There are some very festive Christmas hotels in Ireland if you fancy a few nights away.
Some are perfect for a pre-Christmas break and they’ll appeal to those looking to get into the Christmas spirit before the ‘Big Day’.
Others offer Christmas packages for people looking to spend Christmas away from home (e.g. Christmas Eve to St. Stephen’s Day).
Below, you’ll find a mix of our favourites, from Glenlo Abbey and Clontarf Castle to some often-overlooked Christmas breaks in Ireland.
The best Christmas hotels in Ireland
Now, a quick word of warning – some hotels charge an eye-watering premium for stays over the Christmas period!
It’s also worth noting that the prices of the various Christmas hotels in Ireland listed below may change as we get closer to the big day.
Note: if you book a stay through one of the links below we may make a tiny commission that helps us keep this site going. You won’t pay extra, but we really do appreciate it.
1. Glenlo Abbey (Galway)
Photos via Glenlo Abbey on FB
If you’re looking for unique Christmas breaks in Ireland, look no further than the incredible Glenlo Abbey in Galway.
Located a short drive from Galway City centre, this is quickly becoming one of the top 5 star hotels in Ireland.
Option A: Pre-Christmas
For those of you looking for a pre-Christmas getaway, you’ll find Glenlo Abbey to be both a very festive and a very swanky break away.
It’s a great base for the Galway Christmas Market and the hotel is tastefully decorated throughout.
A night in the week leading up to Christmas ranges starts at €289. Check prices and see more photos right here
Option B: 2 night Christmas break
The package, which costs from €1,200 p/p sharing, involves:
- Christmas Eve: Mulled wine on arrival, candlelit dinner, hot chocolate and mince pies
- Christmas Day: Santa’s breakfast, champagne reception, Christmas lunch with Santa, light supper, movies, and quiz night
- St. Stephen’s Day: Breakfast
2. Sheen Falls (Kerry)
Photos via Sheen Falls on FB
The next of our Christmas hotels in Ireland is the wonderful Sheen Falls Lodge, located right across from the town of Kenmare.
A great base for the Ring of Kerry, the hotel gets finely decked out for the festive season each year.
Option A: Pre-Christmas
If you’re in need of a break before the often-manic Christmas period begins, you can enjoy winter walks in nearby Kenmare or Killarney by day and then chill in luxury by night.
A night in the week leading up to Christmas start from €250. Check prices and see more photos right here.
Option B: 3 night Christmas package
The package, which starts from €1,715 p/p sharing, is as follows:
- Christmas Eve: Arrival with a welcome drink. Dinner followed by drinks by the log fire or in the bar
- Christmas Day: Champagne breakfast, traditional Christmas lunch and evening buffet with accompanying wines
- St. Stephen’s Day: Breakfast, treasure hunt, drinks and canapé reception, followed by a 5-course gala dinner with entertainment
3. Hayfield Manor (Cork)
Photos via Hayfield Manor on FB
The next of the best Christmas hotels in Ireland is Cork City’s luxurious Hayfield Manor (a great base for the Cork Christmas market!).
This is a family-owned, boutique hotel that goes all-out when it comes to both Christmas decorations and exceptional customer service.
Option A: Pre-Christmas
If you’re looking for Christmas breaks in Ireland in the lead up to the big day, this’ll be an escape you won’t forget in a hurry.
A night in the week leading up to Christmas ranges from €378 to €618. Check prices and see more photos right here.
Option B: 3 night Christmas package
The package (from €3,900 for 2 people) includes:
- Christmas Eve: Arrival with a festive drinks reception. Mulled wine and Christmas carols followed by a festive meal
- Christmas Day: Breakfast followed by a champagne toast and a traditional Christmas dinner. A light buffet supper that evening
- St. Stephen’s Day: Enjoy breakfast along with evening entertainment and an evening dinner
4. Dromoland Caste (Clare)
Photos via Dromoland Caste on FB
Dromoland Caste in Clare is another of the more luxurious Christmas breaks in Ireland.
