100 best places to stay 2026: Our guide to Ireland's best hotels

Excellence in Irish hospitality comes in many forms. From noteworthy newcomers to family favourites, seaside specials and historic treasures, Jillian Bolger and Thom Breathnach select the finest hotels and hideaways to book right now

A best of the best, we hope you will use this guide to inspire your travels, to unearth new places to stay, and to support the finest that Ireland has to offer.

It is the second year of the Irish Examiner’s 100 Best Places to Stay, a list that represents the very best of Irish hospitality right now. With another year of hotel reviews under our belt as ‘The Hotel Examiner’, both Thom and I have racked up miles of road and rail as we seek out great hotels and guest houses around the country that we know will deliver memorable experiences.

We are not concerned with size or scale. Hotels don’t need a swimming pool or spa to impress us. In some instances, they don’t even need to serve dinner. However, we are big on warm welcomes, genuine interactions, and comfy beds.