About this Site...

This site features a broad selection of Irish Hotels, including stately Country Houses, luxurious Castles, old?world Inns and homely Guesthouses. The majority of these hotels and guesthouses are members of the Irish Hotels Federation or the Northern Ireland Hotels Federation and we hope that the illustrations and descriptions of these premises and the amenities they offer will help to choose the most suitable premises for your holiday.

All of the hotels and guesthouses featured along with the facilities and services they provide have been inspected by Bord Failte (Irish Tourist Board) or by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, in accordance with the Statutory Registration Regulations which they administer.

Hotel Classification

Five Star Hotel
These include Ireland's most luxurious hotels, all of which are of high international standard. They range from elegant stately castles, to prestigious country clubs and top class city hotels catering for both the business and tourist visitor. All guest accommodation is luxurious and spacious suites are also available.

These Fine Hotels boast some of the country's best restaurants and offer table d'h?te and/or a la carte lunch and dinner menus. Exceptional services and a personalised welcome are the norm in these hotels.

Four Star Hotel
These include contemporary hotels of excellent quality and charming period houses renovated to very high standards complete with al modern comforts. All guest accommodation is luxurious with suites and half suites available in most cases. Restaurant facilities provided excellent cuisine and service for the discerning dinner. Table d'h?te and/or a la carte lunch and dinner menus are available.

Three Star Hotel
These range from small, family operated premises to larger, modern hotels. Guest rooms are well decorated with the emphasis on comfort and all have a private bathroom with a bath and/or shower. Restaurants offer high standards of cuisine in a relaxed and hospitable surroundings. Table d'h?te and/or a la carte dinner menus are available.

Two Star Hotel
These are more likely to be family operated premises, selected for their charm and their comfortable facilities.

All guest rooms have a telephone and most have a private bathroom with a bath and / or shower. Full dining facilities are available, representing excellent value and good wholesome food.

One Star Hotel
Here you can enjoy the comforts of a pleasantly simple hotel where a warm welcome prevails. These premises offer all mandatory services and facilities to a satisfactory standard, necessary for a most enjoyable and relaxed visit. Some guest rooms have a private bathroom with a bath or a shower.

Guesthouse Classification

Four Star Guesthouse
This is the top classification for guesthouses in Ireland. Guest accommodation includes half suites and all guest rooms have private bathroom with bath and / or shower, direct dial telephone and colour TV and radio controllable from the bed. Room service offers full breakfast. Many premises provide dinner, with table d'h?te and /or a la carte menus. Guesthouse facilities include car parking, safety deposit boxes, fax, newspapers and babysitting service.

Three Star Guesthouse
All guest rooms have private bathroom with bath and /or shower and direct dial telephone. Guesthouse facilities include a TV lounge, travellers cheques are exchanged and at least two major credit cards are accepted. Restaurant facilities are available in some guesthouses.

Two Star Guesthouse
Half or more of the guest bedrooms have private bathrooms with bath and / or shower. Guesthouse facilities include a reading / writing room or lounge area for residents' use. Restaurant facilities are available in some guesthouses.

One Star Guesthouse
These premises meet all the mandatory requirements for guesthouses and offer simple accommodation, facilities and services to a satisfactory standard. Restaurant facilities are available in some guesthouses.

Explanation of Classification (Star Rating) Scheme

Republic of Ireland

A mandatory Hotel and Guesthouse Classification Scheme has been developed by Failte Ireland, in conjunction with the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF), which was introduced during 2007. This new classification scheme will be in place for 2008.

Hotels are rated from 1 Star to 5 Stars and Guesthouses are rated from 1 Star to 4 Stars. The stars are indicated on each entry under the Name of the Hotel or Guesthouse.

If the star rating is not shown, this means that the premises is perhaps undergoing a period of renovation or refurbishment and is awaiting it assessment for grading or, it was a late addition to the guide and missed the deadline for the inspection process. Where this is the case, the premises should be contacted directly for a classification update.

"Built to a 1/2/3/4/5 star specification": This is shown in the first line of the description where premises are Under Construction and not yet opened at the time of going to print, but are due to open during 2008

OR

Where premises have not yet been registered by Failte Ireland. This means that, although not yet formally inspected for their star grading, the premises has been built to the standards s