The hotel is finely decorated to give it a festive-feel and you can expect the kind of service and luxury that’s a given in a 5-star.
Option A: Pre-Christmas
One of the top castle hotels in Ireland, Dromoland provides a memorable stay at any time of the year.
A night in the week leading up to Christmas starts at €430. Check prices and see more photos right here.
Option B: 3 night Christmas package
The package starts from €5,940 for 2 people and involves:
- Christmas Eve: Cocktail reception with canapés, dinner, bagpiper arrival, and in-house trio entertainment
- Christmas Day: Breakfast, lunch with pianist, “Pick & Go” buffet supper and then a ballad singer in the Cocktail Bar
- St. Stephen’s Day: Breakfast and dinner with entertainment
- 27th December: Breakfast before departure
5. Castlemartyr (Cork)
Photos via Castlemartyr
The next of our Christmas hotels in Ireland is Castlemartyr – a luxury 5-star hotel located around a 35-minute drive from Cork City Centre.
The hotel, which is set on a 220-acre estate, boasts a blend of traditional manor charm and elegance along with modern amenities.
Option A: Pre-Christmas
If you’re visiting the Cork Christmas Market and you fancy a very fancy base to explore from, Castlemartyr offers exceptional service, lavish food and one of the more indulgent Christmas breaks in Ireland.
A night in the week leading up to Christmas ranges from €269 to €669. Check prices and see more photos right here.
Option B: 2 night Christmas package
This package, which costs from €2,600 for 2 adults, is as follows:
- Christmas Eve: Mulled wine and mince pies on arrival. Enjoy a cocktail reception with carols, followed by a 5-course meal
- Christmas Day: Breakfast, gift opening with festive melodies, Christmas lunch, board games, classic Christmas movies, light buffet supper in the evening
- St. Stephen’s Day: Breakfast before departure
6. Abbeyglen Castle Hotel (Galway)
Photos via Abbeyglen Castle Hotel on FB
Clifden’s Abbeyglen Castle is arguably one of the better priced Christmas breaks in Ireland, starting at €850 p/p sharing.
Located a short walk from the town, Abbeyglen Castle is a cosy and historic setting for a night or three away, with plenty of things to do in Clifden to keep you occupied.
Option A: Pre-Christmas
Clifden is hard to bate. It’s a charming little town with great restaurants and several traditional-style pubs.
A night in the week leading up to Christmas ranges from €201 to €314. Check prices and see more photos right here.
Option B: 3 night Christmas package
The package, which is from €850 p/p sharing, Involves:
- Christmas Eve: Champagne reception, candlelight dinner and then carol singing/musical evening
- Christmas Day: Breakfast, lunch, and a gala dinner with Santa
- St. Stephen’s Day: Breakfast
7. Newpark Hotel (Kilkenny)
Photos via Newpark Hotel on FB
One of the more popular family Christmas breaks in Ireland is Kilkenny’s Newpark Hotel (arguably one of the best family hotels in Ireland).
This is a 4-star hotel that’s home to a spa, luxury rooms and the hugely popular ‘Jurassic Newpark’ (there’s a dinosaur park and a mini-wildlife park).
Option A: Pre-Christmas
At just under a 10-minute drive from the city, the Newpark is a great base for the Kilkenny Christmas Market.
A night in the week leading up to Christmas ranges from €153 to €270. Check prices and see more photos right here.
Option B: 2 or 3 night Christmas package
The 2 night stay costs from €1,598 for two adults and includes:
- Christmas Eve: Afternoon tea with live Christmas carols followed by a festive dinner.
- Christmas Day: Champagne breakfast, carol singers with mulled wine, 5-course lunch and evening buffet dinner
- St. Stephen’s Day: Breakfast
8. Powerscourt (Wicklow)
Photos via Powerscourt on FB
If you’re looking for hotels in Ireland for Christmas that are surrounded by endless things to see and do, get yourself to Powerscourt – one of the finest spa hotels in Ireland.
