The best spa hotels in Ireland to book for a relaxing stay on the Emerald Isle
There's value in taking the time to slow down, recharge and reset, and while we're all in favour of a hotel stay that champions activities and indulgence, we're also advocates of wellbeing. The beauty of the best spa hotels in Ireland is that they offer the option to do a little (or a lot) of both. With seaweed baths overlooking the ocean, cutting-edge facials in stately manors, woodland meditation and grounding gong baths, Ireland’s wellness scene is in rude health. And now alongside treatments from the best-known names in wellbeing, our favourite spa hotels are also championing the homegrown brands that are carving out a reputation on the global stage. This is where to book if a stay at one of the best spa hotels in Ireland sounds exactly what you need.
For more inspiration on where to stay in Ireland, visit:
The best hotels in Ireland
The best Airbnbs in Ireland
The best castles you can rent on Airbnb
The best Airbnbs in Dublin
Lough Eske Castle, County Donegal
The leafy, lakeside setting of this turreted beauty is sure to lull anyone into a more restful state. Lough Eske Castle sits at the foot of the Bluestack Mountains, in a 43-acre wooded estate where guests can amble around on the free hotel bikes, with bell and basket for old-school charm. The history of this place goes back to the 1400s, when it was the seat of the princely O’Donnell family (join the daily tour to hear some fun local facts). Now the current Donegal-born owner is boosting its five-star appeal, with the recent five-million-euro addition of new suites, edged in custom-made tweed from local weavers Magee. Lough Eske wins plaudits for its organic spa, serenely planted in the walled gardens where the original glasshouse once stood, with outdoor hot tubs for soaking up the mountain views. Treatments here use natural skincare big hitter ESPA (try the marine mud wrap, seeing as you’re on the wild west coast), while there is also therapy specially tailored for cancer patients, as well as for easing the symptoms of menopause. Days here wind down with early-evening whiskey tastings in the cellar, followed by seafood feasts in Cedars restaurant or more laid-back suppers of smoked salmon and Guinness bread in the Gallery bar.
Address: Lough Eske Castle, Donegal Town, County Donegal
Barry Murphy PhotographyDromoland Castle, County Clare
Since its clever revamp in 2023, the subterranean spa at Dromoland Castle has turned quiet luxury up a notch. Wellness seekers pad around in floral-motif silk robes created by an Irish fashion designer (pick up one to take home from the hotel’s brilliantly curated boutique) and are tucked in under cashmere blankets on the bespoke relaxation beds. For maximum post-treatment bliss out, there’s a guided meditation based on a tour around the castle’s rose garden, refreshing tonics made from sea moss, plus mindful colouring books and pencils in the Whisper Room. Those treatments include science-backed facials from Dr Barbara Sturm, marine-gel body masks from Irish hero brand Seabody and a sound-bath-massage combo on a warm amber and quartz crystal bed. The Coop fitness studio is a new addition, with yoga, Pilates and gong baths on the weekly schedule, and there are mindful movement sessions and forest bathing in the woodland, often soundtracked by birdsong. While the wellness roster is mightily impressive (there’s even a dedicated director of sleep), the real USP is that it all comes wrapped up in a deeply charming castle where the welcome is as warm as the crackling log fires.
Address: Dromoland Castle, Newmarket on Fergus, County Clare
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Park Hotel Kenmare, Co Kerry
An early adopter of biophilic architecture in the region when it opened in 2016, Sámas Spa is a beautifully low-slung, grass-roofed foil to the grey-stone grande dame that is the Park Hotel. The outdoor vitality pools are set amid the woodland for bonus restorative points, with the water of Kenmare Bay sparkling through the trees. Treatments are from organic standard bearer Bamford (if you’ve got time on your hands, go for the three-hour Sámas ritual, which kicks off in the thermal suite before a body treatment or facial, followed by deep relaxation on a day bed crafted from ash grown in the grounds). There’s a 25-metre pool for pre-breakfast laps, and wellness sessions range from morning yoga, chi flow and candlelit meditation to heart-pumping cardio and strength and conditioning, plus mood-lifting cultural events such as Music at The Park. The cultural clout extends to the hotel’s Landline restaurant too, where four contemporary works by Irish-American artist Sean Scully are the backdrop to locally sourced dishes of Kerry hill lamb with wild garlic and panna cotta with honey from nearby Gleninchaquin. Some of the bedrooms have been given a refresh to lean more modern-classic, while the revamp of the cocktail bar and dining room by London-based, Kenmare-born designer Bryan O’Sullivan feels as slick as ever.
