As a resident of Clontarf myself I never stayed in the castle before but dined in it on numerous occasions. Im sure its a four star Hotel but in my opinion I would give it four and a half. I stayed here last week and everything met my expectations. The service at the reception was great, manners & service at it's best. Booked online but ran into a credit card problem. But the receptionist dealt with it and resolved my problem. The ambiance at this place is exceptional. A grand piano in the lounge, blazing fires, stone granite walls. Piano black elevators and contemporary decor. Upon our arrival on the third floor , I swiped the card and entered the room. A deluxe Double Bed suite. The bed was amazing with lovely sheets a cool headboard with sexy red & orange lights. The lighting of the suite was quite complicated but I managed it. The room was also equipped with a sitting / work area, with a Television offered in multiple languages. A telephone ,and tea making facilities. The en-suite was good, very clean ,with two shower-heads including one of the very large round shower-heads. The bath was a bit narrow for a couple. There was an adequate supply of towels, & hygiene bags but There also could of been a bit more shampoo / Shower Gel and conditioners available. But I guess its due to cut backs. The Breakfast in the morning on the second floor was great. Everything you could ask for .... All Fresh ! Only downside of my stay was the maid kicking us out at 2 PM. We didn't want to leave..... read more

We had a truly miserable experience at Clontarf Castle during our first anniversary trip. It seems that the common theme among negative reviews for Clontarf is when there is a bad situation their customer service is appalling. The merit of someone or an establishment can be seen in how they deal with things when they're not going great. Based on that - stay away from Clontarf or if you stay there, I hope you don't run into a bad situation. 1. Food Poisoning. We got food poisoning in the Knights Bar from the meat and cheese plate without doubt. It's the only thing my husband and I both ate that day and it hit us about 4-6 hours after consumption. When it's food poisoning - you know - there's no question about those symptoms. Our night at Clontarf was subsequently spent entirely in the tiny hotel bathroom. 2. Awful Customer Service. The issue wasn't so much that we got food poisoning - we realize that unfortunately that can happen - but more how the situation was handled. Their main concern from the beginning seemed to be their reputation and not their guest's well being. When we brought it to the staff's attention that we believed to have food poisoning from the meat and cheese plate we were immediately accused of potentially lying. I've never imagined lying about something like that but I guess that's something people do? They said they take those types of "allegations" seriously though and would look into it. Why is it automatically an allegation? They said they would send it off for testing but unless it was the meat directly from our specific meat and cheese board I don't see how the test is accurate. They also served the same meat and cheeses at the breakfast buffet the next day - after knowing how violently ill we were their lack of concern for other guests well being is upsetting. They also immediately and frequently said it takes 24 hours for food poisoning to kick in so they didn't think it could be them. I have a doctor in my family, spoke with the local pharmacy and from personal experience know that is absolutely incorrect. It's usually pretty immediate yet they kept insisting it takes 24 hours. Eventually they said there was a "vomit bug" that had some of their staff out. Were they implying that their staff passed us a vomit bug? Also, with out going into detail - food poisoning entails a lot more than vomiting. They were basically telling us we were wrong and it's concerning how incorrect their facts are about something an establishment with a restaurant should know a lot about - the symptoms and timing of food poisoning. They offered no relief for the situation, financially or otherwise, except late in the morning they got us some dehydration powder that we were hoping to get the night before but they didn't offer us any water with it as we left knowing we needed water to dissolve the powder. I'm guessing we would have to pay extra for the waters. They didn't even comp the meat and cheese plate that made us so ill - over $30 USD and the ginger ale we ordered in vain before we realized it was definitely food poisoning we had - $15 USD for a ginger ale. Neither did they comp the breakfast that we could barely eat the next morning but had already paid for so tried to force ourselves. They said we were the only ones to report the food poisoning (I'm not sure they would have told us if there were others) but overall their demeanor was very cold, unhelpful, definitely unsympathetic and accusatory. After getting no sleep and exhausting ourselves all night with a violent illness that's just really, really not the way to handle that sort of situation. 3. Expensive for what you get. It's over $200 USD per night there and we booked it because we thought it was a castle. It should be said that it's a wall left from a castle with a Quality Inn type hotel built around it and then some fake castle looking stones that reminded me of the Luxor in Vegas. Very gimmicky/hokey feeling. They tried to decorate the interior with antiques and that sort of thing to make it feel more authentic but it's definitely not staying in a castle. Should also be said that the rooms are tiny, especially the bathrooms. Some people might be totally okay with that but we probably wouldn't have booked it had we known. read more