The magical Powerscourt Hotel is finely decked out for the festive season. You can chill in the hotel during the day or tackle a nearby hike, forest walk or scenic drive.
Option A: Pre-Christmas
Few Christmas getaways in Ireland place you at the heart of so many things to see – you’re a stone’s throw from Glendalough, the Sally Gap and countless hikes and walks.
A night in the week leading up to Christmas start at €225. Check prices and see more photos right here.
Option B: 2 or 3 night Christmas package
This package is from €1,325 p/p sharing and includes:
- Christmas Eve: Mince pies and mulled wine on arrival and a four-course dinner
- Christmas Day: Hearty breakfast with festive bubbles, traditional Christmas lunch and a light supper
- St. Stephen’s Day: Breakfast
9. Harvey’s Point (Donegal)
Photos via Harvey’s Point on FB
Next is one of the best Christmas hotels in Ireland – the brilliant Harvey’s Point on the shores of Lough Eske in Donegal.
A short spin from Donegal Town, this hotel feels worlds away from the hustle and bustle thanks to an idyllic lakeside setting.
Option A: Pre-Christmas
Although you’ll find it hard to leave the cosy confines of Harvey’s Point, if you do, you’ll find endless things to do in Donegal close by.
A night in the week leading up to Christmas ranges from €281. Check prices and see more photos right here.
Option B: 4 night Christmas package
The package costs from €1,200 for 2 people and includes:
- 23rd December: Mulled wine, light bites, and entertainment at Harvey’s Bar
- Christmas Eve: Breakfast, dinner and music by the fire
- Christmas Day: Breakfast and bubbles, a lavish Christmas lunch and a supper buffet
- 26th December: Breakfast followed by a guided walk along Lough Eske and an evening Pub Night
10. Ballygally Castle (Antrim)
Photos via Hastings Hotels
The next of our hotels for Christmas in Ireland takes us up north to County Antrim to the brilliant Ballygally Castle.
Now, although the various Christmas breaks in Ireland above have been magical, a castle stay is hard to bate.
Option A: Pre-Christmas
As it’s located on the coast, you could easily do part of the Causeway Coastal Route or you could take the 35-minute drive in to see the Belfast Christmas Market.
A night in the week leading up to Christmas start from €203. Check prices and see more photos right here.
Option B: 2 night Christmas package
The package is one of the better value Christmas getaways in Ireland, costing from €949 for 2 people.
- Christmas Eve: Mulled wine reception and three-course dinner
- Christmas Day: Breakfast and a Grand Buffet Christmas Lunch
- 26th Dec: Breakfast
11. Clontarf Castle (Dublin)
One of the best Christmas hotels in Ireland in the capital is Clontarf Castle (the video above should give you a sense as to why!).
It makes a great base for those visiting the capital to shop, explore or ramble around the Dublin Christmas Markets.
Option A: Pre-Christmas
You’ll find Clontarf Castle a 20-minute spin from the city in the costal town of Clontarf (not far from Howth).
A night in the week leading up to Christmas start at €139. Check prices and see more photos right here.
Update: 2 night Christmas package now sold out
I’m just off the phone to Clontarf Castle and I was told that their Christmas package is now sold out.
Explore beyond the Christmas breaks in Ireland
Now that you’ve a sense of the finest Christmas hotels in Ireland, it’s time to explore:
- Christmas markets in Ireland
- Christmas markets in Dublin
- Irish Christmas traditions
- Irish Christmas songs
Keith O’Hara has lived in Ireland for 35 years and has spent most of the last 10 creating what is now The Irish Road Trip guide. Over the years, the website has published thousands of meticulously researched Ireland travel guides, welcoming 30 million+ visitors along the way. In 2022, the Irish Road Trip team published the world’s largest collection of Irish Road Trip itineraries. Keith lives in Dublin with his dog Toby and finds writing in the 3rd person minus craic altogether.