“How the f**k do we get into it?!”
I was on my second drive up the narrow road towards Kilkea Castle in Kildare and for the second time, I couldn’t for the life of me figure out where the reception was.
I hopped out of the car, shielding my head from the little torpedo-like raindrops clattering against my face at every opportunity, and legged it towards a woman battling to keep her grips on an umbrella.
The second time up
After hearing me mutter ‘Eh, yea… how do actually you get in‘, she pointed me in the direction of the huge blue door at the centre of the castle.
Yes, it sounds blatantly obvious, I know…
BUT, in my defence, the door at the centre of the castle looked like it hadn’t swung open in decades, and this set the tone for the next 15 hours in Kilkea Castle.
A quick note before we dive into the review
Transparency: The folks at Kilkea Castle gave me a complimentary nights bed and breakfast along with an evening meal.
Our integrity: if Kilkea was crap, I’d tell you. I’d never do anything in exchange for a positive review. If I like something, I’ll say so. If I love it, I’ll do the same. If I think something’s muck and not worth you spending your hard earned cash on it, I’ll shout it from the rooftop. Read more about our review policy here.
Kilkea Castle Review – a serious pile of bricks with luxury oozing from every corner
The exterior of Kilkea is incredibly impressive.
As you edge to the end of the beech-lined avenue that leads to the main entrance, the castle looms over you in an almost intimidating manner.
The scene you’ll be met with if you arrive on a gloomy day
It looks more like a tourist attraction than a hotel thanks to €30M restoration
Inside Kilkea: Like stepping into a time machine
After we pushed open the door and walked into the darkened reception area, the sheer scale of the five-year €30 million restoration/renovation started to become apparent.
Swanky reception area
How it looks in daylight
Kilkea Castle looks like something from an Ireland of times past, and that’s the best possible compliment that I can give it.
The sheer attention to detail in every corner of the castle is almost overwhelming at times.
One of the old stone staircases
The castle is set on 180 acres of its own gorgeous woodland, gardens and golf course in Castledermot in County Kildare along Ireland’s Ancient East.
it boasts 57 accommodations in total, including 24 guest rooms and suites in the renovated Carriage House and 33 three-bedroom self-catering lodges at the golf course.
Arched entrance to another section of the castle
Archers used windows like the cross-shaped one on the right to fire out arrows.
The fireplace near the restaurant and bar
A very creamy pint near the fire
If you’re looking to keep occupied during your visit, you can try your hand at golf, tennis, archery, falconry, skeet shooting, horseback riding, hiking, cycling, tubing and fishing in the Greese River.
A swimming pool and spa are also in the works.
The bedrooms
We stayed in a room inside the main castle.
Yes, it was fancy-out like the rest of the castle, but it was cosy and packed with all the right stuff – i.e. decent coffee, a strong shower, a comfortable mattress and buckets of natural light.
This was taken at around 17:40 just before the sun started to drop
The view out over the courtyard from the room
Chocolates to accompany coffee from a little espresso machine
The food
For any of you reading this that know me, you’ll know that I’m a pain in the hole when it comes to food.
I’m finicky with everything. And always have been.
So I was a little bit wary of eating at Kilkea.
Dinner
Dinner was class (for those of you reading from outside of Ireland, ‘class’ is slang for amazing/great/brilliant).
As you can see from the below snap, I gave the bangers and mash a crack, and I’d easily have eaten another plate and a half.
Not because the portion was stingy – they were just insanely tasty.
Fancy bangers and mash
Breakfast
We had breakfast in the room below while sitting on squishy chairs that probably cost more than my car.
There was a solid selection, the coffee was so strong you could have propped up a spoon in it, and the staff serving were warm and chatty.
The breakfast room
The breakfast menu at Kilkea
4 eggs as I was in full on fat mode
The castle grounds
On the day that we visited, the rain was pouring down, so we didn’t get the chance to get out and explore the grounds.
If you visit Kilkea and fancy exploring the grounds (or heading off for a game of golf) here’s a little bit of what you can expect.
Part of the 18-hole, par-70 parkway golf course
The castles rose garden in full bloom
Review in a nutshell
For me, a great hotel comes down to three things;
- The people
- The place
- The food (…and drink)
The staff we encountered (in particular the woman that chatted to us while serving breakfast and taking my extremely awkward order – apparently sunny-side-up doesn’t mean well done… yes, I’m a tool) were warm and welcoming and never in an over-the-top manner. It all felt natural.
The place was outstanding. From the restaurant to the bedrooms to the little details scattered throughout every corner of Kilkea Castle, the place was impeccable.
The food and drink were top dollar. My only regret is that we didn’t spend more time flaked out in front of the fireplace.
How much a night here will set you back
I’ve based the below prices on a Friday night in April. For more accurate info on prices, visit the Kilkea Castle website.
- Best Available Carriage Bedroom Bed & Breakfast Rate – €195
- Best Available Carriage Bedroom Room Only Rate – €165
- Carriage Room One Night Escape (full Irish Breakfast and an evening meal – €315
If you’re looking to splash out, there are also a number of more luxurious stay options that you can find more info on here.
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.