Ireland is home to roughly 30,000 castles, many of which are open to visitors and serve as hotels. Glin Castle, one of Ireland’s most beloved castles, recently joined the ranks of these other structures and opened as a boutique hotel.
A few years ago, in 2016, Glin Castle was set to be listed for sale for €6.5m. It had served as a landing pad for the FitzGerald clan for approximately 800 years, but the family decided to sell it due to difficulties maintaining it.
Catherine FitzGerald, a landscape architect who is married to the former star of “The Wire,” Dominic West, was initially spearheading the sale. However, the couple changed their minds and decided to reopen the castle as a hotel and event venue instead.
The New Glin Castle Hotel
In an interview with the Irish Independent, West said that it was “absolutely heartbreaking” for the family to consider selling the castle. When he saw the impact the sale had on his wife and mother-in-law, he decided that keeping the castle and running it as a hotel was the better choice.
According to West, the whole family contributes to the hotel’s success. West manages the business, but he also hired someone “far more experienced and qualified” than he to handle day-to-day operations.
Catherine told Flower Mag that she and West’s goal is to maintain the family’s estate, “make it financially sustainable,” and “develop a viable plan to improve amenities in the village.”
She explained that she is “the driving force here” but that West is “totally behind it business-wise.” The couple plans to give this venture their “best shot.”
Glin Castle Amenities
Glin Castle is a well-known Irish property located on 20,000 square feet of land that overlooks the River Shannon. It’s also home to a commercial dairy farm, woodland, and parkland areas.
The castle features 15+ luxury bedrooms, each with unique furnishings and stunning views.
Guests can also enjoy five reception rooms with gorgeous Irish furniture, a vast collection of books and board games, and cozy, crackling wood fires. Local musicians regularly entertain guests in these rooms before dinner as well.
Visitors will be treated to delicious meals, including a signature Irish breakfast to start the day. They’ll also have plenty of opportunities to relax at the castle or venture into the village for a round of golf, or to explore the local shops.
In the past, celebrities like Mick Jagger, Marianne Faithfull, and Taylor Swift have visited Glin Castle. Now that it has been refreshed and renovated, it’s ready to welcome and delight a new group of travelers.
Explore Glin Castle Today
Those who want to book a stay at Glin Castle can do so through its new website. It’s available for long weekends, Christmas and New Year’s events, and weddings.
For those who can’t take a trip to Ireland but still want to explore the castle, the following video from Architectural Digest offers a fun virtual tour.