Ireland's most storied castle hotels is about to get a serious upgrade. Dromoland Castle in County Clare will shut this November for six months — the largest redevelopment in its 63 years as a hotel — with doors reopening in June 2027. Travellers with a stay on the cards should plan around it.
The centrepiece of the redesign is a glass-enclosed Atrium built over the castle's historic courtyard, turning it into an all-weather space for morning coffee, afternoon tea and evening cocktails. New accommodation clusters are part of the plan too. The Walled Garden Collection converts the former stables into 13 rooms suited to families and groups, set within centuries-old walled gardens and looking over a yew tree avenue planted in 1740. The Heritage Collection adds 16 rooms and five suites across a whole floor of a wing facing the main entrance. Once everything is complete, the estate will offer 121 places to stay, including two private lodges for longer visits.
The interiors lean into Irish craft. Expect Connemara marble — the national stone — alongside bespoke metalwork, linen, wool and velvets, all done in keeping with the country-house tradition. There's even a nod to royalty: Ulster Carpets, the Northern Irish firm that made the ceremonial carpet for King Charles III's Coronation at Westminster Abbey, is involved.
Wellness gets the biggest boost. The castle already offers forest bathing in its ancient woodlands, meditation in the Whisper Room and Dr. Barbara Sturm skincare treatments. From next summer, guests will find glass-fronted saunas on the shore of Lough Dromoland, the estate's private lake.
For anyone eyeing a castle stay on the Wild Atlantic Way, timing matters. Book before November for the classic experience, or hold off until summer 2027 to see the finished product. The good news: the bones of the place — a 16th-century castle on 500 acres — aren't going anywhere.
