Fantastic family hotels in Ireland you and your kids will love

A handpicked selection of the best family hotels in Ireland for a family-friendly getaway that is fun for all ages, from kids to grandparents!

Ireland has many family hotels and spending a couple of nights in one of them is one of the easiest ways to have a bit of a break without having to go abroad, if you are a local, or to rest during our Irish road trip if on vacation in Ireland with kids.

Depending on your budget and party, you can choose between several options.

Some family hotels in Ireland are geared towards families with little kids and boast kids clubs and baby facilities.

Others are good for all ages and are welcoming to kids but also offer amenities for parents and grandparents!

Spending a long weekend in a family hotel is pretty popular with Irish families and I have myself become a fan of it.

When we can, we like to spend a couple of nights or even just one night away in a nice hotel with the kids.

They love the novelty, usually have masses of fun in the hotel pool/playground and we parents have a little bit of a break.

Not having to cook and being able to roll out of bed and find yourself in front of a ready, amazing breakfast, is basically all we need to feel on holiday!

This is a shortlist of the best family-friendly hotels in Ireland, hotels we chose for facilities, offerings and welcome.

Please note: this post contains affiliate links and if you make a purchase through them, we might make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

This list is based on our opinions only, we receive no compensation for mentions of hotels nor accept sponsored placements.

The best family hotels in Ireland for kids and their parents

Druids’ Glen Hotel, Wicklow

The Druids’ Glen hotel in Wicklow is a beautiful 5-star hotel and resort with great offers for families.

The hotel is in a beautiful area, only a short drive outside of Dublin heading South and it is close to Glendalough, one of the most beautiful spots in Ireland, many family-friendly hikes and tons of manor houses/farms with kids’ activities.

The hotel itself is designed for you to have everything on site.

It has beautiful family rooms, of course, but also a cute outdoor kids’ playground with climbing frames and soft ground, a pool and an onsite restaurant with VIK (Very Important Kids) kids menu.

This is a great family hotel in Ireland near Dublin, perfect for families with small kids especially.

We also love it for a multigenerational break with both kids and grandparents.

You can find photos, prices and offers here

Facilities for families include:

• Indoor swimming pool with children’s swim times,
• Play area,
• Playground,
• Fairy walk,
• DVD library,
• Interconnecting rooms,
• High tea kids club (selected dates only).

You can find here >>> our complete list of attractions in Wicklow within easy reach from this hotel

Maldron Oranmore Family hotel in Galway

I like the Maldron hotels for families as have good facilities, good sized rooms and child-friendly offerings often including a kid-friendly pool, onsite restaurants and activities.

We stayed in this one in Galway on a cold winter weekend with the kids and it was lovely.

The room was excellent and the presence of the heated child-friendly pool and onsite pub + restaurant (one casual, one more formal, both with kids menu) meant we were all able to relax and have fun despite the inclement weather!

The Maldron Oranmore is a family-friendly 3-star hotel located just outside Galway city and offers well-priced accommodation and plenty of activities in a nice and welcoming atmosphere.

Located outside of Galway city center, you need a car to get to the hotel but the facilities onsite mean then you can just relax and make the most of the pool, restaurant and bar onsite!

This family hotel in Galway offers:

• Family rooms for up to 4 people
• Nice pool with kids section
• Free Wi-fi
• Restaurants on site
• Kids activities (full calendar available at reception on arrival)

This is one of the best family hotels in Ireland if you are looking for a pleasant hotel that will not break the bank.

You can find here >>> our list of the best things to do in Galway you can enjoy close to this hotel

Newpark Hotel Kilkenny, Co Kilkenny

The Newpark Hotel in Kilkenny always appears on the list of the best family hotels in Ireland and it is excellent for a family break in beautiful Kilkenny.

The hotel is 4-star family hotel that prides itself for its special packages for families and the many kids’ activities on offer..

Among the many family facilities, you will find:

• Well-appointed family rooms
• Several family activities such as falconry, animal feeding (They have a wildlife farm!), arts and crafts, sport and high tea, magic show and kids disco
• Playground
• Fairy trail
• Their health spa is not for kids but a very pleasant for a kids-free moment of peace for parents!

