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Celebrate, chill out, or relish in a little of both. Clontarf Castle Hotel in Dublin, Ireland is a perfect blend of a boutique and luxury hotel, providing unique style and exceptional service in comfortable surroundings. This unique luxury hotel in Dublin is well thought out from the guests' point of view by providing a modern aesthetic built around an ancient form. Located just 10 minutes from the heart of Dublin City Centre and 5 miles from Dublin Airport, the Clontarf Castle Hotel in Ireland is an oasis, tucked away in a tranquil setting, surrounded by fabulous golf courses and the sounds of lapping waters from the Irish Sea.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Historic Hotel
Hidden Gem
Languages Spoken
English, French, Spanish, Polish and 1 more
Location
Castle Avenue, Dublin D03 W5N0 Ireland
Clontarf Castle Hotel
4.5 reviews
Getting there
Car recommended
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travelers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
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Nestled in a tranquil residential area near Dublin, Clontarf Castle Hotel captivates guests with its fairytale-like ambiance and medieval charm. While the location is occasionally deemed somewhat isolated, the majority of travelers find the stylish and comfortable rooms a delight, despite a few mentions of cleanliness and temperature control concerns. The hotel's cleanliness is often celebrated, with many describing the spaces as immaculate.
High marks are also given for the friendly and professional service, though there are occasional notes regarding slow service. While some guests discuss minor delays in amenities and question the value, the enchanting atmosphere and historical allure are consistently praised.
Location
Convenient
Atmosphere
Enchanting
Rooms
Comfortable
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Immaculate
Service
Attentive
Amenities
Outstanding
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Detailed Reviews
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Hotel that gives its guests a simply unique and wonderful atmosphere... during the Christmas holidays I dare say almost magical and unrepeatable in other places. Ireland and Dublin at Christmas time are able to offer unique sensations to their visitors, so the Contralf Castle already on your arrival will immerse you in an absolutely fairytale dimension fully realizing all the expectations that its lucky guests expect .. you will feel like going back in time to times of castles and knights or if you prefer you will be transported to a fairytale world like Harry Potter . The location is amazing in a quiet area in the Clontarf village a residential district of Dublin just minutes from downtown and away from the bustle of the bustling Temple Bar or Grafton Strett. Comfortable rooms and in typical Victorian style our junior suite was with a wonderful four poster bed. All the rooms are very stylish especially with Christmas decorations .. from the lobby with an imposing fireplace , to the various bars and the restaurant that offers a rich and varied breakfast with always fresh and typically Irish quality products and in the evening with a la carte dinners where the executive chef awarded with two rosettes offers high-quality dishes, efficient and professional staff without ever being intrusive , also composed of Italians very attentive and precise in impeccable and correct service without falling into cloying stereotypes. Receptionists efficient and available both during the booking and on-site assistance. Value for money nothing short of surprising for what is offered and for the sensations it offers its guests. I absolutely recommend a visit to wonderful Dublin and a stay in this fairytale place called Contralf Castle.
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Date of stay: January 2025Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
The hotel itself is very nice looking, interesting and well located, has the feel of a real historical castle, the rooms are convenient and comfortable and the staff speaks English. From the hotel it is easy to get to where you need to be by taxi. My breakfast was not included but if you need it the extra charge is quite small. Overall the hotel itself was relatively quiet, not many people staying with families so there was no unnecessary noise and it was easy to get to the door. I especially want to thank the receptionists who work tirelessly, are very responsive to guests and help them with everything, they even gave me some recommendations of nice restaurants and cafes for lunch and dinner.
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Date of stay: August 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Traveled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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What a BEAUTIFUL HOTEL! I had the pleasure of a one night stay in January of 2025 since I was visiting a friend in Dublin and HAD to see this castle. The photos online are beautiful and probably for the first time in the history of my travels, the real life experience surpassed what I had envisioned. Their mid week promotion of a bottle of wine and a box of chocolates in the room upon arrival, along with a full buffet breakfast the next day made it just too hard to resist!
I learned a lesson about booking directly on their site since I would have paid the same price on Expedia with none of these extras. The bed was extremely comfortable and I lived in luxury for the evening! The salmon I ate at the restaurant for dinner was cooked to perfection and the staff in all areas were exceptionally down to earth and welcoming. I believe this hotel is a must see. It is a unique blend of history, architecture and culinary delights. This outstanding example of hospitality will definitely be bringing me back for a longer stay in the future!
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Date of stay: January 2025
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Trip type: Traveled solo
Room Tip:Â Book directly on their website to get the best deals along with their special promotions!
