Ireland

The top hotels in Ireland to add to your bucket list

Experience the best of what Ireland has to offer in one of these incredible top hotels in Ireland - how many have you ticked off?

Waterfalls in lush landscaped grounds, Swarovski crystal pools and tranquil spas with clifftop views of the Atlantic – we’ve made the staycation an unforgettable experience with this selection of top hotels in Ireland. Our guide will help you discover some of the country’s finest Michelin-starred restaurants, state-of-the-art equestrian centres and thrilling rooftop bars.

We’ve chosen some of the most highly rated hotels all across the country so you can tick off your bucket list of local city breaks – whether it’s a night at a castle in Galway, a trip to a country manor in Kilkenny or a Dublin stay packed with art and culture. Who needs to fly abroad?

Powerscourt Hotel: a top hotel in Ireland with a Swarovski crystal pool

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With 1,000 acres of grounds surrounding it, Powerscourt Hotel Resort & Spa is an ideal place to get away from it all. Explore ancient forests where you’ll discover Ireland’s tallest tree and its highest waterfall. Inside the hotel, which is inspired by classical architecture, you’ll find more wonders like the 20 metre heated pool lit by glittering Swarovski crystals. Complete a day of relaxation at the spa, where you can unwind with a hot stone massage, rejuvenating ESPA treatments, and views of the gardens.
Your room combines plush country house furnishings, elegant dark wood and the latest technology, such as recessed TVs in the marble bathrooms. After a soothing rainforest shower, get ready in your walk-in wardrobe and head down to the Silka restaurant. There, in front of views of towering Sugar Loaf Mountain, dine on sophisticated Irish dishes such as halibut in lobster sauce with a pea and basil puree.
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Powerscourt Hotel, Autograph Collection

Top rated
Enniskerry
9.4 Excellent (1429 reviews)

Cliff House Hotel: a top hotel in Ireland with awe-inspiring sea views

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Cliff House Hotel makes the most of its ocean-front setting: a sizeable part of its exterior is made from glass to give guests stirring views of the Atlantic from its spa, Michelin-starred restaurant and select bedrooms.
The seaside location is ideal if you fancy an active break with sea kayaking, snorkelling or surfing on offer. If you’d rather take it easy instead, go for a dip in the rock pool or book a treatment in an outdoor tub with panoramas of windswept Ardmore Bay. You’ll get a relaxing hot bath to yourself, as Irish peat and ginger soothe away aches and pains.
Local produce is the star of the show at the House Restaurant: expect dishes such as scallops with sweetcorn, sea spinach and Irish caviar. Back in your comfortable, contemporary room, watch the sun set and spot Minke whales from your glass balcony or settle into the deep tub in your slate bathroom and treat yourself to luxurious Anne Semonin toiletries.
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Cliff House Hotel

Top rated
Ardmore
9.0 Excellent (186 reviews)

River Lee Hotel: Waterside style at this top hotel in Ireland

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This chic hotel in Cork makes the most of a riverside location. Its New York-inspired bar and restaurant sits on the waterfront with a cube-shaped conservatory, so you can drink in the views whatever the weather. Snack on trendy small plates like truffle fries and gin-cured salmon gravlax on the terrace’s rustic wood furniture, or head indoors to lounge on bold blue Chesterfield sofas with a honeycomb old-fashioned, made with Irish whiskey.
Rooms have an understated design, in neutral tones with creature comforts like duck-down duvets. Deluxe options add extras like king-sized beds to rest on in your plush hotel dressing gown with a coffee from the Nespresso machine. So it’s the ideal place to relax after a trip to the health and fitness centre, where you can make a splash in the 20 metre swimming pool, take a complimentary spin class, or just wind down in the heat of the Jacuzzi, sauna and steam room.
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The River Lee Hotel a member of The Doyle Collection

Top rated
Cork
9.3 Excellent (2714 reviews)

