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Whether it’s Ireland’s wonderful mythology and storytelling you find impossibly romantic, or the lilting Gaelic music, or the wonderful rolling green of this landscape, or the crash and drama of the coastline, or the numerous golf courses, or how all these things seem when viewed through the amber-y glow of a glass of whiskey that appeals to you, we can all agree that Ireland is a country of much romance! But because we all have different things in mind when it comes to romance we've collated what we think are the most romantic hotels in Ireland. We’ve got some wonderfully remote B&Bs, sea views or mountain views, all out luxury, country house opulence and chic city break material here, so use our guide and start to plan that romantic getaway!
Ireland’s Best Honeymoon Hotels
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- Unforgettable in its grandeur, Ballyfin is an immaculately restored Regency era country mansion at the foot of the Slieve Bloom mountains. There are only 15 rooms, all of them dripping with gorgeous antiques, only the most sumptuous of fabrics and fittings and original Irish art. In addition to the beauty inside you’re treated to 610 acres of private parkland and manicured grounds, where you can try falconry and clay pigeon shooting, ride one of the horses in the hotel stable, play tennis, or go boating on the lake, and then follow it all up with a wine or whiskey tasting with the sommelier. There’s also an award winning spa and supper is a grand affair, sometimes fancy dress, and often an eight-course tasting menu. Kim and Kanye honeymooned here.
Most Romantic Escapes
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- In an incredible spot on County Kerry’s Lough Caragh, Carrig Country House was an elegant, Victorian lakeside mansion, but is now a 17 room hotel with wonderful views, four acres of beautiful, lush garden and a restaurant which has been very highly recommended — try the lough trout or salmon. The decor is period style, with some lovely antiques, four-poster beds in some rooms and sophisticated fabrics and wallpapers. This is the perfect place for a relaxing escape.
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- Tankardstown House brims with Georgian charm, from its boxy, big-windowed exterior to its elegantly panelled walls, decorative ceilings and impressive marble fireplaces. Upstairs are six guest rooms, all traditionally dressed and delightful. Surrounded by landscaped gardens and 80 acres of its own woodland estate in Meath, this is a proper country escape. Don’t worry about going hungry: the restaurant is excellent.
- The Killarney Royal Hotel is a stately boutique hotel in a great spot in Killarney on the shores of Lough Leane. This isn’t a total escape, the hotel itself is in the centre of a small, but vibrant, town, but the location offers the sort of activities and opportunities for peace and privacy that you’d normally find at an ‘escape hotel’. Its 32 rooms and suites are sumptuously decorated: think patterned damask drapes, delicate floral fabrics, elegant shaped furniture and large windows. They have family suites too.
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- Newforge House is a small and sophisticated, family-run country house hotel in a beautifully neat Georgian manor house, which has been in the same family for six generations: the two current generations live in elegant outbuildings giving guests the run of the main house. There are just six rooms and suites, all with plenty of light from the large sash windows, fireplaces, tasteful antiques and art and subtle tones. There’s a small restaurant with an excellent wine list and great, seasonal dishes — one of the family is a professional chef. And you’re in a fantastic position if you want to do a spot of walking or trekking, or cycling or birdwatching.
Romantic Country House Hotels
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- Set in 35 acres of gardens in County Wexford, Marlfield is a beautiful, traditional country house hotel with 19 rooms and a superb restaurant. Expect roaring fires, crystal glasses on silver trays, classical music, four-poster beds, fresh flowers everywhere, chandeliers and antique furniture. And someone will unpack your bag for you if you permit them. For the full romantic experience you can arrange a special dinner in one of their sumptuous suites. Or take afternoon tea in their elegant restaurant.
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- Bellinter House is a wonderfully romantic looking Palladian country pile turned 34 country house hotel. During its conversion each of the house’s rooms and suites was individually designed, so have a look at a few. All over the feeling is of luxury, from the restaurant, which is an offshoot of the award-winning Eden in Temple Bar, to the views over the Boyne Valley, and the wide range of treatments available at the Bathhouse Spa. And you’re just 30minutes from Dublin.
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- Just back from Lough Leane, just outside Killarney and on the borders of the Killarney National Park, the Cahernane House Hotel is in just the spot for a country house escape. Ideal for walking, fishing, cycling or horse riding, this rather grand and luxurious manor has been converted into a luxurious 40 room hotel. The best rooms are within the original house, but there’s a more modern extension too. The restaurant is one of this hotel’s other draws, it has won several fine dining awards and is a great addition to a weekend break in the countryside.
