You can't stay in Kilkenny Castle, but this 1786-built mansion is the next best thing. Once the home of the earls of Ormonde, the hotel today combines modern design with aristocratic trappings including sweeping staircases, marble fireplaces, an art collection and magnificent gardens. The generous rooms are individually decorated, and, to remind you that you’re staying amid history, the floors creak.
Butler House
Top choice in Kilkenny City
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
28.37 MILES
The Rock of Cashel is one of Ireland's most spectacular historic sites: a prominent green hill, banded with limestone outcrops, rising from a grassy plain…
0.61 MILES
Ireland's second-largest medieval cathedral (after St Patrick's in Dublin) has a long and fascinating history. The first monastery was built here in the…
0.11 MILES
Rising above the River Nore, Kilkenny Castle is one of Ireland's most visited heritage sites. Stronghold of the powerful Butler family, it has a history…
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7.78 MILES
This fortified Augustinian monastery is the best sort of ruin, where you can amble around whenever you like, with no tour guides, set hours or fees. Most…
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23.06 MILES
One of Ireland's most magnificent landscaped gardens, Altamont covers 16 hectares on the banks of the River Slaney. Carefully selected plantings are…
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27.58 MILES
Housed in a stunning modern structure that incorporates several medieval buildings and part of the city wall in its basement (all on display), this museum…
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27.61 MILES
This large modern complex combines a retail shop and cafe with a factory offering a 90-minute tour that shows how world-famous Waterford crystal is…
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10.28 MILES
One of Ireland’s finest Cistercian ruins, Jerpoint Abbey was established in the 12th century, with the tower and cloister dating from the late 14th or…
Nearby Kilkenny City attractions
0.05 MILES
The beautiful Butler House gardens are home to an unusual water feature constructed from remnants of the British-built Nelson's Pillar, blown up by…
2. National Design & Craft Gallery
0.07 MILES
Contemporary Irish crafts are showcased at the imaginative National Design & Craft Gallery, set in former stables across the road from Kilkenny Castle,…
0.11 MILES
Rising above the River Nore, Kilkenny Castle is one of Ireland's most visited heritage sites. Stronghold of the powerful Butler family, it has a history…
0.13 MILES
The Butler Gallery is one of the country’s most important art galleries outside Dublin. Small exhibitions featuring the work of contemporary artists are…
0.2 MILES
These 21 hectares of public parkland extend to the southeast of Kilkenny Castle, framing a fine view of Mt Leinster, while a Celtic-cross-shaped rose…
0.21 MILES
Dating from the early 13th century, St Mary's Church has been converted into a fascinating modern museum that charts the history of Kilkenny in medieval…
0.24 MILES
Kilkenny's Tholsel (City Hall) was built in 1761 on the spot where Dame Alice Kyteler’s maid Petronella was burned at the stake in 1324 for witchcraft …