20 great trips around Ireland to discover for your summer 2022 staycation
Planning your summer staycation already?
Europe’s self-titled literary capital always seems to reinvent itself with a new chapter and 2022 is no different. Enter The Samuel, Dublin’s newest hotel (set to open in March), which is a hospitality homage to one of Ireland’s greatest playwrights, Beckett, himself. Located on the Dockland’s Spencer Place, the four-star base makes an ideal spot for out-of-towners visiting the Three Arena and beyond. The hotel features 204 rooms over eight storeys with what are described as “stunning Instagrammable interiors” dotted with Beckett touches throughout. Guests can also enjoy The Samuel’s chic bar and brasserie-style restaurant which features a classic menu with locally sourced ingredients. Room rates, which start from €119, make it an attractive option for a stay in the capital too.
It looks like the hottest opening of the year! Following a major four-year restoration programme, the much-lauded Cashel Palace Hotel will open next March bringing a new level of luxury allure to the trip to Tipp. The grand Palladian Manor building which dates back to 1732 will include 42 luxurious bedrooms and suites along with a world class spa, plush ballroom, and Guinness Bar. It will also be a fresh member of Ireland’s Blue Book collection while being just the second property in Ireland to join the exclusive global Relais & Châteaux collection. Expect a stay as epic as the Rock of Cashel itself. Rates from €289.
The Dean brought some welcome character to Cork’s hotel scene (and its skyline), and it’s now set to follow suit in the City of Tribes in 2022 too. The Dean Galway (slated to open this month) is bringing a touch of boutique bliss to the city with its new, 199 room hotel offering signature Dean touches like funky designer rooms, the West’s first Elephant & Castle restaurant, its bougee Power Gym fitness centre, and of course, the iconic rooftop restaurant bar, Sophie’s. As for that statement architecture we’ve come to expect, think a striking stone facade with fittingly rustic West of Ireland feels. Compact Mod Pods and Super Room rates start from €130/€179;
Here’s another reason to head West this year — but this time, it’s a little less city chic and more cabin chic. Wildlands Galway, the popular family-friendly adventure centre which just opened in Moycullen last summer, has just announced the addition of several log cabins to its experience this summer. Each Nordic-inspired cabin will offer guests all-season appeal with everything from BBQ decks to a wood burning stove and underfloor heating to make your surrounds toasty. After your day of adventures, you can also nod off while star-gazing through your cabin roof light: sweet dreams guaranteed! Rates tbc;
Could it be fair to say that Lough Ree is the hot tub capital of Ireland?! Wineport Lodge’s hot tubs are home to some of the most famed sunsets in the country, while the tubs at the newly refurbished Glasson Lakehouse are proving a highlight of the property’s recent refurb. And this holiday season sees a new option for the jaded jacuzzi goer: a hot tub in a boat, no less. Operating out of Coosan, Athlone, the “After Glow” vessel allows up to six guests to take a private boat cruise along the shores of Lough Ree, all in the comfort of their own floating jacuzzi! Rentals cost from €180 and while drinks aren’t served on board, there is a cooler at your disposal so consider your trip very BYOP (Prosecco) friendly.
The Waterford Greenway has been one of the greatest tourism success stories in Munster and it’s about to get a little bit greater. The recently announced New Ross Greenway which takes in 24km from the surrounding Co. Wexford town is set to link up with the Déise route creating a 70km route from Dungarvan to New Ross. Highlights along the route include the 650m Tunnel at Mount Elliott due to feature a unique experience with animated, augmented reality. Opening dates are still freewheeling somewhat due to the pandemic but expect to be able to enjoy the route by 2023. Stay tuned for news of the new Kilkenny Greenway too, set to connect to the above route and further expand this Southeast cycling artery. In the meantime, enjoy Ireland’s ever expanding greenway network including the Limerick Greenway, Royal Canal Greenway & Great Western Greenway.
If you’re looking for a dramatic stretch of the Wild Atlantic Way it’s hard to beat the North Mayo Coast, and if you’re seeking an epic attraction, then the Céide Fields are hard to top. Home to what are said to have been the world’s earliest known farmers and field patterns, the Céide Fields will see the opening of their brand new interactive visitor experience this spring. The immersive centre plans to bring the story of the oldest-known farmers in the world to life, as well as the discovery of their stone walls which date back a pretty phenomenal 6,000 years. Just down the coast, work is also underway to develop the Céide Coastal Path which will link the Céide Fields with Downpatrick Head; tipped to be one of the most spectacular off-road routes in Ireland!