A very comfortable purpose built hotel on the near- north side of Dublin. Caters to locals for weddings, gatherings, etc and to individual and small- group tourism. Built 1970s; redone c 2005. Rooms snug but functional. Excellent bar food lunch and restaurant for dinner. Mediocre bar food in the evening. Comfortable beds and bedding. Responsive staff. Easy access to city center. City bus 5 minutes walk. Plentiful taxis on call. "Castle" is early Victorian. Grounds long built on so no vistas. Public rooms retain period detail. Modern function rooms. Very nice option to larger tourist hotels. read more

Stayed here for our entire 12 days spent in Ireland. The hotel is really nicely decorated, has a great upscale feel, each room is uniquely decorated and they kept the original fireplace from the 11th century. The location is kinda secured and away from the city so if you want to walk to places you might not want to stay here. If you do choose this place I would recommend getting the breakfast included in your stay because it is awesome, filling and very convenient. They have a nice bar that you can grab a drink if you're in the mood, but you're not in Ireland every day so get out there and grab a pint and tag me in your post! Sláinte!!!! read more

I just returned to The States after our wedding at Clontarf Castle. I don't even know where to begin...everything exceeded our expectations and then some. Jennifer McNulty helped plan everything for our wedding via email, which is not an easy task. Yet, she pulled it off beautifully. The bridal suite is amazing, the breakfast and dinners at Fahrenheit Grill were perfect, the reception staff was more than accomodating...I cannot say enough positive things to reflect how wonderful Clontarf Castle really is. We wanted to stay permanently!! Thank you for making our wedding an amazing day. read more

We had such a good experience here. This was the first place we stayed at during our tour of Ireland. We were amazed by the beauty of this place and antique items it had We were upgraded to an executive king, we gladly accepted. Everybody was very friendly and provided us with the best service. We also visited the knights bar which was delightful. read more

Great hotel. Beautifully furnished. The Knight's Bar is also great - had the wings and a glass of wine here before dinner. Also highly recommend getting their breakfast buffet. Homemade hummus, lemon curd and jams accompany traditional Irish breakfast foods plus fresh squeezed juices. read more

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Very helpful staff, and comfy accommodations. Ther was a bit of construction going on near our room, but we were checking out that day. Incredible Irish breakfast that I would fly 5000 miles to eat again. Best coffee I had on this side of the pond, too. read more

Service is great here. Very cozy feeling hotel. The restaurant food and service was great especially the breakfast. We loved our waiters but can't remember their names. The only thing missing is that I was expecting the castle to have gardens and walking areas but it did not. The location of this hotel is good though nothing close by, maybe a 10-15 min walk to the main street area, but it is in a residential neighborhood , so it is quiet and relaxing ; the city bus stop is nearby. Hail a taxi to go to Howth and it'll be fun as long as it's a nice day--when we went, it was pouring and windy but still enjoyed it. The bus ride into the Dublin city center is about half hour and 3euros. read more

Beautiful classy venue. The staff are always very professional and friendly. This castle is steeped in history. The architectural structure is a masterpiece. I've been to many formal events here from weddings to Christmas Parties, to work related business events and have always been very impressed. Today, I just dropped in for a coffee and a snack. The coffee was just average, the cheese on the nacho's was quite skimpy and our waitress forgot to ring in part of our order. But hay, I'm probably just nit picking.Every other time I've been here for formal events I haven't been able to say a negative word about the place. Clontarf Castle is definitely one of the more affluent venues for social gatherings. read more