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Carlos Carneiro, Guest Services / Front Office at Clontarf Castle Hotel
Responded 3 weeks ago
Dear Mobile187076. On behalf of everybody here at Clontarf Castle, I would like thank you for your very kind comments regarding your experience here at Clontarf Castle. We're delighted to hear that your stay at Clontarf Castle surpassed your expectations and that you enjoyed the special touches like the wine and chocolates upon arrival, as well as our buffet breakfast. Delicious food and excellent service is what makes a great restaurant, and we are delighted you had the opportunity to experience that. Once again, I would like to thank you for taking the time to share your recent experience with us, and I hope it is not too long before we have the pleasure of welcoming you back again. Kind Regards Carlos Carneiro Guest Relations Manager
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People have to understand before booking this location, is that only the restaurants on premises is actually within the original castle walls. There are no accommodations within the castle, only in the contemporary addition which is very similar to modern day hotel layouts. Therein lied our disappointment. Enjoy the castle, but only by gazing at the exterior walls if you are not in one of the dining rooms. Despite being "upgraded" upon our arrival, which we much appreciated, we thought they had made a mistake when we entered the room because of its small cramped size with furniture that did not quite fit. The bathroom was the highlight, spacious and luxurious. The reception staff were very nice and knowledgeable. Know that the location is somewhat isolated and you won't be walking to other restaurants or attractions. Nice that they had three choices of where to eat - not nice that only The Knights Bar was available. The upscale Fahrenheit was but only for breakfast. Overall, we would not book here again but rather an accommodation closer to Dublin center offering better value and a wider menu of things to do.
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Date of stay: May 2024
Value
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Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Sarah Flavin, General Manager at Clontarf Castle Hotel
Responded Jun 2, 2024
Dear PZFLY, Many thanks for taking the time to share your review and sincerely for your kind comments regarding the friendly and knowledgeable team here at Clontarf Castle. I am truly sorry to hear that you did not find our rich history, which dates back to 1172, enjoyable. Our lobby, Knights Bar, Indigo, and Fahrenheit are located in our 12th-century castle, while our bedrooms and some event spaces are in the newer part of the Hotel. At Clontarf Castle, we offer a diverse range of room categories, from the Queen Boutique room you stayed in to our Executive Four Poster rooms, Junior and King Suites, and our Royal Suite. We always endeavour to cater to every guest’s unique preference and needs to create the perfect experiences that align with our commitments. I understand how important this is to you, and I deeply regret that you left disappointed. Should you choose to return to us, I would be more than happy to personally oversee your booking and ensure that your stay is nothing short of exceptional. Your satisfaction is our top priority as a valued guest. Once again, thank you for sharing your review. Sarah Flavin General Manager
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We booked this hotel from Australia before we set off on our overseas travels. Bit of desperation really because we were unaware that there were a few concerts and a footy match on at the same time so it was a bit above our pay grade. Also a little out of town but how lucky were we! This place is amazing. Rooms just tops, restaurant excellent, bars serve quality wines and beers without a bank loan and they have the best scones and jam with clotted cream. I'm done.
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Date of stay: June 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Sarah Flavin, General Manager at Clontarf Castle Hotel
Responded Sep 6, 2024
Dear Andrew, Thank you for taking the time to review your recent experience in Clontarf Castle. Delicious food and excellent service is what makes a great restaurant, and we are delighted you had the opportunity to experience that. Once again, I would like to thank you for taking the time to share your recent experience with us, and I hope it is not too long before we have the pleasure of welcoming you back again. Kind Regards Sarah Flavin General Manager
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Just back from a fabulous weekend in Clontarf Castle where we had an amazing time. On checking in we were met by Irani who dealt with us in a very friendly & efficient manner and offered us an upgrade to an executive room which we gratefully accepted. The room itself was beautiful complete with a magnificent 4 poster bed. We had dinner in the Knights bar that evening where we were served by helpful & knowledgeable staff, the food was delicious, very tasteful and great value for money. There was a great atmosphere all around the hotel even though it was mid January and not as busy as normal. Breakfast in the Fahrenheit restaurant the next morning was superb, excellent service, a great selection of hot & cold foodstuffs all of the highest quality. All in all this was a tremendously weekend and we will certainly be returning in the near future.
