Hello, I am just now mapping out my trip with my 3 teen sons for the first week of April starting and ending in Dublin.
We will be doing a SW loop leaving Dublin heading south and going up to the Galway area before going back to Dublin.
Would like to stay at least one night in a castle. I know this is broad question with no specific city but we will be trying to see the Ring of Kerry, Blarney Castle and Cliff of Moher areas and are open to other suggestions. Also I would welcome other cute cottages or farm houses suggestions for this region. Thanks in advance,
Posted by
Land of La
8672 posts
You have posted in the trip reviews section of the Forum. You’ll get more responses if you posted in the Ireland Forum.
I’d also suggest reading the RS Ireland Guide book.
Be advised Blarney Castle is a tourist trap.
What’s your budget? Castle stays aren’t cheap.
Posted by
72 posts
When we stayed near the Ring of Kerry we stayed in Ballyseede Castle. We also stayed in Kinnitty Castle when we visited Ireland.which is not close to Ring of Kerry. In the Dublin area we stayed in what was advertised as a castle but is actually a hotel and not a castle in any definition of the term castle.The name of that one was Fitzpatrick Castle Hotel which seemed like a scam. There is a hotel right near the Blarney castle called Blarney Woolen Mills Hotel.
We really enjoyed both of the “authentic “ Castles mentioned above.
Posted by
Colorado Mountains, USA
7360 posts
On our trip last spring, we stayed in airbnb’s and B&B’s, so I don’t have any castle stay experience to relate. While staying in Macroom (a town in County Cork that Rick Steves recommends for a lunch stop, but it was fabulous for a longer stay), we made a day trip to visit Blarney Castle, and it was a surprisingly fabulous visit. It wasn’t a tourist trap, if you weren’t planning to get trapped. The flowers, gardens, paths and trails, and outdoor sculptures were a wonderful setting, and climbing the stairs and stopping in rooms within the castle were educational and worthwhile, as well. Sure, the goofy kissing of the stone thing is a dumb gimmick, and after climbing to the top of the castle, we walked right by the stone, no need to kiss it, unless you wanted to do that, and pay the attendants for that. The pay parking lot had a small, reasonable charge, and there were no trinket souvenirs thrust upon us tourists. I will say, the day we were there, there were no tour bus groups, and maybe in summer it’s a different place to visit. The woolen mills nearby gave off a more touristy gimmick vibe, and we’d planned on visiting there, but decided to skip the sweater mall and leave Blarney after we departed the great castle and its grounds.
Posted by
Bend, Oregon
2320 posts
Many years ago we stayed at Dromoland Castle near Shannon.
Posted by
SoCal
321 posts
You can stay in a castle that is also a luxurious, modern hotel in Dublin: the Clontarf Castle Hotel. Really terrific. Good food in their restaurants, too.