Cork Bed And Breakfast Guide: 11 Brilliant B&Bs That Make A Great Base For Exploring

If you’re in search of the best B&Bs in Cork City, you’ve landed in the right place.

Cork is renowned for its lively spirit and its City sets a high culinary tone due to its abundance of incredible cafes, restaurants and the incredible English Market.

However, you need to find a place to stay, first. Luckily, there’s an endless number of B&Bs guesthouses and hotels in Cork City on offer.

In the guide below, you’ll discover the best bed and breakfast Cork City has to offer, from luxury guesthouses to pocket-friendly stays.

Our favourite B&Bs in Cork City

The first section of our Cork B&B guide tackles our favourite B&Bs in the City, many of which are right next to the action.

Some of these B&Bs go toe-to-toe with the best hotels in Cork, so they’re well worth considering as a base while you explore the area.

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. Gabriel House Guesthouse

Dating back to the 1900s, with 10-feet-high ceilings and retaining many of its original features, the stunning Gabriel House is among our favourite bed and breakfast in Cork.

Location wise, guests can enjoy wonderful views overlooking Cork’s cathedral spires and the harbour due to the elevated position of the property.

The guest house is also surrounded by landscaped gardens, making it even more inviting. The modern rooms come with a TV, an en suite bathroom and a huge wardrobe.

A traditional Irish breakfast is served daily, made from local ingredients (the owner has hens), while breads, scones and biscuits are freshly home-baked too.

Check prices + see more photos here

2. Belvedere Lodge

This lovely 4-star Victorian guest house is located just 3Km from the city centre with private walled gardens and free parking, so you can expect nothing but peace and tranquillity.

There are 20 spacious en suite rooms, all come with cable TV, hairdryers and tea/coffee making facilities. This is ideal for a small family or a couple on a weekend getaway.

The window offers inspiring views that overlook the walled garden with its ponds, cascades and gazebo. Some rooms come with private access to the gardens too.

In the morning, you can treat yourself to a full Irish breakfast though staff are more than happy to provide a vegetarian alternative.

Check prices + see more photos here

3. Shandon Bells Guest House

The guest house is situated on the banks of the River Lee with the famous English Market a 10 min walk along with many of the best pubs in Cork.

Each room is classically furnished and comes with a LCD TV, private bathroom with hairdryer, tea/coffee making facilities and even some complimentary sweets!

Guests can also enjoy on-site private fishing next to the river. In the morning, you can expect the usual, hearty Irish breakfast or you can opt for a lighter alternative.  

Check prices + see more photos here

4. Rose Lodge Guest House

Rose Lodge is a centrally located bed and breakfast in Cork City and you’ll find it a handy spin from many of the best things to do in Cork City.

There are 15 comfy and spacious rooms, all en suite, direct dial telephone, satellite TV and tea/coffee making facilities. There is also a stylish common area where you chill after a long day of exploring. 

Interestingly enough, this guest house was once a school, but was transformed into its current glory in 1997. 

Stay here, grab a decent sleep, explore the city or take a day trip to one of the many beaches near Cork City. 

Check prices + see more photos here

5. Coach Hill House

This family owned Cork bed and breakfast has been inviting guests for over 20 years. Located in Rochestown, a lovely suburb of Cork, it’s a 7-minute drive to the centre and 10 minutes to Cork Airport.

Each unit comes with a flat-screen TV with cable channels, an en suite bathroom with hairdryer and a desk.

Some rooms have stunning views overlooking the lake. Guests have full access to tea/coffee making facilities in the breakfast room as well as a full Irish breakfast available every morning.

Check prices + see more photos here

Very central B&Bs in Cork City

The second section of our Cork bed and breakfast guide tackles the more central B&Bs in Cork City, for those of you that want to be at the heart of the action.

Each of the B&Bs below are centrally located, so you won’t need to worry about grabbing a taxi at the end of the night. 

1. Redclyffe Guesthouse

Located just opposite the University College Cork and only a 10 minute walk to the city centre, this guesthouse boasts captivating views of Fitzgerald Park with the bonus of free parking for anyone who drives.

The rooms are huge, with en suite bathrooms and hairdryers, satellite TVs, telephones and tea/coffee making facilities.

There is a bus stop just outside to take you to the city centre. The English Market, St Fin Barre’s Cathedral and Shannon Steeple are all less than 1km from Redclyffe as well as Cork airport only a 5 min drive away.

Check prices + see more photos here

2. Lancaster Lodge

Perfectly situated on the banks of the River Lee, this 4-star lodge boasts stylish modern rooms with king-size beds, LCD TVs, en suite bathroom with power shower and tea/coffee making facilities with complimentary biscuits!

Continental, full Irish or vegetarian breakfast is available to all guests and foodies in particular will appreciate the location as the famous English market is only a 5 min ramble away.

Cork City Gaol is only a 25 min walk from the lodge and a number of the more popular walks in Cork can be started close by. 

Check prices + see more photos here

3. Killarney Guest House

This guesthouse is conveniently opposite the University College Cork and next door to the Redclyffe guesthouse (who own this property too).

This family-run guest house offers stylish rooms with en suite bathrooms with hairdryer, TV and tea/coffee making facilities. Some rooms have a whirlpool bath.

Guests staying at Killarney have the opportunity to enjoy a buffet breakfast for 9 euro which includes tea, coffee, toast, home-baked scones, breads and cereals.

A 10 minute walk to the city centre though check out Cork Public Museum which is only a few minutes away.

Check prices + see more photos here

4. Anam Cara B&B

This quaint little B&B in Cork City is run by Tim and Aideen who will go above and beyond to make your stay one to remember.

Conveniently close to University College Cork and St Fin Barre’s Cathedral, the B&B offers free parking and a à la carte or Full Irish breakfast in the morning.

The room is tastefully decorated with a very comfy bed and there is also a terrace and shared lounge to kick-back in.

Check prices + see more photos here

Bed and breakfast Cork: What ones have we missed?

I’m sure that we’ve unintentionally missed out on some brilliant B&Bs in Cork City in the guide above.

If you have a bed and breakfast in Cork that you’ve stayed in before and that you’d like to recommend, let us know in the comments section below.

FAQs about the best Cork bed and breakfast on offer

We’ve had a lot of questions over the years asking about everything from the most central B&Bs in Cork City to which ones we’d recommend.

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.

What is the best bed and breakfast Cork has to offer?

In my opinion, it’s very hard to go wrong with Gabriel House Guesthouse, Belvedere Lodge, Shandon Bells Guest House and Rose Lodge Guest House, however, any of the above B&Bs in Cork City are worth checking out.

What are the most central B&Bs Cork City has to offer?

If you’re after nice and central B&Bs in Cork City, the likes of Anam Cara B&B, Killarney Guest House and Lancaster Lodge are all great options.

Are there any luxury bed and breakfast in Cork?

Yes, the likes of Lancaster Lodge, Belvedere Lodge and Gabriel House Guesthouse all offer accommodation that could go toe-to-toe with many of Cork’s 4-star hotels.