Adare Heritage Centre hotels in Adare, Ireland

Adare is well served by a choice of hotels from two star affordable B&Bs to a five star luxury chateau with sculptured gardens, a lake and its own golf course. There’s also a choice of charming guesthouses and converted barn style accommodation if you want something more traditional. Adare is a well known heritage centre half an hour’s drive from Limerick City, on the Limerick to Tralee Road (N21), but its relaxed vibe and slower pace makes it an ideal choice for a sporting holiday or nature break.

Cultural Attractions in Adare

Adare Heritage Centre is located in the centre of the village and is the main tourist information point for visitors. Here you’ll get help with day trip enquiries, golfing lessons, local maps, culture trails and information about the area’s monastic roots. The building houses Adare Tourist Information Office, a library and a restaurant with free Wi-Fi and traditional Irish food. It is a good starting point for researching Irish history and finding handmade gifts such as Adare woollens, Irish linens, ceramics, crafts and jewellery. It also has an informative historical exhibition which explores the arrival of Normans and the growth of abbeys in the Middle Ages. You can also do guided tours of Adare and Desmond Castle.

Heritage in Adare

The area has been home to the Earls of Dunraven for over 300 years and is set in woodland and rural farmland next to the River Maigue. The thatched cottages you can see on the high street date back to the Norman Conquest. Desmond Castle is a major attraction as one of the last remaining Norman castles in Ireland - you will find it on the outskirts of the village. It was built in the 13th Century and belonged to the Earls of Kildare for almost 300 years until a rebellion in 1536 when it was captured and given to the Earls of Desmond, who changed its name and began to remodel Adare village. During the summer you can do a tour of the castle, which can be booked via the Heritage Centre.

Family Holidays in Adare

Adare is now a popular tourist destination and on the map for championship golf thanks to a world-class 18 hole golf course in the grounds of a five star hotel. The village is busy all year round thanks to its rural setting, woodland walks, watersports and fishing, ancient churches and traditional arts and crafts. It is a great base for a family break to explore other heritage attractions in the county like Lough Gur, one of Ireland’s most important architectural sites.

There is a good choice of hotels in Adare and Limerick city, which are ideal for a short city break or longer family or sporting holiday. Adare is a must-see on the tourist map if you want to explore the history and heritage of the region. It’s known as “Ireland’s Prettiest Village” and has a wealth of unusual buildings to explore. Choose from cosy B&Bs, converted barns, historic houses in heart of village or glamourous chateau five star accommodation with everything you could possibly need on site. The architecture of a “calendar house” with its formal planning shows the vision and imagination of the architects of the time, and this is now open for visitors to enjoy.