Thinking of an alternative city break in 2022? Well how about a luxury, self-catering break in Belfast? The Regency, a collection of boujee self-catering apartments located in South Belfast’s fancy Upper Crescent are set to open their doors this year. The properties are billing themselves as a new era of serviced, self-catering apartments for the city, where sophistication and grandeur meet unrivalled comfort and quality! Come check-in, expect that all to translate as old world façades combined with luxe interiors which aim to offer the perfect sense of Georgian high society living. If the brief hasn’t tempted you, just think about loading up on all those goodies from St George’s Market! Take note that Belfast has also just been announced as a UNESCO city of Music so expect some exciting live events happening in the city this year. Rates tbc;
Last year, The Harrison hotel brought a new sprinkle of razzle dazzle to Belfast’s accommodation scene and this year a new hotel is tipped to do the same to Antrim’s Causeway Coast. Opening in February 2022, Elephant Rock is a new boutique hotel opening its doors in the vibrant coastal town of Portrush. Set in the heart of the Victorian-era seaside resort, the period property promises to transport guests to a world of luxury, glamour and fun, loaded with cheeky sophistication. Guests can enjoy uninterrupted views of the North Atlantic in the sanctuary of the property’s slickly designed boho interior plush with marble, heavy velvet curtains, “sexy sheers” (no less) and luxurious linens. While there, enjoy sundowners at the on-site cocktail bar before enjoying the real thing outside in the town’s stunning beach walks. Rates from €120;
Ireland’s Lakelands proved a massively popular destination with staycationers last year — so why not cast your itinerary to Fermanagh in 2022? The country’s scenic beauty is also paired with a vibrant food scene which is drawing a fresh wave of tourists to its shores. This year, the popular Enniskillen Taste Experience will join forces with the team at Erne Water Taxis to create an exciting new Lakelander Food tour. Guests will step aboard the all new electric Island Discovery vessel and be treated to a scenic local tour while being served a mouth-watering food & drink tasting menu produced in Fermanagh Lakelands. To stay over, Finn Lough, the popular waterside resort famed for its glass globes, makes an idyllic base; they are also set to launch a collection of new waterside villas this year, too.
Small county, big fish! That’s the motto of the Wee County with its delicious but often overlooked seafood smorgasbord. County Louth’s appeal is all too often bypassed by those making the haul from Dublin to Newry but after bubbling for the past few years, expect the Wee County’s food scene to trend in 2022. The county just launched its Sea Louth scene food trail last summer and it’s about to dish up even more this year. World-renowned Carlingford Oysters, winner of this year’s Golden Fork at the Great Taste Awards 2021, is set to open a visitor centre at a stunning seafront setting on the Cooley Peninsula this spring. Carlingford Oysters is one of nine producers featured as part of the Sea Louth trail which also takes in scenic viewpoints and great local restaurants. Looking for the perfect base? Check into the gorgeous Ghan House in the heart of Carlingford.
Ireland’s largest biking trail is get even greater in 2022. Ballyhoura Country, the increasingly-popular tourist region situated on the crossroads of Limerick, Cork and Tipperary, has announced a range of upgrades to their outdoor amenities for this year. The region’s 98km of biking routes are undergoing upgrades which will vary from improving their gentle blue trails to amping up their challenging red and black routes. Several new walking loops and trails have been developed and families can also enjoy the 2km Nature Trail where children are encouraged to spot native Irish creatures over the course of the toure. Stay over at the family-friendly Charleville Park Hotel or the Deebert House Hotel in the heritage town of Kilmallock.
Looking for a new break in the Kingdom? Well why not channel your inner rock star and check into Hotel 67, a new boutique hotel located on the grounds of the iconic Gleneagle Hotel. The music-inspired hotel which just opened its doors late last year is a homage to 1967, the year its very guestrooms were first built and the year that The Doors, Pink Floyd and Jimi Hendrix all released debut albums. Check-in here and guests can expect accommodation with a unique boutique-style stamp and distinctive retro quirkiness as well as Killarney National Park views. But you’ll also enjoy the practicality of having all the dining and leisure options of The Gleneagle Hotel available to you too. The perfect getaway for your next Nathan Carter weekend away! Rates from €105;
If you’re thinking a Wild Atlantic Way tour this summer, be sure to pop Sligo on your itinerary. For food lovers, the Sligo Oyster Experience has launched a unique seafood experience, the Sligo Oyster Farm Tour, which offers an immersive guided tour and visit to the Coney Island working oyster farm on the shores of Sligo Bay. There is also a new Yeats Country app (Yeats Unwrapped) which allows visitors to tour the county while hitting off some of the stunning landscapes which inspired the poet’s hotspots. Make food stops at the Northwest’s latest seafood café Fish and Bean or the newly opened Nudur Café tucked in the postcard village of Coolaney. Come night, breathe in the sea air from your base at Ocean Sands Apartments.
Fancy a brew? One of Ireland’s most long established farming families are about to take their brewing operation to the next level in 2022. The Walsh-Kemmis family, who have been farming on the fertile lands of Stradbally for thirteen generations (or 1639!), are launching their new visitor centre this year. Visitors can enjoy a craft brewery tour in-house or enjoy a terroir tour where you can join brewery owner David Walsh-Kemmis, on a guided walk around the farm’s barley fields and hops garden where the ingredients to make their award-winning beers are grown. Stay over in Laois at what I think is one of the best value four-star hotels in Ireland, The Heritage in Killenard, or enjoy a wonderful country house break at the outstanding Roundwood House.
As one of Ireland’s most fertile patches, it’s little surprise that The Boyne Valley Has become a food lover’s paradise. But don’t overlook it for a spa break too! Dunboyne Castle has just reimagined its popular Seoíd Spa. Meaning gem as gaeilge down to its self-billed hidden gem appeal the spa offers treatments from mud chambers and balneotherapy baths to hammam rituals and warm bamboo massages. What better way to relax from a peddle along the Royal Canal Greenway which starts nearby. The recent announcement of a new greenway which will connect the Boyne Valley to the Cavan Lakelands is a further boost to the region’s green appeal too.
Dreaming of Donegal? One of Ireland’s most popular hotels, Harvey’s Point just recently launched its new balcony rooms to add some extra wow to the four-star property on the shores of Lough Eske. The seventeen stunning new rooms, which have been added to the top floor of the hotel each offer a private, glass-panelled balcony offering the kind of in-out flow to the surrounding loughs and mountains that only Dermot Bannon could dream of. For an alternative break, consider an island escape to Toraigh, where the island’s friendly Tory Island hotel has planned refurbishments ahead of summer 2022. Lakeview balcony rooms from €358;
With dreamy beaches, fantastic walking trails and no shortage of vitamin D (okay, by Irish standards, at least), there’s no better place for an unplugged wellness break, than County Wexford. One of my favourite spots in the region, Kilmokea Country House & Gardens in Campile, have a blissful trove of options to help you unwind in this year. Enjoy aromatherapy treatments with owner and qualified therapist Emma Hewlett, unwind in the spa’s heated indoor pool, sauna or jacuzzi or enjoy the art of Shinrin-Yoku, (that’s the Japanese art of forest bathing to you and I) in the property’s extensive ornate garden. Kilmokea also offers superb accommodation and dining options, meanwhile, just a little down the Hook Peninsula, Kevin and Catherine Dundon’s Dunbrody House, one Ireland’s most popular country house hotels, is set for a designer refurbishment this year.
There always seems to be a new reason to fall in love with Cork City. And this could be for the most novel of reasons: attending gin school! The city’s new and happening Marina Market promises to be the new Instagram magnet for 2022 and just around the corner on the docklands is the city’s latest boozy hub, The Rebel Distillery. The quirky, socially-conscious outfit is planning to launch a new visitor experience this year, not least offering visitors the chance to enroll in gin school! You’ll be a Maharani gin maestro in no time!
Shannon Cruises have been a hugely popular holiday option during the pandemic so given the demand, you’ll need to be quick off the jetty in 2022 to secure your vessel. Operator Emerald Star currently has a sale until January 31 with 15% off their standard rates, so you can expect to pay about €529 for a three night break on the Shannon (and typically, the longer you cruise, the more you’ll save). Once on the water, cruise at your own pace along the highlights of Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands; from PJ Rigney’s new Shed distillery in Drumshanbo, taking a dip in the outdoor swimming pools in Banagher or Ballina, or enjoy the new factory experience at Wilde Irish Chocolates in Tuamgraney, County Clare.
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