During our recent visit to Ireland, our family stayed in the 4 best hotels in the country.
To be fair, I need to say that we ONLY stayed in 4 hotels. While I would LOVE to have stayed in and reviewed EVERY hotel, our trip could only last so long. Because of that, I needed to rely heavily on my own research prior to booking our travel.
Without tooting my own horn too loudly, I can say without a doubt my selections were on point. (Also, for the record I feel ridiculous using the phrase “on point.” However, it really sums up my feelings well so I’m sticking to it.)
Obviously some consideration went into my research before I even narrowed down my options.
First, I had a rough idea of our itinerary and location needs. Secondly, I wanted to really embrace the culture of Ireland. It was important to me to keep my selections as “local” as possible.
When we travel in America I try to stick to specific brands; however, I took the exact opposite approach on this vacation. Lastly, I made sure each location would fit the needs of my family.
So, with that in mind I will share the 4 hotels I selected. I can honestly say that if I were planning the trip again tomorrow, I wouldn’t change any of our accommodations. For different reasons, they were all perfect and I highly recommend each of them!
- Innishannon House Hotel: This hotel was selected based on its location and charm. The grounds of this Bed & Breakfast are breathtaking! It’s located in the quaint little Irish town of Innishannon and provided an absolutely delightful atmosphere for our family to stay. At the end of a long day touring the country, my children enjoyed running through the field on the shores of the Bandon River. The Innishannon House Hotel also has a phenomenal, award-winning restaurant. We really enjoyed being able to be “home” for the night once we’d arrived.
We were able to play, unpack and then eat when we got hungry. Our rooms had great accommodations and gorgeous balcony views of the property. In the morning we were treated to a delicious breakfast. Again, my children enjoyed the home-like environment even though we were thousands of miles away from our actual home.
The Innishannon House Hotel is located just a few blocks outside of Innishannon town. We spent our morning strolling the charming streets before checking out. To book your stay, visit their website.
- The River Lee Hotel: Located in the heart of Cork, I selected this hotel mostly because it looked super cool online. Well that, and the amenities, location and reputation. The River Lee offers top notch views of the city.
In addition, the modern design is both comfortable and extravagantly luxurious. Hands down, our favorite part of this hotel was all the glass windows. We loved the nook in our room and spent most of our awake time in that space watching the world go by in Cork.
Of course my children also viewed the glass elevators as a major treat to ride. From The River Lee’s central location we were able to walk through much of the city. Our walking route took us down the Grand Parade and to all the shops and restaurants. Despite being somewhat oriented to the business traveler, my family was welcomed with open arms. Learn more from their website.
- Killarney Park Hotel: When booking our vacation, this hotel was the destination. From the moment I stumbled on their website, Killarney Park topped my list as places I couldn’t miss in Ireland.
The Hotel has WAY too many accolades to list here, but most recently they were named the Top Luxury Hotel by Trip Advisor. From the moment we set foot on property I could absolutely see what all the fuss was about and how deserving it is of all the awards. Our room was spacious and magnificent- and actually designed for families. The hotel lobby was immaculate and inviting.
Unfortunately, the town of Killarney was as charming as the hotel. We hated splitting our time- it would have been so easy to stay on the hotel property for the duration of our stay! Fortunately, the hotel’s central location made it easy to stroll down the cobblestone streets and visit the National Park. If it’s even possible to pick a favorite part of our Ireland trip, I might have to say it was our breakfast at The Killarney Park. Oh my goodness, I have never seen such an extravagant spread of delicious food.
When the kids were served hot chocolate WITH marshmallows, I was honestly afraid we’d never be able to leave. This hotel is a “must” if you are visiting Ireland. Visit their website to book your stay.
- Park Inn Hotel: Though this hotel can’t compare to the history, elegance or charm of some of our other hotels- it was equally perfect for our needs. It’s located literally in the Shannon Airport parking lot which made for an ultra convenient place to stay on our last night in Ireland.
At the end of a long trip we were thankful to be able to relax our final night and not rush in the morning. The peace of mind of being able to walk to our plane allowed us to sleep easy. Additionally, the breakfast provided by the hotel made for a wonderful “final meal” in Ireland. Lastly, our room accommodations were incredible. We’ve stayed in a lot of hotels, but we’ve never had one more conveniently designed for families at such an affordable price. Our room was a fairly standard room, but it contained 3 beds!
The kids thought this set up was hilarious and it was certainly memorable. I’d love to see this trend come to more hotels in America! Click here to visit The Park Inn website.
While I recognize that not everyone will plan an identical trip to Ireland, it was important to me to share these hotels as a great reference for anyone traveling in those areas. Our family truly enjoyed our experience at each of them and I would recommend them to everyone!
*Mom With A Map was hosted during our travels. However, the opinions and experiences documented are uniquely our own. Also this post may contain affiliate links. By making a purchase after clicking through a link, Mom With A Map will receive compensation.
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