For a City Break
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- Dublin’s The Wilder is a stylish, Victorian era townhouse with 30 individually designed rooms, all featuring original fireplaces and rich fabrics in a regal palette. There’s an award-winning bistro, but the Gin and Tea Rooms is the place for tea or cocktails — made using the hotel’s bespoke craft gin. This is a fabulous place for a stylishly romantic city break, close to many of the main sights, yet still intimate.
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- Hayfield Manor has all the country elegance, space and green seclusion of a country house hotel, but it’s only minutes from the centre of Cork city. With 88 rooms and suites, some of them huge, this is quite a large hotel, offering some generous facilities to match. There are two restaurants, one award-winning fine dining, the other a casual bistro, an impressive spa offering a wide selection of Elemis treatments, a gym and carefully manicured grounds that make it feel secluded. But you’re still within a short walk of the attractions and nightlife of Cork.
- House Belfast is a chic hotel on Botanic Avenue in the heart of Belfast, with 31 rooms decorated in plush wallpapers and fabrics, quirky art and crisp linens. There’s a great cocktail bar and a lively restaurant. The perfect match to this lively city. It’s also great value.
For a Spa Hotel
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- With gorgeous, reviving views of the River Moy, the Ice House Hotel and Spa, is an excellent place to come for a relaxing and pampering escape. The top of the range spa overlooks the river too, as does its outdoor barrel bath sauna. The hotel has 32 rooms in two styles: luxuriously tradition or minimalist chic. They also offer a babysitting service. This is a fantastic building to, it was the 19th century Salmon Ice House. County Mayo is also known for its fishing and golf.
Some of the Most Romantic B&Bs in Ireland
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- Also one of Ireland’s most romantic escapes, Breac.House is an architectural darling, set in the rugged landscape of rural northwest Donegal. With just three B&B rooms each with panoramic sea views — which you can take advantage from out of the floor to ceiling windows or on your private terrace, and artisan furnishings which champion local materials, this is an intimate bolthole in a wild location, perfect for spending time together relaxed and unplugged. There’s a cosy, wood-fired sauna, complimentary seaweed baths and bike hire, and they’ll deliver breakfast to you on a tray right to your bed.
- Also small, rural and idyllic, but wrapped in a far more traditional package, Kilgraney House is a five room, two suite B&B close to Kilkenny Castle and Duiske Abbey, County Carlow. The suites are more like apartments, really, with full kitchens and living spaces. There’s also an elegant drawing room to share, plus on Friday and Saturday nights they put on a seven-course seasonal tasting menu, using herbs and vegetables from the lovely gardens.
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- For coastal views from gorgeous white-on-white country chic bedrooms try Saltwater House in Portstewart, close to the Giant's Causeway. It has just five rooms, a wonderful terrace-with-a-view and delicious breakfast. It’s adults only, and very popular with golfers.
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- In a perfectly peaceful spot on Galway’s coast, The Quay House offers a warm, traditional welcome, complete with family heirlooms and an open hearth under marble fireplace and huge gilt mirror frames. Originally built for the Clifden harbourmaster 200 years ago, this is a large home, now with 15 rooms available to guests, all individually decorated with period themed antiques and curios. The breakfast room is reassuringly filled with plants. This is a great spot for windswept coastal walks and cycles. Book one of the Harbour View rooms for added romance.
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- If you’re looking for something a bit smaller you might prefer Knockeven House, a five room B&B with an historic feel, just outside Cobh, a pretty town on the Cork coast. With spacious rooms, sumptuous fabrics, beautiful corniced ceilings, a lounge with an open fireplace and lots of lovely antiques, this is the place to come if you want something small and intimate, yet still luxurious feeling.
Great Value Hotels for Couples
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- In a tiny hamlet just along the coast from Belfast is the utterly charming The Old Inn. Old to the point of having a thatched roof, enormous fireplaces, tiny windowpanes and a collection of impressive four-posted beds in its 33 rooms — the most impressive beds can be found in the Historic Suites. This is a relatively affordable spot, but it feels indulgent because of the impressive scale of the features and the rich colour palette. The restaurant is absolutely excellent too.
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- In pretty Adare, just south of Limerick, the Dunraven Arms Hotel is a country house hotel/inn first established in 1792. As well as being historic, the Dunraven Arms has a superb spa and 90 really beautiful rooms. It also has a very elegant restaurant and a pub with plenty of charm. The surroundings offer a wonderful backdrop to a ramble. And it’s very affordable.
- The Mustard Seed is a sort of restaurant with rooms, but with 16 rooms, which is quite a lot, so maybe a better description would be a fine-dining hotel. The restaurant is also called The Mustard Seed, and foodies come here for the four course table d’hote menu, which is a celebration of local produce. You’re also well located for fishing, golf, horse riding and walking.
If you haven’t found your idea of the most romantic hotel in Ireland on our Guru’s list you could: