The Perfect Base Close to Dublin City Centre, the Castleknock Hotel

We needed a base near Dublin City Centre for a few days on our recent Tour of Ireland. The Castleknock Hotel was a perfect choice. Situated just outside Dublin, it’s only 6 1/2 miles from the city centre. Close enough for you to enjoy the short trip into town but far enough away in the quiet countryside to relax and decompress. The hotel is within walking distance from Phoenix Park and Dublin Zoo and a short drive to Blanchardstown Shopping Centre which has over 180 shops and stores.

Whether you are using the hotel as a base to venture out to play golf, or for a few days of relaxation, the Castleknock Hotel has the location and the facilities onsite to satisfy your every need. The hotel is owned by FBD Hotels & Resorts who own and operate several properties across Ireland as well as the La Cala resort in Spain.

The Hotel

It is rare to find a hotel that can cater for all. Whether you are a golfer, are on holiday with the family, are on a city short break, are a foodie, run conferences and events, or love a pamper at the spa, all have reason to visit the Castleknock Hotel.

Our room

There is a wide range of rooms to choose from depending on your budget. You can choose a standard room right up to a luxury suite. Contact the hotel directly for the best prices. We were fortunate to stay in one of their suites which was large and extremely comfortable. We even had a view out to the golf course. Perfect.

Food and Drink

Our Coronation Chicken Open Sandwich and the Steak Ciabatta 

The hotel has several formal and informal areas to eat in. For those who want to dress up and experience fine dining, there is the Earth & Vine Restaurant. This restaurant was recently awarded Best Hotel Restaurant and Best Outdoor Space in Ireland at the 2024 YesChef Awards.

For those who prefer casual dining, (that’s us) there is the 22 Bar & Restaurant. You can choose to eat inside or if the weather is good enough, outside on the terrace. The hotel also has the adults-only Lime Tree Bar where you can relax with a Guinness or an Irish Whisky or two. Alternatively, you can choose from their large list of cocktails.

Now normally, the hotel lobby is a somewhat wasted space where guests meet before heading out or going for dinner. Not here. The lobby area is fitted out with large couches and comfortable chairs. There is a coffee and patisserie stand with all sorts of sweet treats, cakes and scones. This area is very popular with families as well as the hotel’s business clientele. More hotels should consider this option if they have the space. It was a wonderful area to sit and people watch, one of our specialities.

The Spa and Fitness Facilities

The pool and the gym

Now those of you who have read our previous article will know that we have an aversion to gyms and fitness facilities. We are now at an age where we prefer to eat and drink rather than do a workout. However, it would be remiss of us not to mention the hotel’s excellent pool area and fitness centre. There, that’s us covered that off and without breaking a sweat….

The Spa Relaxation Room

The Spa at Castleknock Hotel is located on the ground floor. For us, using the spa is all about being pampered and regaining that wonderful feeling of relaxation and calmness. Their therapists use premium brands such as Elemis and Made for Life. For those who like that sort of thing, you can also have a manicure or pedicure in one of the six treatment rooms as well as a range of massages and facials. We do love a massage after a hard day on the golf course! Speaking of which, read on.

The Golf Course

Staying at the Castleknock Hotel means you have access to the Castleknock Golf Club, which is right next door. The course is an American-style resort course with plenty of water in play, especially on the par 3’s. It was designed by the English architect Jonathan Gaunt and opened in 2005. It’s a 5-minute walk from the hotel to the clubhouse and we guarantee a warm welcome from the staff both in the pro shop and the bar and restaurant upstairs.

The course has four sets of tees to choose from. Yardages range from 5438 to 6703 yards with a par of 72. We chose to play from the white tees at 6379 yards. As always, choose the tees that suit your game the best. You don’t want to be playing off the tips if you only hit it 200 yards off the tee. You want to be able to enjoy your round and hit most of the greens in regulation.

Front Nine Highlights

We have chosen to highlight three holes on each nine. On the front nine, we have chosen the 1st, 6th and 9th holes which are a par 4, a par 5 and a par 3.

The approach to the first green

The opening hole is a gentle introduction. It’s a short par 4 of 297 yards. The pro shop advised us that you are not allowed to hit the driver as there is a protected historic property on the left side of the hole. That was fine with us as there was also water down on the left side of the hole. We hit a 5 iron off the tee onto the wide fairway, then a 9 iron onto the green, and sank the putt!! It was rare for us to start a round with a birdie.

The approach to the sixth green

Our next selection is the 6th hole, a 469-yard par 5. It’s short for a par 5 but there is water in play and plenty of bunkers to catch a wayward shot. Play it as a 3 shotter and you will be fine. Take it on in two at your peril. We took the sensible route and made an easy par.

Par 3 Heaven

The 9th hole

When was the last time you played a par 3 and you had to hit your tee shot over not one but two bodies of water? No, we can’t remember either. The 9th is only 151 yards but it’s no pushover. The green is large and undulating so picking the right club is essential. We were lucky as the pin was on the front right. Back left is a different proposition and probably a two-club difference. Sometimes the shorter par 3’s are the most difficult. We were happy with our par.

Back Nine Highlights

We have chosen the 10th, 11th and 18th holes to feature. Again there is a par 5 but this time there are two par 3’s.

The 10th green

The 10th hole is the longest par 5 on the course at 488 yards. Now some of you might be thinking that it’s a birdie hole. The tee is directly behind the clubhouse. If you hit the fairway, your second shot is across the entrance road to the course so be aware of passing vehicles. The green is small and is protected by a small pond to the left and a burn about 10 yards short. the burn runs right across so there is no chance of chasing in your approach. If you can’t carry the burn, lay up and try to make birdie with a pitch and putt.

The 11th hole

With the same yardage as the 9th, 151 yards, the 11th is just as tough. You cannot be short or right on this hole if you want to finish with the same ball. Again we had a generous pin position. You don’t want to take on a right pin on this hole. Play for the centre of the green for a straightforward par.

A Finishing Gem

The 18th hole

You finish your round at Castleknock Golf Club with another par 3 over water. This time it’s 182 yards and you have a bailout option to the left if you have an aversion to water. You can always make a par with a chip and put but you can’t do that if you are short and right. It’s a cracking finishing hole.

Thank you to Gerard Kelly of Carr Golf for organising our round at Castleknock Golf Club and to the guys in the pro shop for looking after us. You can play at Castleknock for a reasonable green fee of €50 during the week and €60 at the weekend.

In Our Opinion

We thoroughly enjoyed our three-night stay at the Castleknock Hotel. The hotel’s facilities are superb and will please even the most discerning of customers. The staff were excellent and nothing was too much bother. The food and ambience in the restaurants were top-notch and we would have no hesitation in recommending this hotel to all our subscribers. Whether it be for golf, shopping, some family time or business, the Castleknock Hotel will exceed your expectations every time.

Thank you to Annemarie Hayes, the hotel’s Director of Sales & Marketing for hosting us and showing us around the hotel’s impressive facilities. Thank you to Gerard Kelly of Carr Golf for the recommendation. You were right Ger, it’s a cracking hotel.

At a Glance
  • Superb 4-star hotel just 6 1/2 miles from Dublin City Centre
  • Excellent food, rooms, staff and facilities
  • Outstanding spa, treatment rooms, pool and fitness centre
  • Wonderful lobby area, we loved the cake and coffee
  • 18-hole golf course next door
  • Cracking driving range, chipping and putting areas
  • Find out more info about the Catleknock Hotel by clicking here
  • Find out more about Castleknock Golf Club here

 

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