25 Best Hotels in County Clare, Galway, and the Aran Islands, Ireland

A remote, luxurious restaurant--hotel with sweeping sea views and a minimalist interior, Inis Meáin Restaurant and Suites offers a unique, modern-monastic retreat in a stunning, low-lying stone-and-glass building that blends with the stonescape of the island. Marie-Thérèse and Ruairí de Blacam's five much-in-demand suites are free of all modern distractions such as TVs or other electronics, featuring a simple, natural blend of stone, wood, and wool and a private terrace so that the focus is directed outward to the exceptional sea and island views, and indirectly inward, as quiet reflection and contemplation is unavoidable in such a private setting. A packed lunch (with homemade soup in a thermos) along with the Inis Meáin Exploration Kit in each suite---island-customized bicycles, binoculars, baited fishing rod, ash walking sticks, beach towels, maps, guides---facilitate exploration of the island.

With structures that date back to the 11th and 16th centuries, and now one of Ireland's grandest hotels, Dromoland Castle's picture-perfect setting and lavish finishes offer a classic fairy-tale feel but with modern comforts. Public spaces are richly decorated with velvet and hardwood furniture and fittings in traditional heritage hues of green, yellow, and crimson; curtains, carpets, chairs, couches, and timber walls capture the essence of an important period home. The large hearth is the focal point for guests who lounge in its glow, while sparkling crystal chandeliers illuminate ancestral portraits. The bedrooms, on the other hand, tell three different stories spanning as many centuries. Much of the recent refurbishment costs have been lavished here, with the addition of luxurious en suite bathrooms and upgrades to bedroom decor, soundproofing, and air-conditioning. Accommodations in the original 19th-century castle cleverly integrate heritage style with modern flair: spacious rooms feature scaled-back Baroque patterns in soothing tones and fresh linen covers on the four-poster beds. Dromoland's Queen Anne section contains the hotel's fully refurbished standard rooms housed in quadrangle-shape 18th-century stables, with all rooms facing an internal courtyard. While the rooms are comparatively modest in size, they are furnished to the same high standard. The final bedroom section is a 20th-century expansion that lies farthest from reception. For dining, the Fig Tree Restaurant in the golf clubhouse offers a casual fireside option, while the Earl of Thomond Restaurant is the place for a chandeliered European feast. Afternoon tea is popular with locals; book ahead. The hotel offers a stunning golf course, tennis, fishing, spa, falconry, and woodlands perfect for jogging and cycling.

Take a stroll through the castle's arched hedge to its ornate garden and note the ancient stone entrance. It was taken from the family's earlier palace on the outskirts of the Burren, Lemanagh Castle.

Built for Sir Augustine Fitzgerald, this enchanting, 18th-century Italianate-style lodge sits amid 15 private acres on an exhilarating, Wuthering Heights–like windswept cliff top that's a three-minute drive from Lahinch. It's a world away from the bustling seaside resort—a peaceful haven, where you are made to feel like you're a guest in a privately owned country house. The use of Liscannor stone is at odds with the velvet sofas, marble fireplaces, and gilt-frame paintings, but the building comes into its own once the ocean comes into the frame, particularly in the dining room. Upstairs, brocade curtains and Oriental rugs complement the guest rooms' Georgian and Victorian polished-mahogany antiques. Some rooms have open fires, some have freestanding cast-iron bathtubs, six have stunning sea views, and two overlook the pretty, sheltered garden. Once you settle in, enjoy a drink at the honesty bar in the elegant drawing room (help yourself, and write it down); in bad weather, curl up with a book in the peaceful library. Staying in one of the six rooms with a view is a worthy splurge. The farm-to-fork dining room is open to nonguests and offers a tasting menu from Tuesday to Saturday, when diners can devour the bay views.

Aran's glamping units, or clocháns, are igloo shaped (inspired by monks' medieval beehive huts that made a guest appearance in Star Wars: The Last Jedi) and fully heated, with en suite and cooking facilities. They're perched right on the beach in Kilronan---alongside larger, conventionally shaped tigíns (good old-fashioned camping facilities) for €10 a night. Best part for those seeking a quiet getaway experience is that bachelorette and bachelor parties are not welcome.

The five basic rooms with all modern facilities have the edge on other properties because of their location and view directly onto Quin Abbey. Downstairs is the village tavern---contemporary, hearty fare with a lively pub. The building was the original meeting place for locals with a shop, haberdashery and pub, so expect timber beams, shifts in floor elevation, and low ceilings.   

The rambling 80-year-old house on Inishmore, with its distinctive dormer windows, is close to both the beach and the town; many guests base themselves here for two or three nights, to make a thorough exploration of the island. Almost every window at this B&B looks out to the sea, making it the perfect place to de-stress. The public rooms and guest rooms are relaxed, with modern decor including light-color linens and walls paneled with blond wood.

