17 Best Hotels in Dublin Environs, Ireland

Just north of Dundalk, this Victorian mansion with a slightly severe but elegant modern addition sits on 130 acres on the scenic Cooley Peninsula. The place has a reputation for comfort and good cuisine. Reproduction period pieces fill the extra-large guest rooms, which overlook either the spacious gardens or the old stable yard. The restaurant serves a set menu of Irish and French cuisine; it specializes in lobster and other fresh seafood in season. The wonderful Terrace Bar is perfect for a chilled-out drink. The golf course and leisure club also have a great reputation.

With a 13th-century castle keep at one end, an Elizabethan section in the middle, a large Georgian country house at the other end, and a modern wing, Barberstown Castle represents 750 years of Irish history. Ask for a room in one of the older sections, where turf fires blaze in ornate fireplaces in the sumptuously decorated lounges. Reproduction pieces fill the bedrooms, some of which have four-poster beds. The Georgian-style restaurant serves a creative blend of French and Irish country house cuisine, and afternoon tea in the Garden Bar is a delight.

Surrounded by 12 acres on the banks of the Boyne, this splendid 1750 country house retains the glories of the original architecture while adding a few modern twists. Contemporary lighting, handmade ash-wood furniture, and futuristic art installations mix cleverly with the drawing room's 18th-century decorative plasterwork. Historically, this was once the home of the infamously wild, party-loving Briscoe clan (their hijinks included a crazy dig for the Ark of the Covenant on the Hill of Tara). Modern rooms have been constructed in the old pavilion wings and the stables have been turned into compact modern apartments, but the massive bedrooms in the main house are the real Georgian gems of Bellinter. Their huge windows allow light to play across the wood-panel walls and deep yellow rugs. The elegant Bathhouse spa ensures maximum luxury.

Once owned by a Drogheda brewing family, this 19th-century mansion has been restored in period fashion with Neoclassical pillars, intricate plasterwork, and crystal chandeliers. The newer wing has contemporary-style guest rooms, all with slightly uninspired furnishings and plenty of bright flower prints and pastels. A large conservatory with a bar overlooks the grounds, while a spacious hall is decorated with antiques and comfy chairs. The bistro specializes in fresh fish and big steaks.

Located in a spectacular valley, 30 km (18 miles) from Wicklow Town, this serene country house has a get-away-from-it-all feel, but that doesn't mean it skimps on the luxury. It's a spa and culinary hot spot, as well as a stunning place to stay. Big, modern rooms have a touch of country-house style, and four-poster beds grace some of the suites. The design and setting ensure glorious views from almost every window. The grounds include an organic bakery, two restaurants, wine and crafts shops, a championship golf course, and a geo thermal spa.

The team from the celebrated Cliff House in Ardmore have brought their modern Irish style to bear at this carefully restored tiny village of 18th-century buildings in the rolling Kildare countryside, a half hour from Dublin. The rose-clad structures, set in an old country estate, have been transformed into a hotel, apartments, and cottages all individually decorated. Rooms in the Majors and Stables buildings set around the central pond are more modern while the cottages are more homey and characterful. The beautiful grounds along the banks of the Grand Canal are perfect for a romantic walk or bike ride (bikes are available), and the high-end spa in a restored Carriage House offers luxurious, botanical-themed organic treatments. 

On 2 acres of flower gardens (the Knot Garden is an award winner) beside the Vartry River, the beautiful Hunter's Hotel is the oldest coaching inn in Ireland. It has been owned and operated by the same family since 1820, and the decor reveals as much—nothing inside, from the taxidermied animals on the walls to the tiny, cozy bar, feels like it's there for show, but instead seems to have been placed in that spot by time itself. The guest rooms are simple, bright, and neat, with lovely period furnishings. Ask for one overlooking the gorgeous gardens so the sound of the river can lull you to sleep. The restaurant prepares good, hearty food, with local game a regular feature.

An early-20th-century redbrick gem in the heart of Dundalk, Innisfree House is a shockingly good value considering the genteel, stylish atmosphere created by the beautiful Edwardian furniture and antiques throughout. All nine bedrooms are carefully decorated in a lovingly cluttered style—try to get a room with one of the grander metal or wooden framed old-school beds. Dinner can be booked in the "days of yore" dining room.

The luxurious spa and health center are the big attractions at this family-owned hotel on 10 acres of flower-filled gardens. Light is a constant theme in the spacious bedrooms, all of which have pastel-color accents and big windows overlooking the lawns below. Giant wall murals in the Derby Room restaurant are dedicated to the true heroes of Kildare, those famous racehorses. Don't miss the chance to take a dip in the ancient-Roman-style pool—it's a real miniature sea of tranquility.

