Once a tumbledown bungalow populated by mountain goats, this
place was spruced up by a local family to become the
sustainable-luxe lakeside hideaway it is today. Beneath the red-tin
roof, furnishings have been crafted from local Douglas fir and a
concrete floor colour-matched to the Iveragh Peninsula. Our
favourite part? Stargazing from the sunken tub in the glass-roofed
bathroom – Kerry is Ireland’s first International Dark Sky
Reserve.

This intimate, modernist hotel offers a self-proclaimed
“elemental travel experience” amid the jagged cliffs and barren
beaches of Inishmaan, the least-visited of the three Aran Islands
strung across Galway Bay. If you want a proper getaway, this is
your place. The five suites immerse guests in the natural
environment (as do the complimentary bikes and binoculars), but the
real draw is the restaurant helmed by local chef Ruairí de
Blacam.

This 13th-century pad was home to the Guinness family before
being converted to a hotel in 1939. Palatial features and the kind
of extravagance that’s just the right side of antiquated have drawn
a star-studded clientele including King George V, Ronald Reagan and
Mia Farrow. After a morning riding Ashford’s Connemara ponies,
unwind in the spa before going all out on the tasting menu in
the George V Dining Room. Ireland has no shortage of castle hotels
– for an equally regal getaway, try Gallway’s Ballynahinch Castle Hotel or club together with
friends and family to take over the 15th-century Tubbrid Castle
in Kilkenny.

Set amid 300 acres of East Cork countryside and accessed by
tree-lined avenues, this Georgian, Allen-family home-turned-hotel
draws epicureans with its award-winning kitchen, working farm and,
of course, the famed Ballymaloe Cookery School – it’d be a shame not to
book onto one of the courses during your stay. Work up an appetite
in the on-site pool, on the tennis court or atop one of
Ballymaloe’s complimentary bikes. If you’re the type that travels
through their stomach, Tannery Townhouse in Dungarvan, Waterford is
another great option.

Set on a cliff edge in the southeastern town of Youghal, this
200-year-old lighthouse was voted among Ireland’s best homes of 2020 after
a sympathetic renovation project pimped the place with a
rustic-luxe open-plan living area, a sea-facing bathtub and
self-catering kitchen kitted out with a butcher’s sink and Smeg
fridge. Sleeps six. Like this? The country is dotted with
lighthouses you can stay in. Try Wicklow Head (Ireland’s oldest of its kind) or
Fanad
Head, perched on the Wild Atlantic Way.

This Regency mansion was one of Ireland’s most magnificent in
its heyday and, after a nine-year restoration, it holds claim to
that title yet again. Backdropped by the Slieve Bloom Mountains,
the 19th-century property and its sprawling demesne (that’s 600
acres of parkland to you and me) are bastions of grandiose
romanticism. The steep price tag makes this a special-occasion
stay, but for the big bucks you’ll be pampered in rooms crammed
with period furniture and Irish art. Book the Westmeath; its bed is
shaped like a Faberge egg.

Visiting the Emerald Isle’s capital doesn’t mean dropping the
cash equivalent of rare gems at check-in. At that sweet spot
between blowout and budget, The Dean is an urban bolthole
characterised by smooth concrete, warm woods and big-brand gadgets.
Shops and bars populate nearby streets, but this place is a
destination in its own right, thanks to rooftop bar Sophie’s and a lobby that hosts DJs.
Like this? Knock elbows with Dublin’s cool crowd in sister hotel
The Devlin or The Alex.

Built in 1878 as a home for retired governesses, The Wilder is
now one of Dublin 2’s hottest hotel tickets with jewel-toned
velvets, botanical motifs and literary leanings. Think of it as The
Dean for grown-ups. In place of a lively rooftop bar, this
Victorian-era, russet-brick townhouse conceals an art-deco Gin and Tea Rooms stocked with bespoke
tipples from across Ireland. Say “Sláinte!” before heading up to
one of the aptly named Popular rooms.

