GREGANS CASTLE HOTEL (Burren, Co. Clare)
Gregans Castle Hotel, Ballyvaughan, Co. Clare, H91 CF60, Ireland
Tel: 011353 65 707 7005
Email: stay@gregans.ie Website: www.gregans.ie
Joanna’s Comments
As I drove down the approach to Gregans Castle and saw the house and the view, I knew that if I were to represent only one hotel in Ireland, it would have to be Gregans. The stunning 18th-century manor house enjoys spectacular views of the Burren hills and Galway Bay. It is close to the Cliffs of Moher, the Wild Atlantic Way and the Burren Perfumery. The house is warm and welcoming, and Simon Haden, the owner, is always on hand to suggest gorgeous walks and excellent pubs in the neighborhood. The Haden family has run the house as a hotel since 1976. Dining at Gregans is a special experience, and dinner in the award-winning restaurant must be included in any stay. The restaurant is very elegant and looks onto the garden and the hills. There is a cozy bar and a beautiful drawing room for relaxing in front of the fire. Many of the rooms are large and face the Burren; all are stylishly decorated with some interesting modern art pieces and antique furniture. You can do everything, or nothing, in this peaceful place, but for those who love to explore you will need several days to explore the many wonderful experiences in the area. The hotel welcomes dogs in a few rooms. Gregans Castle Hotel closes for the 2024 season on November 30. The hotel is open next season from February 14 – November 29, 2025.
AWARDS
One Michelin Key, 2024
Winner, Historic Hotels of Europe, Gold Award, Top Hotel Restaurant, 2024
Winner, Best Romantic Hotel, The Good Hotel Guide, 2021
AA – 3 Rosettes for Culinary Mastery & Excellence 2020
Special Promotions
| 2024 SPECIAL PROMOTION FOR JH HOTELS |
| For stays of two nights or more in a Superior Room or Suite, receive a local foodie gift from the hotel’s kitchen. For stays of three nights in a Superior Room or Suite, receive a complimentary Half-Day Guided Walk on the Burren. You must notify Gregans you work with JH Hotels to receive this promotion. |
| This promotion is subject to Shane’s availability, weather and change. Terms and conditions apply. The walk is not appropriate for young children and dogs are not allowed. |
General Rates
| 2025 | Early Spring Feb 14 – Mar 27 |
Late Spring Mar 28 – Apr 17 |
Summer/Autumn Apr 18 – Oct 11 |
Late Autumn Oct 12 – Nov 29 |
| A two-night minimum stay is required for all reservations. | ||||
| Classic Queen, Twin | €345 | €375 | €415 | €345 |
| Superior King, Queen, Twin | €430 | €450 | €525 | €430 |
| Junior Suite Super King, Twin | €475 | €530 | €625 | €475 |
| Premier Suite Super King, Twin | €545 | €630 | €765 | €545 |
| When booking through JH Hotels, receive an upgrade at arrival (subject to availability), and early check-in and late checkout (subject to availability). | ||||
| The restaurant is closed on for dinner on Monday night. Service starts at 6:00 pm and there is a seating every half hour to 8:30 pm. Children under 6 years of age are only seated at the 6:00 pm seating. If parents want to eat later, a babysitter can be arranged. The cost is €15 per hour to be paid directly to the babysitter and it has to be pre-booked. The hotel can arrange for the child to have pasta or chicken goujons at 6 pm in the bar for €15. | ||||
| These rates are per room per night, based on double occupancy and include all taxes, full Irish breakfast, bottled water, complimentary Wi-Fi, bathrobes and slippers. A two-night minimum stay is required for all reservations. Traditional Tea is served daily from 2:00 – 4:00 pm, €35 per person and a 24-hour notice for reservations is required. Price of 3rd adult in room: €70/night. Children B&B prices: If occupying own room, same price as adults. As a third person sharing room (rollaway or sofa bed) with two adults:, €70/night; if under 13 years old, €40/night; if under 5 years old, €30/night. (Third person sharing in room is not available in the Classic category.) Cancellation and Change Policy: The reservation can be cancelled or changed up to 10 days prior to arrival date at no charge. If cancelled within 10-day period, the full room rate will be charged if rooms remain unsold. For bookings of three or more rooms, cancellation period is 14 days, or full room rate will be charged. No show charge is full contracted rate. All cancellations or changes must be made in writing. All of the above is subject to availability and change with out notices. Blackout dates may apply. | ||||
General Information
21 Bedrooms & Suites
Connecting Rooms – No
3 People Sharing – Yes (2 adults, 1 child)
4 People Sharing – Yes in Premier Suites, (2 adults, 2 small children)
15 Acres of Gardens and Grounds
Award-Winning Restaurant Serving Modern Irish Cuisine
Full Afternoon Tea in the Traditional Style, 24-hours Notice Required
No TVs in the Bedrooms, Public TV is Available, Free Wi-Fi
No Elevator, 7 Rooms on the Ground Floor
OWNERS
Simon Haden and Frederieke McMurray
GENERAL MANAGER
Eanna Hassett
NEAREST RAIL STATION
Athenry – 45 min (car), 24 miles
NEAREST AIRPORT
Shannon International Airport (SNN)
1 hour (car), 36 miles
Non-stop flights available U.S./SNN
SNN has daily flights to LHR.
