County Clare, Galway, and the Aran Islands Hotels

Some of Ireland's finest country-house and castle hotels are in this area. Dromoland Castle, between Shannon Airport and Ennis, provides a standard of luxury that you should experience at least once, if you can stretch your budget. Star country-house destinations include the creeper-clad Georgian house, known as Gregan's Castle Hotel, a tranquil retreat with views of the Burren and Galway Bay, and the more modest but also charming Ballinalacken Castle, a shooting lodge set in 100 acres of wildflower meadows next to the ruins of an O'Brien castle. Other memorable destinations include the cliff-top Moy House at Lahinch, and, in total contrast, the exuberantly glitzy "g" Hotel in Galway. Among the newer, midrange hotels, Vaughan Lodge in Lahinch and the Park House Hotel in Galway's city center offer exceptional standards of comfort and design. Indoor pools and tennis courts are the exception rather than the rule in this region, where business is largely seasonal and the emphasis is on outdoor pursuits. Note: During peak events, such as the Galway Festival Race Week, hotel rates in Galway shoot up.