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Came here for our last night on our honeymoon. They put rose pedals on the bed which was very nice of them. Though, the view from the room was of a grave yard and not exactly what I meant by 'please give us a breathtaking view'. I asked for a wake-up call and a taxi for in the morning and did not receive the wake-up call. They apologized and paid for the taxi to the airport which I was very gracious for. read more

Stayed here for one night after booking on Booking.Com. Our room was a good size with very comfortable beds and a large bathroom in-suite. We had a nice view of the grounds behind the castle and it was very quiet. The staff at Clontarf Castle were all very friendly and the Knight's Bar was a great place to get dinner after a long day of travelling. While a lot of the castle has been built on and updated, the main entry area had a lot gorgeous original features that makes you feel the history of the place. The only downside to staying here is that it's a little removed from a lot of things and is situated in a mostly residential area. There is a short walk down to the water but there aren't really any local cafes or shops in the area if you feel like exploring beyond the castle grounds. Overall, I would definitely recommend this if you want to stay close to Dublin but away from the city. read more

This hotel is a real gem! It is a wonderful and beautiful hotel made of from a castle ruins that date back to several hundreds of years old One of the most friendly hotels I have ever stayed in. Also the style of hotel is cool and trendy with this wonderful 11th century backdrop. There is a lively local pub near by to the hotel, and there is a on bus and train route to city centre that takes just a few minutes. The restaraunt there is excellant and I also went to there nice bar where i enjoyed afew too many drinks too. The staff is great, and the food is excellent too. I loved the fact that everything was clean and welcoming. read more

Very accommodating! Clean big rooms. Plenty of food that's good 24 hours. Great location and history. Have a few cool restaurants and bars inside to dine in that were really fun. Friendly staff taxi service and plenty of other things. Also a great place to hold a conference! read more

Clontarf Castle Hotel - Lobby! - Hotels Near Me - Dublin, D

Once again, Clontarf has impressed me. . .they are all so helpful, attentive. Our names (there were 5 of us this time) were memorized and we were greeted by name. . .nice touch, that. We were provided with information on things that were within walking distance (remember that Americans don't, generally speaking, walk like the Irish! LOL). This was a lovely break from downtown hotels (enjoyed them too, just that it was time for a break). This hotel is near the city center but removed enough to be peaceful. read more

Pretty decent hotel. I had a great experience, staff was lovely everyone was super kind and willing to help and continental breakfast was great! Reason for my three star is some minor things I believe makes it not a 4.5 star hotel on Google. The bathrooms and sheets are in major need of replacement and updating. Sheets were clearly worn out, the bathroom had chipping on the bottom of the tub and rust stains in corners that were far from attractive. They have an American plug port that you can use if you don't have a converter BUT it doesn't work. Lastly there is no proper security in maintaining silence in the halls. Noise of a family throughout the entire night causing a disturbance almost every hour on the hour kept me up and it was just disrespectful and annoying that nobody approached them to stop. It's a beautiful hotel and I would be willing to stay in it again when I visit Ireland again. The castle experience makes it all the more better to enjoy being in Ireland. The continental breakfast was superb. I've never seen a breakfast so elaborate and delicious that came with my hotel stay. Great hotel but not near a five star experience. read more

this place has so much potential. they really need to work on their customer service, though. we were so excited to stay in a castle but all the excitement was taken away due to be woken up by the construction literally in the room next to us at 7:45am. it was legit screwing and hammering and talking. ridiculous. i complained multiple times to the front desk and it took them awhile to agree to move rooms for us the next night. they should've offered breakfast or something. on top of that, we asked for towels to the room and it seriously took 30 minutes and i called three times. eventually, my boyfriend just used a hand towel to dry off. very disappointed. read more

Stayed here for 1 night for our final night in Dublin. Beautiful hotel that actually felt like a castle, friendly staff, and nice size room & bathroom! We were planning on going out that night, but ended up being to tired, so we decided to just hang out at the hotel. Had dinner and drinks at The Knights Bar, good food. And it was a pretty quick drive to the airport in the morning! I wold definitely stay here again! read more

The hotel was fancy and nice, the staff super attentive. Our request for extra towels was met in a flash! Vijay the concierge spent almost 2 hours with us helping us to iron out a problem with Trainline reservations. Very much appreciated! He was persistent, and made sure we were satisfied! 5 minute walk to the waterfront to catch the bus to the city center. Nice, quiet location. Comfortable room. read more

Excellent guest service. The hotel is located outside of Dublin, but it was an easy $12 cab ride Into the city.

