Our Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0 stars4.0

Dolphin Beach House is uniquely located on the Sky Road just outside the beautiful town of Clifden with the Atlantic Ocean at the bottom of the garden. Originally a Connemara homestead dating from the early 19th century, Dolphin Beach House has been extensively refurbished into a modern coastal home. Each of the six bedrooms has an exceptional view with all been finished to exacting standards, with high ceilings, wooden floors, modern bathrooms and under floor heating.

Upto 12 Guests / 6 bedrooms / 8 beds / 7 bathrooms – Beachside House.   There are 4 double bedrooms, two twins, and all are en-suite. 500 m2

There are 14 acres of natural landscape surrounding the house and a small sandy cove a short walk through the gardens.  Connemara quartz hill’s flank the back of the house and the Atlantic opens out in the front. Clifden town, bustling with pubs and restaurants is just 10 minutes’ drive away on a typically Irish narrow road but there is an excellent taxi service available for night owls. The surrounding Connemara landscape is unparalleled in beauty with stunning white sandy beaches and vast empty landscapes of mountain and ocean.

Accommodation:-

Bay view room:  1 king / 2 guests

Cove room:  King or twin / 2 guests

Crooked room:  King or twin / 2 guests

Garden Room:  King or twin / 2 guests

Green Room:  Queen or Twin / 2 guests

Peacock Room:  Queen or twin / 2 guests

Amenities:-

Barbecue Area

Dishwasher

Microwave

Laundry room

Wi-fi – Free parking

Terms & rules:  No smoking or parties allowed

Clifden town ‘the Capital of Connemara’ is oozing history, heritage, culture & traditions of Irish Music and Dance. This vibrant town has an array of shops selling top quality gifts, trinket souvenirs and handmade knits but to name a few! You will also find boutiques, antique shops and art galleries. There are cosy coffee shops, pubs from the genuine ‘quaint-Irish’ to the more trendy where entertainment is plentiful. Whatever your taste in music you will find a selection of traditional, modern music and dance. Clifden has a reputation for the West’s ‘Gourmet Capital’ – for its fine restaurants. Take the kids to the town playground where they can have fun on the swings or have a kick about in the pitch beside it!

A must visit is the ruins of the old D’Arcy mansion, Clifden Castle. Along the Sky Road is a gateway leading to the castle. Once a Gothic Mansion, the D’Arcy’s lived here until 1850 when the estate was sold to the Eyre Family who lived here at intervals until the castle fell into ruin in the early 20th century.

There are many fine festivals to enjoy throughout the year in Connemara. Most full of music, dance, fun, laughter, activities and games for the young and the young-at-heart. The most well known and oldest of all is the Clifden Community Arts Festival which offers a superb range of poetry readings, lectures, recitals, traditional music, concerts and comedy

At the summit of the Sky Road peninsula there is Eyrephort beach at the edge of the Atlantic Ocean.

For those Rainy Days, the Station House Theatre shows the latest movies throughout the week. The theatre also runs live family friendly shows suitable for all ages throughout the summer season. The Station House Leisure Centre have 3 day and weekly passes available for visitors to purchase, which allow you access to the hotel’s gym, swimming pool, steam room, sauna and Jacuzzi!

Why not visit Dan O’Haras homestead (8 minute drive from Clifden town on the N59); an award winning heritage centre which offers a fascinating glimpse of rural Ireland in the mid-nineteenth century. Visitors can enjoy a carriage ride through the centre and see demonstrations of turf cutting, sheep herding and other traditional tasks.

Explore Connemara on an electric bike which can be hired from All Things Connemara (on Market Street) or take part in a bike tour with Connemara Cycling Tours (also on Market Street)

Clifden Friday Market takes place every Friday on Market Square where you will find a wide variety of producers selling their fresh produce to the general public. Be sure to arrive early, as most of the produce and stalls are gone by noon. There’s a good selection of organic vegetables, homemade breads, pies, herbs, fruits, flowers, plants and some clothing.

Clifden has probably the best fishing waters in Europe. The scenery in this area is spectacular on land and at sea with a great variety of seabirds and wildlife, including seals and dolphins. Why not spend the day sea angling? Pack a picnic and spend the day on the beautiful briny sea! Call John at the Celtic Queen on 095-21069 or on 0862484674

Approximately, 4km from Clifden Town Centre, you will find a delightful Pitch and Putt course, which is suitable for all ages and a great activity that the whole family will enjoy!

Connemara has long been regarded as the real emerald of Ireland ‘Connemara is a savage beauty’ Oscar Wilde. Connemara’s landscape will take your breath away, golf competitions and horse riding on wonderful open grassland. . Boat races, regattas, music festivals, marathons, activity events all take place throughout the year.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS IN AND AROUND THE CONNEMARA AREA, PLEASE BROWSE THE “THINGS TO DO” SECTION ON OUR WEBSITE

“Our multi-generational family of 13 (from 18 months to 75 years old) had a wonderful stay at the Dolphin Beach House in August, 2023. This home has 6 large and very comfortable bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms, plenty of living space, a dining room that can easily accommodate everyone comfortably and a large well-equipped kitchen with 2 refrigerators, a freezer, dishwasher, coffee maker, multiple sinks, 2 ovens, microwave and multiple cooktops.  It has all the dishware, silverware, pots, pans and cooking utensils you would need to feed your group.  The location is perfect for exploring nearby areas in Connemara and Clifden town is a quick 10 minute drive away. There is a large parking area in the front of the house and the ocean views from the house are spectacular.  The yard is bordered by beautiful wild flowers and there is a path leading down to the rocky beach area.

Yvonne Flaherty at Connemara Lettings was wonderful to work with throughout the booking process and she was very responsive to any questions we had.  Clodagh Foyle, the owner of the house, was a delight and very accessible and responsive during our week-long stay.  We have stayed in many rental homes over the years during international family trips and our stay at the Dolphin Beach House and the service we received from Connemara Lettings stands out as one of our best travel experiences. A huge thank you to Yvonne at Connemara Lettings and Clodagh for all of their help with our vacation.  I highly recommend the Dolphin Beach House and Connemara Lettings and we are looking forward to a return visit!”

The  O’Learys, Boston MA USA August 2023

Excellent Large Lodging – This is an outstanding property. It appears to be a former B&B. It has six bedrooms with 6 in-suite bathrooms. All bedrooms are large and well equipped. The location is magnificent with unmatched views of the water and access to a private rocky beach with tide pool exploration. The property manager could not have been more helpful. She was extremely quick with answers to all questions except when it came to hurling. There is a huge dinning room which made feeding our family of 13 easy. The kitchen is exceptionally small but well stocked with plenty of pots, pans, tableware, etc. Although there is a large open area that has been mowed, it is on a pretty significant slope surrounded by bushes that tend to eat slithers, soccer balls and the like. The grounds are beautiful with many flowering plants. This was a special place that easily handles large groups. – Brian July 2023

Free WIFI

All inclusive

Check-in time is strictly from 4pm

Check-out time is strictly from 10am

Utilities €25 per night

Please note that a €500 security deposit is taken by revolut 2-3 days prior to arrival and as long as there are no breakages or damage to the property this will be refunded on departure