Not actually a castle, Ballinalacken is rather a mustard-color Victorian lodge in the shadow of medieval tower-house ruins, a few miles from Doolin Village. Its hilly setting, back from the road in a 100-acre wildflower meadow, offers panoramic coastal views and enough distance from Doolin's busy nightlife to guarantee a peaceful night's sleep. Large bow-shaped windows draw in light and lift the darker shades inside the public areas, which are decorated with natural oak and drapes. Guest rooms in the older house have massive four-poster beds, marble fireplaces, and high ceilings. Some large, sunny rooms have bay windows to frame that stunning view; nice but plainer rooms in the new wing, with antique-style decor, are equally sought after. The restaurant has an imaginative and sophisticated continental menu with the best of locally sourced food, from Lisdoonvarna's smokehouse to St. Tola's cheese.

This 144-room quality property is one of the few full-facilities hotels in the region, with a gym, spa, and the same in-room facilities you would expect from a quality-brand hotel. Its location is hard to match---on an elevated site overlooking Bunratty Castle and Folk Park, just off the N18 and close to public transport. 

Modest and gabled, this 1793 country house is 12 km (7 miles) and 8 km (5 miles) from Shannon Airport and is also a world apart, with views across the plains where horses calmly graze, as they have done for centuries, to the distant Shannon Estuary. It's a popular first- and last-night stopover with transatlantic passengers: you can see the airport's control tower, but you would never know the airport was so close, and you are not on the flight path. Owners Niall and Gillian Ennis have decorated the lounge and bar with a homey assortment of Victorian antiques and hunting prints, and books of local interest, with an open fire in the bar. The six bedrooms in the main house are the most elegant, some with four-poster beds, all with modest antiques. Simpler, less expensive rooms in the converted stables also have plenty of character. Most guests opt to watch the sensational sunsets from the award-winning Conservatory Restaurant, popular with Clare locals. 

Following its cool and cutting-edge brothers in Dublin and Cork, the Dean has added a splash of design to drab Prospect Hill, offering state-of-the-art facilities and trendy dining to the West. The 100 bedrooms offer quality bedding, rainfall power showers, Netflix-enabled smart TVs, Marshall Amps and retro record players, along with Brooks toiletries. The popular Elephant and Castle Restaurant from Temple Bar in Dublin makes an appearance along with Sophies Rooftop Restaurant, a bar and restaurant with city views. The Dean is in the city center.

The pretty gabled facade with dormer windows is traditional in style, but, in fact, Bernadette Moloney and her German husband, Armin Grefkes, designed and built this house specifically as a B&B. It's across the road from the sea, about 2 km (1 mile) north of the village, close to Bishop's Quarter Beach. The interior has character and style, thanks to a mix of imposing 19th-century German antiques, stripped-pine floors, and comfortable sofas and armchairs. Each guest room is individually styled on a wildflower theme, with plain walls, color-coordinated quilts and curtains, brass bedsteads, and attractive small antiques. The delicious breakfast menu offers an unusually wide choice, while the hosts are knowledgeable about the area, and have a good supply of books and maps. 

Miles from the nearest town, this handsome ivy-clad Georgian retreat lies in the heart of the Burren, its turf fires and antique furnishings a draw back to a simpler time. Nobel Prize--winner Seamus Heaney and author J. R. R. Tolkien have both stayed here. Fine dining is a cutting-edge experience with a daily tasting menu using organic produce. The balance of tradition and modern design is also reflected here: modern art is offset by antiques. Guest rooms are bright, airy, and uncluttered; choose either a magical view of stony hills and sparkling sea or a ground-floor room with private patio garden.

Galway's grande-dame hotel (formerly Hotel Meyrick) was built to accommodate train passengers to the heart of Galway in the middle of the 19th century, but even after an expensive makeover, the hotel has managed to retain its Victorian character and restrained opulence with black-and-white-checkered tiles, sash windows, solid oak fixtures, and crystal chandeliers. The upstairs corridors are still wide enough to cater to the wide-hooped dresses worn by its earliest guests. Smaller "carriage rooms," at a reduced rate, are good for single guests. The gaslight brasserie and Oyster Bar are a welcome addition to Galway's evening scene.

A basic low-rise in the middle of the island's only village, a few minutes' walk from the quay and the airstrip, this simple whitewashed building with a slate roof and tile flooring has bright, plainly furnished rooms, with pine-frame beds, pine floors, and white bed linen. The social life of the island centers on "the hotel," and there are trad sessions nightly. Larger rooms upstairs can accommodate families.

Sheltered from noise on a one-way street with views overlooking the River Corrib, the House Hotel is arguably Galway's best-appointed property, just a stone's throw from the best of the city's vibrant restaurant and pub scene and a two-minute walk from the Quays. The intimate boutique style has endured even with a change of ownership in 2017, and rooms are contemporary and smart, with modern en suites and sharp linen. The reception area is a small, popular meeting place with a trendy bar.

A turf fire greets you in the lobby of this unpretentious coaching inn, in the heart of the Burren, which dates from the early 18th century and has become a cheerful, welcoming spot with a reputation for friendliness and good entertainment. The much-expanded village-center hotel has guest rooms that vary in size and shape but all have modern pine furniture and color-coordinated drapes and spreads. Ask for a room overlooking the Burren, and check out the amazingly clear night sky. The bar hosts live music most nights from June to mid-September and on Sundays the rest of the year. 

