Between Donegal Town and the wilds of the Blue Stack Mountains, in Ireland’s much underrated northwest, lies the 5 star Lough Eske Castle.
The only castle hotel in Co. Donegal, it was once the seat of the infamous O’Donnell Clan and boasts a tremendous amount of local and national history.
It also has an idyllic lakeside setting, 43 acres of private gardens and woodland, top-rate spa facilities, a choice of quality restaurants and bars, extremely spacious rooms and suites, and a warm welcoming atmosphere throughout.
Lough Eske Castle at a Glance
- Castle: A historic Donegal castle with O’Donnell Clan connections and origins stretching back to the area’s medieval past.
- Accommodation: Four choices ranging from spacious 40 m² Courtyard Rooms to 100 m² Garden Suites, with Deluxe rooms and Junior Suites in between.
- Dining: Cedars offers modern Irish cuisine, while the Fr. Browne Bar, Gallery Bar and Lobby Lounge provide more relaxed food and drink options.
- Setting: An idyllic lakeside estate with 43 acres of private gardens and woodland, beside the Blue Stack Mountains.
- Best For: A peaceful luxury castle stay combining historic character, spacious accommodation, spa facilities, good dining and access to the Donegal countryside.
The Rooms:
You have four accommodation choices at Lough Eske, none of which could be described as standard or basic by any means.
The cheapest of the four are the 40 m² courtyard rooms which lie in the former castle stables.
As entry-level rooms they are very impressive, with lots of space, extremely comfortable beds and soft furnishings, old oak furniture pieces, deep pile rugs, large, very opulent-looking marble bathrooms, and 32-inch TVs amongst other things.
Then, in the castle itself are the 46 m² ‘Delux’ double and twin rooms.
They broadly share the same features as the courtyard rooms, but you are paying an extra premium for the added space and the more atmospheric in-castle setting.
The above choices are large enough and grand enough to be considered suites in most hotels in Ireland, but the suites at Lough Eske are larger still and a bit more stylish and luxurious.
Facilities & Things to Do:
The Cara Spa has a lovely setting in the adjacent, original Victorian Glass House building.
There you will find an indoor swimming pool, a fitness centre/gym, seven treatment rooms (including two couple’s rooms) jet baths, steam rooms, and a thermal suite with steam room, sauna, ice fountain, and sanarium.
The main restaurant at the castle is Cedars, which has a lovely dining hall with floor-to-ceiling windows and an outdoor terrace overlooking the gardens and the surrounding woodland.
It is a stylish but relaxed and unpretentious venue, and the food is ‘modern Irish’, hearty fare with a great emphasis on fresh, seasonal, and local ingredients.
Pub food is also served throughout the day at the Fr. Browne Bar, which is a warm, cosy place with stone floors, soft leather seating, and traditional decor.
The Location:
Less than 10 minutes from Donegal Town, with the Blue Stack Mountains just across the lake, the setting is idyllic and utterly peaceful.
There are plenty of good areas for hiking around here, and it is also just minutes away from Donegal Bay and the Blue Flag Rossnowlagh Beach, known as one of Europe’s best surf beaches.
The nearest large towns are Sligo and Letterkenny, both around 45 minutes away, with Enniskillen and Derry City being around an hour.
The journey from Dublin should take just over three hours, with Belfast being just over two.
Some History:
Like most of the northwest, Lough Eske was under the control of the fabled O’Donnells for most of the late medieval era.
They had a prison on an island in the lake, known as O’Donnell’s Island, with the original Lough Eske Castle being built later by them around 1474.
Lough Eske was also the venue for a Franciscan Friary in 1601, but with the collapse of the ancient Gaelic order in Ireland, the position of the O’Donnell’s and Catholic institutions like the Lough Eske Friary quickly became untenable.
In September 1607, Rory O’Donnell, Earl of Tyrconnell, along with Hugh O’Neill, Earl of Tyrone, exiled themselves to France, then on to Italy and Spain, in what became known as the Flight of Earls.
Guest Reviews:
“The location is stunning. The food was incredible; flavours were amazing. I’m vegetarian, and the food was creative and delicious. Staff were very friendly and helpful….”
Read all guest reviews at Booking.com
Our Verdict
Lough Eske Castle stands out for being the only castle hotel in Donegal. It’s a place with genuine historic character, a scenic Donegal setting, 5-star facilities and spacious accommodation.
Set beside a lake and surrounded by gardens and woodland, the large estate provides a real escape; Lough Eske is a destination in its own right.
The rooms won’t disappoint here, from the spacious Courtyard Rooms to the Junior and Garden Suites, with the castle rooms being, for us, the most atmospheric.
There’s the Cara Spa, an indoor pool, restaurants, bars and extensive grounds, which you can just go wander for hours, to keep you occupied.
It’s pretty isolated, but for a peaceful countryside escape, that isolation, of course, is part of the appeal.
Overall, we think Lough Eske delivers an excellent luxury castle hotel experience, combining history, scenery, spacious rooms and strong facilities.