The gargantuan Palladian-style exterior of this Xanadu may seem out of place in the bucolic surroundings, but luxury always makes itself at home, and the views of the fabled Sugar Loaf peak outside the soaring windows are breathtaking. Once you're past a cavernous lobby, the hotel's decor strikes just the right glamorous note, which is held throughout the hotel's lavish array of restaurants, bar, lobbies, and other deliciously sumptuous settings. Guest rooms with a view cost a bit more, but even the standard rooms—in relaxing beige and robin's-egg blue with modern versions of 18th-century furnishings—are large and have marble bathrooms warmed by under-floor heating. Conversation-worthy are the TV sets recessed into bathroom mirrors, the mammoth crystal-lighted indoor pool, and the "lifestyle" showers at the spa, one of the most luxurious in Ireland. Taste buds are indulged, too, thanks to the Sika restaurant. Cheaper fare is available at McGills' pub, while the Sugar Loaf Lounge is just the place to sit on an emerald-green settee and count your blessings.

A lovely hotel set on more than 50 acres of parkland, Rathsallagh House first came into being when the low-slung, ivy-covered Queen Anne stables were converted into a farmhouse in 1798. Enveloping couches and chairs, large windows, handsome fireplaces, and lots of lamps welcome you to the two drawing rooms. Large guest rooms have enchanting, pastoral names like Buttercup, Over Arch, and the Yellow Room, with its claw-foot bath set in an alcove. Try to get a room overlooking the walled garden, where the scent of wildflowers wafts in through the beautiful French doors. The outstanding haute-Irish dinner menu changes daily. Specialties include venison with a walnut-and-herb crust, roast baby squash, and brussels sprouts. 

A sumptuous Georgian-era manor house with a classic walled garden and 80 acres of breathtaking parkland, no expense was spared in the loving restoration of what is often lauded as Ireland's best private house hotel. This squat, two-story house is sheltered by a forested hill. The property was once in a state of absolute disrepair, but owners Trish and Brian Conroy brought the seven guest rooms and seven courtyard cottages up-to-date, restoring delicate plasterwork ceilings and adding cascading drapes and Sheraton-style antiques. In the former cowshed, the Brabazon restaurant offers great outdoor dining options in summer and an intimate, romantic dining room for the cooler months.

A dramatic location on the south bank of the Boyne easily makes up for the slightly functional exterior of this trendy hotel in the center of medieval Drogheda. Happily, the guest rooms have a modern feel, and plenty of room to spread out. Request one on a higher floor with a vista out over the water and the town to the Boyne Valley beyond. Decorated in light woods and muted colors, the rooms have a touch of luxury in the goose-down duvets and elegant bathrooms. The buzzy Hops Bar is a favorite hangout for locals and visitors alike, and Godwins Stakehouse is a solid choice for dining, with good river views.

Manicured gardens and the renowned Arnold Palmer–designed K Club golf course surround this mansard-roof country mansion. Spacious, comfortable guest rooms, each uniquely decorated with antiques, have large windows that overlook either the Liffey or the golf course. The rooms in the old house have the most atmosphere, and if you need extra space you can also opt for several cottages on the property. The Barton restaurant serves a French menu with Irish flair, and supported with a lot of the vegetables grown in their own gardens. Their wine cellar is one of the finest in the country.

The "House of O'Catháin" is a Tudor-style country cottage with artfully decorated guest rooms and lovely gardens out back and in front that are perfect for lounging around in the sun. Owner Marie Keane has color-coded her four large bedrooms to echo the natural colors found in the region. Family rooms include a double and two single beds.

This 1990s lodge may not be genuine Tudor, but it's a wonderfully cozy and serene B&B only half a mile from the entrance to Glendalough. The large, window-filled house is nestled beside the Avonmore River and across the road from one of the most spectacular sections of the Wicklow Way walking trail. Inside, the rooms are big for a B&B, with loads of light. The riverside patio is a perfect spot to laze away a summer evening. The owners are delighted to book walking guides, horse-riding excursions, transport, and local restaurants.

This 95-foot-high stone tower—first built in 1781—once supported an eight-sided lantern, and has been renovated by the Irish Landmark Trust as a delightfully quirky lodging. It sleeps four to six people in two octagonal bedrooms and a sofa bed in the sitting room. The kitchen and dining room at the top have stunning views out over the coast. Don't forget anything in the car; it's a long way down. You rent the entire lighthouse. The old lighthouse is just south of town on Wicklow Head, right next to the new, automated one.