This hotel is a lovely family hotel for a short break in Ireland or a nice overnight stop during an Ireland road trip or to explore Kilkenny City.

You can find their offers and availability here.

Need to know: organized activities are available during school breaks only. Should you be traveling at other times, please do check the availability of kids’ entertainment for your specific dates with the hotel.

Kilkenny is a fantastic destination for families. You can find here >>> the best things to do in Kilkenny and Kilkenny attractions within easy reach from this hotel

Delphi resort and adventure center.

If you have active kids who love the outdoors, then the Delphi resort in Co Galway is the best family hotel in Ireland for you. Its location is absolutely stunning and the choice of activities so good, even non-sporty people are likely to want to join in!

The hotel is all a family may need onsite, including:

• Rooms for all budgets: within the resort, they have both a 4-star hotel and a hostel, to suit most budgets and parties
• Dining onsite
• Over 20 outdoor activities to choose from including mountain biking, kayaking, canoeing, hiking, ziplining, high ropes, tunneling just to name a few
• A wonderful spa for parents for that well deserved kids-free time after all that adventuring!

You can find out more and discover the latest offer here

Clonakilty Park Hotel, 3 star family hotel in West Cork

Clonakilty is a wonderful place for a family break and the Clonakilty Park Hotel is the best family hotel to make the most of the beautiful landscape of this area.

We discovered it recently when we made the most of the good weather for some (attempted) surfing in West Cork and found their exceptional kid-friendly facilities.

Among their many family-friendly options, there are:

• Good size family rooms with the option of adding one more rollaway bed and baby cot
• Onsite adventure center (high ropes course, climbing walls etc)
•  Indoor playzone for kids
• Teen area
• Cinema, playground, kids club
• Children Lounge with games, books and toys
• Free Wi-Fi
• Bistrot and dinner restaurant onsite

The West Cork Railway Village and the stunning Inchidoney beach are both a short drive away from the hotel.

You can find offers and availability here

The Killarney Hotel

Killarney is one of the most popular and beautiful towns in Ireland, at the heart of Killarney National Park and at the entrance of the Ring of Kerry and the family hotel of choice here is the aptly named Hotel Killarney.

This is a lovely family hotel close to the Ring of Kerry perfect for families with kids who want to explore the National park or as a base for driving the Ring.

If you are in this part of Ireland for the Ring of Kerry, I highly recommend you book at least 2 nights.

This family hotel in the West of Ireland has:

• Kids area and Teen area, to entertain kids of all ages
• Evening children entertainment (such as the animal roadshow, where you can meet lizards, snakes and even spiders! Parents can stay well although, of course, all animal encounters are kept safe for the kids and the animals)
• Moni golf
• PLay area and playground
• Fairy garden

This on top of goof family-friendly facilities such as family rooms and restaurants on-site, as well as the easy access to all Killarney has to offer.

You can find deals and availability here

You can find here >>> our selection of the best things to do in Killarney in close proximity to this hotel

Lough Allen Hotel, 3-star family hotel in Co Leitrim

Located in Drumshanbo, Co Leitrim, this hotel is in a lovely area close to the Wild Atlantic Way and makes the list both for its own facilities and the proximity to the Lough Key Forest & Activity Park, one of our kids’ favorite places in Ireland.

The Lough Allen Hotel is family-friendly and has a dedicated children club called the ‘Lough Allen Monsterz club’ open to children of primary school age.

The hotel offers:

• Good size family rooms + family apartments for up to 6 people
• Family-friendly restaurant on site
• Free WIFI
• Kids Club for primary school age kids
• Outdoor play area
• Child-friendly pool
• Spa for the parents!

You can find the latest deals and offers here

Brooklodge at Macreddin Village Co Wicklow

We know this hotel well as it is our getaway of choice whenever we feel like a romantic weekend (usually, my birthday!) but this is also a lovely hotel for families with your kids and so, this makes this list!

I find it particularly perfect for families with babies.

I used to love coming here with your little bundle, taking a stroll in the fresh mountain air just outside the hotel and taking turns in the spa while the other parent makes the most of the large family rooms of cozies up in the lobby bar.

