Michelin names 16 best hotels in Ireland, with two new additions to the list

Sixteen hotels in Ireland were recognised in Michelin’s 2025 Key Hotels awards at a ceremony in Paris on Wednesday evening, with two retaining the top ‘Three Keys’ honour.

There were two new Irish names in the key listings, which are akin to Michelin stars for hotels: Ashford Castle in Co Mayo and Park Hotel Kenmare in Co Kerry. Both were awarded two keys, which reflect “an exceptional stay” and a hotel “of character”.

Last year’s three-key Irish winners – Adare Manor in Co Limerick and Ballyfin Demesne in Co Laois – retained their status, which is awarded for “an extraordinary stay”. These are hotels that could be “a destination for the trip of a lifetime”, according to the Michelin rankings.

Cashel Palace in Co Tipperary, Sheen Falls in Kenmare and The Merrion in Dublin retained their two keys from 2024. Sheen Falls was named best resort in Europe in the Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Choice Awards earlier this week.

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The nine hotels taking one Michelin key were Gregans Castle Hotel in Ballyvaughan, Co Clare; Castlemartyr Resort in Co Cork; Dylan Hotel and Wilder Townhouse, both in Dublin; The Killarney Park and The Victoria, both in Killarney, Co Kerry; No 1 Pery Square in Limerick; Dromoland Castle in Newmarket-on-Fergus, Co Clare; and Regency House Belfast, a Georgian property near Queen’s University.

One key marks “a very special stay”.

Adare Manor in Co Limerick retained its three-key status

Cliff House Hotel in Ardmore, Co Waterford, which was awarded one key in the first set of the hotel awards last year, was not recognised this year.

A key can be awarded to a hotel that does not have a Michelin-starred restaurant, but many properties on the global listings will also hold that status.

In total, the 2025 awards recognise 143 three-key hotels, 572 two-key properties and 1,742 one-key names around the world.