Address: Park Hotel Kenmare, Kenmare, County Kerry
The Europe Hotel & Resort, County Kerry
Although it’s surely in one of the most uplifting locations of any wellness escape in Ireland, The Europe has largely flown under the radar on the list of the country’s best spa hotels. And that’s before you’ve even considered the two floors dedicated to ESPA-charged pampering, a waterfront relaxation room where blissed-out guests spoon post-therapy sorbets and thermal pools overlooking a sun-spangled lake backed by Ireland’s tallest peaks. Treatments of note include the 80-minute sleep ritual, with breathing techniques, a full-body hot-stone massage and scalp massage – the antidote to today’s always-on state. For those who want to lounge around in robes for the day, the spa-level Riva restaurant serves up Greek salads and lamb kofte flatbreads, while the Panorama restaurant is an evening dress-up affair, with sage-green leather banquettes and white tablecloths. Atlantic crab and locally plucked oysters feature on the menu alongside field-to-fork beef and lamb from the hotel’s own farm. This smart dining room is also where to come for breakfast, when the Irish soda bread gets snapped up among the array of home-baked loaves. The newly revamped lakeside rooms and golfside suites are the smartest options, and the cycling and running trails of Killarney National Park are instantly accessible.
Address: The Europe Hotel & Resort, Killarney, County Kerry
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Anantara The Marker Dublin, Dublin City
With its white chequerboard façade and slightly futuristic feel, The Marker hotel redirected the compass for Dublin hotels when it opened in the so-called Silicon Docks in 2013. A decade later it was taken over by Thai group Anantara, and now Southeast Asia’s world-famous approach to wellness is being brought to bear in an Irish setting at the hotel’s urban spa. Charcoal cladding and a slate-lined infinity pool looking out over the docklands set a contemporary tone, and targeted personal training plus Technogym workouts draw the young techies working next door. But there’s room for age-old healing too; acupressure techniques are part of the qi flow massage and the gua sha-based facial uses Seabody, made from mineral-rich marine plants gathered on Ireland’s west coast, while naturally sourced Elemental Herbology is based on the five elements of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The wellbeing experience can also extend beyond the hotel, with an early-morning wild swimming trip to much-loved local spots such as Vico, the Forty Foot and White Rock, followed by a picnic breakfast. Later in the day, the pre-theatre menu at saffron-splashed Forbes Street restaurant might include dry-aged beef from County Longford and rainbow trout sourced from Kilkenny for a surf and turf feast before catching an endorphin-boosting musical at the Bord Gáis theatre right next door
Address: Anantara The Marker Dublin, Grand Canal Quay, Docklands, Dublin
info@martinmorrell.comThe Cliff House Hotel, Co Waterford
The pool at Cliff House calls to mind a modernist villa you might see on a clifftop in Sydney, with the endless blue of sea and sky as a panorama through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Yet the signature outdoor bathing treatment – when guests are submerged in freshly harvested seaweed in huge copper tubs, with the salty tang of Ardmore Bay in the air – is unmistakably rooted in the Irish coast. Or you could plump for a peat bath, with organic peat and ginger, for something that draws on the ancient landscape. The minimalist meets elemental vibe continues in each of the hotel’s bedrooms, which are decked out in shades of seafoam-green, heather-purple and aquamarine, all with views of the bay. Dining options range from local crab and creamy chowder on the terrace above the waves for lunch to French-inflected, Michelin-starred dishes using Irish ingredients such as black pudding and lobster for dinner. At breakfast the next morning, County Waterford’s own Flahavan’s porridge oats get the California treatment with almond, coconut and chia seeds. Other Waterford highlights worth checking out include the harbour town of Dungarven, with its greenway along an old railway line, and Lismore, a village set around the Irish castle of the Duke of Devonshire, with its public gardens and arts programme.