The staff and welcome are second to none, which makes this a really relaxing place, even with a little one!

The hotel prides itself on its green footprint and pays attention to soucing their ingredients, which is also lovely when you are a sleep-deprived parent in need for some proper food and pampering for a while!

This is our hotel of choice for a new family break in the peaceful Wicklow Mountains.

You can find information and offers here

Hilton Templepatrick, Northern Ireland

This is a fabulous hotel the kids and I discovered when driving up to the Giants’ Causeway and it is now a firm family favorite.

The hotel is a golf resort but it is welcoming to families and has some special attention for little kids who have a dedicated TV / Playroom on the ground floor, extensive space to play outside, a child-friendly pool and a kids’ dinners just for them, laid out as a self-service buffet with kids favorite and just the right height for little hands!

You can have your dinner while they are busy going up and down and loading up with sausages… my two are still talking about it they loved it so much!

This family hotel’s facilities include:

• Good size family rooms
• Child-friendly restaurant on-site with kids menu + a la carte menu with kid options a the bar
• Kids lounge with TV and games
• Swimming pool
• Free Wi-Fi
• Lots of outside space and the chance of seeing sheep and goats

This is a wonderful family hotel in northern Ireland for a quiet getaway or to use as a base to visit the Giants’ Causeway.

You can find info and latest deals here

Castleknock Hotel Dublin

If you are looking for a family-friendly hotel in Dublin, for a Dublin weekend with the kids or a first night in Dublin before exploring Ireland, then you may enjoy the Castleknock Hotel.

Castleknock is a nice area of Dublin, on the Northside of the river, not far from the center and close to Phoenix park, the biggest park in Dublin and one of the biggest inner-city parks in Europe (it has, among other things, the zoo!)

The hotel has nice family rooms, playground, restaurant onsite, kid-friendly pool, golf for the adults and also offers nice family packages that allow you to make the most of your time in Dublin without going totally bankrupt in the process!

You can find info and latest deals here

Westport Woods hotel and spa

Westport is one of our favorite places for a family getaway in Ireland and a great hotel here for kids and teens is the Westport woods hotel, which caters perfectly for pretty much all ages.

The hotel prides itself on encouraging and helping the kids to switch off from their screens, meet others and get out and play. They have activities for kids age 5 and up and the theme changes every day.

This is a great hotel for families who like to have their kids entertained and independent especially: if you want to let them play while you. have a bit of a break, this is the place for you! You can find their latest offers and availability here

Best castle hotels in Ireland for families

If you want to treat your family to a very special hotel stay in Ireland, then you may want to consider staying in a castle.

For the longest time, I didn’t think this would be something my family would enjoy but after a super successful weekend in Waterford castle wow, we are hooked!

Not all castle hotels in Ireland are family-friendly but some are. these are our favorites.

Ashford Castle – the best luxury family hotel in Ireland

Ashford Castle is a 5-star castle hotel and it is the ultimate castle hotel stay for families in Ireland if your budget can stretch to it.

The place is simply stunning and the activities on offer for kids out of this world. First of all, this is a real castle and staying here makes you feel properly regal.

Second, it has activities in its estate that are just great fun such as falconry and archery, treasure hunt and

Last but not least, they offer proper regal treatment to little guests with personalized welcome gifts, lego Butler set and of course delicious treats in their children’s menu.

You can find this and all additional wonders offered to families by Ashford Castle here.

Waterford castle hotel

We discovered Waterford castle hotel when we stayed here for a wedding and it very quickly became one of our favorite places in Ireland or a break with kids too.

The hotel is on a small private island (you get there with a tiny crossing over a barge, you don’t even need to leave the car), it has lovely gardens and forests just around it, lovely rooms and an outstanding restaurant onsite.

With kids, you can stay in the castle itself (it is not crazy expensive) or you can opt for self-catering facilities in the newer cottages around the main castle.

These are a lovely option for families with many kids in particular or for longer stays, when you may want to cook your own meals. You can find information and accommodation options for families here

I hope you enjoyed this overview of our favorite family hotels in Ireland. Safe family travels!