The best seaside hotels in Ireland

Connemara Sands Hotel & Spa, Ballyconneely, Co Galway

Set above the sapphire-blue waters of Mannin Bay, this family-owned hotel offers the chance to immerse yourself in Connemara’s vibrant culture, as well as its stunning coastline. Ideal for an active break with older children, the surrounding beaches offer excellent surfing, coasteering, kayaking and paddleboarding, with guided hillwalking for those who prefer to stick to dry land. The Sands Bar & Restaurant creates traditional Irish dishes from the best local produce, while the Voya Spa specialises in revitalising seaweed baths and treatments. The all-white rooms are simple and crisp, and offer excellent value for money. (https://rosslakehotel.com/)

Dingle Skellig Hotel, Dingle, Co Kerry

Amid the stunning scenery of the Wild Atlantic Way, Dingle Skellig is a great base for families who want to explore Kerry’s beautiful coast, with excellent surfing and body-boarding conditions on nearby beaches, and boat trips and sea safaris offering fishing or dolphin-spotting trips. Rooms are comfortable, but it is worth spending a little extra on the updated Deluxe rooms, with family rooms and suites available. After active days, the hotel’s Bin Ban Brasserie and Coastguard restaurant both offer wonderful fish and seafood dishes.

Parknasilla Resort & Spa, Sneem, Co Kerry

A striking 19th-century manor house set in a tranquil 500-acre estate, Parknasilla offers a variety of accommodation from rooms and suites to spacious courtyard lodges and woodland villas. The estate is latticed with eight walking trails and boasts its own golf course, tennis courts and outdoor hot-tubs, while the spa has a spectacular waterfront location with lovely views. Evenings are a glamorous affair, with the Doolittle Bar’s resident pianist providing a mellow soundtrack to sunset cocktails, before dinner in the swanky Pygmalion restaurant.

Cliff House, Ardmore, Co Waterford

If you’re looking to recharge and reset body and mind, the Cliff House is the perfect choice, perched above the clear waters of Ardmore Bay, on Waterford’s tranquil coast. Soak up the fresh sea air with an alfresco bathing therapy in the intimate spa, take an invigorating dip in the natural outdoor rock pool, or laze by the indoor infinity-edge pool, with floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over the Atlantic. All rooms come with glorious sea views, while dinner on the outside terrace at the Michelin-starred restaurant, the House, is the highlight of a stay.