Address: The Cliff House Hotel, Middle Road, Dysert, Ardmore, County Waterford
Ashford Castle, Co Mayo
Set along the shores of Ireland’s second-largest lake, the 350 green-on-green acres that surround 13th-century Ashford Castle mean guests here spend a lot of time outdoors. There are boat trips and fishing for wild trout on Lough Corrib, hawk walks at Ireland’s oldest falconry school and chauffeured tours into the wilds of Connemara, plus horse riding, clay pigeon shooting, archery, tennis and golf. Yet back inside the lavishly renovated castle that was once home to the Guinness family, it’s just as exhilarating: rooms are opulently wallpapered around half-tester beds; afternoon tea cups tinkle in the Versailles-worthy Connaught Room; the spa is decorated with seashell chandeliers and intricate murals. But there’s substance behind all the luxury styling too. The spa, in an elegant orangery extending from the castle walls, is the first in Ireland to offer treatments by cutting-edge brand Augustinus Bader (go for the signature full body ritual for top-notch pampering). There’s also a treatment designed for men using Voya products made from seaweed hand-harvested along the Atlantic, a Natura Bissé facial incorporating an enriching gold and pearl mask and energy-boosting reflexology. Ashford Castle may flaunt its centuries-old history, but when it comes to up-to-the-minute wellness, it has its finger on the pulse.
Address: Ashford Castle, Cong, County Mayo
Michelle ChaplowCashel Palace Hotel, County Tipperary
The turbo-charged revamp of a legendary hotel in a former bishop’s palace set hearts all aflutter when it was unveiled in 2022. With backyard access to the 12th-century Rock of Cashel, one of Ireland’s most historic landmarks, the Palladian manor was already an enviable address, but the addition of gilded interiors, museum-worthy art and a subterranean restaurant that went on to bag a Michelin star turned it up a gear. Now the wellness offering, which includes seaweed baths on a terrace with views of the lofty Rock and treatments from nature-focused brands Bamford, Valmont and Voya, packs even more of a punch. There are Pilates and cardio classes in the spruced up Secret Garden, plus yoga, breathwork and meditation on day retreats that roam around heritage trees in the grounds. In the courtyard, a new health bar serves up post-workout matchas and açai bowls, while the hotel’s recently launched boutique on the main street stocks MyBlend skincare and clean beauty champion Westman Atelier. Back at base, the Garden Wing rooms are the ones to book for the best views of the Rock, whose round tower and Gothic cathedral are lit up at night, and the powder-puff pink suites in the original main house deliver on Regency-style grandeur.
Address: Cashel Palace Hotel, Main Street, Cashel, County Tipperary
Courtesy Adare Manor/Photo by Jack HardyAdare Manor, Co Limerick
Just like everything at this sublime retreat in rolling countryside on the edge of Adare village, the spa is an elevated version of what you might find elsewhere. Exclusive treatments from 111Skin, a brand developed by a Harley Street surgeon to help his patients heal faster, use its cult black diamond cream and sculpting radiofrequency; while the sleep-inducing codladh samh ritual incorporates the idea of Celtic ogham stones. Post-treatment relaxation happens by a light-flooded pool or in a cocooning space of deeply comfortable day beds, and the new infrared sauna keeps things bang up to date with the latest wellness trends. Another addition since Adare Manor’s top-to-toe renovation in 2017 is the Padel Club, where anyone who fancies picking up a padel can learn why it is one of the world’s fastest growing sports, and a bonus for families is that the two custom-built indoor courts allow children from aged six and up. The clubby Carriage House restaurant is just as kid-friendly; for grown-ups flying solo the Michelin-starred Oak Room serves up exquisite plates in a grand, starched-linen setting that somehow manages to feel unbuttoned and fun. And everyone will love the breakfast buffet the next morning, laid out in the wood-panelled gallery that feels part Hogwarts, part stained-glass Sainte Chapelle.
Address: Adare Manor, Adare, County Limerick
Barry Murphy PhotographyCastlemartyr Resort, Co Cork
Here is a hotel that offers bespoke treatments by Cork-based, globally successful natural beauty brand Ground by day and two-Michelin-star dishes showcasing the best Irish ingredients by night. The treatments to go for in the spa are the new Tenalach rituals, using a blend of all-natural oils created in a collaboration between Castlemartyr’s spa team and Ground founder Peigín Crowley (the brand she started from her kitchen table during lockdown can now be found in Rosewood, Four Seasons and Jumeirah hotels). Focusing on the vagus nerve, the back, scalp, and face massage brings a new approach to traditional techniques, and the oil is rich with rose, fennel, pine and lavender. There’s also alchemy in the hotel’s Terre restaurant, where the Asian-inflected menus could include Wagyu beef with barley koji and tuna belly with Irish truffle seaweed, followed by a dessert of oolong milk tea and honey; the resort’s organic gardens and beehives supply many of the ingredients. There are history tours through the original 18th-century manor house and walking trails in the grounds leading to 800-year-old castle ruins, while the heartfelt service from the concierge team is a wonderful bookend to a stay.
Address: Castlemartyr Resort, Castlemartyr, County Cork
