Our Reviews

Feel the History History and comfort the relly know how to take care of you. From the first moment you are treated like a member of the family. The grounds are perfect for rambling about. The sense of history permeates the walls and sinks into your soul. we would love to return fora longer stay.

Beautiful home with amazing hosts - highly recommend! Clonalis House is such a special place. It's more than the stunning sweep of the landscape as you enter the gates, more than the beauty of the palatial home. It's even more than the exquisite furnishings in each and every room and the feeling that you are becoming part of the rich history of the house itself. All of that would be enough to recommend a stay here, but the factor that puts Clonalis House into an elite category of "must experience" is the warmth of the people who make this house a home. Carol-Anne and Richard are fantastic hosts, instantly making you feel comfortable: chatting over tea and sweets by the fire in the library, welcoming morning with lovingly prepared food in the cozy breakfast room, and amiably offering tidbits of their life in Clonalis House, in Castlerea, and in Ireland in general, which made us feel less like strangers and more like part of the family. I highly recommend filling out your experience with the Clonalis House tour and also with dining in the formal room. The tour is fascinating, placing the paintings and objects in the house in context with the impactful history of the O'Conor ancestors (thank you, Marguerite!). Being surrounded by the portraits of these ancestors while later having dinner in the formal dining room was thrilling, but it was food that was even more of a stand-out (thank you for an excellent meal, Richard!). We are so grateful to have stayed at Clonalis House, and we will absolutely be looking forward to doing so again.

Perfect girls weekend We chose the Orchard Cottage at Clonalis House for a long awaited girls get away and we were not disappointed. The cottage was everything we wanted and more. Three good bedrooms, 2 of whcih were en suite ensure we all slept well. the grounds are perfect for an early morning stroll. Carol-Anne couldn't have been more welcoming and the addition of a welcome pack in the cottage and some gorgeous home made biscuits added to the charm. You can walk into Castlerea and the host provided plenty of information about things to do in the area.

May Yoga Retreat The idyllic location for hosting our May Yoga Retreat, with a beautiful forest walk and perfect yoga room on site! Clonalis Cottages are charming and very comfortable, our 18 guests felt at home immediately. Our hosts Carol Anne and Richard were on hand, with farm fresh eggs and other bits to help make our retreat a success. We will be back next year for sure.

Incredibly Experience! What an Experience! I would repeat this visit many times if I could! This was on a beautiful estate, with luxurious rooms -- my room had a fireplace, and there was also a fireplace (and clawfoot tub) in my ensuite! We opted for the dinner, and it was absolutely incredible. We truly felt like we were royalty -- it was a wonderful experience, very welcoming yet luxurious. There were trails as well, that went through beautiful gardens. I would make this a stop on my next trip to Ireland without a doubt!

Clonalis - an immersive experience of Irish countryside My husband and I were in Ireland for 16 days in September. We stayed at 8 different locations across Ireland and among those our stay at Clonalis house was the most memorable. Clonalis is not just an overnight accommodation, it is an immersive experience of Irish countryside, lavish never ending grounds, traditional quality food and hundreds years of family history. Upon arrival to Castleria it takes about 5 min to drive through the property grounds to get to the mansion. (As we later learned it takes 2 days to mow the grass 🙂 ) The hosts Carol Anne and Richard are sweet and accommodating. Direct descendants of the O’Conor dynasty, they moved into the house 5 years ago. The house is huge and the guest rooms are on the second floor. Our green room was facing the front lawn. The bathroom was almost as big as the bedroom, with a fireplace (although purely decorative) and added to the luxury setting. There are three more guest rooms I believe, all on the 2nd floor. There are no keys to the bedroom doors (locks are on the interior) which was fine with us and enhanced the feeling of staying in someone’s home. We loved the first floor library, dining and drawing rooms filled with museum piece furniture, historic memorabilia, art and family charm. O’Conors are watching you not only from the old paintings on the walls but from modern photographs placed throughout the house. The kitchen and servant quarters is where the breakfast room is located, cozy and informal, also with a fireplace. We loved our stay and the opportunity to chat with the hosts who were more than willing to share their family history, talk about Ireland old and modern, politics, life and lots other things. Carol Anne had impeccable grace introducing guests to each other in the library, where we met an Australian couple, a mother and daughter from New Jersey and a British girl, all of whom we dined with in the evening. Note: The house is full of history. It has been upgraded and well maintained but it is huge and it is over a hundred year old. Something to be aware of if modern amenities are important to you. ( the water pressure is consistent with old plumbing, for instance). We were charmed by Richard and Carol Anne and by the accommodations and company, and future trips to Ireland will be scheduled around availability at Clonalis.

