Castlemartyr Castle Resort has 5-star accommodation near Midleton, East Cork, adjacent to the ruins of the 800-year-old castle that bears its name.
The centrepiece building is the 18th-century manor house, but most of the 103 rooms and suites are in two adjacent modern wings.
Castlemartyr Castle Resort at a Glance
- Castle: An 18th-century manor house beside the ruins of the 800-year-old castle that gives the resort its name.
- Accommodation: 103 rooms and suites, with historic Manor State Rooms and Grand Suites in the old manor house alongside contemporary rooms in two modern wings.
- Dining: Terre offers modern French cuisine with Asian influences and Michelin-starred dining, alongside Canopy and three bars serving food.
- Setting: A 220-acre estate of landscaped gardens, green fields, woodlands, a lake and an 18-hole golf course.
- Best For: A luxurious country-estate stay, particularly for guests who value historic character, spacious accommodation, excellent dining and extensive facilities.
The Rooms:
Most then, but not all. The old manor house is the location for the Manor State Rooms and the Manor House Grand Suites, which you’ll see on the booking page here.
If you’re, like us, into historic hotels, you’ll doubtless prefer these over the very nice but decidedly contemporary rooms of the modern wings.
The Manor House Grand Suites are particularly generous with the historic vibes and, if you can afford it, worth the splurge.
All rooms, across all buildings, are remarkably spacious and kitted out with expensive fabrics, antique furniture and 5-star mod cons.
Some Facilities:
Adjacent to the hotel itself, you have perhaps the best spa and wellness centres of any castle hotel in Ireland, along with a 20-metre swimming pool.
The Estate covers 220 acres of landscaped gardens, green fields, woodlands, a lake and an 18-hole golf course.
Your options for dining are very impressive – their Terre Restaurant won a Michelin Star just 6 months after opening and now has two under Head Chef Vincent Crepel.
The cuisine is modern French with Asian influences. They do lengthy, unhurried tasting menus with paired wines and other drinks. There’s an open kitchen and dishes are often finished table side.
The Location:
Castlemartyr is 40 miles by car from the city of Cork, and its international airport, in a relatively isolated (getting there by public transport will be a challenge) part of East Cork.
The journey from Dublin should take two and a half to three hours.
Guest Reviews:
“I loved our room! So spacious and beautifully decorated and full of natural light. Gorgeous bathroom too. Hotel is very clean and communal areas are also well kept and beautiful. Staff were excellent. Friendly and helpful from the moment we arrived. Loved the meal at the Canopy. The large chess and beautiful gardens on the grounds. An oasis not far from Cork City…..”
Read all guest reviews at Booking.com
Our Verdict
Castlemartyr Castle Resort combines the atmosphere of a historic Irish country estate with the facilities and standards of a modern five-star resort.
The 18th-century manor house, estate and castle ruins give it genuine historic character.
For us, the Manor State Rooms and especially the Manor House Grand Suites are the pick of the rooms.
Dining is a major strength of Castlemartyr, with Terre providing ambitious fine dining alongside more casual options at Canopy and the bars.
The extensive grounds, spa, pool and golf course make this a destination in itself, and its relatively isolated location means it is a bit of a destination in itself.
It’s a wonderful hotel, and not the kind of place you’d come for just one night; we’d say stay for at least three if you really want to spoil yourself.
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