The Brehon

Guide to Gay Friendly Hotels in Killarney Ireland (2023 Updated)

Attitudes in Ireland towards lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people are regarded as among the most liberal in the world. Ireland is notable for its transformation from a country holding overwhelmingly conservative attitudes toward LGBT issues to one holding overwhelmingly liberal views in the space of a generation. This being the case it’s easy to find a gay friendly hotels Killarney.

Killarney is a town on the shores of Lough Leane in southwest Ireland’s County Kerry. It’s a stop on the Ring of Kerry scenic drive, and the start and finishing point of the 200-km Kerry Way walking trail. The town’s 19th-century buildings include St. Mary’s Cathedral. Across the bridge from the cathedral is Killarney National Park. Victorian mansion Muckross House, Gardens & Traditional Farms sits in the park.

Top attractions to visit in Killarney

 

Best Day tours in Killarney

See all tours in Killarney on GetYourGuide Ireland.

1. McSweeney Arms Hotel 3* – Gay Friendly Hotels Killarney

McSweeney Arms Hotel
McSweeney Arms Hotel

In the heart of Killarney‘s town centre, this family-run hotel offers charming accommodation and a bar and restaurant known for its warm atmosphere, good food and good company.

The McSweeney Arms Hotel is a landmark in Killarney. In the heart of the town, the McSweeney family welcomed guests here for over 50 years. Proud of a long tradition of hospitality and friendliness, Tony and Pauline McSweeney and their team work hard to provide high-quality service.

Tony’s Sandtrap Bar and Restaurant is the heart of the hotel and enjoys a great reputation for its atmosphere and food. Hunters Restaurant is open from Tuesday to Saturday and offers fine cuisine.

The hotel’s good location and comfortable accommodation makes it a great base from which to enjoy the delights of Killarney and the magnificent coastline of South-West Ireland.

McSweeney Arms Hotel is ideally situated in the center of Ireland’s most famous tourist town Killarney. McSweeney Arms hotel is a three star family run hotel with a unique and friendly atmosphere. We hope that your next visit will be with us here personally in Killarney.Our bedrooms at McSweeney Arms Hotel are a home away from home.

Comfort, quality and relaxation are essential to a good night’s sleep, therefore at McSweeney Arms Hotel we promise to ensure all guests the best night’s sleep possible. Each room has a unique style and loving touch. Perfect for a few nights away to explore the treasures of Killarney.

We were in Southern Ireland for ten days and stayed at numerous hotels. McSweeney Arms was by far my favorite. It was in a perfect location close to lots of bars, restaurants, tourist stops, etc. The rooms were incredibly clean and we had a big bed. (We have a king back in the States, the tiny European beds were throwing us for a loop) The shower was delightful, plenty of hot water and good water pressure. All the staff was very friendly in the hotel and in the bar! Also it’s just the cutest lil hotel ever, just look at it.

Great location in the middle of Killarney. Easy to walk to everything. The rooms were very clean and spacious. Beds were comfortable. The breakfast was delicious. Staff was warm and friendly and helped make the stay that much better.

McSweeney is an excellent spot in Killarney. Tony made us feel at home! The rooms were a great size and allowed us to spread out. The location is perfect and his pub and restaurant were awesome; we ate there 2 nights after long days on the course, it was a welcomed spot to chill and have much needed pint.

One of our best hotel stays in Ireland. The service was outstanding – they even went above and beyond, no questions asked, when we left an item behind after checkout. Our room (2 doubles) was huge in comparison to most traditional Irish hotels and access to parking was easy. Location was perfect – just steps from loads of shopping and restaurants, and easy access for heading out on the road. Cleanliness…excellent.

Very well kept and we had access to everything we needed. Would highly recommend and will definitely be back.

An absolute gem in the heart of Killarney town, great location beside the train station and the main shopping and pub/restaurant streets.

Service is absolutely fantastic and the rooms are lovely-one of the most comfortable beds I’ve ever slept in.

The breakfast is absolutely amazing!

Massive thanks to Tony who really looked after me during my stay-will 100% be coming back.

Gay Friendly Hotels Killarney
Gay Friendly Hotels Killarney

How much does a room costs at McSweeney Arms Hotel ?

Prices start 117$/night for Economy Double Room. The Double Room is  145$/room per night with breakfast included – if coming on a honeymoon this is the perfect choice for gay couples.

This room features free Wi-Fi and a TV.

Where to book online – McSweeney Arms Hotel – Gay Friendly Hotels Killarneyyou can find the best hotels deals in Killarney during Racing Festival which is celebrated with much enthusiasm in Killarney on Booking.com or  Trip.com  or Hotelscombined.com and see more reviews on TripAdvisor.

 

2. The Brehon 4* – Gay Friendly Hotels Killarney

The Brehon
The Brehon

Boasting marble bathrooms and spacious rooms with mountain views, The Brehon is 500 m from the INEC and overlooks Killarney National Park. Guests can relax in its luxurious Angsana Spa.