Dublin International Airport (DUB)
3 hours (car), 150 miles
Local Sightseeing
Eleven Things You Must Do While Staying at Gregans Castle Hotel.
1. A Walk on The Burren with Shane Connolly – Get out of the car and see The Burren. Our nextdoor neighbour and farmer, Shane, is really entertaining and will explain all about life in the Burren: it’s people, the flora and fauna, geology and farming. The flowers and wild orchids are one of the unique attractions of this area. The walk usually lasts about three hours and at the end, there is whiskey involved! You can also hire Shane for a full-day private excursion. After your walk, spend some time wandering around picturesque Ballyvaughan village. We recommend the Tea & Garden Rooms, An Fear Gorta and The Soda Parlour (both in Ballyvaughan) for lunch or tea.
2. Polnabrone Portal Tomb – The icon of The Burren, this 6,000-year-old burial tomb is a national monument and situated on R480. There are 130 of these in The Burren. Nearby and also worth a visit is Caherconnell Stone Fort with its visitor centre. Stone forts were inhabited between 400 and 1200 AD. Sheepdog demonstrations occur several times daily. Follow this with a visit to The Michael Cusack Centre near Carran. Michael Cusack was the founder of The G.A.A. (Gaelic Athletic Association) and the centre is a modern museum located next to the old thatched cottage where he was born.
3. St. Colmain’s Well – St. Colmain Mac Duach’s well and church are in a magical and remote location in the eastern part of The Burren, underneath a massive cliff called Eagle’s Rock. It’s only a 15-minute walk from the car and afterwards you can wander a couple of miles down the road for some lunch or tea at The Burren Perfumery. (The lunch is excellent.) Later on, hop over to the next valley and see the infamous Mullaghmore mountain. the place where a 10-year battle to stop the Government building an “interpretive centre” occurred, and the government lost. On the way you can see the Father Ted Parochial House, the location of where Father Ted lived in the TV series. Afternoon tea is available in the house and please ask us to book as this must be reserved well in advance. The madcap Father Ted TV series was made all around The Burren (other locations were the villages of Kilfenora, Ennistymon and The Ailwee Caves).
4. The Coastal Drive From Lisdoonvarna to Ballyvaughan – The AA described this as one of the top ten scenic drives in the world! It’s best done from south to north, so start in Lisdoonvarna and set off on the coastal road R477. Before starting, visit The Burren Smokehouse and see how they smoke their wonderful fish. Gregans was their first customer and they have a lovely little shop. A nice spot for lunch is Vasco across from O’Donohues Pub in Fanore. Walk along Fanore beach or stop at the lighthouse at Black Head, and sit on the rocks and look across Galway Bay to Connemara.
5. The Cliffs of Moher –The Cliffs of Moher as this is what attracts most people to the area. (You do not have to do the visitor centre and its interactive displays, however, this is a nice alternative if the mist is being a bit stubborn.) It’s now possible to take a hike there from Doolin and get the shuttle bus back down. You can also take the boat trip under the cliffs. This goes from Doolin Pier and is organised by Doolin2Aran Ferries. It lasts only an hour and is spectacular. The afternoon is the best time when the light shines on the cliff face. Request Gregans to book this for you in advance.
