The Best Hotels to Book in Ireland

It’s the personal touches at this boutique hotel that make it one of the best in Ireland. Based in a quiet suburb of Dublin, you’ve got the city at your fingertips and a peaceful bolthole to return to. You’re greeted with a 99 ice cream on arrival, and there’s a “munchies box” in every room. Head up to Layla’s Rooftop Restaurant for a full three-course meal with panoramic views of the Dublin skyline, or relax with a cocktail mixed by a professional mixologist in the lobby bar. There’s a subterranean cinema room, too, if you want an evening of chilling out.

In the south of the city centre, the Dylan Hotel is the only five-star boutique hotel in the heart of Dublin. It’s housed in a classic townhouse, once home to the nurses of the Royal City of Dublin Hospital. Each room has been individually designed and has bags of character – ornately carved headboards, antique-style dressers and plenty of velvet. There’s an array of wining and dining options: fresh oysters in the Eddison Restaurant, champagne ice pops on the plant-filled Nurserie Terrace, or perhaps an Irish Painkiller in the plush Ruby Room.

In the historic town of Donegal, this hotel is a few minutes’ drive from the breathtaking scenery of the Wild Atlantic Way. A certified member of the Donegal Food Coast initiative, this one is for the foodies. The Market House Restaurant serves up local steak and seafood straight from the boat at Killybegs in the evening, and an array of fresh salads from the kitchen garden at lunchtime. Conversely, the Abbey Bar is all about real ales and elevated pub grub. After a hearty meal of Irish fare, you can toddle up to bed in one of the plush rooms.

Set in 100 acres (40ha) of parkland, with the ancient woodland of Dún a Rí Forest Park as your backdrop, it doesn’t get more like a fairytale than Cabra Castle. Crenulated turrets, archery slit windows and creeping ivy combine to create a picture-perfect façade. Inside, you’ll find rooms fit for kings and queens with velvet-curtained beds, glowing candelabras and wood-panelled ceilings harking back to medieval days. The Derby Bar is a picture of old-world charm, with a roaring fire in the evenings, and lavish afternoon teas served in the Drawing Room by day.

Greenhills has been in the same family since it opened its doors in 1969, on the outskirts of Limerick. Guests can enjoy access to the Leisure Club next door, which has a full timetable of fitness classes, swim classes and things for kids to do. After a workout, Green’s Café Bar and Restaurant offers a locally sourced menu – or, perhaps, an indulgent afternoon tea on the terrace is more your thing. Each room is individually designed, from comfortable classic-tier rooms for couples to large family rooms.

Spread across acres and acres of Irish countryside, you’ll find lakes for fishing, historic gardens for strolling and a falconry and archery centre when wandering the grounds at Lyrath Estate. Rooms in the 17th-century stately home are decked out with four-poster beds; rooms in the modern annexe are all contemporary luxury. Guests have complimentary access to the estate’s leisure centre, with its swimming pool and gym. If pampering is more your thing, head to the Oasis Spa, which specialises in Elemis and Kerstin Florian treatments.

Glenlo Abbey Hotel blends into the tranquil scenery on the shores of Lough Corrib. This 18th-century mansion offers five-star luxury on a sprawling estate; the grounds are home to a nine-hole parkland golf course, falconry centre and old-style cinema room that transports you back to the 1940s. Even the lowest-tier rooms are crowned with gilded mirrors and gold finishes. The dining experience is something special here in the Pullman Restaurant: two classic Pullman carriages, retaining their Orient Express opulence, sit in the grounds where a fine-dining menu of locally sourced products is served in style.

This magnificent castle has been welcoming guests since the 16th century. On the grounds, you’ll find one of Ireland’s finest parkland golf courses, horse riding, archery and falconry alongside glorious estate walks through woodland and gardens. Accommodation is in sumptuous rooms, resplendent with gold trim and satin cushions. Many of the rooms have lake views, and the most lavish suites have canopy beds and soaking tubs in the en-suite.