Kinnitty Castle Hotel is a 19th-century gothic castle nestled between small the small village of Kinnitty and the Slieve Bloom Mountains. Eager for the chance to visit another hotel in Ireland, I booked myself a night stay at a Kinnity Castle Hotel after departing Dublin en route to Galway.
As the castle is located in the countryside the best way to get to the castle is by driving, and I would strongly suggest renting a car with GPS as the castle is a bit difficult to find otherwise.
Driving up to the Kinnitty Castle Hotel was an impressive sight, and the grand feeling of the castle certainly didn’t end after entering. The steps inside the foyer of the castles were decorated with armor, small canons, and flickering candles which gave a wonderful ambiance. Checking-in to the castle was a breeze, there was a small desk at the front and I staff happily walked me to my suite, The Darcy.
The Room
The castle has 37 rooms, each suite with a unique name. My room, had two double beds side by side making a massive king sized bed which had a beautiful red canopy overtop. While the bathroom was small and old, as you might expect considering the age of the building, the rest of the room was lovely, with exposed brick walls covered with tapestries, and a large window looking out to the front of the castle where the horses are kept.
The Resturant & Bars
As you can arrive at the castle for 5 pm, after checking in I made reservations later that evening at the castle’s Slí Dala Restaurant. The elegant restaurant offers set 2 or 3-course meals which highlight local products which you can enjoy in a romantic candlelit setting. For my meal, I enjoyed duck with beets, along with an amazing pear tart. I found the set menu to be very affordable for a dinner in a castle with friendly service, and delicious food and would highly recommend this restaurant.
In addition to the main restaurant, there are 2 bars, the library bar and the more lively dungeon bar in the basement which often has live music. In the afternoon you can also relax in the drawing room, with a cup of coffee or tea. The traditional room decorated in gold has a large fireplace and ornate decor that makes it a nice spot to relax with a book or chat over coffee before going to explore around the castle.
Around The Castle
The castle happens to be located on a large property with nature paths nearby that you can enjoy a hike. Depending on the length of your hike you can ask the staff at the castle and they will prepare a packed lunch for you to bring with you. Otherwise, there are several castles such as Birr Castle a short drive away which you can pay to take a tour of. Likewise, you can arrange at the castle to go horseback riding, or get suggestions for other activities nearby to do.
Verdict
I found the price of my stay which included breakfast to be affordable for the experience, and would recommend staying at Kinnitty Castle Hotel for a single night due to the limited number of things to do nearby it might get a bit boring for a very long stay, but for one or two nights you are sure to have an amazing experience feeling like a king or queen sleeping in a castle.