Dolphin Beach Lodge: A Luxury Seaside Stay in Connemara

There aren’t many places to stay in Clifden where you’ll wake up just metres from the Atlantic with the bay spread out in front of you.

Dolphin Beach Lodge sits along the Sky Road in Connemara, surrounded by spacious gardens with a secluded beach directly below.

It sleeps 6, has sea views from every room and, despite the peaceful setting, you’re only around a 10-minute drive from the pubs and restaurants of Clifden.

Welcome to Dolphin Beach Lodge

Dolphin Beach Lodge is a 3-bedroom property perched along the Sky Road, one of the most scenic corners of Connemara.

The house sits just metres from the Atlantic and overlooks Clifden Bay, with a direct path through the grounds leading down to the beach.

And while the setting feels nicely removed from the hustle and bustle, Clifden Town is only around a 10-minute drive away.

This means you can spend the day exploring Connemara, head into Clifden for dinner and a few pints and then grab a taxi back to your little patch of the Atlantic.

What to expect from a visit

The first thing that’ll hit you here is the view. Every room in Dolphin Beach Lodge looks out towards the sea. And there’s plenty of house to enjoy it from.

The Lodge has around 400 m² of living space, with large windows throughout making the Atlantic very much part of the interior. It sleeps 6 across 3 en-suite bedrooms.

The Ocean Room has a king bed, the Willow Room has a queen and the Cliff Room can be set up with either a king or twin beds. There are 4 bathrooms in total, so six people getting ready to head into Clifden shouldn’t result in the usual queue outside the shower.

Inside the lodge

The communal areas are one of the reasons this place works particularly well for a family or group of friends. There’s a fully equipped kitchen with a dishwasher and microwave along with a spacious dining area where, once again, the view takes centre stage.

The kitchen opens onto the dining table with Clifden Bay beyond, so whoever gets landed with cooking duties isn’t exactly getting a raw deal.

There’s Wi-Fi and laundry facilities, too, along with outdoor seating and a BBQ for those rare Connemara evenings when the weather decides to play ball.

The beach and those views

As impressive as the house is, the location is what makes Dolphin Beach Lodge stand out. A path leads directly from the grounds down to the secluded beach below, where you can head for a swim before wandering back up to the house.

Then there are the sunsets. With the property facing out across the Atlantic, evenings here can be spectacular when the skies are clear. And when they’re not? I’d be more than happy wedged into one of the couches watching a Connemara storm roll across the bay.

How much a night here will set you back

At the time of writing, Dolphin Beach Lodge starts at €470 per night and sleeps up to 6. There’s a minimum stay of 2 nights for much of the year, although this increases to one week during high season.

If six of you split the starting nightly rate, that works out at around €78.33 per person per night. You can book directly with Dolphin Beach, which also means avoiding the platform fees you’d pay when booking through a third-party site.

Discover more unique places to stay in Ireland

The stays above are just a handful of the wonderfully weird places you can spend a night around Ireland.

You’ll find plenty more in my guide to the most unique stays in Ireland, along with everything from treehouses and cabins to bell tents in my guide to the best places to go glamping in Ireland.

1. The Tranquil Tigín

You have to walk 300 metres across a meadow to reach this tiny off-grid cabin in the Wicklow Mountains.

It sleeps 2 and comes with a mezzanine king bed, enormous countryside-facing window, copper outdoor bath and fire pit, with a wood-fired sauna a short stroll away.

2. Grove Treehouse with hot tub

This adults-only West Cork treehouse sleeps 2 and comes with a roll-top bath opposite the bed and a private two-person hot tub amongst the trees.

You reach it via tree-trunk steps before stepping inside to an open-plan bedroom, kitchen and living area, with French doors opening onto a large private deck.

3. The Ballybunion Beach House

Breakers Beach House sits right beside Ladies Beach in Ballybunion, with the Atlantic filling the view from the house.

It sleeps 6 across 3 bedrooms and has Ballybunion’s beaches and Cliff Walk on its doorstep, along with a hot outdoor shower for warming up after a swim or surf.

4. The Hidden Haven

The Hidden Haven is a luxury lodge for 2 in the hills of West Cork with its own lake, a wood-fired hot tub and a deck stretching over the water.

There’s a super king bed and bath with a view inside, while stone steps outside lead straight into the lake when you fancy undoing all the good work of the hot tub.

5. Balance Treehouse

The Balance Treehouse in County Armagh is reached via a private rope bridge and sits high amongst the trees overlooking the Ring of Gullion.

It sleeps 2 and comes with a glass roof above the bed, private hot tub, outdoor shower and a large outdoor net where you can kick back and admire the surrounding hills.

6. The Dunmanus Bay Barn

This restored stone farmhouse and barn sits on West Cork’s Sheep’s Head Peninsula, looking across Dunmanus Bay towards the Mizen Peninsula.

Along with its old stone walls, timber beams and slate floors, you’ve got more than an acre of grounds, a spring-fed pond and a solar-heated outdoor pool.

7. The Hide at Neadú

With its grass-covered roof and views towards Glenveagh, The Hide at Neadú is one of Donegal’s more unusual little cabins.

Inside you’ll find reclaimed and upcycled pieces, an alcove double bed and wood-burning stove, while double doors open onto a private deck overlooking the surrounding mountains and valley.