We were very disappointed with our stay at the Clontarf "castle" hotel (it felt more like Disneyland than a castle). After a long road trip, we had looked forward to the advertised luxurious room at a 4 star hotel, instead, we paid $400 to stay in the attic in a cramped room with almost no natural light. Additionally, the hotel is inconveniently far from the city center. You're better off booking a less expensive spot that's closer to the actual city. The staff was nice about giving us complimentary breakfasts when we expressed this. read more

We spent our honeymoon here in 2007. It was amazing. The grand reopening was also occurring during our stay so we were able to partake in the festivities of that. The rooms are beautiful and comfortable, the Knights Bar and the Fahrenheit Grill were both fabulous. When we arrived, we were starving and luckily they had a carvery lunch going on - with 3 different types of potatoes. I am pretty sure I was the chefs favorite that day because I was so excited to have so much starch on one plate. The reception staff and the bartenders were excellent. I desperately wanted a mix drink (which aren't huge in Ireland) and the bartender said "I only know how to make a Long Island Ice Tea" which happens to be my favorite drink! It was a match made in heaven, and a great way to start our marriage together. read more

Worth a visit for the atmosphere, the ambience, the plush interior,,,,, Had lunch yesterday with two friends. We had 3 main course & desserts with coffees to follow and three soft drinks. Bill totalled 75euro. Not bad and the food was acceptable. The dark chocolate cake with orange toffee sauce and ice cream was delicious. Service was about average for a hotel. Would I go back ..yes ..for lunch though I have to confess I didn't check out the carvery as I was too lazy! read more

Yesterday myself and my elderly parents were out on a casual drive, as you do,when it is getting harder for them to get out and about. No particular destination just a drive to get out of the house to break up the day. I myself have never been to clontarf castle in my time but heard a lot about it as a place to see and go suggested this to my parents. Long story short. As per order, Plain chicken and fries for mom, chowder for dad and burger and fries for myself. The food came out not so plain chicken well dress, fancy looking but not plain as order, chowder to be chowder and burger swimming with grease and frozen made fries Can live with all of that but in the course of eating chowder my dad stop breathing for a second and started choking and coughing. It took him a good while to come around and gave us quite a fright. FISH BONE! Very happy it was not worse. My point. In reflection of our outing, during the coughing and scene that was created no members of staff assisted in anyway with freshwater or napkins that may be needed whatsoever. I am not sure if it was the way we were casually dressed and not in our Sunday best, but that would be very superficial of them to view us like that. But yes upon our bill I produce a fishbone and the manager proceeds to try to bend and break it to suggest that my elderly parents should be well able to swallow fish bones. My parents are longtime residents of Local fishing area and I have been living abroad for a large part of my life. Clontarf castle has got all the bells and whistle's but the most important thing they did not have that day was a human touch will never be visiting again. read more

We checked into this beautiful castle hotel for a 2 night bed and breakfast. Upon our arrival we were greeted by helpful staff and an awesome concierge, Eric, he was more helpful than expected and the sole reason this review is getting 4 stars instead of 3. Our room was nice but it was not ready upon our arrival at check in (5pm local time). When we entered the room we found some items broken or not working, like the 110v outlet. The items were promptly fixed upon complaining to reception. The rest of the room was very nice and came complete with a full mini-bar (watch the sensors!). The hotel has 3 eating venues, the Knights Bar, the Indigo Cafe, and the Fahrenheit Restaurant. We didn't eat at the Indigo. We began our stay with Dinner at the Knights Bar. The staff rushed us through our order and made us feel like they wanted us out of there. The food was good, the staff was not. The bar didn't know how to make certain mixed drinks properly, so be safe and order a pint or something Irish. Our breakfast in the Fahrenheit was ok. It's a typical buffet style breakfast and they seemed short staffed, we had to just about beg to get fresh coffee. The food was... typical (of a buffet). Our Dinner in the Fahrenheit was not what we expected. The restaurant is touted to being a Michelin type eatery in a semi-casual environment. When we arrived (830pm local time) there were 3 other groups eating in a very empty restaurant. The food, however, was not bad. The staff was very slow and wouldn't check up on us for refills or anything for that matter unless we called them over. At around 915pm they began cleaning the restaurant, WHILE WE WERE STILL EATING, and they began setting up for the next mornings breakfast service. They were loud and rude, unhelpful, and unprofessional. Fortunately you can stay in this hotel and not eat at any of their venues, hence the 4 star review. You can expect a typical Marriott type accommodation built into a renovated castle. Not horrible at all, but not what you would expect in "Dublin's finest castle hotel". If you really want a castle experience then check out Dromoland Castle. read more

