireland

1. Kilkea Castle

Kilkea Demesne, Castledermot, Kilkea R14 XE97 Ireland
Excellent
79%
Good
10%
Satisfactory
4%
Poor
4%
Terrible
4%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 582 reviews

Kilkea Castle

Kilkea Castle Hotel and Golf Course sits on 180 acres. It is less than one hour from Dublin. We have a variety of accommodations. Our newly renovated castle and carriage houses redefine luxury. Our renovated 3 bedroom self catering lodges are perfect for groups or families. We have a restaurant open 7 days a week serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. Kilkea is the perfect spot for a golf outing, fairytale wedding, family reunion or corporate retreat. It is one of the oldest inhabited castles in Ireland dating back to 1180.

Beautiful place

Reviewed By B7939ZMbrittanys

Great stay. The staff were friendly and very accommodating to requests. I would suggest booking a room actually in the castle if you can opposed to the carrage rooms so you get the full experience. The resteraunt food at the clubhouse was decent but the staff seemed a bit missing. Overall a great stay and we would gladly stay here again.

2. Blackwater Castle

Mill Road, Castletownroche Ireland
Excellent
95%
Good
4%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

5 based on 168 reviews

Blackwater Castle

History, heritage, nature, and outdoor activities meet in a spectacular setting at Blackwater Castle, a twelfth century Castle on the banks of the River Awbeg surrounded by woodlands and a private river. Beautifully appointed suites, welcoming reception rooms, historical tours, and extensive activities from zip-lining to fly fishing are on offer at one of Ireland's more interesting and best preserved Castles for rent for an Irish Castle wedding, family reunion or private party. Courtyard accommodation can sleep 7 in family apartment and a further 40 in dormitory style accommodation.

Incredible Hen venue

Reviewed By Claire K

Amazing hen weekend with 47 girls catered for in the Castle, a nearby air b&b and in Springford Hall. Whole castle to ourselves with 3 social areas/ rooms, dance floor and a bar. Sheila was a pleasure to deal with and allowed early entry on Thursday to get set up. We had live music and food truck on Sat night for our Henfest theme. Mike catered brekkie both mornings and Friday dinner, he was so helpful and couldn't do enough for us. A truly memorable hen weekend with tge girls

3. Ballyhannon Castle

Ballyhannon Castle Quin Road, Co. Clare., Quin, Ennis V95 Y3C9 Ireland
Excellent
91%
Good
4%
Satisfactory
2%
Poor
0%
Terrible
3%
Overall Ratings

5 based on 139 reviews

Ballyhannon Castle

A 15th Century Authentic Castle tower in perfect condition. Offers an amazing experience to it's visitors to stay in, or to those seeking somewhere special to celebrate a very special occasion (birthday's, weddings, reunions, large family groups on holidays, etc...) It may rent on its own, and there is the possibility of also renting the Coach House. There's an on-site bar/pub too - pull your own pints ! Please enquire directly for more details. You will never forget the feeling of fun and magic that you find at Ballyhannon Castle.

Awful Business Practice

Reviewed By TehrenBalehren

We paid in full a 7 day stay close to $10,000 with 22 other guests a year ago for our wedding this upcoming September. With no warning, Ballyhannon cancelled our reservation. This not only affects our stay, but all of our guests, including those not staying at the venue. 90% of them have already purchased plane tickets for the specific times and expectations of the castle stay, including dates, locations, specific room arrangements, types of beds (couple vs individual beds and rooms), not to mention those that weren't staying at the venue and had already arranged other accommodations. Everything was set. Our wedding was on. We have paid our deposit for catering of hundreds of dollars, purchased hundreds of dollars for invitations with Ballyhannon Castle as the location, and planned our day trips/group events/activities around this location, including already paid for tours. Now with 5 months to go, we must start pretty much from the ground up, planning an international wedding within 5 months. Other venues either are located well out of distance to accommodate these trips/events and already paid for tours), not offering the dates we need (some offer partial days if at all) or extremely out of our price range. We have 24 people just at the venue who have invested in this trip under a specific set of circumstances, many who can not afford to make further commitments or alter them for financial reasons. We have guests that are showing up at the beginning but leaving early and other guests arriving mid-week and leaving late – our castle dates accommodated this overlap. We can’t alter them, but we have no choice. We must change our invitations. We must let our guests know they are now responsible for finding room and board outside of the dates we no longer can accommodate. Ballyhannon Castle has not only caused extreme turmoil and grief under this house, but our other 22 guests and extended guest list are now far more stressed and upset than I ever would expect a guest to a wedding need to be. When searching for other accommodations, the general consensus is that a good and moral business practice would be to honor their current paid commitments before choosing to alter their business practice for any reason other than dire financial strain, which we were told by the owner that this was not. One of the researched castles explained to us for instance, that while they are planning a year long sabbatical and not taking further bookings, they made sure to push it out to accommodate all their customer commitments before doing so. How many weddings, vacations, Birthdays, reunions, have been ruined by this? I know our wedding will survive, now a wedding nightmare, with a lot of strain and impossible re-coordination. Ballyhannon Castle has caused us all heartache and headache beyond imagine. I would encourage anyone who would book at least the Carriage House in the future (The castle no longer for rental), to know what type of business this is, to have ruined so many peoples once in a lifetime days, to most, the most important day of anyones life.

