| a pair of helipads are also on-site. there's an elegant gourmet restaurant with an adjacent piano bar offering live music. on wooded grounds with landscaped gardens, this refined hotel in a 19th-century castle sits 1 km from clifden town centre and 15 km from connemara national park. upgraded rooms and suites add 4-poster beds, open fires and/or jacuzzis. some overlook the gardens. sophisticated rooms come with free wi-fi, tvs and dvd players, as well as tea and coffeemaking equipment. other amenities include a 9-hole golf course, a tennis court, and a spa with beauty and health treatments. afternoon tea is served in a traditional lounge. check-in time: 3:00 pmcheck-out time: 12:00 pm
Ireland West Airport Knock 1 hr 55
Walk Connemara (4 min) Diamond Hill (20 min)
This prominent, rugged peak provides hiking trails, a visitor center & stunning views of the region. Errisbeg (28 min) Kylemore Abbey & Victorian Walled Garden (24 min)
Waterside, Gothic Benedictine nunnery with restored Victorian rooms and free garden tours. Clifden Castle (4 min)
Remnants of a 19th-century, Gothic Revival dwelling built for John D'Arcy, the town's founder. Alcock and Brown landing site (17 min) Connemara Championship Golf Links (23 min) Tully Mountain (30 min) Connemara National Park (18 min)
Some 7000 acres of mountains, bogs, heaths and grasslands, with wildlife and scenic walking trails. Twelve Bens (22 min)
Mountain range featuring sharp-peaked quartzite summits & ridges with hiking & protected areas. Connemara Heritage & History Centre (9 min)
Museum at the 1800s homestead of Dan O'Hara, with living history exhibits, a cafe & a gift shop. Connemara National Park Visitor Centre (20 min)
Center in former farm buildings with a film & displays on the nature park, plus guide tips & a cafe. Inisturk (28 min)
Horseshoe-shaped white-sand beach with calm water for swimming & windsurfing, plus coastal views. Omey Island (24 min)
Picturesque Irish island that's accessible on foot at low tide & home to religious ruins. Inisbofin (2 hr 23)
Charming island offering trails, seaside cliffs, beaches, rare birds, historic sites & eateries. | 