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Date of stay: January 2025
Value
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Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip:Â It is worth upgrading to an Executive room, they are outstanding and if dining then the...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Carlos Carneiro, Guest Services / Front Office at Clontarf Castle Hotel
Responded Feb 3, 2025
Dear 853TonyM, Thank you for your fantastic review! We’re absolutely delighted to hear that you had such a wonderful weekend at Clontarf Castle. It’s great to know that Irani provided you with a warm and efficient check-in experience and that you enjoyed your upgraded executive room, especially the magnificent four-poster bed! We’re also pleased that you had a memorable dining experience in the Knights Bar, with delicious food and attentive service. Your kind words about the breakfast at Fahrenheit Restaurant and the overall atmosphere of the hotel mean a lot to us. We always strive to create a welcoming and enjoyable experience for our guests, regardless of the time of year. We truly appreciate your feedback and look forward to welcoming you back for another fantastic stay in the near future! kind Regards, Carlos Carneiro Guest Relations Manager
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I just spent 3 nights on the Clontarf Castle Hotel and really enjoyed my stay. I was there for a business function and the staff was excellent, welcoming and really went above and beyond to ensure we all had a great stay. The room was a little small, but had all the amenities you needed included like coffee/tea service. The hotel and property is beautiful and really feels like castle grounds with all the lion statues and armor sets. The Knights Bar is where we ended up most nights and we really enjoyed the whiskey selection. We had breakfast included with the rooms and it was a full Irish breakfast and was very filling. I am used to staying downtown Dublin so this was my first time in Clontarf but we walked down to the waterfront area and found some pubs nearby and just a little shopping but for most of our free time we took an Uber to the city which was only 15 minutes with traffic. The airport is close, but depending on traffic on all the narrow roads it can take 30 minutes so plan accordingly. This is a great hotel!
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Date of stay: March 2025
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Trip type: Traveled on business
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Carlos Carneiro, Guest Services / Front Office at Clontarf Castle Hotel
Responded 1 week ago
Dear 492RyanB, Thank you for your wonderful review! We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed your stay at Clontarf Castle and that our team made your visit memorable. It’s great to know you appreciated the unique castle atmosphere, the amenities in your room, and the selection at The Knights Bar. We’re also glad you had the chance to explore Clontarf and found it convenient to get into the city. We truly appreciate your kind words and hope to welcome you back again in the future, whether for business or leisure! Best Regards Carlos Carneiro
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My wife and I recently made our third trip to Ireland. This time we wanted to stay in Dublin and make daily trips into the city center and also visit some nearby towns. This trip was our anniversary and Christmas present to each other. An online search led us to Clontarf Castle. We dealt with them directly on line. Every query was answered within 24 hours. One feature that was important to us was being able to cancel without penalty. We chose the bed and breakfast option.
This was one of the best vacation trips we have ever had, largely because Clontarf Castle was one of the finest hotels we have ever visited. The Castle itself is in a quiet residential area just minute from downtown Dublin. We used taxis for our visits to Dublin and surrounding towns, e.g., Malahide and Howth. (All taxis in Ireland take credit cards and we found them to be reasonable as well as an opportunity to talk with locals.))
The Castle was nicely decorated for the holidays . On two nights there was a choir in the lobby. The staff is great; very friendly and helpful. The breakfasts were the finest B and B type breakfasts we have ever had: plentiful eggs, breads, meats, fruit, including the makings of the "full Irish." The Knights Bar offered excellent lunches and dinners as well as full bar. We had a special "anniversary" dinner in the Fahrenheit Restaurant with one of the finest beef filets we have ever had.
We can't remember all the names of staff members to thank but here are some: Yvonne and Helen; Vijay; Karen; Veronica; Enrique. The gentlemen who were the hosts at breakfast. The front desk crew was great and always friendly and helpful . The room was perfect: comfortable; clean; great shower and large bed.
We highly recommend Clontarf Castle to anyone visiting Dublin. If we have the opportunity to return to Ireland, we will definitely stay at Clontarf Castle.
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Date of stay: December 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Sarah Flavin, General Manager at Clontarf Castle Hotel
Responded Dec 22, 2024
Dear utahken2016, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. We are delighted to read that you enjoyed every detail of your stay. This time of year is especially meaningful to us, and we take great care in preparing everything in a special way to warmly welcome each of our guests. Your kind words mean so much to our team. Thank you again for your amazing review, and we look forward to welcoming you back very soon. Warm regards, Carlos Carneiro Guest Relations Manager
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We enjoyed a wonderful two night experience at the Clontarf Castle and were in awe of the magnificent features. Just two minor negatives
1. We went to dress for dinner at 5.45 and our room was still in the process of being cleaned, however I discovered after he’d left that an area of dust which must have accumulated over several weeks/months had been cleaned so thorough had he been so was able to forgive the timing
2. Why do so many hotels not make sure that mirrors and electrical sockets are close together? I could not see what I was doing when drying my hair.
Despite this I hope to return to the hotel soon.