4. Turin Castle

Kilmaine 001 Ireland
Excellent
92%
Good
5%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
3%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5 based on 37 reviews

Turin Castle

Turin Castle Mayo, Ireland is a unique self catering romantic getaway. It is ideal for small intimate family weddings and family holidays. Situated in the ancient barony of Kilmaine in the West of Ireland providing luxury accommodation tranquility and privacy in a restored castle with every modern convenience.

Wedding

Reviewed By Johnnyv7

Held our wedding here on the 17th September. To say it was beautiful is an understatement. Brendan and Marnie were the perfect hosts. They organised the catering and the photographer which took a load off our minds on the big day! If you are looking for something different to the traditional wedding then give this a go you wont be disappointed.

5. Cloonacauneen Castle

Tuam Road, Claregalway Ireland
Excellent
67%
Good
11%
Satisfactory
3%
Poor
4%
Terrible
14%
Overall Ratings

4 based on 97 reviews

Cloonacauneen Castle

Cloonacauneen castle is a stunning 15th century Norman castle situated less than 10 minutes from Galway city in idyllic country side surroundings. We cater for weddings, communions, confirmations, BBQ's, birthday parties, A la Carte, Sunday lunch and much more!!

Amazing service, authentic Irish castle, very cool scene

Reviewed By Keerthana124

The service is really above and beyond in trying to accommodate, the electric blanket is amazing, and the decorations in this 15th century castle are stunning. The local rugby team has drinks at the bar, so you will always be able to converse with locals. Totally worth the stay!

6. Clomantagh Castle

Clomantagh near Freshford, Co.Kilkenny, Freshford Ireland
Excellent
69%
Good
23%
Satisfactory
4%
Poor
4%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 26 reviews

Clomantagh Castle

Clomantagh Castle is part of a unique settlement dating back to the 1500s. It has remained in continuous occupation for almost 500 years. At one time there would have been a large banqueting hall attached to the tower house but this has long disappeared, and now replaced by a Victorian farmhouse.There is a wonderful deep-walled kitchen in the ground floor of the tower house, reminiscent of a Tuscan farmhouse and complete with a flag stone floor. An old farm dresser, a country kitchen range and a large table fill this high vaulted kitchen. The farmhouse parlour has a strong Irish vernacular theme with rich orange tones and lovingly restored sash windows.A medieval theme carries through the tower house to the turret stone stair case leading to the main bedroom in the tower. The cast iron four poster bed makes a perfect setting for any 'king' or 'queen' of the castle.

Lovely stay but they need to put more money back into the property

Reviewed By caitini G

We really enjoyed our stay. The castle and grounds are lovely. The beds were very comfortable and the electric blankets were appreciated. The bed I stayed in had some stains that were a bit off-putting even though it was clean and good quality. The toilet paper and soap situation was very poor, bring your own. There was also no soap in the kitchen and only half a roll of kitchen paper. We did appreciate that there were plenty of clean teatowels. We know it's an old house and don't expect everything to be spotless but any cutlery, delph, glass or pot and pan had to be washed before use and some were very dirty. The sinks needed better cleaning and the baths were unusable and need to be re-enameled which was disappointing that we couldn't use them. The range was very good and heated up the house and water satisfactorily. The couches and cushions were  damp and worn and not pleasant to use.

7. Farran House

Farran Ireland
Excellent
89%
Good
0%
Satisfactory
6%
Poor
6%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 18 reviews

Farran House

Irish Christmas

Reviewed By Isabelle B

Loved, loved this lodging! Spent Christmas here, all 17 of us were beautifully accomodated. The owners are wonderful and warm hosts. Never intrusive, yet always available. A beautiful Christmas tree awaited us when we arrived. John was a hero rescuing a crow that was trapped in the fireplace of my bedroom. Patricia set a gorgeous Christmas table for our 'big' dinner. You will not be disappointed in any way. I can't recommend it enough.

