You Can Rent This 500-Year-Old Castle by the Sea in West Cork

Rincolisky Castle has been standing on the shores of Roaring Water Bay for around 500 years. Getting to spend a few nights inside it is a relatively recent development.

This old O’Driscoll tower house was inherited by artist Zizi Rincolisky, who began the mammoth task of restoring it in 2001 after spending holidays here since the 1960s.

Today, it sleeps up to 5 and combines original stonework and centuries-old timber with some very unexpected additions.

There’s an AGA in the kitchen, a contemporary room at the very top of the tower and, down beside the sea, a sauna where you can warm up after a dip.

A very unique Irish castle

Rincolisky sits in rural West Cork overlooking Roaring Water Bay and the islands beyond, with Kilcoe Castle sitting across the water.

The restoration has deliberately left much of the building’s history on show. Rather than plastering over the old walls, the castle was finished using natural lime mortar so its original stonework remains visible.

And there are some fascinating bits and pieces scattered throughout. You’ll find 500-year-old oak beams, floor tiles salvaged from a century-old French church and even the castle’s old garderobe, which now contains a small toilet and sink. It’s a proper old castle rather than a modern house wearing a medieval costume.

An antique furnished home

Things get even more interesting once you start climbing through the castle. On the ground floor there’s a large country kitchen with an AGA and a big fireplace, while two mezzanine areas provide additional sleeping space.

The castle is also geothermally heated, which should take some of the sting out of a West Cork winter. Then you reach the top.

Here, the ancient tower takes a sharp turn towards the contemporary, with a modern double bedroom opening directly onto a stone terrace overlooking the countryside and Roaring Water Bay.

Five hundred years of stone beneath your feet and the Atlantic out in front. That’s quite a bedroom.

A sauna with a view

The hot tub that once featured here is gone, but its replacement arguably suits the setting considerably better. Down beside the sea there’s now a sauna overlooking the water, with two stone stairways leading towards the rocky shoreline below.

At high tide, you can go for a swim before retreating to the sauna to warm back up. Use of the sauna currently costs an additional €50 and is weather dependent. There are worse places for a cold dip.

Check prices and read reviews here.

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.

Read more about the Dunmanus Bay Barn

7. Dolphin Beach Lodge

Dolphin Beach Lodge sits just metres from the Atlantic on Connemara’s Sky Road, with Clifden Bay outside the windows and a secluded beach directly in front.

The lodge sleeps 6 across 3 bedrooms and, despite the wonderfully remote-feeling setting, you’re only around a 10-minute drive from Clifden.

8. 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.