We're staying at the hotel right now and the rooms are comfortable and the hotel is cozy. The staff makes it wonderful though! We can't say enough about the head concierge Vijay Sherya... He was informative and so helpful with our stay. Even the lady cleaning our room (206) was lovely. Wonderful stay! read more

An excellent hotel. We arrived exhausted at 8:00am in the morning - I have a disability and walk with a cane - they allowed us to check in right away. The room was smallish - but beautifully decorated, bathroom was quite big, and the bed was comfortable. Our concern staying here was that is was not downtown - it was a 5 minute inexpensive Uber ride to get into the heart of the city. You can also take the subway - it's 1 stop from the city center. A great experience. read more

Brilliant introduction to Ireland. Fantastic service, excellent atmosphere and furnishings, superb food in Fahrenheit. Highly recommended. We arrived early after an overnight flight. The room wasn't ready, but Adam not only made it a priority, but once it was ready he took our bags to the room and found us in the Knights bar to deliver the keys personally. The whole experience here was unforgettable. The executive room was lovely. read more

I would definitely stay here again. We came straight from the airport to be welcomed with mulled wine by the fireplace (in front of the old castle, which has been incorporated into a very modern hotel). The bed was huge (hard to find in UK, and gave us the best night's sleep of our entire trip) and the amenities top notch. We had excellent fish and chips and Guinness nitro (!!) in the pub. I get what others have mentioned about the service being lackadaisical but I am an aggressively friendly diner who doesn't let servers pass me by if I need them, so I didn't see a problem as it was a busy restaurant. We had to leave before breakfast but I thought it was terrific all-around. read more

Nice hotel and surrounds. Not stayed here but attended many a conference here. Food is alright and staff are always helpful.

I had the first night of a 8 day pilgrimage with a group of ancient sites in Ireland to myself, and wanted a 'castle' experience, knowing I would pay $200 USD+ for it. My red-eye flight arrived 45 minutes early (!) on a Wednesday late October, so took a taxi from Dublin Airport to Clontarf Castle, still dark outside (4:30am-ish!) There was someone at the front desk who allowed me to check into my room immediately with no extra charge-SO appreciated!! However, although my room was stunning, the bed was hard as a foam slab, and I didn't sleep well during my 4 hour arrival nap nor that night. I woke, showered and dressed, ready to eat lunch since I missed breakfast at noon. The only option was their onsite pub. Service was HORRENDOUS; pretty much non-existent. The food ('beef burger') was mediocre. Not what I'd expect for a luxury stay. I was bored since there were no grounds to speak of, the nearby waterfront was not that nice, so I headed into Dublin City Center by bus. Exhausted, and needing to catch up on sleep, I headed back to the hotel for dinner at 7:45pm, wanting to dine in their swanky Indigo Lounge, which looked gorgeous online....only to find it was CLOSED when I asked the front desk! Had they posted a sign in the lobby earlier that day, I would have had dinner in City Center. Back to their pub. Which luckily was a different, much more pleasant dining experience with better service. Their black tiger striped prawn dish was excellent. The next morning I had to check out early to meet my tour group, and missed the breakfast, but the hostess was kind enough to prepare me an awesome cup of Americano to go and selected some pastries for me to enjoy in the cab to City Center, no extra charge. The Castle itself was beautifully decorated and everything was super clean. I loved that I had a mini bar fridge in my room, and a direct USB plug in next to the bed to charge my iPhone without having to dig out my converter. But while the experience overall was nice, I honestly expected a little more for a $200+ night stay for one person. read more

