Ballynahinch Castle

Connemara, Ireland

Overview

Standing proudly as one of Ireland’s finest luxury castle hotels, Ballynahinch Castle is the perfect countryside escape in the heart of Connemara. Set in a private 700-acre estate of woodland and rivers, a stay here feels refreshingly laidback, and yet still fit for a royal.

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Key Features

  • A stunning location with views overlooking the mountains, river and woodlands, and well-positioned along the Wild Atlantic Way for days spent exploring Connemara and Galway
  • Set out on guided walks, picnics, guided fly-fishing excursions, shooting masterclasses, cycles or private estate tours as you explore the castle grounds and further afield
  • Dine at the acclaimed Owenmore Restaurant, where innovative dishes are prepared with seasonal produce sourced from the castle’s own walled garden
  • Striking wood-fired saunas with glass-fronts provide a relaxing setting to gaze out over the lake before hopping in for a cold plunge

Location

With a backdrop of the striking 12 Bens Mountain Range, and views out over its famous salmon fishery, Ballynahinch Castle is perfectly situated in one of the most scenic locations on the west coast of Ireland. Set in a private 700-acre estate of woodland, rivers, and trails in the heart of Connemara, this is an excellent location from which to explore Galway and beyond. There's a lot of history here, with the house itself dating back to the late 18th century, and the castle on which it stands even older than that. Once home of the famous pirate queen Grace O'Malley in 1546, Ballynahinch is a name often heard in the local legends of the area. 

Design

The castle has 48 luxurious rooms, and they all have amazing views over the scenic countryside. Classic rooms are comfortable and cosy, mainly situated in the original house (with three in the riverside wing) and are warmly decorated in the style of the country sporting estate. Each with its individual character, they vary in shape, size, and aspect. Superior Rooms are large spacious rooms that overlook the river, two of which are located in the original house, and are perfect for those looking for the extra space of a dressing room, a bathtub, and walk-in shower, with bathrooms stocked with Voya toiletries made with Irish seaweed. For those seeking more privacy, two exclusive-use houses, Lettery Lodge and Owenmore Cottage, are also available and work particularly well for larger families. Expect views of the river racing through the grounds, or out over the pretty woodlands, truly immersing you in the idyllic countryside.

Activities

There are some who visit Ballynahinch Castle Hotel and Estate and never leave the grounds, such is the choice of unique activities available in the heart of beautiful Connemara. Hiking the popular trails, taking a fly-fishing tutorial from one of the hotel’s ghillies, biking, or simply sitting in the tranquillity of the grounds; there are so many things to do and ways to engage with the surrounding area. Go wild swimming in the lake, enjoy a pint of Guinness in the pub and head to Owenmore, the hotel’s highly acclaimed restaurant by an award-winning Irish chef. A visit to the woodland saunas is also an absolute must, where each of these uniquely designed structures comes complete with a glass one-way mirrored window so you can gaze out over the lake while the wood-fire heats things up. To cool off there's a cold pull bucket system or the option to brave the lake itself. Bring along swimming shoes either way!

Dining

There are two options for eating at Ballynahinch. The Fisherman's Pub and Ranji Room offers a more relaxed setting - this is the place to go for a pint of Guinness by the fire along with some Connemara oysters or a burger made with award-winning beef from Roscommon. The real star however is the acclaimed Owenmore Restaurant. Chef Danni Barry presides over the seasonally changing menu here and is the only female chef in Ireland to hold a Michelin star for her restaurant Eipic, as well as only the second ever to be granted this esteemed title. At Ballynahinch, there is a real emphasis on making the most of the superb produce on their doorstep, with a huge walled garden not far from the house that you can wander through and see what might end up on your table that night.

Why we love it

During your stay, the mornings are all about relaxing in your beautifully appointed bedroom or suite as you wake up to the sound of the river meandering past your window before enjoying breakfast in the elegant restaurant, consistently voted as one of Ireland’s best. Set out to explore the surrounding estate and spend time slowing down to the pace of life in the Irish countryside.

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