6. Corcomroe Abbey – The abbey which is near Bellharbour dates from 1194 AD and was founded by Donal O’Brien, King of Limerick, and has recently undergone extensive restoration work. The graveyard is still in use today. Afterwards pop into Stephania at The Russell Art Gallery where they have exhibitions of local artists. Then go for a walk on the flaggy shore and have a bowl of seafood chowder and a pint in Linnanes Pub at New Quay. Drive over to the pretty little harbour town of Kinvara and watch the old Galway Hooker boats with their red sails. Call into SIAR Design overlooking the harbour for a coffee. On the way back stop in to the Burren Chocolatier (bean to bar) for a tasting. (It’s up the hill to the left off the N67 – follow the signs.)
7. Day Trip to The Aran Islands – The Aran Islands are a place rich in culture, way of life and the Irish language. Geologically they are an extension of The Burren. Day trips by boat are available from Doolin. For the big island, Inis Mor a whole day is needed with the boat leaving Doolin at 10.00 am and returning at around 5.00 pm. When you get there the best way to get around is to rent a pony and trap with a driver who will be your guide (or hire a bike). Inis Oirr and Inis Meain are smaller islands so you can see everything on foot.
8. Kilfenora, Ennistymon & Lahinch – The Burren Centre is located in Kilfenora village and gives a very good interpretation of what The Burren is all about. Next door is the 6th-century Kilfenora Cathedral which was recently restored. Of most interest are the carved high crosses in the grounds. Meander along to Ennistymon which is a typical old 19th-century Irish market town with most of the old shop fronts still intact. Visit The Cheese Press on the Main St. near AIB Bank. Two miles further on is Lahinch and if you fancy a spot of surfing, the surf school will be only too happy to help. Lahinch is most famous for it’s links golf course. O’Looney’s in Lahinch and Vaughan’s in Liscannor are good pubs for lunch. The Copper Pot Bakery in Liscannor is also worth a stop.
9. Ailwee Cave and Birds of Prey – A star attraction in the area is The Birds of Prey Centre at The Ailwee Cave. See the snowy owls, falcons, hawks, burrowing owls and eagle owls. Visit the farm shop where they sell their Burren Gold cheese and fudge. Then take a tour of the cave itself or climb the mountain trail behind. It’s only 3km from the hotel so if you would like to take one of our bikes, please ask at reception. You could then wander down to Ballyvaughan village afterwards. On Saturdays, there is a farmer’s market and on Sundays a craft fair.
10. Doolin & Traditional Irish Music – Doolin is the unofficial capital of Irish music. Almost every day of the year music can be heard in its pubs (McDermott’s & McGann’s are the best). You will encounter people from all over the world. Doolin Music House has music from 7.00 pm to 9.00 pm in a family friendly non-pub atmosphere. Contact us to book. If it’s Irish set dancing you want, the place to go is Vaughan’s Pub in Kilfenora on Sunday night.
11. Carl Wright’s Garden – A visit to the private 2-acre garden of Carl Wright is a must for any plant lover. Situated in the beautiful Caher Valley, it showcases a stunning array of native and more unusual plants. Creative stonework, water features and careful landscape design enables it to blend seamlessly into the surrounding Burren hills, and Carl’s tour gives a very personal understanding of how his plant oasis came to be. The garden is a quick 20-minute drive from the hotel. It is situated just before the stone bridge, 2km up the small road past St Patrick’s Church in the village of Fanore, which is itself situated on the R477 coastal road. Booking in advance is essential ask Gregans for assistance.
Commuting Distances
Dublin – 145 mi, 3 hrs (car)
Shannon – 36 mi, 1 hr (car)
Cliffs of Moher – 16 mi, 30 min (car)
The Burren – 16 mi, 30 min (car)
Galway – 32 mi, 1 hr (car)
Limerick – 53 mi, 1.5 hrs (car)
Cork – 109 mi, approx 2.5 hrs (car)
Killarney – 115 mi, approx 3 hrs (car)