Clontarf Castle Hotel - My room, October 2016, perfect for a single gal...except the bed was hard as the floor. I did think bout sleeping on the zebra ottoman. :-D - Hotels Near Me - Dublin, D

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My husband and I stayed at Clontarf Castle Hotel in August 2016 and are counting down the months until we can return. This is the classiest, most unique hotels with the friendliest staff in Ireland (and that says a lot for an extremely friendly country). Clean modern rooms attached to the gorgeous castle takes you back in time while providing the amenities of a new hotel. Clontarf suburb is quaint and one of the best afternoon strolls for any of our vacation spots. The Knights Bar inside Clontarf is one of our late night favorites - must try the Guiness Stew. We can't state how wonderful our stay was when we visited Ireland and stayed in Clontarf Castle. Anyone staying in the Castle Hotel will not be disappointed. read more

This modern Castle hotel was amazing!! Just perfect! Great friendly staff! I only stayed here one night on a tour group but it was pleasant. Clean rooms, nice beds and great fireplace downstairs. If you are looking for a quiet place to just relax and take a walk/run the home area it's perfect. There isn't much food nearby or attractions but that makes it even more relaxing. I'd definitely stay here again! read more

I'm updating my rating to 4 stars, because the hotel management apparently monitors Yelp and sent me a message within 48 hours of my initial review. I was informed that my room was searched with no evidence of bed bugs. We have also since returned home, with no evidence of the little beasties. So all is well. Still no 5th star due to dust, cobwebs, handprints and mold. read more

Nice rooms, great food, Literally can't think of anything bad. Better than staying in city center if your are looking for a quieter experience. Flawless execution. Take a 15 min bus to downtown. The included breakfast is better than most brunch deals. Highly recommended. read more

Wonderful quaint hotel ! Real castle made into a hotel! Friendly staff great restaurants and bat !

We stayed at the Clontarf Castle our last night in Dublin. While breath-takingly beautiful, I found other castle hotels to be more friendly and enjoyable. The pluses: a 24 hour fitness center and free wi-fi once you get a code from the front desk--oh, and the room and hotel is beautiful. I guess my main complaint is with The Knight's Bar Restaurant-which is touted to be a refined and elegant experience. Yes, my husband and I felt slightly out of place, but we're American, so we didn't let that bother us for too long. However, standing for over five minutes and nobody greets you, and finally the gentleman from the bar told us to find a seat. The desserts were delicious...but it took forever to have our order taken, and to receive the check. read more

The architecture of this hotel is fantastic and the rooms and large and airy. The gym in the basement is pretty weak, but this is Dublin so you should be lifted pints instead of weights anyway. Speaking of that, the hotel bar is great. Unfortunately, my wife was sick the night we stayed here, so we didn't get to really savor the experience. I guess that just means we'll have to go back. read more

This hotel was unique and a interesting mix of old and new. Service was top notch. The only thing I didn't like was the distance it was from the Dublin action ( 20 minute cab ride usually just under 20 euros ). If you have a car or unlimited funds no problem. I spent around $100 US dollars in cabs the first day. But that said it was extremely elegant and comfortable and the staff was always willing to go the extra mile to help. Also in a very nice part of Dublin, the surrounding home are a million and up. It did have a busy catering business (weddings )and a big busy pub read more

How can you give Clontarf Castle Hotel anything less than a 5 star review?!!! Not only was the place magnificent, the attitude that everyone displayed was absolutely fantastic. I cannot express how wonderful everyone was. They made me feel like a princess. They were so polite, so attentive, made me wish I could have stayed longer. I appreciated staying in the castle but even more I appreciated the attitude of helpfulness that every single person in the hotel expresses. Thank you Clontarf! I highly recommend to anyone traveling to Ireland and even to locals. read more