Great Experience We really enjoyed staying at Clonalis House. A really cool 46 room house that you experience with a very small group of guests as they only offer 4 guest rooms per night. So you have delightful experience with 3 other couples for great meals in the house and enjoying the grounds and history of the O'Conor Family.

A Wonderful Place to Get Away This is truly a wonderful home to visit and stay at. Richard and Carole-Anne do provide a remarkable experience where you feel the hospitality of being a welcomed guest in there home. The intimate setting at dinner in the dining room, drinks in the library and breakfast in a special room make the experience perfect. The beautiful grounds allow you to explore and provide you with wonderful places to relax and enjoy nature. I would definitely recommend the evening dinner as it was exceptional. The home also allows you space to unplug without the distraction of television. (There is excellent Wi-Fi to allow you to stay connected if you want to). Thank you for a great experience.

Downton Abbeyesk Carol Anne and Richard are the perfect hosts. While strictly described as a B&B the dinner offered to residents only is customized to your needs and delicious to boot, then afterwards entering the historic filled library gives a feeling of Downton Abbeyesk with the roaring fire and a glass in hand chatting to the other guests gives it such a homely experience. Views from the bedroom windows and the four poster, show off the lavish vista that greets you upon arrival and the jars of Clonalis Honey are a treat to bring home. Congratulations to you both for a job well done. It will live long in the memory. Thank you.

A beautiful experience We loved everything about Clonalis House. The peace and tranquility, the history, the very warm welcome from Carol Anne and Richard - the list could go on and on. Richard is a terrific cook and the dinner was perfect, as was breakfast - delicious and uncomplicated food, served beautifully in cosy surroundings. It is very much a country house experience and not a conventional hotel which may not suit everyone but for us it was a treat. We are glad to have experienced it and hope one day to return.

It’s a gem! We found A GEM in Clonalis House! If you want to escape the rollercoaster of life and switch off from the busyness of life, this is the perfect destination! We couldn’t speak highly enough of the warmth of the welcome from Richard and Carol Anne. They made us feel so much at home! There is absolutely nothing that can be improved on- we loved the amazing food, scrumptious breakfasts, cosy fires, beautiful gardens, etc! It really was our most relaxing holiday ever!

A lovely, restful stay! What a special experience! From the home-bakes on arrival to the scrumptious evening meal and breakfast, we loved every minute of our stay. The peace and tranquility of the grounds provides for a peaceful, restful stay and being hosted by the 27th generation of the O'Conor clan, Richard and Carol-Anne, completes this very unique experience. Step back in time as you stroll through the house, with antiques and beautiful paintings on every wall, take a magical walk through the Pooh bear-themed woods or curl up with a book in the library. Do go, you won’t be disappointed!

A beautiful relaxing and luxurious stay. I reserved this hotel for my parents to enjoy a little getaway, and they loved every moment! The grounds were beautiful—my dad especially enjoyed meeting the farm manager and checking out the livestock. The home itself was stunning and rich in history. They found the library and fireplaces so cozy, and they really appreciated the rooms and the delicious food. Thank you for creating such a wonderful experience for them; they can’t wait to return, hopefully with me next time!