June Blake is behind Ireland’s best rural garden and, thankfully
for visitors, two 19th-century farm buildings here have been
transformed into Pinterest-worthy rentals. The Cow received Best
House at the 2014 Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland
Awards, but we love the newer Turkey for its dramatic concrete
stairs, Douglas fir “spine wall” and circular gable window. When
you’ve done admiring the interior, the Wicklow Mountains are on
your doorstep.

Sheltered by hills on the Wild Atlantic Way, Ard Nahoo has been
ranked among the world’s best retreats, making it ideal for the
cooped-up, city-weary and eco-conscious. Wash away your worries
with an Uisce Hour in the detox box or throw a few asanas with yoga
teacher and owner Noeleen Tyrrell before bedding down in one of
three self-catering eco-cabins.

We like checking in here come winter, when the vaulted Great
Hall greets guests with roaring fires and freshly baked barmbrack
bread – perfect for defrosting after walks along the River Maigue.
Nevertheless, we’d settle for a spin on its duck-egg-blue Pashley
bikes in warmer climes. Take afternoon tea in the Gallery (Ireland’s
second-longest room) then bide your time until supper in the spa,
the well-stocked library, on-site cinema or subterranean whiskey
bar. For something more central, try No.1 Pery Square Hotel & Spa in Limerick’s
Georgian quarter.

Rising from Horn Head on Ireland’s northwesternmost reaches,
Breac.House enjoys brightness until midnight in summer and the
dancing Northern Lights in winter. “Connection to place” is the
ethos here, and that manifests in everything from the
Letterkenny-based architect who decked out the property with Ardara
quartz and Fanad granite to breakfasts of salmon from nearby Haven
Smokehouse and vistas of Sheephaven Bay’s thrashing waves.

Overlooking Kenmare Bay, this Victorian pile is Kerry’s grande
dame of hotels – though, despite the old-school peat fires,
romantically antiquated bedrooms and polished staff, there’s
nothing stuffy about the place. For us, the SAMAS spa is the
standout, thanks to a thermal infinity pool that opens onto the
wilderness – best enjoyed after a tai chi session in the Yoga
Pavilion and before a two-AA Rosette-winning tasting menu of
seasonal Irish fare.

Gazing across Sligo Bay to Oyster Island, The Driftwood is a sweet
stop-off along the Wild Atlantic Way. Individually designed rooms
ooze character courtesy of reclaimed pieces (we love the old barn
doors), cast-iron tubs and bold prints balanced by muted, earthy
tones and textures. Smoked local meats and seafood are the order of
the day in the restaurant thanks to owner Paudie’s dab hand with
the Pitmaster. Best enjoyed before a stroll along nearby Rosses
Point Beach. Coopershill House is another great option if
you’re staying in Sligo.

In the secluded Blackwater Valley, this 18th-century, Italianate
manor is renowned as Ireland’s coolest wedding venue. Yet to
preserve its romanticism for such nuptials is to miss out. Pootle
about the estate – the bluebell woods are especially good around
June – before sinking into a sofa with owner Justin’s signature
martini (the Green family crafts Bertha’s Revenge gin on-site). The
six rooms are all oversized headboards, freestanding baths,
Marshall speakers and views of the Galtee mountains, and can be
rented out en masse. What we love about Ballyvolane is that it has
a host of glamping options to boot, with bell tents and a revamped
pig ark almost as comfortable as the bedrooms in the main
house.

This adults-only retreat is a destination in its own right.
Voted Ireland’s best spa, Monart is a place where white robes,
Swedish massage and yoga are du jour. State-of-the-art thermal suites are
the headline act, with Finnish saunas, salt grottos, a caldarium,
infra-red rooms and floor-to-ceiling windows framing the
countryside beyond – spend the day here before devouring seafood
lasagne with trout caviar in the fine-dining restaurant. If you’re
a fan of Monart, Waterford’s Cliff House Hotel (and its sister rental property
Cliff Beach House) will likely float your boat too.