Where to stay in Kerry: A guide for first time visitors

Are you planning a trip to Ireland want to know where to stay in Kerry?

Knowing the best places to stay along Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way can be quite tricky to decide and will often depend on where you are coming from/going to and how long you plan to stay.

In this guide to Kerry, we will provide you with a breakdown of 3 of Kerry’s main places to stay, as well as alternative hotels in more rural locations. Before deciding on where to stay in Kerry, the key consideration is transport. If you are not driving, it is important to choose somewhere with goo public transport links like Killarney/Tralee to make it easier to get around.

If you are driving, you will have more flexibility and can choose more rural locations like Kenmare, Waterville and Dingle. Quite often, visitors from abroad will want to spend a day in Dingle, Killarney and explore trails like the Ring of Kerry and Gap of Dunloe. This breakdown of hotels in Kerry will make sure you are strategically placed to enjoy all of the beauty that Kerry has to offer.

How to get around Kerry

Car:

If you are planning to travel around Kerry a bit then you will most likely need to use a car as the most convenient method. If you need to rent a car for your trip to Kerry we would recommend Discover Cars to get the best deal. The roads in rural Ireland can be quite unique and narrow so do take your time driving here if you are unfamiliar with the terrain. The main towns in Kerry are serviced by Motorway but as you explore the Ring of Kerry you will find driving to be a bit more challenging overall.

Guided Tours

If you want to explore Kerry as part of a wider trip along the Wild Atlantic Way, we would recommend taking this 4 day tour from Galway to Kerry, which includes stops at the Cliffs of Moher, Killarney, Dingle and Blarney Castle. This is a great option for anyone who doesn’t feel comfortable driving and includes accommodation, guides, transfers and entry fees. Another popular option is this one by Paddy Wagon tours, which includes stops in Galway, Clare, Kerry and Cork.

Alternatively, we would recommend taking this tour if you are visiting from Cork. One other option if you are visiting from abroad would be to take a multi day guided tour to take the stress out of planning.

Public Transport

Another option is to use public transport to get to/around Kerry. Again this will depend on where you are travelling from but there are direct buses to Dingle from Tralee, which is serviced by locations around the country. There are also train stations in Tralee and Killarney, which can be reached from Dublin Heuston station.

How many days do you need in Kerry?

We saw lots of Irish itineraries that try to squeeze in as many places as possible in a short space of time. Generally, you can see Irish cities like Dublin in a day, they tend to be compact and walkable. Equally, if you plan to only go to Kerry for a day in Dingle for example, that will be all the time you need.

But if you want to fully explore an Irish county like Kerry, enjoying Killarney, Dingle, The Gap of Dunloe etc. you will need a minimum of 2-3 days in Kerry.

During your stay in Kerry we would recommend using a combination of self guided road trips and guided tours around the Ring of Kerry. If you are uncomfortable with driving, we would suggest taking the Gap of Dunloe and Dingle Peninsula tours to see some of the main attractions around the county.

Where to stay in Kerry

Picking the right hotel in Kerry will generally tend to depend on why/how long you are staying. If you are touring the Wild Atlantic Way and want easy access to your next stop, we would suggest Killarney/Tralee. If you want to stay closer to the Kerry Cliffs/Valentia Island area, we would recommend choosing somewhere like Sneem or Kenmare. From there you will have access to some of Kerry’s best beaches like Derrynane beach and the Skelligs.

Killarney

When it comes to choosing where to stay in Kerry, it is hard to look past the town of Killarney. Whether you are travelling the Wild Atlantic Way from Cork or Clare or coming from Dublin, Killarney is an easily reachable location.

Killarney is a lively town, with a great atmosphere. Killarney is home to the Killarney National park, where you will find great walking trails, lakes, Torc Waterfall and Muckross House. Killarney is also just a short drive from the Gap of Dunloe, which is an absolute must for any visit to Kerry.

There are some great places for food and drink with great cafes like Luna for brunch and Harrow for dinner. We would also recommend visiting J.M Reidy’s for a traditional Irish pub experience.

Killarney also has the widest selection of hotels in Kerry, so you won’t be short options. Our top hotel picks in Killarney would be Aghadoe Heights for a luxury stay, with an indoor pool, spa and amazing on site restaurant. Alternatively, we would also recommend Muckross Park Hotel or the Killarney Plaza Hotel for an incredible stay in Killarney.

Tralee

The area with the second most hotels in Kerry is Tralee and it is also home to our personal favourite hotel, Ballygarry Estate. Staying in Tralee carries a lot of the same benefits to use as a base for exploring Kerry as Killarney does. Tralee has easy access to the motorway if you plan to explore the Wild Atlantic Way and it is less than an hour from both Dingle and Killarney.

As well as Ballygarry Estate, we would also highly recommend staying at Ballyseede Castle or the Rose Hotel, which hosts the International Rose of Tralee festival each year.

Overall, Tralee is a great base for anyone wanting to have good access to the main attractions within Kerry, as well as a quick route on to your next stop/back towards Cork or Dublin. It is a particularly good option if you want to spend a day in Dingle but don’t want to stay there overnight. Overall though, we do prefer Killarney as a town, which has a better range of food & drink options for your stay.

Dingle

For most people when they think of Kerry, they will automatically be drawn to the colourful streets of Dingle. Dingle is a must visit on any trip to Kerry. Dingle is home to some of Ireland’s most renowned locations and activities, including the Dingle Dolphin Boat Tour. It is a great town to visit for a traditional Irish feel, with lots of great bars like Dick Macks, locally sourced fish and chips from the Fish Box and some of Ireland’s best ice cream from Murphy’s ice cream shop.

Dingle is also just a short drive from Dunquin Pier, Coumeenoole Beach and the renowned Conor Pass drive, (which we wouldn’t necessarily recommend doing if you aren’t confident with driving on Irish roads).

Overall, we would highly recommend spending a day in Dingle but the drawback is that there is a much smaller range of hotels to choose from when compared with Killarney and Tralee. The standout hotel in Dingle would definitely be the Dingle Skellig Hotel, which has an indoor swimming pool and gym on site. If you plan on visiting Dingle on your trip to Kerry, our guide to a day in Dingle to help you plan your trip.

Other recommended hotels in Kerry

Outside of those areas there are some incredible luxury hotels in Kerry that would be worth visiting for a special occasion. First up is Parknasilla Resort & Spa, a stunning hotel set against the backdrop of the Kerry mountains. This hotel is set on a huge parkland estate, has a golf course, luxurious spa and loads of outdoor activities. If you want to go away for a luxury stay, this one should be high up on your list.

Not far from here, you will find Sheen Falls Lodge, another incredible 5* resort. Sheen Falls Lodge is another hotel set on a huge estate, lined with waterfalls and woodland. Their restaurant has been awarded 2 AA Rosettes, and they have a range of facilities available to make sure your stay is memorable – another incredible luxury hotel in Kerry.