PRICE:
Frommer's Highly Recommended

If you want to be within striking distance of Dublin airport (8km/5 miles away), this handsome castle hotel in Clontarf is a good option as it's about 10 minutes' drive away. The Norman stone castle that forms the hotel's center dates to 1172, although most of the building is modern. In the 1600s, the castle was given to one of Oliver Cromwell's crew and his family retained ownership for 300 years. There's still a regal quality to the magnificent entrance hall and lobby, which are draped with tapestries and hold a huge fireplace. Guest rooms are in the modern portion of the building, but are nicely done with a mixture of contemporary furniture and antique touches. Some rooms have four-poster beds. It's a popular conference center and entertainment venue, so is not really the place for a peaceful getaway.

Copyright: Excerpted from Frommer's Ireland 2008, (c) 2008, Wiley Publishing, Inc.

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