Mount Juliet Estate: equestrianism and archery at this top hotel in Ireland

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Play at lord – or lady – of the manor in this 18th-century estate with an archery enclosure, falconry and impressive equestrian facilities. Instructors approved by the British Horse Society will help you on your way in the two arenas, over FEI-certified show jumps and on countless trails. If golf is more your style, the hotel has an 18-hole course designed by the legendary Jack Nicklaus and praised by Tiger Woods for its ‘perfect fairways’. Afterwards, feast on country house fare at the Lady Helen Restaurant, where produce from the kitchen garden, herb garden and farm is transformed into stylish Michelin-starred creations. Look out for dishes such as squab pigeon with almond milk and hen-of-the-woods mushroom.
Bright, spacious rooms inside the ivy-covered manor house are individually decorated in a refined contemporary take on Georgian style: think botanical wallpaper, antique wood and an understated, neutral palette. An upgrade can secure you a view of the River Nore as it meanders across the estate.
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Mount Juliet Estate

Top rated
Thomastown
9.0 Excellent (777 reviews)

The Merrion Hotel: a top hotel in Dublin for Ireland's culture vultures

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Take a tour of one of the largest private collections of 19th and 20th-century art in Ireland inside the renovated Georgian townhouses that make up the Merrion Hotel. Guests can explore the 90 pieces for free and then contemplate them over some other creative masterpieces – the delicate, art-inspired pastries by chef Paul Kelly in the hotel’s Art Afternoon Tea.
Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud, the hotel’s fine-dining flagship, is the only one in Ireland to hold two Michelin stars. Indulge in lavish dishes combining Irish and French influences, such as Celtic black sole with prawn and saffron butter.
If your idea of a treat is the tranquillity of the spa, try the total body care massage with revitalising ESPA products, bask in the steam room or take a dip in the infinity pool. Then head back to your light and airy room, with decor inspired by the hotel’s art and bathrooms in Carrera marble.
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The Merrion Hotel

Top rated
Dublin
9.8 Excellent (2362 reviews)

Ballynahinch Castle Hotel: romantic castle living at a top hotel in Ireland

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If you’ve always wanted to sleep at a castle, Ballynahinch Castle is a dream come true. This 18th-century gem, surrounded by 700 acres of woodland, features rooms with classic country estate style, from floral curtains and plush headboards to brass fittings. Upgrade to a Riverside Suite for a polished-wood, four-poster bed, as well as a separate lounge and dressing room.
A stay at this estate is all about country pursuits: it has its own salmon fishery and clay shooting range. Go for a wander through the woodlands, then pick one of the six log fires to warm up next to afterwards, including at the Fisherman’s Pub and Ranji Room. Try seasonal delicacies here, like slow-cooked pork sourced from the pigs that roam the estate. For grander occasions and spectacular river views, celebrate at the Owenmore Restaurant, where you might be served grilled Dooncastle oyster with black garlic or Irish guinea fowl with braised gem lettuce and bacon crisp.
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Ballynahinch Castle Hotel

Top rated
Clifden
9.5 Excellent (521 reviews)

The Twelve Hotel: a taste of city and country at a top hotel in Ireland

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For a break that blends city and country living, try the Twelve Galway. Just a 12 minute drive from Galway’s centre, it’s located in the buzzing resort village of Bearna, an ideal base for exploring the rugged coastline of Connemara. You’ll feel a million miles away from the metropolis when taking a treatment using Voya products at the hotel’s Le Petit Spa or in your room: let the butler run a seaweed leaf bath for you to revitalise your skin with its nourishing properties.
After a day’s hiking, come back to the West restaurant for food foraged from the coast, such as Killary Harbour rope mussels with seaweed soda bread, or hearty favourites like Cote de Boeuf with triple-cooked chips. Savour a craft beer nightcap at Pins bar before retiring to your room, with its contemporary feature wallpaper, hardwood floors and mood lighting. Goose-down duvets and premium super-king beds ensure a blissful sleep.
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The Twelve Hotel

Top rated
Galway
9.4 Excellent (1374 reviews)

