Best Castle Hotels near Dublin in 2023

Ireland’s oldest inhabited castle, the very imposing, 12th century Kilkea Castle, in Kildare, near Dublin is now one of Ireland’s very finest luxury hotels. It has an abundance of historical character and is surrounded by a 180 acre estate which includes some beautifully tended gardens, much wild parkland and woodland, and even its own 18 hole golf course. THE ACCOMMODATION: Kilkea has a broad a range of accommodation options; rooms and suites in the castle itself, courtyard rooms in the old castle outbuildings and separate lodges on the grounds of the estate, both B&B rooms and self catering. There is also the option of hiring out the entire castle for exclusive use or a three bedroom section of it. If you have a large group this will work out much cheaper than booking individually, but as demand for Kilkea is always high it should be certainly be reserved well in advance. The castle bedrooms are the most historical in style, with the suites being particularly romantic, while the courtyard rooms and the lodges are more modern, though not excessively so and they too display much old style elegance. Modern comforts and facilities are also in abundance though, it is a READ MORE

A very grand 4 star Castle Hotel near Dublin Airport, Ireland, Cabra Castle is a beautiful sight both inside and out, and a place where luxury and old world elegance is complimented by friendly, hospitable staff, good food and drink and the acres of ancient woodland of the surrounding Dun A Ri Forest Park. THE ACCOMMODATION: In the castle itself there is a choice of old style luxury double/twin bedrooms, while outside in the grounds there are the cottage or courtyard rooms, which though more modern looking on the outside, on the inside they are also very nicely finished and furnished in traditional style. Check your options on the booking page here. FACILITIES & THINGS TO DO:   All guests have access to the castle itself, and it is a truly magnificent property. You can explore the old corridors, the various drawing rooms, the wonderful gardens outside, and of course the Courtyard Restaurant and Derby Bar. The interiors are beautifully elegant, full of period fittings and furniture that lend a distinctly old world atmosphere. Being a place of historical interest, the castle also sees a number of day visitors and is open to the gaze of the admiring public between the READ MORE

The nearest castle hotel to the centre of Ireland’s capital, Dublin, the 4-star Clontarf Castle has luxury accommodation in what is now a blend of 12th-century castle site, 18th-century manor house, and 21st-century hotel. It takes a lot of good design to get the balance right and Clontarf Castle manages it, with the first sight of the very Celtic Tiger-looking glass entrance foyer somehow managing to not look incongruous against the ancient ivy-covered tower walls behind. Once inside the theme continues with the bright and bold interiors balancing smartly the old and the new.  In the bedrooms, though the relatively modern usually edges it; think old-fashioned luxury city hotel rather than a classic castle hotel. Relatively modern or not though, they are stylish and chic and all things considered, Clontarf Castle makes an excellent luxury city hotel with a historic twist. THE ACCOMMODATION: The accommodation consists of standard double rooms and ‘executive rooms’ i.e. suites which have an adjoining seating area and the extra charm of a four-poster bed. Though nothing about the rooms stands out in terms of features, in particular historic features, they are all nicely designed, well appointed, and thoroughly clean and comfortable. Facilities include interactive satellite READ MORE