"Set at the end of a tree-lined driveway just two miles from the city center, Clontarf Castle is an imposing castellated holding by the sea in the suburb of Clontarf. Dating from the 1600s, the castle itself is awash with suits of armour and heraldry, while suites are suitably palatial and ornate with four posters. Some even come with telescopes to take in the views over the cityscape. The full Irish breakfast is first class with only top quality local ingredients making the cut and the staff are genuinely eager to please. Dining options include gastropub Knights Bar where the decor personifies the spirit of the building with ornate vaulted ceilings and leather banquettes. It’s the perfect place to pull up a pew and sample the castle's pale ale, appropriately named Cluain Tarbh (Clontarf in Gaelic) which is brewed locally by Dublin brewery, Five Lamps. For more formal dining, Fahrenheit restaurant serves classical cuisine made with local produce and traditionalists will enjoy the carvery lunch in the Indigo Bar which spills out onto the terrace when the sun shines. It’s a good dose of the best of true Irish hospitality." - Nicola Brady