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Date of stay: March 2024Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Sarah Flavin, General Manager at Clontarf Castle Hotel
Responded Apr 2, 2024
Dear Jennifer, Thank you for taking the time to review your recent experience in Clontarf Castle. We are thrilled that your experience with us was pleasant, and that you enjoyed how the Castle marries modern features with the historic architecture of the Castle. Once again, I wish to thank you for taking the time to share your recent experience with us, and I hope it is not too long before we have the pleasure of welcoming you back again. Kind Regards Sarah Flavin General Manager
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We stayed over in January with family, a Christmas gift from all of us to all of us. On arrival, we had booked a junior suite and we were upgraded to a royal suite. A nice big spacious room with 4 poster bed. Unfortunately it was very, very cold. It was hours before the room was warm enough to encourage us to relax there. in my opinion, the room needed advance heating, a lovely room but too cold to be comfortable.
The bed was comfortable, but the pillows were far too big - all of them, there was no choice. This didn't really lend itself to a good sleep.
We ordered room service. The staff who took the order and delivered it were very pleasant and the food arrived promptly. unfortunately, we were a bit disappointed with the food. The menu offered 'Sharing platter of artisan breads and dips'. There were two breads, one was just thick slices of toasted bread, the other was foccacia (tasty enough) with 3 tiny ramekins. Pesto, tomatoe & onion, I can't remember the third, hardly enough for 1 person, let alone a sharing platter. (Expensive at €18.50 The second item was Toonsbridge Caprese - which I suspect was just mozzarella accompanied by very thinly slice tomatoe - again, very skimpy with the ingredients. This would have benefited with some olive oil, none was provided. Expensive at €14.50
We opted not to go to Farenheit restaurant, preferring the more casual approach in the Knights Bar. It was very busy, people were waiting hours for a table. the head waiter was running a waiting list and we were seated without any issue. Our wine was brought to the table opened, which we queried, the waitress flippantly said 'I'm too busy for all that so I opened it at the bar' - not great! One of our party had the salmon, and was very happy with it. my partner had Mushrooms, toast and ardsallagh Goats cheese for a starter, he said it was nice, I ordered it for a main and it was cold - I didn't eat it. Desert was disappointing - described as Salted caramel cheesecake, what arrived was chocolate cheesecake with a minimal amount of salted caramel in the middle. None of us finished it.
Breakfast was chaotic, with lots of guests diverted to the bar while the waiting list unfolded. There was complementary Tea and Coffee, but not much good if checking out at 12 and still waiting for breakfast at 11.30am. The breakfast was self service and very good. Everything was hot and lots of it. Plenty of choice.
Overall, it is a nice hotel, pity is was so cold and the food disappointed. Staff were friendly & helpful.
It is a lovely Castle hotel, with lots of nooks and crannies, which has been tastefully added to with modern buildings.
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Date of stay: January 2025
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Carlos Carneiro, Guest Services / Front Office at Clontarf Castle Hotel
Responded Feb 3, 2025
Dear H6566NJLindag, Thank you for taking the time to share your detailed feedback about your recent stay with us. We truly appreciate your honest insights, as they help us improve and enhance the experience for all our guests. We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed the upgrade to our Royal Suite and found the room spacious and comfortable. However, we sincerely regret that the temperature of the room upon arrival was not as welcoming as it should have been. Your suggestion about advance heating is very valuable, and we will review our procedures to ensure our guests feel comfortable from the moment they step into their room. We’re also sorry to hear that the pillows did not meet your expectations. We understand that comfort preferences vary, and we will take your feedback into consideration as we continuously evaluate our in room amenities. Regarding your dining experience, we are pleased that you found our staff pleasant and that room service was prompt. However, we regret that the portion sizes and presentation of your meal did not match your expectations. We appreciate your comments and will share them with our Food and Beverage team to ensure our offerings provide the quality and value our guests deserve. Your experience at the Knights Bar and during breakfast is also noted. While we are happy to hear that our team accommodated you promptly at the bar and that breakfast was enjoyable, we apologize for any delays and the issues with wine service. We strive to deliver a seamless and attentive dining experience, and we will be addressing these concerns with our team to prevent any future disappointments. On a positive note, we’re glad that you found our staff friendly and helpful, and that you appreciated the charm and character of our hotel. We value your feedback and hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back in the future to provide a more enjoyable and seamless experience. Kind Regards Carlos Carneiro Guest Relations Manager
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Yes it is the castle itself, which has been upgraded inside to have comfortable hotel rooms and restaurants while keeping the castle feel. I loved staying there, it was really special.
Sorry I can't help you with regards your visit to Malahide Castle as we didn't visit there.
We use a taxi from the airport it was about 25 to 30 euros. If you use the bus from the airport I think you have to go into Dublin centre and then get another bus/taxi out to the hotel.
I would recommend the trip from Dublin to the Giant causeway, that takes in the Titanic exhibition. Uts a long day but we lived it.
There are more places to choose from in the Dublin area.
PRICE RANGE
$151 - $288 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
clontarf castle hotel
LOCATION
IrelandProvince of LeinsterCounty DublinDublin
NUMBER OF ROOMS
111
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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