Each luxury room features baths, walk-in showers and fluffy bathrobes. Guests can relax with satellite TV, slippers, and complimentary mineral water.

With sumptuous, oriental decor, The Angsana Spa offers a range of Thai-style treatments and massages. Facilities include a swimming pool and are for guests over 18 years of age. Children have complimentary use of the Aquila Pool Use of Aquilla Club in our sister hotel located in close proximity.

The Brehon Bar has a wide selection of wines, cocktails and an extensive bar menu.

The Brehon is a luxurious hotel of unique grace and elegance set amidst Killarney’s breathtaking landscape. Each guest room and suite reflects a contemporary blend of beauty, style and space. The Brehon also offers visitors a chance to relax and unwind in the Angsana Spa, the European flagship of the famous Thai celebrity haunt The Banyan Tree.

The experienced Thai therapists offer a range of holistic spa treatments and massages to refresh and revitalise the spirit, mind and physical being. All treatments carried out in the Angsana Spa are 100% authentic Thai and use only natural ingredients.

Fantastic hotel with excellent facilities. Really could not fault it; outdoor area beautiful, food excellent, staff excellent, rooms spacious and clean, lots of spacious areas around the hotel to relax, great fresh made breakfast. Quality down time which is what we needed.

Great location with a fantastic view of the mountains from the front rooms, the hotel had availability and put us in one of these rooms on arrival which was amazing.

The room was spacious and had been sealed following the cleaning which was nice to see, room well equipped with a great smart TV and an amazing bed which is one of the comfiest ones we have slept in. The hotel was well organised and had contacted us prior to check in and booked our pool times along with dinner and breakfast slots.

The pool is restricted to a smaller occupancy and you get 1 hour slots, plenty of availability so we managed to move the times when needed with no issues. The pool area was lovely and although not all the spa features were open it didn’t detract from an enjoyable experience. We had dinner in the hotel and the food was lovely, highly recommend the scampi and dirty fries!!. We had booked our breakfast slots in but decided to pay the small surcharge of €5 to have hit delivered to the room on each of the days as the view was too nice to miss, hats off to the gentleman who delivered it daily, always on time and always called to check how things were.

Have to say that the service stood out in the brehon, i had read reviews prior and this was mentioned but have to say i was really impressed with all the interactions with staff, nothing was ever any problem.

Hotel in well situated in Killarney and although not directly on the lake it is only a 10 minute walk to it and you are also close to all the main attractions like Muckross House and Ross Castle.

Recommend taking a trip over to Dingle and also the ring of Kerry.

From the moment we checked in, we were amazed with the reception/lobby area and went straight our room which was also lovely and spacious and had a wide comfy bed and the room was also well equipped with bathrobes and slippers, tea and coffee facilities and a mini fridge also while the bathroom had both a huge shower and a bath as well.

The food itself consisted of a cold and hot buffet where u help yourself and tea/coffee is brought to you. I was taken back by how plentiful the continental buffet was as there was every type of food there u can imagine and several types of fruit bowls, juices, smoothies, homemade granola bars, pastries, muffins and fresh honey, I couldn’t wait to have breakfast again the following morning. The hot buffet had a very good choice also and the sausages stood out the best as they were real and very tasty where ever they are sourced from. The food here in this hotel is spot on!!!

To describe our stays, where to begin, first of all not only is the hotel situated on a quiet road but it is also not entirely too far away from the town. To describe the building from the outside the word magnificent comes to mind, to also rings true upon entering the building, it has a lovely spacious foyer with seats by cosy looking fires to relax in. Reception is always efficient and fast, our rooms are always ready on arrival. The rooms are the ultimate in luxury, always clean, I just love the spacious modern bathroom even the shower hose provided.

The bar is always relaxing and drinks are reasonably priced. There is always a lovely cosy, quiet atmosphere which we love.

And to top it all, we always find our stays here are at a very reasonable rate, even nearly at the same price of lesser hotels and for all you can avail of at the Brehon, it is just truly amazing. In my opinion, it definitely far excels its four star rating.

For anyone who hasn’t stayed here before, I cannot highly recommend enough, the place is faultless and encompasses everything a luxury hotel should be, if not, it goes beyond that. It is the perfect ‘escape’ for relaxing and unwinding be it winter or summer. We are looking forward to returning here again in the future.

Gay Friendly Hotels Killarney
Gay Friendly Hotels Killarney

How much does a room costs at The Brehon ?

Prices start 190$/night for Deluxe Double Room. The Superior Deluxe Double Room is  280$/room per night with breakfast included – if coming on a honeymoon this is the perfect choice for gay couples.

This spacious room offers free WiFi and features a large bay window overlooking the park. The room includes bathrobes and slippers.

Where to book online – The Brehon – Gay Friendly Hotels Killarneyyou can find the best hotels deals in Killarney during Racing Festival which is celebrated with much enthusiasm in Killarney on Booking.com or  Trip.com  or Hotelscombined.com and see more reviews on TripAdvisor.

