A Guide To The Best Hotels In Salthill: 11 Places To Stay In Salthill You’ll Love

If you’re in search of the best hotels in Salthill in Galway, you’ve landed in the right place.

Way back in the mists of time, when I was 21, I spent a night in a caravan in Salthill.

As far as I can remember, the Atlantic coughed up a storm, and the caravan in hindsight reminds me of that infamous Father Ted holiday-in-a-caravan episode.

Fast forward to the Salthill made famous by Mundy in recent times, and the accommodation on offer will satisfy all tastes and budgets.

In the guide below, you’ll discover everything from our favourite hotels in Salthill to some self-catering accommodation with top-notch reviews.

Our Favourite Hotels in Salthill

This guide contains everything from the best hotels in Salthill to cheap places to stay in Salthill in you’re on a budget.

Note: As an Airbnb Associate and a Booking.com affiliate we make a small commission if you book via a link below. You won’t pay extra, but it helps us pay the bills (cheers if you do – we greatly appreciate it).

1. The Ardilaun Hotel

The Ardilaun is, in our opinion, one of the most overlooked of the many excellent hotels in Galway (especially for pet owners!).

As a dog owner, it’s always a wrench to the heart when I must leave my beloved Barney behind to go on holiday. I didn’t have to when visiting The Ardilaun, as it is one of the few hotels in Salthill that are dog friendly. 

Not that you must relax–there’s a leisure centre with pool, gym, sauna and jacuzzi which can keep you busy and if you want an evening stroll, the garden is very inviting. 

This hotel is also a nice and handy stroll from many of the best pubs and places to eat in Salthill, if you fancy a night out.

Check prices + see more photos here

2. Galway Bay Hotel Conference & Leisure Centre

Whatever the weather, this is one of our favourite Salthill hotels. Sun bouncing off the water on a summer’s day or romantic and wild during stormy weather, it’s a magnificent spot for a staycation. 

The staff are meticulous with ensuring the safety of their guests during these COVID times and don’t enter your room after your arrival.

Anything you need is delivered by trolley and the service is 10/10. The food too is top class, our favourite being Afternoon Tea out on the balcony.

If you fancy a bit of me-time head to the library and pick out a book, or to the beauty rooms for a treatment.

Check prices + see more photos here

3. Salthill Hotel

The bedrooms in this hotel are BIG, the showers are powerful, and there are loads of delicious food choices.

Situated as it is, on the Promenade, you couldn’t ask for better in the way of sea views, and it’s only an 8-minute drive along the R336 to the main shopping area of Galway City. 

If you need a swim to start your day, this is one of the few hotels in Salthill with a swimming pool. There’s also a sauna, and steam room and a state-of-the-art gym, too.

Check prices + see more photos here

4. Continental Boutique Residence (one of the more unique Salthill hotels)

First up, this is an adult-only hotel which will appeal to loads of people, whether or not they have children.

Dating back to the 18th century, you might feel like a Meercat as you try to take in the detail of the panelling that’s been painstakingly restored.

The vibe of the hotel is modern and funky and if you like out of the ordinary, you’ll love it. Distance wise, it’s 1.8km from Galway City Centre and only 550m to the Promenade at Salthill. 

Hotels in Salthill with great reviews

The next section of our guide to the best hotels in Salthill is all about hotels and guesthouses with incredible reviews at the time of writing.

Below, you’ll find well-known hotels in Salthill, like the Clybaun Hotel, to the brilliant Sea Breeze Lodge and much more.

1. Clybaun Hotel

The Clybaun Hotel is one of a few Salthill Hotels with a “Traveler’s Choice” award which is given to the Top 10% of hotels on Trip Advisor.

The location sets the tone with easy access to both Galway City and Salthill, being roughly 4.5km in each direction.

Friendly staff, excellent food, and accommodation together with gym, swimming pool and an outdoor jacuzzi make this hotel a favourite with couples and families alike.

If you’re not driving, you can take a 15-minute bus ride into Galway or walk to Salthill. It’s also well-placed for driving trips around Connemara.

Check prices + see more photos here

2. Anno Santo Hotel

This hotel is one of those rare places where a person travelling alone can feel relaxed and comfortable. The staff are welcoming and helpful, everything is spotlessly clean, and the hotel is exactly as described.

A continental breakfast is included in the room price and if you want a cooked breakfast, it’ll only cost you €5. 

There’s plenty of free tea or coffee in the bar and the open fire in the lobby area makes it a perfect place to do paperwork if you’re travelling for work reasons. 

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3. Sea Breeze Lodge

On the main coast road in Salthill, Sea Breeze Lodge is the first bed-and-breakfast in the West of Ireland to be approved for Trip Advisor’s Five Star Award, given to the Top 1% of properties. 

It’s for this reason that the Sea Breeze Lodge is widely regarded as one of the best B&Bs in Galway!

You’d better bring your appetite with you when you go for breakfast because it’s a glorious occasion, with patisserie, fresh berries, fruit, yoghurt, and all that before the cooked breakfast and the French Toast the owner is famous for.

The Devil is in the Detail, as they say, and this establishment is all about the detail. Complimentary fruit baskets, free snack bars with your coffee, memory foam mattresses all add up to that five-star luxury and you won’t want to leave. 

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3. Galway Bay Sea View Apartments

Just what they say on the tin! These apartments have enormous sea views from the living room and master bedroom.

If you’re in the Penthouse, you have access to the roof terrace and otherwise you can admire the views from your balcony.

All the apartments have 2 bathrooms and have well-stocked kitchens, including an Espresso machine, if you want to be self-catering.  

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4. The Stop B & B

Only 5 minutes’ walk to Quay Street in Galway, or 5 minutes the other way to Salthill and the beach makes The Stop B&B the perfect place to stop when visiting Galway.

Clean, warm, inviting, these are the words guests use when they talk about The Stop. The toiletries are organic, and the food is homemade—even the baked beans. Who’d have thought we’d ever get homemade baked beans in Ireland?

Vintage vinyl provides the backdrop to meals and solidifies the sense that you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be. 

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5. The Nest Boutique Hostel

OK, so this final place is a hostel, not a hotel, but the reviews are too good to leave it out. Unlike any hostel I’ve ever experienced, The Nest is ideal for anyone who doesn’t want to sacrifice privacy and comfort for budget.

There are dorms but intended for groups or families travelling together; otherwise, the rooms are ensuite doubles and twins with mini-fridges, power showers, and contemporary Irish artwork.

Family options are available as two bedrooms connected by a bathroom. Safety is also a feature with a 24-hour manned reception desk. 

There’s a reason that the Nest featured so high in our guide to the best hostels in Galway. Definitely one to consider if you’re on a tight budget.

Check prices + see more photos here

FAQs about accommodation and hotels in Salthill

Since publishing our guide to the best things to do in Salthill, we’ve have heaps (literally!) of questions about where to stay in Salthill

In the section below, we’ve popped in the most FAQs that we’ve received. If you have a question that we haven’t tackled, ask away in the comments section below.