Become a member

Five-star Two MICHELIN Keys Cong, Co. Mayo, outside Galway, Galway

Ashford Castle

A castle of 1228 on the shore of Lough Corrib, rebuilt by the Guinness family, with 83 rooms, a boathouse over the water and the oldest falconry school in Ireland.

Book with the hotel for Ashford Castle (opens in a new tab) Fly to Galway

Opens the hotel's own website. We have no arrangement with the hotel.

MICHELIN
Two Keys
Rooms
83 rooms and suites, plus the Boathouse
A hotel since
1939
Forbes Travel Guide
Five stars

The hotel

From the de Burgos to the Guinnesses.

The Anglo-Norman de Burgos built the first castle here in 1228, on the edge of a monastic site at Cong. The Brownes added a hunting lodge in 1715. In 1852 Sir Benjamin Guinness bought the estate and enlarged it to 26,000 acres, and his son Arthur, later Lord Ardilaun, rebuilt the west wing in the Gothic style between 1875 and 1881, with the architects James Franklin Fuller and George Ashlin.

Noel Huggard bought the castle in 1939 and opened it as a hotel. John Mulcahy restored it in 1970 and doubled its size. In 1951 John Ford shot scenes for his film with John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara in the grounds. Red Carnation Hotels bought Ashford in May 2013 and reopened it in April 2015 after a long restoration, with all 820 windows replaced and a new lead roof.

  • Falconry The estate is home to the oldest falconry school in Ireland, open to guests.
  • Lough Corrib Boating on the lake, with tennis, clay shooting, golf and riding on the estate.
  • The Spa The Spa at Ashford Castle has won awards more than once, with the Éalú pool and gym alongside.

Rooms & suites

Staterooms, suites and a boathouse.

Every room is furnished differently, and the suites grow larger and grander as you go up the categories.

  • Rooms Castle rooms Each one decorated on its own lines, with modern comforts behind the old walls.
  • Suites The Kennedy and Reagan suites Among the most elaborate in the castle, named for Ted Kennedy and Ronald Reagan.
  • On the water The Boathouse A self-contained house of its own on the shore, built out over Lough Corrib.

Dining

A castle dining room and a dungeon.

Restaurants and bars as listed by the hotel; the George V Dining Room is listed in the MICHELIN Guide. Shown for information.

  • George V Dining Room MICHELIN Guide Classic The formal dining room of the castle
  • The Dungeon Restaurant In the castle
  • Stanley's Diner The informal choice
  • The Connaught Room Afternoon tea In the castle
  • Prince of Wales Bar Drinks In the castle
  • Wilde's at The Lodge Restaurant At The Lodge at Ashford Castle

Recognition

Recognition.

  • Two MICHELIN Keys 2026 selection
  • Forbes Travel Guide Five stars

Good to know

Before you go.

  • Arrival Check-in from 4 pm, check-out by noon.
  • Pets Accepted, with a fee and a deposit per stay.
  • Transfers The castle can send a car to the airport, at a charge.

Getting there

Flying to Galway.

Ireland West Airport Knock is about an hour by road and Shannon about two hours, both our estimates. Private jets can use either; Shannon has US preclearance, while Galway's small field at Carnmore, with a runway of 1,220 metres and customs on prior notice, is some fifty minutes away by our estimate.

Business & First Class Airline flights Either airport serves for an airline arrival: the drive into Galway takes about as long from one as from the other. Request a fare Private Jet Private jets Shannon has a 3,200-metre runway, round-the-clock opening and US border preclearance for private aircraft, so a flight home to America lands as a domestic one. Galway's own field at Carnmore, seven kilometres east, has a 1,220-metre runway with customs on prior notice and no airline traffic. Request a jet
Approximate flying time by midsize jet to Galway
  • London 1 h 05
  • Paris 1 h 30
  • Geneva 2 h 05
  • Nice 2 h 25
  • New York 6 h 50 long-range jet

Questions

What guests ask first.

How many MICHELIN Keys does Ashford Castle have?
Two, in the 2026 selection.
Which airport is closest to Ashford Castle?
Ireland West Airport Knock, about an hour by road by our estimate. Shannon is about two hours away and suits longer flights.
Can we bring our dog?
Yes. Pets are accepted for a fee, with a deposit, per stay.
Can SkyCourtage arrange the flight to Galway?
Yes. We arrange Business and First Class seats on scheduled airlines and private jet charter to Galway, with one final price, our margin included. The hotel is booked with the hotel or through our booking partner.

Also in Galway

Other hotels worth the trip.

All of Galway

Staying at Ashford Castle?

Book the room, then the flight.

Rates and availability come from the hotel itself. For the journey to Galway, a Business or First Class seat or an aircraft of your own: tell us the date and we come back with one final price, our margin included.

Book with the hotel for Ashford Castle (opens in a new tab)
Business & First Private Jet

Opens the hotel's own website. We have no arrangement with the hotel.