8. Ballyportry Castle

Ballyportry Castle Ballyportry Castle Ballyportry Castle Corofin lane, Corofin Ireland
Excellent
72%
Good
17%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
11%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 18 reviews

Ballyportry Castle

’Medieval Splendour in The Heart of The Burren’, this is a 500 year old Gaelic Tower House in Co. Clare Ballyportry sleeps eight guests comfortably. It has six bedrooms with four double beds. There are two large doubles, including a king-size heated waterbed in the master bedroom on the first floor and two small single bedrooms, with two beds in each.To cross the threshold at Ballyportry is to step back in time 500 years. Protected by an outer wall or bawn, this Gaelic tower house rises 90 feet from turf to battlement. It is an authentic restoration, evoking medieval Ireland at a turbulent time when allegiance was not so much to a sovereign, as to a family, and a man’s home was truly his castle. Renovated without compromising its integrity, Ballyportry offers the convenience of a modern house, within the protective walls of an ancient fortress. Here you can experience the comfort, and solace of an open hearth, and the distinctive smell of a turf fire. See brilliant sunsets and dazzling rainbows from the battlements, or simply savor the quiet serenity of rural Ireland. There are three stone bathrooms, one on the ground floor, a full bath with shower off the master bedroom, and a bath with shower for the second and third bedrooms. Recessed into the window nook of the master bedroom is a deep, hand-carved stone tub (wide enough for two) which once was a horse trough on a local estate. The fridge freezer and dishwasher and a large six burner gas range for cooking are the 21st-century contributions to comfortable rustic living. The under floor heating and the thick limestone walls retain the heat well. The 6 floored Tower House is furnished in an authentic way using fabrics in keeping with the late 15th century. The sheets and pillowcases are of linen, and wool blankets from Co. Tipperary complete the dressing of the beds. All the furnishings reflect the time of late medieval Ireland, a time of hospitality, song, and poetry in Gaelic Tower Houses. To this end the best of craftsmanship is used through out in the ongoing process of furnishing the five hundred year old Gaelic Tower House. From the entrance a stone spiral steps leads up to the other rooms. At the top of the Tower House is the impressive Great Hall with exposed oak roof trusses, an open fireplace, couches and a table for dining. There is a second kitchen with dishwasher, fridge and electric cooker that serves the Great Hall. The narrow stone windows are built to capitalise upon light in ways that have been forgotten. Full moons are to be savored from the battlements, as are August mists over the stream, and bog lakes below. Guests may imbibe the clear air, and stillness, as they gaze from the battlements, particularly on starry nights. Dinner is consumed in an atmosphere of lofty leisure which permeates the elegance of the Great Hall and its open hearth turf fire. The geography of the building takes a bit of getting used to, and one has to be careful on the curving stone stairs, but the feeling of discovering another time, and place more than compensates for any adjustments you have to make in the tower house. Residing within the thick stone walls is a bit like being on a boat – you are cocooned from the outside world. It is actually very comfortable, and great for a relaxed break from the stress of contemporary life. Please note that the wonderful curving late medieval stone staircase may not suit small children or those with walking disabilities. Along with the guest WC on ground floor level there are two bath rooms. While the water supply will cope with several showers at a time, guests may need to stagger the times of ablutions!

Full of character but disappointing on a number of fronts

Reviewed By sayclan

Potential to be a once in a lifetime experience. Full of character and has all the charm expected of an ancient monument. Original stone walls, floors and hearths for roaring fires. But the property comes with a warning around cleanliness, H&S basics and exorbitant fuel and energy costs charged on top of rental. Cleanliness is not just ancient cobwebs as would be expected but recent cobwebs, dust and mould. H&S basics (fire extinguishers and First Aid boxes) out of date. Energy costs are ridiculous - passing on costs to warm up the property for a week before you arrive as they don't maintain it in an habital condition, rates are above market rates and standard charges added if you don't reach the minimum use. Be warned!!!

9. Luttrellstown Castle Resort

Castleknock D15 RH92 Ireland 011 353 1 860 9600
Excellent
91%
Good
5%
Satisfactory
2%
Poor
2%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5 based on 114 reviews

Luttrellstown Castle Resort

Situated in the heart of a 560 acre estate, Luttrellstown Castle Resort is a privately owned estate, with its historic Castle and walled gardens being offered for hire on an exclusive basis. With twelve beautifully appointed bedrooms (twenty from April 2020), awe inspiring library, magnificent ballrooms and manicured lawns, Luttrellstown Castle has it all. The estate features an 18 hole championship golf course, walled gardens, walking trails, fishing, falconry and much more. It is possible to spend tranquil hours walking the woods and parkland, exploring and enjoying the many unique attractions of this historic estate.

Afternoon Tea

Reviewed By Berni110

We were delighted to get a booking for afternoon tea at the castle as they only open certain months of the year for tea. On arrival, the drive to the castle is lovely & the grounds are well maintained. The entrance is traditional, bright & welcoming. Staff were friendly & the room was lovely. Service was friendly & professional. The afternoon tea was beautifully presented, the sandwiches were served separate to the scones & treats. They were all fresh, tasty & a lovely portion. We went to the Library afterwards for a drink & enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere in there. Overall a very pleasant experience & would highly recommend a visit.

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