In this series of articles I want to look at the different available hotels in Ennis Co Clare. I’m going to cheat a little bit here and give you the names of a couple of hotels that are not exactly in the Ennis environs such as Dromoland Castle, the Clare Inn, and The Falls Hotel in Ennistymon. The first two are in between Shannon and Ennis, so each could be classified, in a roundabout way, as an Ennis Hotel. The final one, The Falls, is located in Ennistymon, and is just added because it’s one of my favourite hotels and we highly unlikely to write an article about this market town, so I thought I’d include it here. We’ll look at the “cheap” parts of taking a holiday in Ennis a bit later.
There are several Ennis Hotels within the actual confines of “Ennis”, so we’ll start with those first. Then, we’ll look at some of the other hotels in the area. Primarily, this article is going to look at location and how easy it is to get into the centre of town. Each of the hotels that I am highlighting here will also have a separate article dedicated to it with a more detailed description.
The Old Ground Hotel Ennis
The reason I wanted to look at the old ground Hotel Ennis first is because it is almost slap bang in the middle of the town, at the top of O’Connell Street, beside the cathedral. It’s an excellent hotel with a very interesting history, a great bar, and a very central location.
The Queen’s Hotel Ennis
The Queen’s Hotel is one of those hotels in Ennis that is at the opposite end of town to the old ground. It is at the bottom of the Abbey St by the old Friary, situated just off the River Fergus. By the Hotel’s own admission, this is not a family orientated Hotel because of the Queens Hotel nightclub which can get quite noisy, especially at the weekends.
The Temple Gate Hotel
The Temple Gate Hotel is situated in between the Old Ground and the Queens, just off “The Height” by the O’Connell monument. Being away from the main thoroughfare, this hotel has the advantage of a quiet location on the site of a 19th century convent. But it’s still in the centre of town at the heart of all the action.
The West County Hotel Ennis
This is the first one of the Lynch Hotel’s Ennis that I want to look at. It is located on the Ennis to Clarecastle Road, what used to be the old Limerick Road. This hotel is located approximately 10 and 15 minutes’ walk outside the town centre. It is also one of the best hotels for live events, making it a favourite for local residents.
The Clare Inn Hotel Ennis
This is the second of the Lynch Hotels in Ennis Ireland. This hotel is located just down the road from Dromoland Castle, about 15 minutes from Ennis and the same from Shannon airport. The location of the hotel is great if you want to tour the area without being right in the centre of town.
The Auburn Lodge Hotel Ennis
The Auburn Lodge Hotel Ennis is located on the Gort Road, heading towards Galway. This hotel is on the outskirts of town, beyond a reasonable walking distance to the centre of town. It sits next door to a Lidl supermarket and there’s nothing much else around.
The Woodstock Hotel Ennis
The Woodstock Hotel Ennis is billed as a four star Hotel which is situated on the outskirts of the town. It also advertised as a resort hotel and is attached to an 18 hole golf course. Again, although this hotel is advertised as being in Ennis, it is a good distance to walk into the centre of town… a taxi would be needed after a night out!
The Ashford Court Hotel Ennis
The Ashford Court Hotel Ennis is located not too far from the centre of town, definitely within walking distance. It’s a fairly modern Hotel, opened in 2005, and is self-named “boutique” style. From 60 reviews on trip advisor, half of them were average or below. This hotel seems to be one of those places that is letting the small things lapse to the detriment of the overall experience for the customer.
Falls Hotel Ennistymon
The Falls Hotel is located in market town of Ennistymon, about 30 minutes’ drive, 30 kilometers, near Lahinch. The history of this site goes back four and a half centuries. From the reviews on trip advisor, 142 at the time of writing, the majority are above average. If you want to stay in Ennis, this is not the Hotel for you, but it is one of the nicest hotels in the county with spectacular grounds and is well worth a visit.
Dromoland Castle
Finally, we come to Dromoland Castle, a five star luxury hotel and golf course, 12 kilometers from Ennis, about 15 minutes’ drive. The building that stands now as the present Dromoland Castle dates back to its completion in 1835. The history of the site dates from well before that. It is a luxury Hotel where I think most of those who visit have a great experience.
All in all, hotels in Ennis Ireland are not going to be very cheap, this is true the length and breadth of Ireland. But, depending on the time that you visit, and because of the economic crisis that we seem to be going through at the moment, there are deals to be had. Midweek is always going to be cheaper than the weekend, and just the same as everywhere else, off-season rooms are a lot cheaper. Get the telephone number of your chosen Hotel first and give them a call, often deals can be had on a one-to-one basis that are just not possible over the Internet. If you want the experience of Ennis Ireland, hotels within the town are your best bet. A hotel outside should be cheaper if you want to tour the surrounding county or you are just stopping over on your way through.