Just as we wished for The ambience, the hospitality, the house and the grounds

This was an absolutely amazing experience with fantastic food, comfy stay and warm hospitality! There was history at every corner of the house which captivated our attention. The hosts were so warm and welcoming. We had dinner and breakfast at the house which were delicious! The grounds were absolutely breathtaking.

Very Enjoyable and would go again. Really enjoyed the Ambiance of this old style stately home, the grounds and walks around it are very tranquil. The accommodation was excellent as was the care given by Carol-Ann and Richard, the Breakfast menu was varied and what we ate we really enjoyed. We did not have dinner as we had other arrangements made.

A breathtaking, remarkable Visit! The Peace of the landscape, the long history of the incredible Familie (if you are interested in it), the breathtaking interior (have a tea or a drink in the library).

We felt very welcome. It was so much more personal than a hotel. We loved the library with the log fire, the red dining room with family portraits, the elegant spacious bedroom & the delicious home cooked food.

It was a lovely relaxing stay in very peaceful surroundings The quality of the accommodation and service was wonderful and the surroundings were very peaceful. There was great attention to detail in everything and the breakfast was very enjoyable. The relaxed but very professional approach by the hosts was exactly the right approach.

Once in a lifetime experience The hospitality was amazing. Loved chatting with Carol-anne and learning more about the history of the manor. Food was absolutely delicious. Rooms were comfortable and roomy. Definitely worth a look!

lovely The beautiful house, the silence, the food, hospitality!

A wondering stay in a beautiful and historic house with five-star plus hospitality A most enjoyable experience from start to finish. The tour of the house and its enduring history was fascinating. Lovely room and comfortable surroundings. The evening meal was fabulous and still dreaming about breakfast. Excelled service without any fuss. We would highly recommend a stay in Clonalis House.

Our expectations were high and all were surpassed. An historic house but also a welcoming family home. Very spacious bedroom and bathroom, delicious food! Would highly recommend the house tour to get a sense of the place and people throughout the centuries. Thank you to Richard, Carole Anne, Piers and family for a special overnight stay.

What a magnificent house full of history and wonderful owners that make you feel very welcome! We very much enjoyed the warm welcome and hospitality of Carol-Anne and Richard and the lovely chats beside the fireplace in the beautiful library. The food was also absolutely delicious! We felt very spoiled and lucky as we were the only guests staying at the house that night and thus had the rooms to ourselves. What an incredible place full of atmosphere and character - we’d love to come back one day!

The Irish Oasis Stunning landscape on the irish countryside. Felt like at home as the host were extremely warm and hospitable. Great attention to detail and taken care of. Definitely come back! Lodovico & Olympia

Wonderful B&B stay with owners who made us feel like part of the family! Staying at Clonalis House is like stepping back in time to where open fields and the warmth of family envelope you. The house is steeped in history while including all the modern amenities. Carol-Anne and Richard graciously welcomed us and allowed us a peek into their daily life which included their 2 wonderful boys. And Marguerite, Richard's mum, gave us the best house tour which detailed the fascinating history of the O'Conor Don. A truly memorable experience. We hope to visit again soon!

It was a lovely start to our Irish honeymoon. Thank you! It is hard to pinpoint one thing, as the overall experience was so great. It felt like coming home.

Clonalis House isn't a b&b, it's an experience not to be missed. The hospitality is second to none. The experience of staying in what to all intents and purposes is a stately home, something that shouldn't be missed. An added extra of the evening meal is something that it would be a crime to miss out on,. The food is exceptional and the dining experience unequalled. Then to top it all off the perfect breakfast.

We felt so relaxed as if we were part of the family Staying in such a historic house was quite special. There is history everywhere, in every room and along the corridors. Marguerite’s tour of the house, ably assisted by six year old Freddie, was a highlight. We enjoyed the Suck Valley Way walk through the woodland. Having the opportunity to chat with the family and other guests was most enjoyable - quite different to staying in a standard hotel. A relaxing but stimulating experience. The cuisine was excellent too.

Relaxing, great food and service, in a house full of history The family and property full of history, with fascinating information on display in a relaxing environment.