Castlemartyr Resort: an 18-hole golf course at this top hotel in Ireland

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With an 18-hole inland links-style golf course created by renowned designer Ron Kirby, Castlemartyr Resort in the woodlands of Cork is a magnet for golf lovers. But there’s lots of appeal for non-golfers too: take a stroll through 220 acres of woodland and lawns or head to the tranquil, glass-walled spa for Eastern-inspired treatments with scents of cinnamon and cardamom. The day isn’t complete until you’ve tasted the modern Irish dishes overlooking the gardens at the Bell Tower, such as roast rump of lamb with baby artichokes and olive jus.
Staying at this resort is a journey into history. Built on land formerly owned by Sir Walter Raleigh, the centrepiece of the hotel is a meticulously restored 18th-century manor house. Rooms are stylishly contemporary, decorated in calming neutrals with pops of gold, and fitted with marble bathrooms and rainforest showers. Outside, though, you can catch a glimpse of the romantic ruin of the 13th-century castle built by the Knights Templar.
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Hotel Castlemartyr Resort

Top rated
Castlemartyr
9.4 Excellent (1213 reviews)

The Dean: a top hotel in Ireland for clubbing connoisseurs

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To experience buzzing Dublin at its finest, book a room at the Dean. This boutique hotel is in the heart of the city’s nightlife area and has a lively atmosphere to match. From the hip playlists it cues up in the lobby to the Rega RP1 turntables and vinyl records it stocks in rooms, it’s all about the music here.
Your sleeping space has plenty of other out-of-the-ordinary amenities, like full stocked retro SMEG fridges, Samsung TVs with Netflix on tap and Marshall amps to hook your music player up to. Artwork commissioned by the hotel graces the walls for a cool, characterful finish.
Nights out start at Sophie’s, the hotel’s rooftop cocktail bar with sweeping views of the capital’s skyline. You can fuel up with pizzas fresh from the wood-fired oven while blankets and patio heaters keep you cosy as you enjoy the views – at the popular Highline DJ nights held here, the party runs till the early hours.
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The Dean Dublin

Dublin
8.2 Very good (1379 reviews)

Sheen Falls Lodge: panoramic waterfall views at this top hotel in Ireland

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Cascading water from the Sheen Falls forms a romantic backdrop to your stay at this serene hotel. Rooms, decorated with contemporary furniture from local artisans and country-chic floral curtains, feature views of the waterfall or the peaceful Kenmare Bay.
It’s the ideal location for outdoor activities. Wander through 300 acres of woodland and riverside walks, fish for salmon in clear streams, learn falconry or try your hand at clay pigeon shooting. Spa treatments take inspiration from nature, too: try a body wrap that uses seaweed harvested from the Atlantic before unwinding in the Jacuzzi, sauna or steam room.
The award-winning restaurant changes its menu every night to show off regional produce: look out for salmon caught and cured on the estate or herb-crusted lamb with courgette and heirloom tomato. Settle into plush leather seats on tables laid with white linen and flickering candles, as a pianist plays and, outside, the waterfalls are illuminated by floodlights.
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Sheen Falls Lodge

Top rated
Kenmare
9.4 Excellent (746 reviews)

No 1 Pery Square Hotel & Spa: t top boutique hotel in Ireland with a serene spa

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In the heart of Limerick’s Georgian Quarter, overlooking the expansive People’s Park, lies this cosy and luxurious boutique hotel. Book one of the four period rooms in this restored townhouse for elegant floral patterns, roll-top baths and dressing screens. No. 1 Pery Square also has a spa tucked away in the vaulted cellar, where lanterns softly illuminate the bare brick walls. It holds a Finnish sauna, herbal and aroma steam rooms plus foot baths and a snooze room. Try a seaweed peat bath to moisturise the skin followed by a toning spiced mud wrap.
Where better for afternoon tea than a Georgian townhouse? At No. 1, you might find your finger sandwiches and delicate cakes accompanied by the sounds of a harpist. Or settle into a leather banquette under the gallery wall of mirrors and pictures at Sash, the hotel’s bistro. There you can choose from classics such as duck, pork and hazelnut terrine or a fillet steak with potato gratin.
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No.1 Pery Square Hotel & Spa

Top rated
Limerick City
9.6 Excellent (1057 reviews)