Expect good-quality budget accommodations at this four-story hotel set beside the historic Spanish Arch and the river. Each room is big enough for three adults, or two adults and two children, and the rates are the same regardless of how many guests stay in each unit. The light, airy rooms have modern pine fittings, plain carpets and walls, double-glaze windows, and fully equipped bathrooms. Those overlooking the river are quieter than those in front. The atmosphere runs toward anonymous international, but the inn is central—at the foot of Galway's busy Quay Street, right on the bank of the Corrib—and the level of comfort is high for the price (note that rates shoot up at peak times, such as during the Galway Races).

This rambling 200-year-old stone farmhouse, once the family home of the O'Flahertys—one of whom was Oscar Wilde's godfather—whose descendants include the famed writers Liam and Robert, is the first choice of many visitors to the island thanks to its location at the foot of Dún Aengus fort, a three-minute walk from the beach, and about 6½ km (4 miles) from the quay and the airport (accessible by minibus). The old stone house has been cleverly extended to provide extra guest rooms. The neatly kept front garden leads to a large, high-ceiling hall and wide stairs, giving a pleasant sense of space. The walls are hung with portraits of the house's previous owners, the warrior clan of O'Flaherty. Guest rooms are spacious and comfortable, with views of the fort or distant sea views. It's worth paying a small supplement for one of the four larger rooms with king-size beds.

The trip across the Shannon on the one-way lane bridge is worth it for this stunningly appointed property with full-on lake views back over the town's historic 13-arch bridge. Rooms have a traditional finish and food is of a quality standard. The leisure center with its 18-meter pool and swirling side appeals to family travelers. The property also has a fully equipped gym.  

With 300 degrees of coastal views and little else but ocean between this retreat and New York, Loop Head Lighthouse is the place to rewind and charge batteries. In keeping with its past, the house is simply furnished with white Shaker furniture, timber flooring, and traditional brass beds. The house can accommodate five people.

Don't let its traditional cottage looks deceive you: this whitewashed, thatched inn on the shores of Galway Bay is, in fact, a midsize hotel, decorated with locally made, well-designed furniture, and original crafts, paintings, and sculpture. Guest rooms are medium-size with smallish, cottage-style windows at head height, and modern pine furniture; small paintings of local scenes provide the principal color. Request a room to the rear of the property for Galway Bay views.

Understated modern bedrooms and a cornerstone location on O'Connell Street, right in the town center, is the key to the enduring success of this 18th-century ivy-clad landmark hotel. Old-fashioned charm meets contemporary élan at this winning entry to Ennis's hotel stakes—rest on the lobby's inviting brocade sofas as you study paintings on the wall from the hotel's striking collection of new Irish artists, including Donald Teskey, Cecil Maguire, and Mick O'Dea. In contrast to the period furnishings of the public rooms, guest rooms have an uncluttered but sophisticated style, with furniture painted in soothing shades of taupe or eau de Nil, crisp white linen, and spacious bathrooms. For dinner, go formal with a four-course menu in the Brendan O'Regan Room, or enjoy a casual meal in the hotel's Town Hall Bistro, one of the finest restaurants in town—roast rack of Clare lamb with rosemary ratatouille, perhaps. Then adjourn to the Poet's Corner pub, which, set on Ennis's main street, is the very heart of the town's social life, with award-winning live Irish music sessions most nights.

Even though this is a large, luxury hotel in central Galway, snazzily converted from a 200-year-old warehouse, it feels like a home away from home, thanks to attentive owner-managers. From the porter who organizes the valet parking of your car to the friendly reception and bar staff, everyone seems to want to help. The Park House actually only reveals its origins in its exterior; inside, a modern wing has been cleverly incorporated. Furnished with sofas and coffee tables, the lobby area is a quiet rendezvous for morning coffee. The lively bar has a big local clientele, and serves food until 9:30 pm; there is also a large formal restaurant. Guest room windows are triple-glazed—in some cases twice (against the noise of late-night revelers). The very quietest ones overlook an interior roof garden. The fanciest have high ceilings and antiques, combined with striking modern prints in warm colors. All are spacious, with good-quality Art Deco–style furniture, and have generous-size bathrooms.

Not your typical West of Ireland bolt-hole, this B&B has the elegance of a luxurious, small, boutique hotel with the charm and warm welcome of a B&B. The walnut flooring, large modern en suites, and marble-floor conservatory where breakfast is served are all divine, but pale in comparison to the magnificent views over Galway Bay. It's tucked into a Salt Hill residential area close to a golf club, away from Galway's heady nightlife, so a good night's sleep is guaranteed.

If a town the size and scale of Kilkee can have a grande dame property, then the Stella Maris is the place; it's a handsome, charming little hotel close to the sea, with a contemporary country style. It has served the town well ever since it was constructed back in 1853 as a coast-guard regional headquarters so expect to see some old-timers lingering in the lobby or lounge. Now spruced up with a mix of plaid and impressionist art, the Stella Maris also offers excellent views and close proximity to Kilkee's horseshoe-shape beach.