 

3. Killarney Randles Hotel 4* – LGBT Friendly Hotels Killarney

Killarney Randles Hotel
Killarney Randles Hotel

The elegant Killarney Randles Hotel is a 5-minute walk from Killarney town centre and offers a pool and spa.

Boasting marble bathrooms, the spacious, individually designed guest rooms each include free WiFi, tea/coffee trays, a flat-screen TV with satellite channels and a CD player. Some of the rooms offer partial mountain views.

There is a 20 m pool, steam room and sauna for guests to relax in, whilst the Zen Day Spa offers luxurious treatments using Flourish Organic range. Killarney Racecourse and the INEC Conference Centre are both one kilometer away.

This deluxe family run Killarney Hotel is ideally located 5 minutes stroll from Killarney Town Centre and near the INEC (National Events Centre). The original building dates back to 1906 but now offers guests the luxury of an world class hotel. Spacious guest rooms, leisure club & spa, offering a choice of restaurants, terraced gardens plus much more awaits in this Killarney gem. Ideally suited for weddings catering from 10 to 130 people and is fully registered for Civil ceremonies. The Randles court is a special and intimate wedding venue. Ideal for business also for events and conferences that require extra attention.

The hotel is perfectly located, only a ten minute walk from Killarney town. There is also a bike rental shop situated directly opposite the hotel which is very convenient. The rooms were beautiful and the beds were extremely comfortable, and the bathrooms were lovely and spacious with luxurious shampoos and soaps.

There was a large choice of cooked breakfast as well as a breakfast buffet which was lovely. If you are staying here we would recommend requesting to be seated in the breakfast room with the tiled floor as it is a beautiful room with lovely natural light. Although we didn’t dine in the hotel restaurant there were plenty of well recommended restaurants within walking distance. The outdoor bar is also a lovely place to relax and overlooks a beautiful view.

The Randles Court Hotel is located close enough to walk into the main streets of Killarney and within walking distance of one of the National Park entrances. Also directly across the street from a bike rental shop. Breakfast and service were excellent. The lounge was comfy and offered a nice selection of food and drinks. Mountain view from our corner room was a bonus. The terrace out front is also a nice spot for a drink.

There is a luxurious atmosphere in the hotel with several antique pieces of furniture. The bed-room had a very large comfortable bed and also a single bed. I liked the mugs provided for the tea-making rather than the small cups provided in some places. A bottle of water and glasses were also provided. there was also use of a mobile phone to help with information about the area – however, we didn’t use it. The breakfast was excellent and served by very friendly staff. We used the swimming pool and sauna which was a nice addition to our stay.

The hotel is a in a great location within easy walking distance of the town centre and also 10 minutes walk to the INEC. It was very good value for money on a supervalu break and I would definitely stay again.

The room was a story of two tales. Very big in size, kingsize bed, sofa, TV and separate seating area, some would say the room was a little dated but I would say it was chic and matched the title of boutique. The bathroom was the highlight of the room separate shower and tub. The tub has hydro jets and a TV in the wall to watch will you soaked. The white tile and black finished really made it stand out. Although we loved the room (the bed and space was exceptional), we don’t know if we’d pay the same amount of money again. The TV wasn’t smart and only had a DVD player (no-one carries around DVDs anymore) the electric fireplace didn’t work (but we didn’t ask to get it fixed either).

Afternoon tea was 10/10 the drawing/reception room was very chic and traditionally styled. It had an open fire and the food was good tasting and plentiful. They even topped up on pastries we liked free of charge.

The breakfast was 10/10 and the waiting staff were very attentive refilling on toast or coffee or whatever you need.

This hotel makes a great first impression with its old-world charm. Oriental rugs and cozy fire-lit sitting areas are just as welcoming as the friendly and helpful staff. Our room–a junior suite–was absolutely gorgeous: a spacious, corner room with big windows and lovely mountain views, fireplace, comfy sofa, dining area, desk and a king bed with lovely linens. The modern bath included a soaking tub–perfect after a day of sightseeing. Breakfast was yummy in light-filled, very pleasant room off the main dining area.

We also had a great room service dinner on our last night in Killarney and took advantage of the hotel’s laundry service–not cheap, but worth it to have clean, pressed clothes. Hotel is a short walk to city centre shops, restaurants and pubs.

Gay Friendly Hotels Killarney
Gay Friendly Hotels Killarney

How much does a room costs at Killarney Randles Hotel ?

Prices start 204$/night for Double Room. The Signature Room is  219$/room per night with breakfast included – if coming on a honeymoon this is the perfect choice for gay couples.

This double room has a satellite TV, seating area and CD player.

Where to book online – Killarney Randles Hotel – Gay Friendly Hotels Killarneyyou can find the best hotels deals in Killarney during Racing Festival which is celebrated with much enthusiasm in Killarney on Booking.com or  Trip.com  or Hotelscombined.com and see more reviews on TripAdvisor.

 

by Sorin

Sorin is a freelance travel writer. He is an experienced travel writer and traveller. Since 2012 he explored more than 60 countries on 4 continents: Asia, Europe, Africa and North America. Currently is based in Romania after spending the last 7 years in Myanmar.