The Glendalough Hotel
"The only hotel inside the valley."
The First Feeling
Modest and well placed. The building will not impress you. Then you walk two minutes and understand why you are here.
What People Get Wrong
Do not book this expecting a luxury hotel.
The rooms are simple, the bar is busy with walkers and day visitors, and the operation is a country inn. If you want luxury in Wicklow, stay at Tinakilly or Brooklodge and drive over early instead. What you cannot buy there is the first hour in the valley.
The Atmosphere
A traditional white and grey country hotel on a river bend, with wooded mountainsides rising on both sides and the monastic gateway a short walk along the road.
The Room to Request
River side, away from the bar.
Ask for a room over the Glendasan river and away from the public bar. The river noise is the point and the bar noise is not, and the two are not far apart in a building this size.
Check AvailabilityThe Daily Rhythm
Morning
The monastic city and the Upper Lake before the coaches, in that order.
Afternoon
The Spinc ridge walk, or Sally Gap and the military road.
Evening
Dinner in the hotel, then the ruins again at dusk when everyone has gone.
Small things you remember later
- The river under the window all night
- The round tower with nobody in front of it
- Boots in the hallway
- The valley going quiet at six o'clock
Finding it
Address
The Glendalough HotelDerrybawn, Glendalough
Glendalough
Co. Wicklow
A98 X9C1
Ireland
Open in Google Maps
Hours
Check-in from 15:00
Check-out by 11:00
Checked against the hotel's own website on 15 September 2026. Source.
Practical Intelligence
Great for solo travelers
The Emotional Role
Position over polish
This is a one-night stay with a specific job. Sleep in the valley, take Glendalough at dawn, then drive on to Kerry or Kilkenny with the best of Wicklow already behind you.
Who this hotel is for
Best for travelers who want glendalough without the crowd.
Experience The Glendalough Hotel
If you understand the feeling of this place, you will naturally want to stay.
Check AvailabilityEdited by Deborah Nuñez
The Ireland Edit only recommends hotels we have stayed in, visited in person, or vetted against a checked-in editorial network. We never accept payment for inclusion.
Frequently asked questions
- Who should stay at The Glendalough Hotel?
- You want Glendalough without the crowd. You are walking the Wicklow Way or the lake trails. You value position over polish.
- Where is The Glendalough Hotel located?
- Glendalough, Co. Wicklow Wicklow About 1 hour 15 minutes from Dublin.
- Why does The Ireland Edit recommend The Glendalough Hotel?
- It is the single best-timed room in Wicklow. You are buying the valley empty, twice, and no hotel in Dublin can sell you that at any price.
- What does The Glendalough Hotel pair best with?
- This is a one-night stay with a specific job. Sleep in the valley, take Glendalough at dawn, then drive on to Kerry or Kilkenny with the best of Wicklow already behind you.
- When is The Glendalough Hotel not the right choice?
- The rooms are simple, the bar is busy with walkers and day visitors, and the operation is a country inn. If you want luxury in Wicklow, stay at Tinakilly or Brooklodge and drive over early instead. What you cannot buy there is the first hour in the valley.
- When is the best time of year to visit The Glendalough Hotel?
- April, May, September and October
- How long should I stay at The Glendalough Hotel?
- 1 night
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Brooklodge & Macreddin Village
Ireland's certified organic hotel, built as a village in an empty Wicklow valley, with a wild-food restaurant, a brewpub, a smokehouse and a spa within a few minutes' walk of the room.
Read Before You Book
Why we recommend The Glendalough Hotel.
The philosophy that sits behind the recommendation. The essays we would send a friend before they book.
The Irish Hotel Test We Use Before Booking
Six questions we apply before booking any room in Ireland. The November test, the dinner-twice test, the landscape-over-room test.
Why We Never Stay One Night Anywhere In Ireland
Every hotel change costs you half a day. Luxury, in Ireland, is staying put.
What I Tell Every American Friend Before Their First Trip
Cut the itinerary in half, then cut it again. The letter we send before every first visit.